ACT II
SCENE I Messina. POMPEY's house.


 [Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS, in
 warlike manner]

POMPEY If the great gods be just, they shall assist
 The deeds of justest men.

MENECRATES Know, worthy Pompey,
 That what they do delay, they not deny.

POMPEY Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays
 The thing we sue for.

MENECRATES We, ignorant of ourselves,
 Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
 Deny us for our good; so find we profit
 By losing of our prayers.

POMPEY I shall do well:
 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.

MENAS Caesar and Lepidus
 Are in the field: a mighty strength they carry.

POMPEY Where have you this? 'tis false.

MENAS From Silvius, sir.

POMPEY He dreams: I know they are in Rome together,
 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!

VARRIUS This is most certain that I shall deliver:
 Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
 Expected: since he went from Egypt 'tis
 A space for further travel.

POMPEY I could have given less matter
 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.

MENAS I cannot hope
 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.

POMPEY 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]




 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA


ACT II