SCENE III.

Athens. A Room in ANTONY'S House.

Enter ANTONY and OCTAVIA.

Ant. Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,
That were excusable; that, and thousands more
Of semblable import ;--but since we married,
And have dwelt here, in Athens, he hath waged
New wars 'gainst Pompey, made his will, and read it
To public ear;

Spoke scantily 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,
Or did it from his teeth.

Oct. 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,
Praying for both parts:-Husband win, win brother,
Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway
'Twixt these extremes at all.

Ant. Gentle Octavia,

Let your best love draw to that point which seeks Best to preserve it: If I lose mine honour,

I lose myself; better I were not yours,

Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested, Yourself shall go between us. Meantime, lady, I'il raise the preparation of a war

C

Shall stain your brother; speed you then to Rome,— So your desires are yours.

Oct. 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 Should solder up the rift.

Ant. Wel!, well, the ship awaits you in the harbour: Choose your own company, and command what cost Your heart has mind to.

Oct. Oh, my lord-Farewell!

Ant. The April's in thy eyes;

Thy tongue will not obey thy heart, nor will
Thy heart inform thy tongue: the swan's down feather
Thus stands upon the swell, at full of tide,

And neither way inclines. Come on, Octavia;
I'll lead thee to the shore.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Alexandria, A Room in CLEOPATRA's Palace.

CLEOPATRA and IRAS discovered. CLEOPATRA pensively reclined on a Couch.

Cle. Athens may well be proud! it circles, now, Within its walls, Bellona's paragon;

The man of men;-ay me! the married man.
Would that Mark Antony could see me thus!
Sure he would sigh, for he is noble-natured,
And bears a tender heart. I know him well-

Ah, no, I know him not; I knew him once,

But now, 'tis past.

Iras. Let it be past with you

Forget him, madam.

Cle. Never, never,

Iras.

Faithless, ungrateful, cruel though he be,

I still must love him.

Enter CHARMION.

Now, what news, my Charmion?

Char. The man, whom you dispatch'd in trust to Athens,

Newly return'd, now waits upon your will.

Cle. [Starting up. Will Antony be kind?—or quite forsake me?

Is't life or death? for when he gave his answer,
Fate took the word, and then I died or lived.
Char. Madam, the messenger.

Enter MARDION.

Cle. Say,-had'st thou audience Of great Mark Antony?

Mar. I found him, madam,

Encompass'd by a throng that shouted round him :When he beheld me struggling through the crowd, He blush'd, and bade make way.

Cle. There's comfort yet! [Apart from MARDION. Proceed.

Mar. I told my message,

Just as you gave it, broken and dishearted;
Told him, you only begg'd a last farewell;-
Presented next your letter, which he read,
Then fetch'd an inward groan, and only sigh'd,
As if his heart was breaking. Thus we parted.
Cle. [Apart.] That inward groan gives hopes he
may be here,

If but to say, farewell.-Saw'st thou Octavia?

Mar. Madam, I did; for, as I reach'd the land,

I view'd her standing at her vessel's prow,
To sail for Italy: our barks approach'd
Almost to contact.

Cle. Italy! why thither?

Mar. To reconcile, at Rome, (so rumour spake) Divisions which, of late, forebode a war

Between her lord and Cæsar.

Cle. Blest forebodings!

Long may divisions last, that can divide

That mate, ill-mated, from Mark Antony. [Apart. Is she as tall as I?

Mar. She is not, madam.

Cle. Dwarfish!-he ne'er will like her long.
Char. O, Isis!

Like her? it is impossible.

Cle. I think so.—

What majesty is in her air? Remember,
If e'er thou look'dst on majesty.

Mar. She stoops.

She shews a body, rather than a life;
A statue, than a breather,

Cle. Is this certain?

Mar. Or I have no observance.

Cle. There's nothing in her yet:

The fellow has good judgment.

Char. Excellent.

Cle. Bear'st thou her face in mind? Is't long, or round?

Mar. Round, even to faultiness.

Cle. For the most part too,

They are foolish that are so. Her hair, what colour? Mar. Brown, madam; and her forehead is as low As she would wish it.

Cle. There is gold for thee.

[IRAS gives him a purse. Exit MARDION.

Char. A proper man.

Cle. Indeed, he is so; why, methinks, by him, This creature's no such thing.

Char. O, nothing, madam.

Cle. The man hath seen some majesty, and should know.

Char. Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend, And serving you so long!

Cle. I have one thing more to ask him yet, good

Charmion ;

But, 'tis no matter; thou shalt bring him to me
Where I will write: All may be well enough.
Char. I warrant you, madam. [Grand flourish.
[Shouting without.] Antony! Antony!

Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS.

Cle. O, this I prophesied !

[Rushes forward to meet ANTONY.

My love! my lord!

So quick to follow thus my messenger!—

Ant. Well, madam, we are met.

Cle. Is this a meeting?

Then, meet we but to part?
Ant. We must ;-for ever.
Cle. Who says we must?
Ant. Our own hard fates.

Cle. We make those fates ourselves.

[Coldly.

Ant. Yes, we have made 'em; we have loved each other

Into our mutual ruin.

Cle. The gods have seen my joys with envious eyes;
I have no friends in Heaven, and all the world
Is arm'd against my love: Even you yourself
Join with the rest; you, you are arm'd against me.
Ant. I will be justify'd in all I do,

To late posterity; and therefore hear me.
If I mix a lie

With any truth, reproach me freely with it;
Else favour me with silence.

Cle. You command me,

And I am dumb.