Manent Enobarbus, Agrippa, Mecænas.

Mec. Welcome from Egypt, Sir.

Eno. Half the heart of Cafar, worthy Mecanas! my honourable friend, Agrippa!

Agr. Good Enobarbus!

Mec. We have caufe to be glad, that matters are fo well digefted you flay'd well by't in Egypt.

Eno Ay, Sir, we did fleep day out of countenance, and made the night light with drinking.

Mec. Eight wild boars roafted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve perfons there ;--Is this true?

Eno. This was but as a fly by an eagle: we had much more monstrous matter of feaft, which worthily deserved noting.

Mec. She's a moft triumphant Lady, if report be fquare to her.

Eno. When the first met Mark Antony, fhe purs'd up his heart upon the river of Cydnus.

Agr. There the appear'd, indeed; or my reporter devis'd well for her.

Eno. I will tell you;

The Barge fhe fat in, like a burnish'd Throne,
Burnt on the water; the poop was beaten gold,
Purple the fails, and fo perfumed, that

The Winds were love-fick with 'em; th' oars were filver,
Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made
The water, which they beat, to follow faster,
As amorous of their ftrokes. For her own perfon,
It beggar'd all defcription; fhe did lie
In her pavilion, cloth of gold, of tissue,
O'er-picturing that Venus, where we see

The Fancy out-work Nature. On each fide her,
Stood pretty dimpled Boys, like fmiling Cupids,
With divers-colour'd fans, whofe wind did feem
To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,
And what they undid, did.

Agr. Oh, rare for Antony!

Eno. Her Gentlewomen, like the Nereids,

50

So many Mermaids, tended her i'th' eyes,
And made their Bends adornings. At the helm,
A feeming Mermaid fteers; the filken tackles
Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands,
That yarely frame the office. From the Barge
A ftrange invifible perfume hits the sense
Of the adjacent wharfs. The City cast
Her People out upon her; and Antony,
Enthron'd i'th' Market-place, did fit alone,
Whistling to th' 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 gueft;
Which the intreated. 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 the cropt.

Eno. I faw her once

Hop forty paces through the publick street:

And having loft her breath, the spoke, and panted,
That fhe 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 stale
Her infinite variety: other women cloy

The appetites they feed; but the makes hungry,
Where most she fatisfies. For vileft things
Become themselves in her, that the holy Priefts
Bless her, when she is riggish.

Mec. (13) If beauty, wisdom, modeity, can settle

(13) If Beauty, Wisdom, Modefty, can settle

The Heart of Antony, Octavia is

The

A bleffed

The heart of Antony, Octavia is

A bleft allott❜ry to him.

Agr. Let us go.

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

Eno. Humbly, Sir, I thank you.

[Exeunt.

Enter Antony, Cæfar, Octavia between them.

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

Octa. All which time,

Before the Gods my knee shall bow in prayers

To them for you.

Ant. Good night, Sir. My Octavia,

Read not my blemishes in the world's report:
I have not kept my fquare, but that to come
Shall all be done by th' rule; good night, dear Lady.
Oda. Good night, Sir.

Caf. Good night.

[Exeunt Cæfar and Octavia.

Enter Soothsayer.

Ant. Now, firrah! do you with yourself in Egypt? Sooth. 'Would I had never come from thence, nor you thither!

Ant. If you can, your reason?

Sootb. (14) I fee it in my Notion, have it not in my Tongue; but yet hie you to Egypt again.

Ant. Say to me, whofe fortune fhall rife higher, Cafar's or mine?

Sooth.

A bleffed Lottery to bim.] Methinks, it is a very indifferent Compliment in Mecenas to call Octavia a Lottery, as if he might turn up blank, as well as prove a Prize to Antony. Mr. Warburton ingeniously conjectur'd, that the Poet wrote as I have reform'd the Text: there being as much Difference between Lottery and Allottery, as between a prefent Designation and a future Chance.

(14) I fee it in my Motion, bave it not in my tongue.] What Motion? I can trace no Senfe in this Word here, unless the Author were alluding to that Agitation of the Divinity, which Diviners pretend to when the Fit of Foretelling is upon them; but then, I think verily, he would have wrote, Emotion. I am perfuaded, Shakespeare

Sooth. Cafar's.Therefore, oh Antony, ftay not by his fide.

Thy Demon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,

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

Ant. Speak this no more.

Sooth. To none but thee; no more, but when to thee.If thou dost play with him at any game,

Thou'rt fure to lose: and, of that natural luck,

He beats thee 'gainst the odds.

Thy luftre thickens,

When he fhines by: I fay again, thy Spirit

Is all afraid to govern thee near him:

But, he away, 'tis noble.

Ant. Get thee gone :

Say to Ventidius, I would fpeak with him. [Exit Sooth He fhall to Parthia ;- -be it art, or hap,

He hath spoke 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, in-hoop'd at odds. I will to Egypt;
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
I'th' eaft my pleasure lies. Oh, come, Ventidius.

Enter Ventidius.

You must to Parthia, your commiffion's ready:
Follow me, and receiv't.

[Exeunt.

Enter Lepidus, Mecenas, and Agrippa. Lep. Trouble yourselves no farther: pray you, hasten Your Generals after.

Agr. Sir, Mark Antony

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

Shakespeare meant that the Soothfayer should fay, he faw a Reason in his Thought or Opinion, though he gave that Thought or Opinion no Utterance.

Lep.

Lep. 'Till I fhall fee you in your Soldiers' drefs, Which will become you both, farewel.

Mec. We fhall,

As I conceive the journey, be at th' mount
Before you, Lepidus.

Lep. Your way is fhorter,

My purposes do draw me much about ;

You'll win two days upon me.

Both. Sir, good fuccefs.

Lep. Farewel.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Palace in Alexandria.

Cleo.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras and Alexas.

IVE me fome mufick: mufick, moody food
Of us that trade in love

Omnes. The musick, hoa!

Enter Mardian the Eunuch.

Cleo. Let it alone, let's to billiards: come, Charmian. Char. My arm is fore, beft play with Mardian. Cleo. As well a woman with an Eunuch play'd, As with a woman. Come, you'll play with me, Sir?'. Mar. As well as I can, Madam.

Cleo. And when good will is fhew'd, tho't come too

fhort,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now.
Give me mine angle, we'll to th' river, there,
My mufick playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finn'd fifh; my bended hook fhall 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.

Char. 'Twas merry, when

You wager'd on your angling; when your diver
Did hang a falt fish on his hook, which he

With fervency drew up,

Cleo. That time!

oh times!.

Ilaught him out of patience, and that night

I laught