The Tragedy Of Antony And Cleopatra

1 Enter Pompey, Menecrates and Menas in warlike manner.
2 POMPEY.
3 If the great gods be just, they shall assist
4 The deeds of justest men.
5 MENECRATES.
6 Know, worthy Pompey,
7 That what they do delay they not deny.
8 POMPEY.
9 Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays
10 The thing we sue for.
11 MENECRATES.
12 We, ignorant of ourselves,
13 Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
14 Deny us for our good; so find we profit
15 By losing of our prayers.
16 POMPEY.
17 I shall do well.
18 The people love me, and the sea is mine;
19 My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
20 Says it will come to th’ full. Mark Antony
21 In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
22 No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where
23 He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both,
24 Of both is flattered; but he neither loves
25 Nor either cares for him.
26 MENAS.
27 Caesar and Lepidus
28 Are in the field. A mighty strength they carry.
29 POMPEY.
30 Where have you this? ’Tis false.
31 MENAS.
32 From Silvius, sir.
33 POMPEY.
34 He dreams. I know they are in Rome together,
35 Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,
36 Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip!
37 Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both;
38 Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts;
39 Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean cooks
40 Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,
41 That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour
42 Even till a Lethe’d dullness—
43 Enter Varrius.
44 How now, Varrius!
45 VARRIUS.
46 This is most certain that I shall deliver:
47 Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
48 Expected. Since he went from Egypt ’tis
49 A space for farther travel.
50 POMPEY.
51 I could have given less matter
52 A better ear.—Menas, I did not think
53 This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm
54 For such a petty war. His soldiership
55 Is twice the other twain. But let us rear
56 The higher our opinion, that our stirring
57 Can from the lap of Egypt’s widow pluck
58 The ne’er lust-wearied Antony.
59 MENAS.
60 I cannot hope
61 Caesar and Antony shall well greet together.
62 His wife that’s dead did trespasses to Caesar;
63 His brother warred upon him, although I think,
64 Not moved by Antony.
65 POMPEY.
66 I know not, Menas,
67 How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
68 Were’t not that we stand up against them all,
69 ’Twere pregnant they should square between themselves,
70 For they have entertained cause enough
71 To draw their swords. But how the fear of us
72 May cement their divisions, and bind up
73 The petty difference, we yet not know.
74 Be’t as our gods will have’t! It only stands
75 Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
76 Come, Menas.
77 [_Exeunt._]