**Antony and Cleopatra**
**Act II**
By William Shakespeare
---
### SCENE I. Messina. A Room in POMPEY'S House.
Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS, in warlike manner
**POMPEY**
If the great gods be just, they shall assist
The deeds of justest men.
**MENECRATES**
Know, worthy Pompey,
That what they do delay, they not deny.
**POMPEY**
Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays
The thing we sue for.
**MENECRATES**
We, ignorant of ourselves,
Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good; so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.
**POMPEY**
I shall do well:
The people love me, and the sea is mine;
My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to the full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors: Caesar gets money where
He loses hearts: Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.
**MENAS**
Caesar and Lepidus
Are in the field: a mighty strength they carry.
**POMPEY**
Where have you this? 'tis false.
**MENAS**
From Silvius, sir.
**POMPEY**
He dreams: I know they are in Rome together,
Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip!
Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both!
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite;
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour
Even till a Lethe'd dulness!
Enter VARRIUS
How now, Varrius!
**VARRIUS**
This is most certain that I shall deliver:
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
Expected: since he went from Egypt 'tis
A space for further travel.
**POMPEY**
I could have given less matter
A better ear. Menas, I did not think
This amorous surfeiter would have donn'd his helm
For such a petty war: his soldiership
Is twice the other twain: but let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck
The ne'er-lust-wearied Antony.
**MENAS**
I cannot hope
Caesar and Antony shall well greet together:
His wife that's dead did trespasses to Caesar;
His brother warr'd upon him; although, I think,
Not moved by Antony.
**POMPEY**
I know not, Menas,
How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
Were't not that we stand up against them all,
'Twere pregnant they should square between themselves;
For they have entertained cause enough
To draw their swords: but how the fear of us
May cement their divisions and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be't as our gods will have't! It only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
[Exeunt]
---
### SCENE II. Rome. The house of LEPIDUS.
Enter DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS
**LEPIDUS**
Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,
And shall become you well, to entreat your captain
To soft and gentle speech.
**DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS**
I shall entreat him
To answer like himself: if Caesar move him,
Let Antony look over Caesar's head
And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,
I would not shave't to-day.
**LEPIDUS**
'Tis not a time
For private stomaching.
**DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS**
Every time
Serves for the matter that is then born in't.
**LEPIDUS**
But small to greater matters must give way.
**DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS**
Not if the small come first.
**LEPIDUS**
Your speech is passion:
But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes
The noble Antony.
Enter MARK ANTONY and VENTIDIUS
**DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS**
And yonder, Caesar.
Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MAECENAS, and AGRIPPA
**MARK ANTONY**
If we compose well here, to Parthia:
Hark, Ventidius.
**OCTAVIUS CAESAR**
I do not know,
Mecaenas; ask Agrippa.
**LEPIDUS**
Noble friends,
That which combined us was most great, and let not
A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,
May it be gently heard: when we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Murder in healing wounds: then, noble partners,
The rather, for I earnestly beseech,
Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness grow to the matter.
**MARK ANTONY**
'Tis spoken well.
Were we before our armies, and to fight.
I should do thus.
Flourish
**OCTAVIUS CAESAR**
Welcome to Rome.
**MARK ANTONY**
Thank you.
**OCTAVIUS CAESAR**
Sit.
**MARK ANTONY**
Sit, sir.
**OCTAVIUS CAESAR**
Nay, then.
**MARK ANTONY**
I learn, you take things ill which are not so,
Or being, concern you not.
**OCTAVIUS CAESAR**
I must be laugh'd at,
If, or for nothing or a little, I
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.
**MARK ANTONY**
My being in Egypt, Caesar,
What was't to you?
**OCTAVIUS CAESAR**
No more than my residing here at Rome
Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there
Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt
Might be my question.
**MARK ANTONY**
How intend you, practised?
**OCTAVIUS CAESAR**
You may be pleased to catch at mine intent
By what did here befal me. Your wife and brother
Made wars upon me; and their contestation
Was theme for you, you were the word of war.
---
(Act II continues with further discussions between Antony, Caesar, and their followers as
tensions rise.)
Would you like me to continue the rest of the act?
