Exeunt SCENE VI. Near Misenum. Flourish. Enter POMPEY and MENAS at one door, with drum and trumpet: at another, OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MARK ANTONY, LEPIDUS, DOMITIUSENOBARBUS, MECAENAS, with Soldiers marching POMPEY Your hostages I have, so have you mine;And we shall talk before we fight. OCTAVIUS CAESAR Most meet That first we come to words; and therefore have we Our written purposes before us sent;Which, if thou hast consider'd, let us know If 'twill tie up thy discontented sword, And carry back to Sicily much tall youth That else must perish here. POMPEY 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 the all-honour'd, honest Roman, Brutus, With the arm'd rest, courtiers and 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 burthen The anger'd ocean foams; with which I meant To scourge the ingratitude that despiteful Rome Cast on my noble father. OCTAVIUS CAESAR Take your time. MARK 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'er-count thee. POMPEY At land, indeed, Thou dost o'er-count 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. OCTAVIUS CAESAR There's the point. MARK ANTONY Which do not be entreated to, but weigh What it is worth embraced. OCTAVIUS CAESAR And what may follow, To try a larger fortune. POMPEY 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 unhack'd edges, and bear back Our targes undinted. OCTAVIUS CAESAR MARKANTONY LEPIDUS That's our offer. POMPEY 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. MARK ANTONY I have heard it, Pompey;And am well studied for a liberal thanks Which I do owe you. POMPEY Let me have your hand:
I did not think, sir, to have met you here. MARK ANTONY The beds i' the east are soft; and thanks to you, That call'd me timelier than my purpose hither;For I have gain'd by 't. OCTAVIUS CAESAR Since I saw you last, There is a change upon you. POMPEY 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. POMPEY I hope so, Lepidus. Thus we are agreed:
I crave our composition may be written, And seal'd between us. OCTAVIUS CAESAR That's the next to do. POMPEY We'll feast each other ere we part; and let's Draw lots who shall begin. MARK ANTONY That will I, Pompey. POMPEY 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. MARK ANTONY You have heard much. POMPEY I have fair meanings, sir. MARK ANTONY And fair words to them. POMPEY Then so much have I heard:
And I have heard, Apollodorus carried-- DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS No more of that: he did so. POMPEY What, I pray you? DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS A certain queen to Caesar in a mattress. POMPEY I know thee now: how farest thou, soldier? DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS Well;And well am like to do; for, I perceive, Four feasts are toward. POMPEY Let me shake thy hand;I never hated thee: I have seen thee fight, When I have envied thy behavior. DOMITIUS 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. POMPEY Enjoy thy plainness, It nothing ill becomes thee.
Aboard my galley I invite you all:
Will you lead, lords? OCTAVIUS CAESAR MARKANTONY LEPIDUS Show us the way, sir. POMPEY Come.
Exeunt all but MENAS and ENOBARBUS MENAS [Aside] Thy father, Pompey, would ne'er have made this treaty.--You and I have known, sir. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS At sea, I think. MENAS We have, sir. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS You have done well by water. MENAS And you by land. DOMITIUS 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. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS Yes, something you can deny for your own safety: you have been a great thief by sea. MENAS And you by land. DOMITIUS 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. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS But there is never a fair woman has a true face. MENAS No slander; they steal hearts. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS We came hither to fight with you. MENAS For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking.
