One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,

For quick accumulation of renown,

Which he achieved by th’ minute, lost his favour.

Who does 4’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

3.2 Enter Agrippa at one door, Enobarbus at another AGRIPPA What, are the brothers parted?

ENOBARBUS

They have dispatched 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.

⌈Trumpet within⌉

So,

This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa.

AGRIPPA

Good fortune, worthy soldier, and farewell.

Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus, and Octavia

ANTONY (to Caesar) 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 bond

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 loved without this mean if on both parts

This be not cherished.

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 (weeping) 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.

She whispers to Caesar

ANTONY

Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can

Her heart inform her tongue—the swan’-down

feather,

That stands upon the swell at 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 wailed,

Believe’, till I wept too.

CAESAR

No, sweet Octavia,

You shall hear from me still. The time shall not

Outgo my thinking on you.

ANTONY

Come, sir, come,

I’ll wrestle with you in my strength of love.

Look, here I have you (embracing Caesar); thus I let

you go,

And give you to the gods.

CAESAR

Adieu, be happy.

LEPIDUS

Let all the number of the stars give light

To thy fair way.

CAESAR

Farewell, farewell.

He kisses Octavia

ANTONY Farewell.

Trumpets sound. Exeunt Antony, Octavia, and Enobarbus at one door, Caesar, Lepidus, and Agrippa at another

3.3 Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas

CLEOPATRA

Where is the fellow?

ALEXAS

Half afeard to come.

CLEOPATRA

Go to, go to.

Enter the Messenger as before

Come hither, sir.

ALEXAS

Good majesty,

Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you

But when you are well pleased.

CLEOPATRA

That Herod’s head

I’ll have; but how, when Antony is gone,