feat_summary_path: finished_summaries/shmoop/The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra/section_10_part_0.txt
feat_book_id: The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra.act ii.scene vi
feat_summary_id: act ii, scene vi
feat_summary: {"name": "Act II, Scene vi", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20210116191009/https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/antony-cleopatra/summary/act-ii-scene-vi", "summary": "Back at Mount Misenum, in southern Italy, Pompey's crew has just walked in to meet with the triumvirate and attendants. They're ready to do some old-school negotiating before they fight. Caesar refers to a letter the triumvirs sent that outlines some terms the enemies can discuss. Pompey points out he's fighting to avenge the death of his father. was defeated by Julius Caesar and had to flee to Egypt, where he was murdered.) Ignoring this, Antony points out that although Pompey's force at sea is masterful, Rome's land forces far outweigh Pompey's. Pompey knows they're right about his troops being out of their league on land, and when pressed, he goes over the terms that have been offered. The triumvirs have said that Pompey can have Sicily and Sardinia if he rids the sea of pirates and sends wheat to Rome on occasion. Pompey is ready to agree to the terms except for one little thing. It seems that he entertained Antony's mom in Sicily while Caesar and Antony's brother Lucius was at war. Pompey just wants his generosity to be acknowledged. Antony apologizes and admits he owes Pompey some big thank yous. Thousands of lives are saved and war is averted. They shake on it, and agree to feast together, but not before Pompey gets in a few jibes at Antony about how being with Cleopatra means that he's getting Julius Caesar's sloppy seconds. Enobarbus, Antony's friend and confidante, stops the joking around before someone gets their throat cut, and they all go carousing on Pompey's ship. Menas, Pompey's friend, and Enobarbus, from Antony's camp, are left alone to discuss the newly made truce. They're friends, though they admit there's a little edge to this whole affair. Pompey the elder would never have done what Pompey the younger has done. Having made this compromising pact, the younger Pompey can kiss his good fortune goodbye. You weren't supposed to make nice with the enemy, it seems. It wasn't the manly, Roman thing to do. They then discuss how Antony has married Octavia, which was clearly for political purposes, as Octavia is a quiet and cold, especially compared to the sultry Cleopatra waiting in Egypt. Enobarbus predicts that, rather than seal the bond between Antony and Caesar, the marriage will ruin any goodwill between the men because there's no way that Antony will remain faithful to Octavia. Antony's inevitable betrayal of Octavia is bound to anger Caesar.", "analysis": ""}
text: SCENE VI.
  Near Misenum
  
  Flourish. Enter POMPEY and MENAS at one door, with drum and
  trumpet;
  at another, CAESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, ENOBARBUS, MAECENAS,
  AGRIPPA,
  with soldiers marching
  
    POMPEY. 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.
    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 mov'd pale Cassius to conspire? and what
      Made the all-honour'd honest Roman, Brutus,
      With the arm'd 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 anger'd ocean foams; with which I meant
      To scourge th' 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'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 pleas'd 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 embrac'd.
    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.
    ALL. That's our offer.
    POMPEY. Know, then,
      I came before you here a man prepar'd
      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.
    POMPEY. Let me have your hand.
      I did not think, sir, to have met you here.
    ANTONY. The beds i' th' East are soft; and thanks to you,
      That call'd me timelier than my purpose hither;
      For I have gained by't.
    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.
    CAESAR. That's the next to do.
    POMPEY. We'll feast each other ere we part, and let's
      Draw lots who shall begin.
    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.
    ANTONY. You have heard much.
    POMPEY. I have fair meanings, sir.
    ANTONY. And fair words to them.
    POMPEY. Then so much have I heard;
      And I have heard Apollodorus carried-
    ENOBARBUS. No more of that! He did so.
    POMPEY. What, I pray you?
    ENOBARBUS. A certain queen to Caesar in a mattress.
    POMPEY. I know thee now. How far'st thou, soldier?
    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 behaviour.
    ENOBARBUS. Sir,
      I never lov'd you much; but I ha' prais'd ye
      When you have well deserv'd 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?
    ALL. Show's the way, sir.
    POMPEY. Come.               Exeunt all but ENOBARBUS and MENAS
    MENAS. [Aside] 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 turn'd 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 look'd not for Mark Antony here.
  Pray
      you, is he married to Cleopatra?
    ENOBARBUS. Caesar' sister is call'd 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 us'd our throats in
  Egypt.
    MENAS. Come, let's away.                                Exeunt
  
  ACT_2|SC_7
  
  
  
feat_summary_name: Act II, Scene vi
target: Back at Mount Misenum, in southern Italy, Pompey's crew has just walked in to meet with the triumvirate and attendants. They're ready to do some old-school negotiating before they fight. Caesar refers to a letter the triumvirs sent that outlines some terms the enemies can discuss. Pompey points out he's fighting to avenge the death of his father. was defeated by Julius Caesar and had to flee to Egypt, where he was murdered.) Ignoring this, Antony points out that although Pompey's force at sea is masterful, Rome's land forces far outweigh Pompey's. Pompey knows they're right about his troops being out of their league on land, and when pressed, he goes over the terms that have been offered. The triumvirs have said that Pompey can have Sicily and Sardinia if he rids the sea of pirates and sends wheat to Rome on occasion. Pompey is ready to agree to the terms except for one little thing. It seems that he entertained Antony's mom in Sicily while Caesar and Antony's brother Lucius was at war. Pompey just wants his generosity to be acknowledged. Antony apologizes and admits he owes Pompey some big thank yous. Thousands of lives are saved and war is averted. They shake on it, and agree to feast together, but not before Pompey gets in a few jibes at Antony about how being with Cleopatra means that he's getting Julius Caesar's sloppy seconds. Enobarbus, Antony's friend and confidante, stops the joking around before someone gets their throat cut, and they all go carousing on Pompey's ship. Menas, Pompey's friend, and Enobarbus, from Antony's camp, are left alone to discuss the newly made truce. They're friends, though they admit there's a little edge to this whole affair. Pompey the elder would never have done what Pompey the younger has done. Having made this compromising pact, the younger Pompey can kiss his good fortune goodbye. You weren't supposed to make nice with the enemy, it seems. It wasn't the manly, Roman thing to do. They then discuss how Antony has married Octavia, which was clearly for political purposes, as Octavia is a quiet and cold, especially compared to the sultry Cleopatra waiting in Egypt. Enobarbus predicts that, rather than seal the bond between Antony and Caesar, the marriage will ruin any goodwill between the men because there's no way that Antony will remain faithful to Octavia. Antony's inevitable betrayal of Octavia is bound to anger Caesar.