Athens. A Room in ANTONY’S House. | |
| |
Enter ANTONY and OCTAVIA. | |
| Ant. Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that, | |
| That were excusable, that, and thousands more | 4 |
| Of semblable import, but he hath wag’d | |
| New wars ’gainst Pompey; made his will, and read it | |
| To public ear: | |
| Spoke scantly of me; when perforce he could not | 8 |
| But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly | |
| He vented them; most narrow measure lent me; | |
| When the best hint was given him, he not took ’t, | |
| Or did it from his teeth. | 12 |
| Oct. O my good lord! | |
| Believe not all; or, if you must believe, | |
| Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady, | |
| If this division chance, ne’er stood between, | 16 |
| Praying for both parts: | |
| The good gods will mock me presently, | |
| When I shall pray, ‘O! bless my lord and husband;’ | |
| Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud, | 20 |
| ‘O! bless my brother!’ Husband win, win brother, | |
| Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway | |
| ’Twixt these extremes at all. | |
| Ant. Gentle Octavia, | 24 |
| Let your best love draw to that point which seeks | |
| Best to preserve it. If I lose mine honour | |
| I lose myself; better I were not yours | |
| Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested, | 28 |
| Yourself shall go between’s; the mean time, lady, | |
| I’ll raise the preparation of a war | |
| Shall stain your brother; make your soonest haste, | |
| So your desires are yours. | 32 |
| Oct. Thanks to my lord. | |
| The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak, | |
| Your reconciler! Wars ’twixt you twain would be | |
| As if the world should cleave, and that slain men | 36 |
| Should solder up the rift. | |
| Ant. When it appears to you where this begins, | |
| Turn your displeasure that way; for our faults | |
| Can never be so equal that your love | 40 |
| Can equally move with them. Provide your going; | |
| Choose your own company, and command what cost | |
| Your heart has mind to. [Exeunt. | |
