Shakespeare - First Folio facsimile (1910)/The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra/Act 2 Scene 1
Enter Pompey, Menecrates, and Menas, inwarlike manner.
Pom.If the great Gods be iust, they shall assistThe deeds of iustest men.
Mene.Know worthy Pompey, that what they do delay, they not deny.
Pom.Whiles we are sutors to their Throne, decayesthe thing we sue for.
Mene.We ignorant of our selues,Begge often our owne harmes, which the wise PowresDeny vs for our good: so finde we profitBy loosing of our Prayers.
Pom.I shall do well:The people loue me, and the Sea is mine;My powers are Cressent, and my Auguring hopeSayes it will come to'th'full. Marke AnthonyIn Egypt sits at dinner, and will makeNo warres without doores. Cæsar gets money whereHe looses hearts: Lepidus flatters both,Of both is flatter'd: but he neither loues,Nor either cares for him.
Mene.Cæsar and Lepidus are in the field,A mighty strength they carry.
Pom.Where haue you this? 'Tis false.
Mene.From Siluius, Sir.
Pom.He dreames: I know they are in Rome togetherLooking for Anthony: but all the charmes of Loue,Salt Cleopatra soften thy wand lip,Let Witchcraft ioyne with Beauty, Lust with both,Tye vp the Libertine in a field of Feasts,Keepe his Braine fuming. Epicurean Cookes,Sharpen with cloylesse sawce his Appetite,That sleepe and feeding may prorogue his Honour,Euen till a Lethied dulnesse———Enter Varrius.How now Varrius?
Var.This is most certaine, that I shall deliuer:Marke Anthony is euery houre in RomeExpected. Since he went from Egypt, 'tisA space for farther Trauaile.
Pom.I could haue giuen lesse matterA better eare. Menas, I did not thinkeThis amorous Surfetter would haue donn'd his HelmeFor such a petty Warre: His SouldiershipIs twice the other twaine: But let vs reareThe higher our Opinion, that our stirringCan from the lap of Egypts Widdow, pluckeThe neere Lust-wearied Anthony.
Mene.I cannot hope,Cæsar and Anthony shall well greet together;His Wife that's dead, did trespasses to Cæsar,His Brother wan'd vpon him, although I thinkeNot mou'd by Anthony.
Pom.I know not Menas,How lesser Enmities may giue way to greater,Were't not that we stand vp against them all:'Twer pregnant they should square between themselues,For they haue entertained cause enoughTo draw their swords: but how the feare of vsMay Ciment their diuisions, and binde vpThe petty difference, we yet not know:Bee't as our Gods will haue't; it onely standsOur liues vpon, to vse our strongest handsExeunt.Come Menas.