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Enter OCTAVIA.

Oct. Hail, Cæsar, and my lord! hail, most dear
Cæsar!

Had not the adverse wind and raging seas
Prolong'd my voyage, and driven our labouring bark
Leagues from its course, I sooner had embraced
Cæs. That ever I should call thee, cast-away!
Oct. You have not call'd me so, nor have you

cause.

you.

Cæs. Why have you stolen upon us thus? You

come not

Like Cæsar's sister; the wife of Antony
Should have an army for an usher, and
The neighs of horse to tell of her approach,
Long ere she did appear: But you are come
A market-maid to Rome; we should have met you
By sea and land; supplying every stage
With an augmented greeting,

Oct. Good, my lord,

To come thus was I not constrain'd, but did it
On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony
Hearing that you prepared for war, acquainted
My grieving ear withal; whereon I begged
His pardon for return.

Cas. Which soon he granted,
Being an obstruct 'twixt his love and him.
Oct. Do not say so, my lord.

Cas. I have eyes upon him,

And his affairs come to me on the wind;
Where say you he is now?

Oct. My lord, in Athens.

Cas. No, no, my most wrong'd sister: Cleopatra Hath nodded him to her; and they are levying The kings o' the earth for war against me. Now, E'en now, they head their force at Actium; But they have found, I trust, to their confusion, Our fleet and armies there, prepared to meet them.

He gave the 'stablishment of Egypt; made her,
Of Lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,

Absolute queen.

Mac. This in the public eye?

Cæs. I' the common shew-place, where they exercise:

His sons he there proclaim'd the kings of kings.
Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia,

He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign'd
Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia : She,

In the habiliments of the goddess, Isis,

That day appear'd, and oft before gave audience, As 'tis reported so.

Mac. Let Rome be thus

Inform'd.

Agr. Who, queasy with his insolence

Already, will their good thoughts call from him.
Cas. The people know it; and have now received
His accusations.

Agr. Whom does he accuse?

Cas. Cæsar; and that having in Sicily
Sextus Pompeius spoil'd, we had not rated him
His part o' the isle; then does he say he lent me
Some shipping, unrestored; lastly, he frets
That Lepidus of the triumvirate

Should be deposed; and being, that we detain
All his revenue.

Agr. Sir, this should be answered.

Cæs. "Tis done already, and the messenger gone.

I have told him Lepidus was grown too cruel;

That he his high authority abused,

And did deserve his change: for what I have con

quer'd,

I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia,
And other of his conquer'd kingdoms, I

Demand the like.

Mac. He'll never yield to that.

Cæs. Nor must not then be yielded to in this.

Enter OCTAVIA.

Oct. Hail, Cæsar, and my lord! hail, most dear
Cæsar!

Had not the adverse wind and raging seas
Prolong'd my voyage, and driven our labouring bark
Leagues from its course, I sooner had embraced
Cas. That ever I should call thee, cast-away!
Oct. You have not call'd me so, nor have you

cause.

you.

Cas. Why have you stolen upon us thus? You

come not

Like Cæsar's sister; the wife of Antony
Should have an army for an usher, and
The neighs of horse to tell of her approach,
Long ere she did appear: But you are come
A market-maid to Rome; we should have met you
By sea and land; supplying every stage
With an augmented greeting,

Oct. Good, my lord,

To come thus was I not constrain'd, but did it
On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony
Hearing that you prepared for war, acquainted
My grieving ear withal; whereon I begged
His pardon for return.

Cas. Which soon he granted,
Being an obstruct 'twixt his love and him.
Oct. Do not say so, my lord.

Cæs. I have eyes upon him,

And his affairs come to me on the wind;
Where say you he is now?

Oct. My lord, in Athens.

Cas. No, no, my most wrong'd sister: Cleopatra Hath nodded him to her; and they are levying The kings o' the earth for war against me. Now, E'en now, they head their force at Actium; But they have found, I trust, to their confusion, Our fleet and armies there, prepared to meet them.

Oct. Ah me, most wretched!

That have my heart parted betwixt two friends
That do afflict each other.

Cas. Welcome hither;

Your letters so far check'd our breaking forth,
Till we perceived both how you were wrong led,
And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart:
Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
O'er your content these strong necessities;
But let determined things to destiny

Hold unbewail'd their way. Welcome to Rome;
Nothing more dear to me.-You are abused
Beyond the mark of thought; and the high gods,
To do you justice, make them ministers

Of us, and those that love you. Be of comfort;— And ever welcome to us.

Agr. Welcome, lady.

Mac. Welcome, dear madam.

Each heart in Rome does love and pity you.

Oct. Is it so, sir?

Cas. Most certain. Sister, welcome: Pray you,

now,

Be ever known to patience. My dearest sister!

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Near Actium.-The Outskirts of ANTONY'S Camp.

14

Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS.

Cle. I will be even with thee, doubt it not. And have command here, while we stay in Actium. Eno. But why, why, why?

Cle. Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars; And say'st it is not fit.

Eno. Well, is it? is it?

Cle. Is't not denounced 'gainst us? Why should

not we

Be there in person?

Eno. Your presence needs must puzzle Antony; Take from his heart, take from his brain, from his

time,

What should not then be spared.
He is already
Traduced for levity; and 'tis said, in Rome,
You and your maids manage this war.

Cle. Sink Rome, and their tongues rot

That speak against us! A charge we bear i' the war,
And, as the president of my kingdom, will
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it,

I will be in the action.

Eno. I have done.

Enter ANTONY and CANIDIUS.

Ant. Canidius, we will fight with them by sea.
Cle. By sea! what else?

Can. Why will my lord do so?

Ant. For that he dares us to*t.

Eno. So hath my lord dared him to single fight. Can. Ay, and to wage this battle in Pharsalia, Where Cæsar fought with Pompey; but these offers, Which serve not for his 'vantage, he shakes off, And so should you.

Eno. Your ships are not well manned; Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people Ingrost by swift impress: In Cæsar's fleet

Are those that often have 'gainst Pompey fought: Their ships are yare, your's heavy :-No disgrace Awaits you for refusing him by sea.

Ant. By sea, by sea!

Eno. Why, sir, you throw away

The absolute soldiership you have by land;
Distract your army; leave unexecuted

Your own renowned knowledge quite forego

D

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