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entertained cause enough To draw their swords。 But how the fear of us
May cement their divisions； and bind up The petty difference we yet not
know。 Be't as our gods will have't！ It only stands Our lives upon to use our
strongest hands。 Come； Menas。 Exeunt
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SCENE II。 Rome。 The house of LEPIDUS
Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS
LEPIDUS。 Good Enobarbus； 'tis a worthy deed； And shall become
you well； to entreat your captain To soft and gentle speech。 ENOBARBUS。
I shall entreat him To answer like himself。 If Caesar move him； Let
Antony look over Caesar's head And speak as loud as Mars。 By Jupiter；
Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard； I would not shave't to…day。
LEPIDUS。 'Tis not a time For private stomaching。 ENOBARBUS。 Every
time Serves for the matter that is then born in't。 LEPIDUS。 But small to
greater matters must give way。 ENOBARBUS。 Not if the small come first。
LEPIDUS。 Your speech is passion； But pray you stir no embers up。 Here
comes The noble Antony。
Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS
ENOBARBUS。 And yonder； Caesar。
Enter CAESAR； MAECENAS； and AGRIPPA
ANTONY。 If we compose well here； to Parthia。 Hark； Ventidius。
CAESAR。 I do not know； Maecenas。 Ask Agrippa。 LEPIDUS。 Noble
friends； That which combin'd us was most great； and let not A leaner
action rend us。 What's amiss； May it be gently heard。 When we debate Our
trivial difference loud； we do commit Murder in healing wounds。 Then；
noble partners； The rather for I earnestly beseech； Touch you the sourest
points with sweetest terms； Nor curstness grow to th' matter。 ANTONY。
'Tis spoken well。 Were we before our armies； and to fight； I should do thus。
＇Flourish＇ CAESAR。 Welcome to Rome。 ANTONY。 Thank you。 CAESAR。
Sit。 ANTONY。 Sit； sir。 CAESAR。 Nay； then。 ＇They sit＇ ANTONY。 I learn
you take things ill which are not so； Or being； concern you not。 CAESAR。
I must be laugh'd at If； or for nothing or a little； Should say myself
offended； and with you Chiefly i' the world； more laugh'd at that I should
Once name you derogately when to sound your name It not concern'd me。
ANTONY。 My being in Egypt； Caesar； What was't to you？ CAESAR。 No
more than my residing here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt。 Yet； if you
there Did practise on my state； your being in Egypt Might be my question。
ANTONY。 How intend you… practis'd？ CAESAR。 You may be pleas'd to
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catch at mine intent By what did here befall me。 Your wife and brother
Made wars upon me； and their contestation Was theme for you； you were
the word of war。 ANTONY。 You do mistake your business； my brother
never Did urge me in his act。 I did inquire it； And have my learning from
some true reports That drew their swords with you。 Did he not rather
Discredit my authority with yours； And make the wars alike against my
stomach； Having alike your cause？ Of this my letters Before did satisfy
you。 If you'll patch a quarrel； As matter whole you have not to make it
with； It must not be with this。 CAESAR。 You praise yourself By laying
defects of judgment to me； but You patch'd up your excuses。 ANTONY。
Not so； not so； I know you could not lack； I am certain on't； Very necessity
of this thought； that I； Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought；
Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars Which fronted mine own
peace。 As for my wife； I would you had her spirit in such another！ The
third o' th' world is yours； which with a snaffle You may pace easy； but not
such a wife。 ENOBARBUS。 Would we had all such wives； that the men
might go to wars with the women！ ANTONY。 So much uncurbable； her
garboils； Caesar； Made out of her impatience… which not wanted
Shrewdness of policy too… I grieving grant Did you too much disquiet。 For
that you must But say I could not help it。 CAESAR。 I wrote to you When
rioting in Alexandria； you Did pocket up my letters； and with taunts Did
gibe my missive out of audience。 ANTONY。 Sir； He fell upon me ere
admitted。 Then Three kings I had newly feasted； and did want Of what I
was i' th' morning； but next day I told him of myself； which was as much
As to have ask'd him pardon。 Let this fellow Be nothing of our strife； if we
contend； Out of our question wipe him。 CAESAR。 You have broken The
article of your oath； which you shall never Have tongue to charge me with。
LEPIDUS。 Soft； Caesar！ ANTONY。 No； Lepidus； let him speak。 The
honour is sacred which he talks on now； Supposing that I lack'd it。 But on；
Caesar： The article of my oath… CAESAR。 To lend me arms and aid when I
requir'd them； The which you both denied。 ANTONY。 Neglected； rather；
And then when poisoned hours had bound me up From mine own
knowledge。 As nearly as I may； I'll play the penitent to you； but mine
honesty Shall not make poor my greatness； nor my power Work without it。
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Truth is； that Fulvia； To have me out of Egypt； made wars here； For which
myself； the ignorant motive； do So far ask pardon as befits mine honour To
stoop in such a case。 LEPIDUS。 'Tis noble spoken。 MAECENAS。 If it
might please you to enforce no further The griefs between ye… to forget
them quite Were to remember that the present need Speaks to atone you。
LEPIDUS。 Worthily spoken； Maecenas。 ENOBARBUS。 Or； if you borrow
one another's love for the instant； you may； when you hear no more words
of Pompey； return it again。 You shall have time to wrangle in when you
have nothing else to do。 ANTONY。 Thou art a soldier only。 Speak no more。
ENOBARBUS。 That truth should be silent I had almost forgot。 ANTONY。
You wrong this presence； therefore speak no more。 ENOBARBUS。 Go to；
then… your considerate stone！ CAESAR。 I do not much dislike the matter；
but The manner of his speech； for't cannot be We shall remain in
friendship； our conditions So diff'ring in their acts。 Yet if I knew What
hoop should hold us stanch； from edge to edge O' th' world； I would
pursue it。 AGRIPPA。 Give me leave； Caesar。 CAESAR。 Speak； Agrippa。
AGRIPPA。 Thou hast a sister by the mother's side； Admir'd Octavia。 Great
Mark Antony Is now a widower。 CAESAR。 Say not so； Agrippa。 If
Cleopatra heard you； your reproof Were well deserv'd of rashness。
ANTONY。 I am not married； Caesar。 Let me hear Agrippa further speak。
AGRIPPA。 To hold you in perpetual amity； To make you brothers； and to
knit your hearts With an unslipping knot； take Antony Octavia to his wife；
whose beauty claims No worse a husband than the best of men； Whose
virtue and whose general graces speak That which none else can utter。 By
this marriage All little jealousies； which now seem great； And all great
fears； which now import their dangers； Would then be nothing。 Truths
would be tales； Where now half tales be truths。 Her love to both Would
each to other； and all loves to both； Draw after her。 Pardon what I have
spoke； For 'tis a studied； not a present thought； By duty ruminated。
ANTONY。 Will Caesar speak？ CAESAR。 Not till he hears how Antony is
touch'd With what is spoke already。 ANTONY。 What power is in Agrippa；
If I would say 'Agrippa； be it so；' To make this good？ CAESAR。 The
power of Caesar； and His power unto Octavia。 ANTONY。 May I never To
this good purpose； that so fairly shows； Dream of impediment！ Let me
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have thy hand。 Further this act of grace； and from this hour The heart of
brothers govern in our loves And sway our great designs！ CAESAR。 There
is my hand。 A sister I bequeath you； whom no brother Did ever love so
d