READ STUDY GUIDE: Act I, scenes iv–v; Act II, scenes i–ii |
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Act II, Scene i:
Messina. A Room in POMPEY'S house.
Messina. A Room in POMPEY'S house.
| [Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS.] |
| 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 wan'd 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 dullness. |
| [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 mov'd 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.] |
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