Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms, Nor curstness3 grow to the matter.

Ant.

'Tis spoken well:

Were we before our armies, and to fight,

Ant. I learn, you take things ill, which are not so; Or, being, concern you not.

Cæs.

If, or for nothing, or a little, I

I must be laugh'd at,

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.

Ant.

What was't to you?

My being in Egypt, Cæsar,

Cæs. No more than my residing here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: Yet, if you there Did practise 5 on my state, your being in Egypt Might be my question".

Ant.

How intend you, practis'd? Cæs. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befall me. Your wife, and brother,

3 Let not ill humour be added to the real subject of our difference.'

4 The note of admiration here was added by Steevens, who thinks that Antony is meant to resent the invitation Cæsar gives him to be seated, as indicating a'consciousness of superiority in his too successful partner in power.

5 To practise is to use unwarrantable arts or stratagems. The word is frequently applied to traitorous designs against those in power, by old writers. See vol. ii. p. 96, note 11,

6 Theme or subject of conversation.

Made wars upon me: and their contestation

Was theme for you, you were the word of war. Ant. You do mistake your business; my brother

never

Did urge me in his act3: I did inquire it;
And have my learning from some true reports9,
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.

Cœs.

You praise yourself By laying defects of judgment to me; but You patch'd up your excuses.

Ant. 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 10 attend those wars Which 'fronted mine own peace. As for my wife, I would you had her spirit in such another: The third o'the world is yours; which with a snaffle You may pace easy, but not such a wife.

7 This passage has been misunderstood, erroneously explained, and considered corrupt. Its meaning evidently is, 'You were the theme or subject for which your wife and brother made their contestation; you were the word of war.' Mason supposed some words had been transposed, and that the passage ought to stand thus:

and for contestation

Their theme was you; you were the word of war.'

8 i. e. never did make use of my name as a pretence for the

war.

9 Reporters.

10 i. e. could not look graciously upon them, could not approve them. 'Fronted is affronted, opposed.

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

Ant. So much uncurable, her garboils, Cæsar, 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. Cæs.

I wrote to you,
When rioting in Alexandria; you

Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Did gibe my missive 11 out of audience.

Ant.

Sir,

He fell upon me, ere admitted; then
Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i'the morning: but, next day,
I told him of myself 12: 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.

Cæs.

The article of your oath; which
Have tongue to charge me with.
Lep.

You have broken

Ant. No, Lepidus, let him speak;

The honour's sacred which he talks on now,
Supposing that I lack'd it 13: But on, Cæsar :
The article of my oath,—

Cæs. To lend me arms, and aid, when I requir'd

them;

The which

you

11 Messenger.

both denied.

12 I told him the condition I was in when he had his last audience.'

13 The theme of honour which he now speaks of, namely, the religion of an oath, for which he supposes me not to have a due regard, is sacred; it is a tender point, and touches my character nearly. Let him therefore urge his charge, that I may vindicate myself.'

Ant.

Neglected, rather;

And then, when poison'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 14: 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.

Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no further The griefs 15 between ye: to forget them quite, Were to remember that the present need

16

Speaks to atone you.

Lep.

Eno. Or, if you

Worthily spoken, Mecænas. 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.

Ant. Thou art a soldier only; speak no more. Eno. That truth should be silent, I had almost forgot.

Ant. You wrong this presence, therefore speak no

more.

Eno. Go to then; your considerate stone 17. Cæs. I do not much dislike the matter, but The manner of his speech: for it cannot be,

14 Nor my greatness work without mine honesty.' 15 Grievances.

16 i. e. reconcile you. See vol. iii. p. 211, note 15.

17 Go to then, henceforward I will be as mute as a marble statue, which seems to think, though it can say nothing.' statua taciturnior exit

Plurumque et risum populi quatit.'

Horace.

As mute as a stone, and As silent as a stone, are common expressions.

We shall remain in friendship, our conditions
So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew

What hoop should hold us stanch, from edge to edge
O'the world I would pursue it 18.

Agr.

Cæs. Speak, Agrippa.

Give me leave, Cæsar,

Agr. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side, Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

Cæs.

Say not so, Agrippa;

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof

Were well deserv'd of rashness 19.

Ant. I am not married, Cæsar: let me hear Agrippa further speak.

hearts

Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity, To make you brothers, and to knit your 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.

Ant.

Will Cæsar speak?

Cæs. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is spoke already.

18 I do not (says Cæsar) think the man wrong, but too free of his interposition; for it cannot be, we shall remain in friendship: yet if it were possible, I would endeavour it.'

19 That is, You might be reproved for your rashness, and would well deserve it.' The old copy reads proof.' Warburton made the emendation.