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, The Winds were love-fick with 'em; th' oars were filver, The Fancy out-work Nature. On each fide her, Agr. Oh, rare for Antony! Eno. Her Gentlewomen, like the Nereids, 50 So many Mermaids, tended her i'th' eyes, Agr. Rare Egyptian! Eno. Upon her landing, Antony fent to her, It should be better, he became her gueft; For what his eyes eat only. Agr. Royal Wench! She made great Cæfar lay his fword to bed; Eno. I faw her once Hop forty paces through the publick street: And having loft her breath, the spoke, and panted, And breathless power breathe forth. Mec. Now Antony must leave her utterly. Eno. Never, he will not. Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale The appetites they feed; but the makes hungry, 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, 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: 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 Where Cafar's is not. But, near him, thy angel 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 Enter Ventidius. You must to Parthia, your commiffion's ready: [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 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 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. And fay, ah, ha! you're caught. Char. 'Twas merry, when You wager'd on your angling; when your diver With fervency drew up, Cleo. That time! oh times!. Ilaught him out of patience, and that night I laught |