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OCTAVIUS CAESAR
'Tis done already, and the messenger gone.
I have told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel;
That he his high authority abused,
And did deserve his change: for what I have conquer'd,
I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia,
And other of his conquer'd kingdoms, I
Demand the like.
MECAENAS
He'll never yield to that.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Nor must not then be yielded to in this.
Enter OCTAVIA with her train
OCTAVIA
Hail, Caesar, and my lord! hail, most dear Caesar!
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
That ever I should call thee castaway!
OCTAVIA
You have not call'd me so, nor have you cause.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Why have you stol'n upon us thus! You come not
Like Caesar's sister: the wife of Antony
Should have an army for an usher, and
The neighs of horse to tell of her approach
Long ere she did appear; the trees by the way
Should have borne men; and expectation fainted,
Longing for what it had not; nay, the dust
Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,
Raised by your populous troops: but you are come
A market-maid to Rome; and have prevented
The ostentation of our love, which, left unshown,
Is often left unloved; we should have met you
By sea and land; supplying every stage
With an augmented greeting.
OCTAVIA
Good my lord,
To come thus was I not constrain'd, but did
On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,
Hearing that you prepared for war, acquainted
My grieved ear withal; whereon, I begg'd
His pardon for return.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Which soon he granted,
Being an obstruct 'tween his lust and him.
OCTAVIA
Do not say so, my lord.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
I have eyes upon him,
And his affairs come to me on the wind.
Where is he now?
OCTAVIA
My lord, in Athens.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
No, my most wronged sister; Cleopatra
Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire
Up to a whore; who now are levying
The kings o' the earth for war; he hath assembled
Bocchus, the king of Libya; Archelaus,
Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, king
Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas;
King Malchus of Arabia; King of Pont;
Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, king
Of Comagene; Polemon and Amyntas,
The kings of Mede and Lycaonia,
With a more larger list of sceptres.
OCTAVIA
Ay me, most wretched,
That have my heart parted betwixt two friends
That do afflict each other!
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Welcome hither:
Your letters did withhold our breaking forth;
Till we perceived, both how you were wrong led,
And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart;
Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
O'er your content these strong necessities;
But let determined things to destiny
Hold unbewail'd their way. Welcome to Rome;
Nothing more dear to me. You are abused
Beyond the mark of thought: and the high gods,
To do you justice, make them ministers
Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort;
And ever welcome to us.
AGRIPPA
Welcome, lady.
MECAENAS
Welcome, dear madam.
Each heart in Rome does love and pity you:
Only the adulterous Antony, most large
In his abominations, turns you off;
And gives his potent regiment to a trull,
That noises it against us.
OCTAVIA
Is it so, sir?
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Most certain. Sister, welcome: pray you,
Be ever known to patience: my dear'st sister!
Exeunt
SCENE VII. Near Actium. MARK ANTONY's
camp
Enter CLEOPATRA and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
CLEOPATRA
I will be even with thee, doubt it not.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
But why, why, why?
CLEOPATRA
Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,
And say'st it is not fit.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Well, is it, is it?
CLEOPATRA
If not denounced against us, why should not we
Be there in person?
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
[Aside] Well, I could reply:
If we should serve with horse and mares together,
The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear
A soldier and his horse.
CLEOPATRA
What is't you say?
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;
Take from his heart, take from his brain, from's time,
What should not then be spared. He is already
Traduced for levity; and 'tis said in Rome
That Photinus an eunuch and your maids
Manage this war.
CLEOPATRA
Sink Rome, and their tongues rot
That speak against us! A charge we bear i' the war,
And, as the president of my kingdom, will
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it:
I will not stay behind.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Nay, I have done.
Here comes the emperor.
Enter MARK ANTONY and CANIDIUS
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