Agr.

O, rare for Antony!
Eno. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides,
So many mermaids, tended her i' the eyes,
And made their bends adornings: at the helm
A feeming mermaid steers; the filken tackle
Swell with the touches of thofe flower-foft hands,
That yarely frame the office. From the barge
A ftrange invifible pérfume hits the fenfe.
Of the adjacent wharfs. The city caft
Her people out upon her; and Antony,
Enthron'd in the market-place, did fit alone,
Whistling to the air; which, but for vacancy,
Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,

And made a gap in nature.

Agr.

Rare Egyptian!

Eno. Upon her landing, Antony fent to her,
Invited her to fupper: fhe reply'd,

It should be better, he became her guest;
Which the entreated: Our courteous Antony,
Whom ne'er the word of no woman heard speak,
Being barber'd ten times o'er, goes to the feast;
And, for his ordinary, pays his heart,

For what his eyes eat only.

Agr.

Royal wench!

She made great Cæfar lay his fword to bed;
He plough'd her, and she cropp'd.

Eno.

I saw her once

Hop forty paces through the publick street:

And having loft her breath, the spoke, and panted,
That she did make defect, perfection,

And, breathless, power breathe forth.

Mec. Now Antony must leave her utterly.
Eno. Never; he will not;

Age cannot wither her, nor custom ftale

Her

Her infinite variety: Other women

Cloy th' appetites they feed; but the makes hungry,
Where moft the fatisfies. For vileft things

Become themselves in her; that the holy priests
Blefs her, when he is riggish.

Mec. If beauty, wifdom, modefty, can settle
The heart of Antony, Octavia is

A bleffed lottery to him.

Good Enobarbus, make yourself my gueft,
Whilft you abide here.

Enter CESAR, ANTONY, OCTAVIA between them; Attendants, and a Soothsayer.

Ant. The world, and my great office, will fometimes Divide me from your bofom.

Read not my blemishes in the world's report:

I have not kept my fquare; but that to come

Shall all be done by the rule. Good night, dear lady.—

Octa. Good night, fir.

Caf. Good night.

[Exeunt CESAR and OCTAVIA.

Ant. Now, firrah! you do with yourself in Egypt?

Sooth.

Sooth. 'Would I had never come from thence, nor you

Thither!

Ant. Sooth.

If you can, your reason?

I fee't in

My motion, have it not in my tongue: But yet

Hie you again to Egypt.

Ant.

Say to me,

Whose fortunes fhall rife higher, Cæfar's, or mine?
Sooth. Cæfar's.

Therefore, O Antony, ftay not by his fide :
Thy dæmon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,

Where Cæfar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Becomes a Fear, as being o'erpower'd; therefore
Make space enough between you.

Ant.

Speak this no more.

Sooth. To none but thee; no more, but when to thee.

If thou doft play with him at any game,

Thou art fure to lofe; and, of that natural luck,

He beats thee 'gainst the odds; thy luftre thickens,
When he fhines by: I fay again, thy fpirit

Is all afraid to govern thee near him ;

But, he away, 'tis noble.

Get thee gone:

Ant.
Say to Ventidius, I would speak with him:

[Exit Soothsayer.

He fhall to Parthia.-Be it art, or hap,
He hath spoken true: The very dice obey him;
And, in our sports, my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he fpeeds:
His cocks do win the battle ftill of mine,
When it is all to nought; and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,

I' the east my pleasure lies :-O, come, Ventidius,
You must to Parthia; your commiffion's ready:

Lep. Trouble yourselves no further: pray you, haften Your generals after.

Will e'en but kiss Octavia, and we'll follow.

Lep. Till I fhall fee you in your foldier's dress, Which will become you both, farewell.

Mec.

As I conceive the journey, be at mount

Before you, Lepidus.

Lep.

My purposes do draw me much about;

We shall,

Your way is shorter,

SCENE V.

Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS,

Cleo. Give me fome mufick; mufick, moody food

Char. My arm is fore, best play with Mardian.
Cleo. As well a woman with an eunuch play'd,
As with a woman;-Come, you'll play with me, fir?
Mar. As well as I can, madam.

Cleo. And when good will is fhow'd, though it come too short,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now :-
Give me mine angle,- We'll to the river: there,
My mufick playing far off, I will betray

Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce
Their flimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,

I'll think them every one an Antony,

And fay, Ah, ha! you're caught.

'Twas merry, when

Char.
You wager'd on your angling; when your
Did hang a falt-fish on his hook, which he
With fervency drew up.

Cleo.

diver

That time!-O times!-
I laugh'd him out of patience; and that night
I laugh'd him into patience: and next morn,

D 2

Ere