Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
Act 2 - Scene 1
Messina. POMPEY’s house.
Pompey : If the great gods be just, they shall assist
[p]The deeds of justest
men.
Menecrates : Know, worthy Pompey,
[p]That what they do delay, they not deny.
Pompey : Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays
[p]The thing we sue
for.
Menecrates : We, ignorant of ourselves,
[p]Beg often our own harms, which the wise
powers
[p]Deny us for our good; so find we profit
[p]By losing of our
prayers.
Pompey : I shall do well:
[p]The people love me, and the sea is mine;
[p]My
powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
[p]Says it will come to the
full. Mark Antony
[p]In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
[p]No wars
without doors: Caesar gets money where
[p]He loses hearts: Lepidus
flatters both,
[p]Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,
[p]Nor
either cares for him.
Menas : Caesar and Lepidus
[p]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,
[p]Looking for Antony.
But all the charms of love,
[p]Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned
lip!
[p]Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both!
[p]Tie up the
libertine in a field of feasts,
[p]Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean
cooks
[p]Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite;
[p]That sleep and
feeding may prorogue his honour
[p]Even till a Lethe'd
dulness!
[p][Enter VARRIUS]
[p]How now, Varrius!
Varrius : This is most certain that I shall deliver:
[p]Mark Antony is every
hour in Rome
[p]Expected: since he went from Egypt 'tis
[p]A space for
further travel.
Pompey : I could have given less matter
[p]A better ear. Menas, I did not
think
[p]This amorous surfeiter would have donn'd his helm
[p]For such
a petty war: his soldiership
[p]Is twice the other twain: but let us
rear
[p]The higher our opinion, that our stirring
[p]Can from the lap
of Egypt's widow pluck
[p]The ne'er-lust-wearied Antony.
Menas : I cannot hope
[p]Caesar and Antony shall well greet together:
[p]His
wife that's dead did trespasses to Caesar;
[p]His brother warr'd upon
him; although, I think,
[p]Not moved by Antony.
Pompey : I know not, Menas,
[p]How lesser enmities may give way to
greater.
[p]Were't not that we stand up against them all,
[p]'Twere
pregnant they should square between
[p]themselves;
[p]For they have
entertained cause enough
[p]To draw their swords: but how the fear of
us
[p]May cement their divisions and bind up
[p]The petty difference,
we yet not know.
[p]Be't as our gods will have't! It only
stands
[p]Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
[p]Come, Menas.
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Next: Act 2 - Scene 2
