The Complete Works of William ShakespeareShakespeare, William
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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Shakespeare, William
English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
CAESAR.
Not till he hears how Antony is touched
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 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’s my hand.
A sister I bequeath you, whom no brother
Did ever love so dearly. Let her live
To join our kingdoms and our hearts; and never
Fly off our loves again!
LEPIDUS.
Happily, amen!
ANTONY.
I did not think to draw my sword ’gainst Pompey,
For he hath laid strange courtesies and great
Of late upon me. I must thank him only,
Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;
At heel of that, defy him.
LEPIDUS.
Time calls upon ’s.
Of us must Pompey presently be sought,
Or else he seeks out us.
ANTONY.
Where lies he?
CAESAR.
About the Mount Misena.
ANTONY.
What is his strength by land?
CAESAR.
Great and increasing; but by sea
He is an absolute master.
ANTONY.
So is the fame.
Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it.
Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we
The business we have talked of.
CAESAR.
With most gladness,
And do invite you to my sister’s view,
Whither straight I’ll lead you.
ANTONY.
Let us, Lepidus, not lack your company.
LEPIDUS.
Noble Antony, not sickness should detain me.
[_Flourish. Exeunt all except Enobarbus, Agrippa and Maecenas._]
MAECENAS.
Welcome from Egypt, sir.
ENOBARBUS.
Half the heart of Caesar, worthy Maecenas! My honourable friend,
Agrippa!
AGRIPPA.
Good Enobarbus!
MAECENAS.
We have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested. You stayed
well by ’t in Egypt.
ENOBARBUS.
Ay, sir, we did sleep day out of countenance and made the night light
with drinking.
MAECENAS.
Eight wild boars roasted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve persons
there. Is this true?
ENOBARBUS.
This was but as a fly by an eagle. We had much more monstrous matter of
feast, which worthily deserved noting.
MAECENAS.
She’s a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her.
ENOBARBUS.
When she first met Mark Antony, she pursed up his heart upon the river
of Cydnus.
AGRIPPA.
There she appeared indeed, or my reporter devised well for her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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