The three members of the Triumvirate – Octavius, Antony, and Lepidus – come to Pompey’s land to agree to terms of peace. Pompey is reluctant to sign a peace treaty. He believes he should revenge his father’s death (line 11). In fact, he even compares himself to the Triumvirate. When Julius Caesar was assassinated by Brutus and Cassius and the other conspirators, the Triumvirate chased the conspirators out of Rome and waged war against them. And that eventually led to the deaths of both Brutus and Cassius (as Shakespeare relates in Julius Caesar). Getting revenge is the noble action to take, and so making peace is a dishonorable act. Yet, Pompey is also wise enough to know that he cannot defeat the combined forces of the Triumvirate. And his own death would not serve his desire for vengeance.
Pompey is also bothered by the fact that
Antony has joined Octavius and Lepidus (lines 4142). In the past Pompey had treated Antony’s mother with respect and hospitality (lines 45-46). So, according to ancient beliefs regarding hospitality, Pompey feels that Antony should not come against him as his enemy. But Antony shakes hands with Pompey and they become friendly toward one another (line 49). And, so, Pompey agrees to terms of peace.
After Pompey and the Triumvirate exit,
Menas and Enobarbus are left on the stage alone (line 84). Menas is the pirate who is also a friend to Pompey, and Enobarbus is Antony’s follower. This part of the scene begins with an aside spoken by Menas. He states that Pompey’s father would never have made such a treaty. This line is not heard by Enobarbus. The line reveals Menas’ thoughts. He believes that the treaty is a bad idea for Pompey, and thus this line is also foreshadowing to let the audience know that Pompey is making a mistake.
Menas and Enobarbus then begin to have a conversation. Even though they are essentially enemies, they are also both military leaders who acknowledge the skills and abilities of each other. As they talk, and perhaps drink, with each other, Menas asserts that “Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune” (103-04). The word fortune indicates fate or destiny. The line repeats the earlier aside, but this time the thought is spoken out loud. The words “laugh away” suggest that Pompey is being foolish. Pompey is throwing away his opportunity to have a fortunate (happy and lucky) future. This also is foreshadowing. Enobarbus wittily jokes that Pompey will never be able to “weep” his fortune back. Weeping is the opposite of laughing just as fortune and misfortune are opposites. The clever response indicates that Pompey will regret (or cry over) his decision, but then he will be too late to do anything about it.
The scene ends with Enobarbus repeating the idea expressed earlier that Antony will never be able to stay away from Egypt and Cleopatra for very long (lines 122-27). By way of contrast, Enobarbus describes Antony’s new wife, Octavia, as having “a holy, cold, and still” personality (120). The word still suggests quiet and perhaps even dull. She is the exact opposite of the wild, hot, and exciting Cleopatra. This passage also, then, repeats the idea foreshadowed earlier (from the scene with the soothsayer in Act II, 3). Antony will leave Octavia for Cleopatra. With the political crisis – the potential conflict with Pompey – now over, Antony can retire from his cool rational self and cool rational marriage to Octavia and return to the hot emotional Cleopatra.