Did urge me in his act: I did enquire it;

And have my learning from fome true reports,
That drew their fwords with you. Did he not rather
Difcredit my authority with yours;

And make the wars alike against my ftomach,
Having alike your caufe? Of this, my letters
Before did fatisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
As matter whole you have not to make it with,
It must not be with this.

CES. You praise yourself

By laying defects of judgement to me; but
You patch'd up your excufes.

ANT. Not fo, not fo:

I know you could not lack, I am certain on't,
Very neceflity 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 fuch another:
The third o' the world is yours; which with a fnaffle
You may pace eafy, but not fuch a wife.

ENO. 'Would we had all fuch wives, that the men might go to wars with the women!

ANT. So much uncurbable, her garboils, Cæfar,
Made out of her impatience, (which not wanted
Shrewdness of policy too,) I grieving grant,
Did you too much difquiet: for that, you must
But fay, I could not help it.

CES. I wrote to you,

When rioting in Alexandria; you

Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Did gibe my miffive out of audience.

ANT. Sir,

He fell upon me, ere admitted; then
Three kings I had newly feafted, and did want
Of what I was i' the morning: but, next day,
I told him of myfelf; which was as much
As to have ask'd him pardon: Let this fellow
Be nothing of our ftrife; if we contend,
Out of our queftion wipe him.

CES. You have broken

The article of your oath; which

you

shall never

Have tongue to charge me with.

LEP. Soft, Cæfar.

ANT. No,

Lepidus, let him speak;

The honour's facred which he talks on now,
Suppofing that I lack'd it: But on, Cæfar;

The article of my oath,

Cæs. To lend me arms, and aid, when I requir'd them; The which you both deny'd.

ANT. Neglected, rather;

And then, when poifon'd 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: 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.

LEP. 'Tis nobly spoken.

Mɛc. 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.

VOL. V.

X

LEP. Worthily fpoke, Mecænas.

ENO. Or, if you borrow one another's love for the inftant, you may, when you hear no more words of Pompey, return it again: you fhall have time to wrangle in, when you have nothing else to do.

ANT. Thou art a foldier only; fpeak no more.

ENO. That truth fhould be filent, I had almost forgot. ANT. You wrong this prefence, therefore speak no more. ENO. Go to then; 'your confiderate ftone. CES. I do not much diflike the matter, but The manner of his speech: for it cannot be, We shall remain in friendship, our conditions So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew What hoop fhould hold us ftaunch, from edge to edge O' the world I would pursue it.

AGR. Give me leave, Cæfar,

GES. Speak, Agrippa.

AGR. Thou haft a fifter by the mother's fide, Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

CAS. Say not fo, Agrippa;

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof

Were well deferv'd of rashness.

ANT. I am not, married, Cæfar: let me hear Agrippa further speak

hearts

AGR. To hold you in perpetual amity, To make you brothers, and to knit your With an unflipping knot, take Antony · Octavia to his wife: whofe beauty claims No worse a husband than the best of men ; Whofe virtue, and whofe general graces, speak That which none else can utter. By this marriage, All little jealoufies, which now seem great,

And all great fears, which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing: truths would be but 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 prefent thought,
By duty ruminated.

ANT. Will Cæfar speak?

CAS. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd

With what is spoke already.

ANT. What power is in Agrippa,

If I would say, Agrippa, be it so,
To make this good?

His

CES. The power of Cæfar, and

power unto Octavia.

ANT. May I never

To this good purpose, that so fairly shows,

Dream of impediment! Let me 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!

CES. There is my hand.

A fifter I bequeath you,

whom no brother

Did ever love fo dearly: Let her live

To join our kingdoms, and our hearts; and never

Fly off our loves again!

LEP. Happily, amen!

ANT. I did not think to draw my fword 'gainst Pompey;

For he hath laid ftrange courtefies, and great,

Of late upon me: I must thank him only,

Left my remembrance fuffer ill report;
At heel of that, defy him.

LEP. Time calls upon us :

Of us muft Pompey prefently be fought,

Or elfe he feeks out us.

ANT. And where lies he?

CAS. About the Mount Mifenum.

ANT. What's his ftrength.

By land?

CAS. Great, and increasing: but by sea He is an abfolute mafter.

ANT. So is the fame.

'Would, we had spoke together! Hafte we for it: Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, despatch we The bufinefs we have talk'd of.

CAS. With moft gladness;

And do invite you to my fifter's view,
Whither straight I will lead you.

ANT. Let us, Lepidus,

Not lack your company.
LEP. Noble Antony,
Not fickness fhould detain me.

[Flourish. Exeunt CESAR, ANTONY, and LEPIDUS.

MEC. Welcome from Egypt, fir.

ENO. Half the heart of Cæfar, worthy Mecænas!—my honourable friend, Agrippa!

AGR. Good Enobarbus!

MEC. We have caufe to be glad, that matters are fo well digefted. You ftay'd well by it in Egypt.

ENO. Ay, fir; we did fleep day out of countenance, and made the night light with drinking.

MEC. Eight wild boars roafted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve perfons there; Is this true?

ENO. This was but as a fly by an eagle: we had much more monstrous matter of feaft, which worthily deferved nothing.