346
The Tragedie of
It must not be with this.
Cæs.You praise your selfe, by laying defects of iudgement to me: but you patcht vp your excuses.
Anth.Not so, not so:I know you could not lacke, I am certaine on't,Very necessity of this thought, that IYour Partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,Could not with gracefull eyes attend those WarresWhich fronted mine owne peace. As for my wife,I would you had her spirit, in such another,The third oth'world is yours, which with a Snaffle,You may pace easie, but not such a wife.
Enobar.Would we had all such wiues, that the menmight go to Warres with the women.
Anth.So much vncurbable, her Garboiles (Cæsar)Made out of her impatience: which not wantedShrodenesse of policie to: I greeuing grant,Did you too much disquiet, for that you must,But say I could not helpe it?
Cæsar.I wrote to you, when rioting in Alexandria youDid pocket vp my Letters: and with tauntsDid gibe my Misiue out of audience.
Ant.Sir, he fell vpon me, ere admitted, then:Three Kings I had newly feasted, and did wantOf what I was i'th'morning: but next dayI told him of my selfe, which was as muchAs to haue askt him pardon. Let this FellowBe nothing of our strife: if we contendOut of our question wipe him.
Cæsar.You haue broken the Article of your oath,which you shall neuer haue tongue to charge me with.
Lep.Soft Cæsar.
Ant.No Lepidus, let him speake,The Honour is Sacred which he talks on now,Supposing that I lackt it: but on Cæsar,The Article of my oath.
Cæsar.To lend me Armes, and aide when I requir'dthem, the which you both denied.
Anth.Neglected rather:And then when poysoned houres had bound me vpFrom mine owne knowledge, as neerely as I may,Ile play the penitent to you. But mine honesty,Shall not make poore my greatnesse, nor my powerWorke without it. Truth is, that Fuluia,To haue me out of Egypt, made Warres heere,For which my selfe, the ignorant motiue, doSo farre aske pardon, as befits mine HonourTo stoope in such a case.
Lep.'Tis Noble spoken.
Mece.If it might please you, to enforce no furtherThe griefes betweene ye: to forget them quite,Were to remember: that the present neede,Speakes to attone you.
Lep.Worthily spoken Mecenas.
Enobar.Or if you borrow one anothers Loue for theinstant, you may when you heare no more words ofPompey' returne it againe: you shall haue time to wranglein, when you haue nothing else to do.
Anth.Thou art a Souldier, onely speake no more.
Enob.That trueth should be silent, I had almost forgot.
Anth.You wrong this presence, therefore speake no more.
Enob.Go too then: your Considerate stone.
Cæsar.I do not much dislike the matter, butThe manner of his speech: for't cannot be,We shall remaine in friendship, our conditionsSo diffring in their acts. Yet if I knew,What Hoope should hold vs staunch from edge to edgeAth'world: I would persue it.
Agri.Giue me leaue Cæsar.
Cæsar.Speake Agrippa.
Agri.Thou hast a Sister by the Mothers side, admir'dOctauia: Great Mark Anthony is now a widdower.
Cæsar.Say not, say Agrippa; if Cleopater heard you, yourproofe were well deserued of rashnesse.
Anth.I am not marryed Cæsar: let me heere Agrippafurther speake.
Agri.To hold you in perpetuall amitie,To make you Brothers, and to knit your heartsWith an vn-slipping knot, take Anthony,Octauia to his wife: whose beauty claimesNo worse a husband then the best of men: whoseVertue, and whose generall graces, speakeThat which none else can vtter. By this marriage,All little Ielousies which now seeme great,And all great feares, which now import their dangers,Would then be nothing. Truth's would be tales,Where now halfe tales be truth's: her loue to both,Would each to other, and all loues to bothDraw after her. Pardon what I haue spoke,For 'tis a studied not a present thought,By duty ruminated.
Anth.Will Cæsar speake?
Cæsar.Not till he heares how Anthony is toucht,With what is spoke already.
Anth.What power is in Agrippa,If I would say Agrippa, be it so,To make this good?
Cæsar.The power of Cæsar,And his power, vnto Octauia.
Anth.May I neuer(To this good purpose, that so fairely shewes)Dreame of impediment: let me haue thy handFurther this act of Grace: and from this houre,The heart of Brothers gouerne in our Loues,And sway our great Designes.
Cæsar.There's my hand:A Sister I bequeath you, whom no BrotherDid euer loue so deerely. Let her liueTo ioyne our kingdomes, and our hearts, and neuerFlie off our Loues againe.
Lepi.Happily, Amen.
Ant.I did not think to draw my Sword 'gainst Pompey,For he hath laid strange courtesies, and greatOf late vpon me. I must thanke him onely,Least my remembrance, suffer ill report:At heele of that, defie him.
Lepi.Time cals vpon's,Of vs must Pompey presently be sought,Or else he seekes out vs.
Anth.Where lies he?
Cæsar.About the Mount-Mesena.
Anth.What is his strength by land?
Cæsar.Great, and increasing:But by Sea he is an absolute Master.
Anth.So is the Fame,Would we had spoke together. Hast we for it,Yet ere we put our selues in Armes, dispatch weThe businesse we haue talkt of.
Cæsar.With most gladnesse,And do inuite you to my Sisters view,
Whe-
