ACT THREE
SCENE I. A Plain in Syria.
Enter VENTIDIUS, as it were in triumph, with SILIUS and other Romans, Officers and Soldiers; the dead body of PACORUS borne before him.
VENTIDIUS Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck, and now
Pleasâd fortune does of Marcus Crassusâ death
Make me revenger. Bear the Kingâs sonâs body
Before our army. Thy Pacorus, Orodes,
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Pays this for Marcus Crassus.
SILIUS Noble Ventidius,
Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm
The fugitive Parthians follow; spur through Media,
Mesopotamia, and the shelters whither
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The routed fly. So thy grand captain, Antony,
Shall set thee on triumphant chariots and
Put garlands on thy head.
VENTIDIUS O Silius, Silius,
I have done enough. A lower place, note well,
May make too great an act; for learn this, Silius:
Better to leave undone than by our deed
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Acquire too high a fame when him we serveâs away.
Caesar and Antony have ever won
More in their officer, than person. Sossius,
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One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
For quick accumulation of renown,
Which he achievâd by thâ minute, lost his favour.
Who does iâ thâ wars more than his captain can
Becomes his captainâs captain; and ambition,
The soldierâs virtue, rather makes choice of loss
Than gain which darkens him.
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I could do more to do Antonius good,
But âtwould offend him; and in his offence
Should my performance perish.
SILIUS Thou hast, Ventidius, that
Without the which a soldier and his sword
Grants scarce distinction. Thou wilt write to Antony?
[30]
VENTIDIUS Iâll humbly signify what in his name,
That magical word of war, we have effected;
How, with his banners, and his well-paid ranks,
The neâer-yet-beaten horse of Parthia
We have jaded out oâ thâ field.
SILIUS Where is he now?
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VENTIDIUS He purposeth to Athens; whither, with what haste
The weight we must convey withâs will permit,
We shall appear before him. â On, there; pass along. [Exeunt.
SCENE II. Rome. Caesarâs house.
Enter AGRIPPA at one door, ENOBARBUS at another.
AGRIPPA What, are the brothers parted?
ENOBARBUS They have dispatchâd with Pompey; he is gone;
The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps
To part from Rome; Caesar is sad; and Lepidus,
Since Pompeyâs feast, as Menas says, is troubled
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With the green sickness.
AGRIPPA âTis a noble Lepidus.
ENOBARBUS A very fine one. O, how he loves Caesar!
AGRIPPA Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!
ENOBARBUS Caesar? Why heâs the Jupiter of men.
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AGRIPPA Whatâs Antony? The god of Jupiter.
ENOBARBUS Spake you of Caesar? How! the nonpareil!
AGRIPPA O, Antony! O thou Arabian bird!
ENOBARBUS Would you praise Caesar, say âCaesarâ â go no further.
AGRIPPA Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.
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ENOBARBUS But he loves Caesar best. Yet he loves Antony.
Hoo! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets, cannot
Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number â hoo! --
His love to Antony. But as for Caesar,
Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.
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AGRIPPA Both he loves
ENOBARBUS They are his shards, and he their beetle. [Trumpets within] So â This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa.
AGRIPPA Good fortune, worthy soldier, and farewell.
Enter CAESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA.
ANTONY No further, sir.
CAESAR You take from me a great part of myself;
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Use me well inât. Sister, prove such a wife
As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest band
Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,
Let not the piece of virtue which is set
Betwixt us as the cement of our love
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To keep it builded be the ram to batter
The fortress of it; for better might we
Have lovâd without this mean, if on both parts
This be not cherishâd.
ANTONY Make me not offended
In your distrust.
CAESAR I have said.
ANTONY You shall not find,
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Though you be therein curious, the least cause
For what you seem to fear. So the gods keep you,
And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!
We will here part.
CAESAR Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well.
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The elements be kind to thee and make
Thy spirits all of comfort! Fare thee well.
OCTAVIA My noble brother!
ANTONY The Aprilâs in her eyes. It is loveâs spring,
And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful.
OCTAVIA Sir, look well to my husbandâs house; and --
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CAESAR What,
Octavia?
OCTAVIA Iâll tell you in your ear.
ANTONY Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can
Her heart inform her tongue â the swanâs down feather,
That stands upon the swell at the full of tide,
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And neither way inclines.
ENOBARBUS [Aside to Agrippa] Will Caesar weep?
AGRIPPA [Aside to Enobarbus] He has a cloud inâs fac...