Antony and Cleopatra, Act 2 Scene 6 runs 161 lines of dialogue, spoken by 6 speakers. That is longer than the play’s average scene length of about 85 lines. This scene is part of Act 2 of Antony and Cleopatra.
Full Dialogue
Pompey ♂
Your hostages I have, so have you mine;
And we shall talk before we fight.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
What it is worth embraced.
Octavius Caesar ♂
And what may follow,
To try a larger fortune.
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.
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 ♂
That's our offer.
Mark Antony ♂
That's our offer.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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–
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.
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.
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.
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?
It nothing ill becomes thee.
Aboard my galley I invite you all:
Will you lead, lords?
Octavius Caesar ♂
Show us the way, sir.
Mark Antony ♂
Show us the way, sir.
Lepidus ♂
Show us the way, sir.
Pompey ♂
Come.
Menas ♂
[Aside] Thy father, Pompey, would ne'er have
made this treaty.–You and I have known, sir.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune.
Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune.
Domitius Enobarbus ♂
If he do, sure, he cannot weep't back again.
Menas ♂
You've said, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony
here: pray you, is he married to Cleopatra?
here: pray you, is he married to Cleopatra?
Domitius Enobarbus ♂
Caesar's sister is called Octavia.
Menas ♂
True, sir; she was the wife of Caius Marcellus.
Domitius Enobarbus ♂
But she is now the wife of Marcus Antonius.
Menas ♂
Pray ye, sir?
Domitius Enobarbus ♂
'Tis true.
Menas ♂
Then is Caesar and he for ever knit together.
Domitius Enobarbus ♂
If I were bound to divine of this unity, I would
not prophesy so.
not prophesy so.
Menas ♂
I think the policy of that purpose made more in the
marriage than the love of the parties.
marriage than the love of the parties.
Domitius 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.
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?
Domitius 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.
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.
I have a health for you.
Domitius Enobarbus ♂
I shall take it, sir: we have used our throats in Egypt.
Menas ♂
Come, let's away.
161 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pompey | 64 | 39.8% |
| Domitius Enobarbus | 38 | 23.6% |
| Menas | 21 | 13.0% |
| Mark Antony | 16 | 9.9% |
| Octavius Caesar | 16 | 9.9% |
| Lepidus | 6 | 3.7% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 64 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 27 lines.
Total speakers on stage
6 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 2
This is Scene 6 of 7 in Act 2 of Antony and Cleopatra.
Scene length vs. play average
At 161 lines, this scene is longer than the Antony and Cleopatra average scene in Antony and Cleopatra (~85 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 2 Scene 5 · Next: Act 2 Scene 7
About Act 2 Scene 6 of Antony and Cleopatra
Who carries Act 2 Scene 6 of Antony and Cleopatra?
Pompey, with 64 lines — about 40% of the scene.
Is the scene a dialogue or a solo?
With 6 speakers and the lead holding 40% of the lines, this scene is a balanced multi-voice exchange.