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| Antony and Cleopatra |
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| Antony and Cleopatra
| Act 2, Scene 1
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Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS, in warlike mannerPOMPEY
If the great gods be just, they shall assistMENECRATES
The deeds of justest men.
Know, worthy Pompey,POMPEY
That what they do delay, they not deny.
Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decaysMENECRATES
The thing we sue for.
We, ignorant of ourselves,POMPEY
Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good; so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.
I shall do well:MENAS
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.
Caesar and LepidusPOMPEY
Are in the field: a mighty strength they carry.
Where have you this? 'tis false.MENAS
From Silvius, sir.POMPEY
He dreams: I know they are in Rome together,VARRIUS
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!
This is most certain that I shall deliver:POMPEY
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
Expected: since he went from Egypt 'tis
A space for further travel.
I could have given less matterMENAS
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.
I cannot hopePOMPEY
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.
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
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| Antony and Cleopatra
| Act 2, Scene 1
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