FIRST MESSENGER   Fulvia thy wife first came into the field.

ANTONY         Against my brother Lucius?

FIRST MESSENGER   Ay, but soon that war had end, and the time’s state

Made friends of them, jointing their force ’gainst Caesar,

Whose better issue in the war from Italy

Upon the first encounter drove them.

ANTONY                                 Well, what worst?

FIRST MESSENGER   The nature of bad news infects the teller.

ANTONY         When it concerns the fool or coward. On.

Things that are past are done. With me ’tis thus:

Who tells me true, though in his tale lie death,

I hear him as he flattered.   (1.2.73-83)

The conversation between Antony and the Messenger is already underway, and there’s a stark contrast between the gossipy banter of Charmian, Iras, Enobarbus and Alexas and this formal relaying of military operations to Antony, who is being treated with respect and deference by this functionary. The first detail is perhaps a surprising one: Fulvia thy wife first came into the field, and against Antony’s brother Lucius. Open warfare between two of Antony’s intimates, and an indication of just how formidable the unseen Fulvia is, no wee abandoned wifey she. The situation has been fast-moving, for soon that war had end, and the time’s state made friends of them: Antony’s wife and his brother have now made an alliance for the sake of expedience, jointing their force ’gainst Caesar. But—another twist—when they actually met Caesar in battle for the first time, he had the upper hand, victory, better issue in the war, and upon the first encounter drove them from Italy. So that’s not good at all, Antony’s allies, his brother and his wife, not only defeated, but forced into exile. Well, what worst, asks Antony, hit me with all the bad news. What’s even worse than that? I’m reluctant to say, says the Messenger, the nature of bad news infects the teller. I’m the messenger; you’ll shoot me. (This is introducing a motif which will return later on in the play, in which there are many messengers and some are justifiably nervous of how they’ll be received.) Only when it concerns the fool or coward, replies Antony, and I’m neither, I’m better than that, I won’t blame you personally for bringing me bad news. On. Spit it out. Things that are past are done; you can’t change what’s happened simply by reporting it. I’d rather you tell me things straight, and I’ll be straight with you: who tells me true, though in his tale lie death, I hear him as he flattered. So long as you tell me the truth, even if the truth is deadly, even if you bring me fatal tidings, I’ll hear you out, listen to you as if you were telling me the most flattering things, sparing my feelings and my blushes.