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The Complete Works of William Shakespeare - Israel Gollancz William Shakespeare [983]

By Root 21133 0

Which he achiev'd by th' minute, lost his favour.

Who does i' th' wars more than his captain can

Becomes his captain's captain; and ambition,

The soldier's virtue, rather makes choice of loss

Than gain which darkens him.

I could do more to do Antonius good,

But 'twould offend him; and in his offence

Should my performance perish.

SILIUS.

Thou hast, Ventidius, that

Without the which a soldier and his sword

Grants scarce distinction. Thou wilt write to Antony?

VENTIDIUS.

I'll humbly signify what in his name,

That magical word of war, we have effected;

How, with his banners, and his well-paid ranks,

The ne'er-yet-beaten horse of Parthia

We have jaded out o' th' field.

SILIUS.

Where is he now?

VENTIDIUS.

He purposeth to Athens; whither, with what haste

The weight we must convey with's will permit,

We shall appear before him.- On, there; pass along.

Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_2

SCENE II. Rome. CAESAR'S house

Enter AGRIPPA at one door, ENOBARBUS at another

AGRIPPA.

What, are the brothers parted?

ENOBARBUS.

They have dispatch'd with Pompey; he is gone;

The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps

To part from Rome; Caesar is sad; and Lepidus,

Since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubled

With the green sickness.

AGRIPPA.

'Tis a noble Lepidus.

ENOBARBUS.

A very fine one. O, how he loves Caesar!

AGRIPPA.

Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!

ENOBARBUS.

Caesar? Why he's the Jupiter of men.

AGRIPPA.

What's Antony? The god of Jupiter.

ENOBARBUS.

Spake you of Caesar? How! the nonpareil!

AGRIPPA.

O, Antony! O thou Arabian bird!

ENOBARBUS.

Would you praise Caesar, say 'Caesar'- go no further.

AGRIPPA.

Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.

ENOBARBUS.

But he loves Caesar best. Yet he loves Antony.

Hoo! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets, cannot

Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number- hoo!-

His love to Antony. But as for Caesar,

Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.

AGRIPPA.

Both he loves.

ENOBARBUS.

They are his shards, and he their beetle. [Trumpets

within] So-

This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa.

AGRIPPA.

Good fortune, worthy soldier, and farewell.

Enter CAESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA

ANTONY.

No further, sir.

CAESAR.

You take from me a great part of myself;

Use me well in't. Sister, prove such a wife

As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest band

Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,

Let not the piece of virtue which is set

Betwixt us as the cement of our love

To keep it builded be the ram to batter

The fortress of it; for better might we

Have lov'd without this mean, if on both parts

This be not cherish'd.

ANTONY.

Make me not offended

In your distrust.

CAESAR.

I have said.

ANTONY.

You shall not find,

Though you be therein curious, the least cause

For what you seem to fear. So the gods keep you,

And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!

We will here part.

CAESAR.

Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well.

The elements be kind to thee and make

Thy spirits all of comfort! Fare thee well.

OCTAVIA.

My noble brother!

ANTONY.

The April's in her eyes. It is love's spring,

And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful.

OCTAVIA.

Sir, look well to my husband's house; and-

CAESAR.

What, Octavia?

OCTAVIA.

I'll tell you in your ear.

ANTONY.

Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can

Her heart inform her tongue- the swan's down feather,

That stands upon the swell at the full of tide,

And neither way inclines.

ENOBARBUS.

[Aside to AGRIPPA] Will Caesar weep?

AGRIPPA.

[Aside to ENOBARBUS] He has a cloud in's face.

ENOBARBUS.

[Aside to AGRIPPA] He were the worse for that, were he a horse;

So is he, being a man.

AGRIPPA.

[Aside to ENOBARBUS] Why, Enobarbus,

When Antony found Julius Caesar dead,

He cried almost to roaring; and he wept

When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.

ENOBARBUS.

[Aside to AGRIPPA] That year, indeed, he was troubled with a rheum;

What willingly he did confound he wail'd,

Believe't-

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