Antony and Cleopatra - Act 3 - Scene 2

SCENE II. Rome. An ante-chamber in OCTAVIUS CAESAR's house.

    Enter AGRIPPA at one door, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS at another

AGRIPPA

    What, are the brothers parted?

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

    They have dispatch'd with Pompey, he is gone;
    The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps
    To part from Rome; Caesar is sad; and Lepidus,
    Since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubled
    With the green sickness.

AGRIPPA

    'Tis a noble Lepidus.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

    A very fine one: O, how he loves Caesar!

AGRIPPA

    Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

    Caesar? Why, he's the Jupiter of men.

AGRIPPA

    What's Antony? The god of Jupiter.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

    Spake you of Caesar? How! the non-pareil!

AGRIPPA

    O Antony! O thou Arabian bird!

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

    Would you praise Caesar, say 'Caesar:' go no further.

AGRIPPA

    Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

    But he loves Caesar best; yet he loves Antony:
    Ho! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards,
    poets, cannot
    Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number, ho!
    His love to Antony. But as for Caesar,
    Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.

AGRIPPA

    Both he loves.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

    They are his shards, and he their beetle.

    Trumpets within
    So;
    This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa.

AGRIPPA

    Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell.

    Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MARK ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA

MARK ANTONY

    No further, sir.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

    You take from me a great part of myself;
    Use me well in 't. Sister, prove such a wife
    As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest band
    Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,
    Let not the piece of virtue, which is set
    Betwixt us as the cement of our love,
    To keep it builded, be the ram to batter
    The fortress of it; for better might we
    Have loved without this mean, if on both parts
    This be not cherish'd.

MARK ANTONY

    Make me not offended
    In your distrust.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

    I have said.

MARK ANTONY

    You shall not find,
    Though you be therein curious, the least cause
    For what you seem to fear: so, the gods keep you,
    And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!
    We will here part.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

    Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well:
    The elements be kind to thee, and make
    Thy spirits all of comfort! fare thee well.

OCTAVIA

    My noble brother!

MARK ANTONY

    The April 's in her eyes: it is love's spring,
    And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful.

OCTAVIA

    Sir, look well to my husband's house; and--

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

    What, Octavia?

OCTAVIA

    I'll tell you in your ear.

MARK ANTONY

    Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can
    Her heart inform her tongue,--the swan's
    down-feather,
    That stands upon the swell at full of tide,
    And neither way inclines.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

    [Aside to AGRIPPA] Will Caesar weep?

AGRIPPA

    [Aside to DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS] He has a cloud in 's face.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

    [Aside to AGRIPPA] He were the worse for that,
    were he a horse;
    So is he, being a man.

AGRIPPA

    [Aside to DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS] Why, Enobarbus,
    When Antony found Julius Caesar dead,
    He cried almost to roaring; and he wept
    When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

    [Aside to AGRIPPA] That year, indeed, he was
    troubled with a rheum;
    What willingly he did confound he wail'd,
    Believe't, till I wept too.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

    No, sweet Octavia,
    You shall hear from me still; the time shall not
    Out-go my thinking on you.

MARK ANTONY

    Come, sir, come;
    I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love:
    Look, here I have you; thus I let you go,
    And give you to the gods.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

    Adieu; be happy!

LEPIDUS

    Let all the number of the stars give light
    To thy fair way!

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

    Farewell, fa rewell!

    Kisses OCTAVIA

MARK ANTONY

    Farewell!

    Trumpets sound. Exeunt

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