Pompeius

Your hostages I have, so have you mine;

And we shall talk before we fight.

Caesar

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.

Pompeius

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 labouring for him. What was't

That moved pale Cassius to conspire; and what

Made all-honoured, honest Roman, Brutus,

With the armed 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 burden

The angered ocean foams; with which I meant

To scourge the ingratitude that despiteful Rome

Cast on my noble father.

Caesar

Take your time.

Antony

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'ercount thee.

Pompeius

At land, indeed,

Thou dost o'ercount me of my father's house:

But, since the cuckoo builds not for himself,

Remain in't as thou mayst.

Lepidus

Be pleased to tell us

For this is from the present how you take

The offers we have sent you.

Caesar

There's the point.

Antony

Which do not be entreated to, but weigh

What it is worth embraced.

Caesar

And what may follow,

To try a larger fortune.

Pompeius

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 unhacked edges, and bear back

Our targes undinted.

Caesar, Antony, Lepidus

That's our offer.

Pompeius

Know, then,

I came before you here a man prepared

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.

Antony

I have heard it, Pompey;

And am well studied for a liberal thanks

Which I do owe you.

Pompeius

Let me have your hand:

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

Antony

The beds i' the east are soft; and thanks to you,

That called me timelier than my purpose hither;

For I have gained by't.

Caesar

Since I saw you last,

There's a change upon you.

Pompeius

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.

Lepidus

Well met here.

Pompeius

I hope so, Lepidus. Thus we are agreed:

I crave our composition may be written,

And sealed between us.

Caesar

That's the next to do.

Pompeius

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

Draw lots who shall begin.

Antony

That will I, Pompey.

Pompeius

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.

Antony

You have heard much.

Pompeius

I have fair meanings, sir.

Antony

And fair words to them.

Pompeius

Then so much have I heard:

And I have heard, Apollodorus carried —

Enobarbus

No more of that: he did so.

Pompeius

What, I pray you?

Enobarbus

A certain queen to Caesar in a mattress.

Pompeius

I know thee now: how farest thou, soldier?

Enobarbus

Well;

And well am like to do; for, I perceive,

Four feasts are toward.

Pompeius

Let me shake thy hand;

I never hated thee: I have seen thee fight,

When I have envied thy behaviour.

Enobarbus

Sir,

I never loved you much; but I ha' praised ye,

When you have well deserved ten times as much

As I have said you did.

Pompeius

Enjoy thy plainness,

It nothing ill becomes thee.

Aboard my galley I invite you all:

Will you lead, lords?

Caesar, Antony, Lepidus

Show's the way, sir.

Pompeius

Come. Exeunt all but Menas and Enobarbus.

Menas

Thy father, Pompey, would ne'er have made this treaty. You and I have known, sir.

Enobarbus

At sea, I think.

Menas

We have, sir.

Enobarbus

You have done well by water.

Menas

And you by land.

Enobarbus

I will praise any man that will praise me; though it cannot be denied what I have done by land.

Menas

Nor what I have done by water.

Enobarbus

Yes, something you can deny for your own safety: you have been a great thief by sea.

Menas

And you by land.

Enobarbus

There I deny my land service. But give me your hand, Menas: if our eyes had authority, here they might take two thieves kissing.

Menas

All men's faces are true, whatsome'er their hands are.

Enobarbus

But there is never a fair woman has a true face.

Menas

No slander; they steal hearts.

Enobarbus

We came hither to fight with you.

Menas

For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking. Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune.

Enobarbus

If he do, sure, he cannot weep't back again.

Menas

Y' have said, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony here: pray you, is he married to Cleopatra?

Enobarbus

Caesar's sister is called Octavia.

Menas

True, sir; she was the wife of Caius Marcellus.

Enobarbus

But she is now the wife of Marcus Antonius.

Menas

Pray ye, sir?

Enobarbus

'Tis true.

Menas

Then is Caesar and he for ever knit together.

Enobarbus

If I were bound to divine of this unity, I would not prophesy so.

Menas

I think the policy of that purpose made more in the marriage than the love of the parties.

Enobarbus

I think so too. But you shall find, the band that seems to tie their friendship together will be the very strangler of their amity: Octavia is of a holy, cold, and still conversation.

Menas

Who would not have his wife so?

Enobarbus

Not he that himself is not so; which is Mark Antony. He will to his Egyptian dish again: then shall the sighs of Octavia blow the fire up in Caesar; and, as I said before, that which is the strength of their amity shall prove the immediate author of their variance. Antony will use his affection where it is: he married but his occasion here.

Menas

And thus it may be. Come, sir, will you aboard? I have a health for you.

Enobarbus

I shall take it, sir: we have used our throats in Egypt.

Menas

Come, let's away.