| ACT III SCENE IV | Athens. A room in MARK ANTONY's house. | |
| | Enter MARK ANTONY and OCTAVIA | |
| MARK ANTONY | Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,-- | |
| | That were excusable, that, and thousands more | |
| | Of semblable import,--but he hath waged | |
| | New wars 'gainst Pompey; made his will, and read it | 5 |
| | To public ear: | |
| | Spoke scantly of me: when perforce he could not | |
| | 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, | 10 |
| | Or did it from his teeth. | |
| OCTAVIA | 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, | 15 |
| | Praying for both parts: | |
| | The good gods me presently, | |
| | When I shall pray, 'O bless my lord and husband!' | |
| | Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud, | |
| | 'O, bless my brother!' Husband win, win brother, | 20 |
| | Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway | |
| | 'Twixt these extremes at all. | |
| MARK ANTONY | Gentle Octavia, | |
| | Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks | |
| | Best to preserve it: if I lose mine honour, | 25 |
| | I lose myself: better I were not yours | |
| | Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested, | |
| | 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; | 30 |
| | So your desires are yours. | |
| OCTAVIA | 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 | 35 |
| | Should solder up the rift. | |
| MARK ANTONY | When it appears to you where this begins, | |
| | Turn your displeasure that way: for our faults | |
| | Can never be so equal, that your love | |
| | Can equally move with them. Provide your going; | 40 |
| | Choose your own company, and command what cost | |
| | Your heart has mind to. | |
| | Exeunt | |
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