Pity me, Charmian,

But do not speak to me. Lead me to my chamber.

 

Exeunt.

 

 

[Scene VI]

Flourish. Enter Pompey, Menas at one door, with Drum and Trumpet: at another, Caesar, Lepidus, Antony, Enobarbus, Maecenas, Agrippa, with Soldiers marching.

 

POM.

Your hostages I have, so have you mine;

And we shall talk before we fight.

CAES.

Most meet

That first we come to words, and therefore have we

Our written purposes before us sent,

Which if thou hast considered, let us know

If 'twill tie up thy discontented sword,

And carry back to Sicily much tall youth

That else must perish here.

POM.

To you all three,

The senators alone of this great world,

Chief factors for the gods: I do not know

Wherefore my father should revengers want,

Having a son and friends, since Julius Caesar,

Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghosted,

There saw you laboring for him. What was't

That mov'd pale Cassius to conspire? and what

Made all-honor'd, honest, Roman Brutus,

With the arm'd rest, courtiers of beauteous freedom,

To drench the Capitol, but that they would

Have one man but a man? And that is it

Hath made me rig my navy, at whose burthen

The anger'd ocean foams, with which I meant

To scourge th' ingratitude that despiteful Rome

Cast on my noble father.

CAES.

Take your time.

ANT.

Thou canst not fear us, Pompey, with thy sails;

We'll speak with thee at sea. At land, thou know'st

How much we do o'er-count thee.

POM.

At land indeed

Thou dost o'er-count me of my father's house;

But since the cuckoo builds not for himself,

Remain in't as thou mayst.

LEP.

Be pleas'd to tell us

(For this is from the present) how you take

The offers we have sent you.

CAES.

There's the point.

ANT.

Which do not be entreated to, but weigh

What it is worth embrac'd.

CAES.

And what may follow,

To try a larger fortune.

POM.

You have made me offer

Of Sicily, Sardinia; and I must

Rid all the sea of pirates; then, to send

Measures of wheat to Rome. This 'greed upon,

To part with unhack'd edges and bear back

Our targes undinted.

OMNES [CAES., ANT., LEP.]

That's our offer.

POM.

Know then

I came before you here a man prepar'd

To take this offer; but Mark Antony

Put me to some impatience. Though I lose

The praise of it by telling, you must know,

When Caesar and your brother were at blows,

Your mother came to Sicily and did find

Her welcome friendly.

ANT.

I have heard it, Pompey,

And am well studied for a liberal thanks,

Which I do owe you.

POM.

Let me have your hand.

I did not think, sir, to have met you here.

ANT.

The beds i' th' East are soft, and thanks to you,

That call'd me timelier than my purpose hither;

For I have gain'd by't.

CAES.

Since I saw you last,

There's a change upon you.

POM.

Well, I know not

What counts harsh Fortune casts upon my face,

But in my bosom shall she never come,

To make my heart her vassal.

LEP.

Well met here.

POM.

I hope so, Lepidus. Thus we are agreed.

I crave our composition may be written

And seal'd between us.

CAES.

That's the next to do.

POM.

We'll feast each other ere we part, and let's

Draw lots who shall begin.

ANT.

That will I, Pompey.

POM.

No, Antony, take the lot; but first

Or last, your fine Egyptian cookery

Shall have the fame. I have heard that Julius Caesar

Grew fat with feasting there.

ANT.

You have heard much.

POM.

I have fair [meanings], sir.

ANT.

And fair words to them.

POM.

Then so much have I heard;

And I have heard, Apollodorus carried –

ENO.

No more [of] that; he did so.

POM.

What, I pray you?

ENO.

A certain queen to Caesar in a mattress.

POM.

I know thee now: how far'st thou, soldier?

ENO.

Well,

And well am like to do, for I perceive

Four feasts are toward.

POM.

Let me shake thy hand,

I never hated thee.