Act II, Scene 6

Near Misenum

[Flourish. Enter POMPEY and MENAS at one door, with drum and trumpet: at another, OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MARK ANTONY, LEPIDUS, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, MECAENAS, with Soldiers marching]

Pompey - Your hostages I have, so have you mine; And we shall talk before we fight.

Octavius - Most meet That first we come to words; and therefore have we Our written purposes before us sent; Which, if thou hast consider'd, let us know If 'twill tie up thy discontented sword, And carry back to Sicily much tall youth That else must perish here

Pompey - To you all three, The senators alone of this great world, Chief factors for the gods, I do not know Wherefore my father should revengers want, Having a son and friends; since Julius Caesar, Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghosted, There saw you labouring for him. What was't That moved pale Cassius to conspire; and what Made the all-honour'd, honest Roman, Brutus, With the arm'd rest, courtiers and beauteous freedom, To drench the Capitol; but that they would Have one man but a man? And that is it Hath made me rig my navy; at whose burthen The anger'd ocean foams; with which I meant To scourge the ingratitude that despiteful Rome Cast on my noble father.

Octavius - Take your time.

Antony - Thou canst not fear us, Pompey, with thy sails; We'll speak with thee at sea: at land, thou know'st How much we do o'er-count thee.

Pompey - At land, indeed, Thou dost o'er-count me of my father's house: But, since the cuckoo builds not for himself, Remain in't as thou mayst.

Lepidus - Be pleased to tell us— For this is from the present—how you take The offers we have sent you.

Octavius - There's the point.

Antony - Which do not be entreated to, but weigh What it is worth embraced.

Octavius - And what may follow, To try a larger fortune.

Pompey - You have made me offer Of Sicily, Sardinia; and I must Rid all the sea of pirates; then, to send Measures of wheat to Rome; this 'greed upon To part with unhack'd edges, and bear back Our targes undinted.

Octavius - [with Antony and Lepidus]

That's our offer.

Pompey - Know, then, I came before you here a man prepared To take this offer: but Mark Antony Put me to some impatience: though I lose The praise of it by telling, you must know, When Caesar and your brother were at blows, Your mother came to Sicily and did find Her welcome friendly.

Antony - I have heard it, Pompey; And am well studied for a liberal thanks Which I do owe you.

Pompey - Let me have your hand: I did not think, sir, to have met you here.

Antony - The beds i' the east are soft; and thanks to you, That call'd me timelier than my purpose hither; For I have gain'd by 't.

Octavius - Since I saw you last, There is a change upon you.

Pompey - Well, I know not What counts harsh fortune casts upon my face; But in my bosom shall she never come, To make my heart her vassal.

Lepidus - Well met here.

Pompey - I hope so, Lepidus . Thus we are agreed: I crave our composition may be written, And seal'd between us.

Octavius - That's the next to do.

Pompey - We'll feast each other ere we part; and let's Draw lots who shall begin.

Antony - That will I, Pompey.

Pompey - No, Antony, take the lot: but, first Or last, your fine Egyptian cookery Shall have the fame. I have heard that Julius Caesar Grew fat with feasting there.

Antony - You have heard much.

Pompey - I have fair meanings, sir.

Antony - And fair words to them.

Pompey - Then so much have I heard: And I have heard, Apollodorus carried—

Domitius Enobarus - No more of that: he did so.

Pompey - What, I pray you?

Domitius Enobarus - A certain queen to Caesar in a mattress.

Pompey - I know thee now: how farest thou, soldier?

Domitius Enobarus - Well; And well am like to do; for, I perceive, Four feasts are toward.

Pompey - Let me shake thy hand; I never hated thee: I have seen thee fight, When I have envied thy behavior.

Domitius Enobarus - Sir, I never loved you much; but I ha' praised ye, When you have well deserved ten times as much As I have said you did.

Pompey - Enjoy thy plainness, It nothing ill becomes thee. Aboard my galley I invite you all: Will you lead, lords?

Octavius - [with Antony and Lepidus]

Pompey - Come.

[Exeunt all but MENAS and ENOBARBUS]

Menas - [Aside]

Thy father, Pompey, would ne'er have made this treaty.—You and I have known, sir.

Domitius Enobarus - At sea, I think.

Menas - We have, sir.

Domitius Enobarus - You have done well by water.

Menas - And you by land.

Domitius Enobarus - I will praise any man that will praise me; though it cannot be denied what I have done by land.

Menas - Nor what I have done by water.

Domitius Enobarus - Yes, something you can deny for your own safety: you have been a great thief by sea.

Menas - And you by land.

Domitius Enobarus - There I deny my land service. But give me your hand, Menas: if our eyes had authority, here they might take two thieves kissing.

Menas - All men's faces are true, whatsome'er their hands are.

Domitius Enobarus - But there is never a fair woman has a true face.

Menas - No slander; they steal hearts.

Domitius Enobarus - We came hither to fight with you.

Menas - For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking. Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune.

Domitius Enobarus - If he do, sure, he cannot weep't back again.

Menas - You've said, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony here: pray you, is he married to Cleopatra?

Domitius Enobarus - Caesar's sister is called Octavia.

Menas - True, sir; she was the wife of Caius Marcellus.

Domitius Enobarus - But she is now the wife of Marcus Antonius.

Menas - Pray ye, sir?

Domitius Enobarus - 'Tis true.

Menas - Then is Caesar and he for ever knit together.

Domitius Enobarus - If I were bound to divine of this unity, I would not prophesy so.

Menas - I think the policy of that purpose made more in the marriage than the love of the parties.

Domitius Enobarus - I think so too. But you shall find, the band that seems to tie their friendship together will be the very strangler of their amity: Octavia is of a holy, cold, and still conversation.

Menas - Who would not have his wife so?

Domitius Enobarus - Not he that himself is not so; which is Mark Antony. He will to his Egyptian dish again: then shall the sighs of Octavia blow the fire up in Caesar; and, as I said before, that which is the strength of their amity shall prove the immediate author of their variance. Antony will use his affection where it is: he married but his occasion here.

Menas - And thus it may be. Come, sir, will you aboard? I have a health for you.

Domitius Enobarus - I shall take it, sir: we have used our throats in Egypt.

Menas - Come, let's away.

[Exeunt]