ENOBARBUS

’Twill be naught.

But let it be; bring me to Antony.

EROS

Come, sir. Exeunt

3.6 Enter Agrippa, Maecenas, and Caesar

CAESAR

Contemning Rome, he has done all this and more

In Alexandria. Here’s the manner of’t:

I’th’ market place on a tribunal silvered,

Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold

Were publicly enthroned. At the feet sat

Caesarion, whom they call my father’s son,

And all the unlawful issue that their lust

Since then hath made between them. Unto her

He gave the stablishment of Egypt; made her

Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,

Absolute queen.

MAECENAS

This in the public eye?

CAESAR

I‘th’ common showplace, where they exercise.

His sons he there proclaimed the kings of kings;

Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia

He gave to Alexander. To Ptolemy he assigned

Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia. She

In th’habiliments of the goddess Isis

That day appeared, and oft before gave audience,

As ’tis reported, so.

MAECENAS

Let Rome be thus informed.

AGRIPPA

Who, queasy with his insolence already,

Will their good thoughts call from him.

CAESAR

The people knows it,

And have now received his accusations.

AGRIPPA Who does he accuse?

CAESAR

Caesar, and that having in Sicily

Sextus Pompeius spoiled, we had not rated him

His part o’th’ isle. Then does he say he lent me

Some shipping, unrestored. Lastly, he frets

That Lepidus of the triumvirate

Should be deposed; and being, that we detain

All his revenue.

AGRIPPA

Sir, this should be answered.

CAESAR

’Tis done already, and the messenger gone.

I have told him Lepidus was grown too cruel,

That he his high authority abused

And did deserve his change. For what I have

conquered,

I grant him part; but then in his Armenia,

And other of his conquered kingdoms,

I demand the like.

MAECENAS

He’ll never yield to that.

CAESAR

Nor must not then be yielded to in this.

Enter Octavia with her train

OCTAVIA

Hail, Caesar, and my lord; hail, most dear Caesar!

CAESAR

That ever I should call thee castaway!

OCTAVIA

You have not called me so, nor have you cause.

CAESAR

Why have you stol’n upon us thus? You come not

Like Caesar’s sister. The wife of Antony

Should have an army for an usher, and

The neighs of horse to tell of her approach

Long ere she did appear. The trees by th’ way

Should have borne men, and expectation fainted,

Longing for what it had not. Nay, the dust

Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,

Raised by your populous troops. But you are come

A market maid to Rome, and have prevented

The ostentation of our love; which, left unshown,

Is often left unloved. We should have met you

By sea and land, supplying every stage

With an augmented greeting.

OCTAVIA

Good my lord,

To come thus was I not constrained, but did it

On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,

Hearing that you prepared for war, acquainted

My grieved ear withal, whereon I begged

His pardon for return.

CAESAR Which soon he granted,

Being an obstruct ’tween his lust and him.

OCTAVIA

Do not say so, my lord.

CAESAR

I have eyes upon him,

And his affairs come to me on the wind.

Where is he now?

OCTAVIA

My lord, in Athens.

CAESAR

No, my most wronged sister. Cleopatra

Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire

Up to a whore; who now are levying

The kings o’th’ earth for war. He hath assembled

Bocchus, the King of Libya; Archelaus

Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, King

Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian King Adallas;

King Malchus of Arabia; King of Pont;

Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, King

Of Comagene; Polemon and Amyntas,

The Kings of Mede and Lycaonia;

With a more larger list of sceptres.

OCTAVIA

Ay me most wretched,

That have my heart parted betwixt two friends

That does afflict each other!

CAESAR

Welcome hither.

Your letters did withhold our breaking forth

Till we perceived both how you were wrong led

And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart.

Be you not troubled with the time, which drives

O’er your content these strong necessities;

But let determined things to destiny

Hold unbewailed their way. Welcome to Rome;

Nothing more dear to me. You are abused

Beyond the mark of thought, and the high gods,

To do you justice, makes their ministers

Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort,

And ever welcome to us.

AGRIPPA

Welcome, lady.

MAECENAS Welcome, dear madam.

Each heart in Rome does love and pity you.

Only th’adulterous Antony, most large

In his abominations, turns you off,

And gives his potent regiment to a trull

That noises it against us.

OCTAVIA

Is it so, sir?

CAESAR

Most certain. Sister, welcome. Pray you