Mess. Cesar and he are greater friends than Char. My arm is sore, best 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 show'd, though it come too short, The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now:- Their slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up, Char. "Twas merry, when You wager'd on your angling; when your diver Did hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he With fervency drew up. Cleo. That time !-O times ! I laugh'd him out of patience; and that night Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears, Cleo. Antony's dead? If thou say so, villain, thou kill'st thy mistress: But well and free, If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here My bluest veins to kiss; a hand, that kings Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing. Mess. First, madam, he's well. Cleo. Why, there's more gold. But, Sirrah, To say, the dead are well: bring it to that, Mess. Good madam, hear me. But there's no goodness in thy face: If Antony Mess. Will't please you hear me? Yet, if thou say, Antony lives, is well, Mess. Madam, he's well. Cleo. Well said. Mess. And friends with Cesar. Cleo. Thou'rt an honest man. ever. Cleo. Make thee a fortune from me. The good precedence; ne upon but yet: Cleo. For what good turn? Mess. For the best turn i'the bed. Cleo. I am pale, Charmian. thee! [port: Mess. Madam, he's married to Octavia. [Strikes him again. Horrible villain! or I'll spurn thine eyes Like balls before me; I'll unhair thy head; [She hales him up and down. Thou shalt be whipp'd with wire, and stew'd in brine, Smarting in ling'ring pickle. I, that do bring the news, made not the match. thee, [hadst Shall make thy peace, for moving me to rage; And make thy fortunes proud: the blow thou And I will bootf thee with what gift beside Thy modesty can beg. Mess. He's married, madam. What mean you, madam? I have made no fault. (Erit. Char. Good madam, keep yourself within The man is innocent. [yourself; Cleo. Some innocents 'scape not the thun derbolt. Melt Egypt into Nile! and kindly creatures Turn all to serpents!-Call the slave again; Though I am mad, I will not bite him:-Call. Char. He is afeard to come. Cleo, I will not hurt him: These hands do lack nobility, that they strike Re-enter MESSENGER. Though it be honest, it is never good Mess. I have done my duty. I cannot hate thee worser than I do, Mess. He is married, madam. Cleo. The gods confound thee! dost thou hold there still? Mess. Should I lie, madam? Cleo. O, I would, thou didst; So half my Egypt were submerg'd,t and made A cistern for scal'd snakes! Go, get thee hence; Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me Mess. I crave your highness' pardon. Mess. Take no offence, that I would not offend you: To punish me for what you make me do, [via. Seems much unequal: He is married to OctaCleo. O, that his fault should make a knave of thee, That art not!-What? thou'rt sure of't?-Get thee hence: The merchandise which thou hast brought Char. Many times, madam. Cleo. I am paid for't now. Lead me from hence, I faint; O Iras, Charmian,-Tis no matter:- But do not speak to me.-Lead me to my chamber. [Exeunt. We'll speak with thee at sea: at land, thou 'know'st How much we do o'er-count thee. Thou dost o'er-count me of my father's house: Lep. Be pleas'd' to tell us, (For this is from the present,*) how you take The offers we have sent you. Ces. There's the point. Ant. Which do not be entreated to, but weigh What it is worth embrac'd. Ces. And what may follow, To try a larger fortune. Pom. You have made me offer Ces. Ant. Lep. That's our offer. I came before you here, a man prepar'd Ant. I have heard it, Pompey ; Pom. Let me have your hand: I did not think, Sir, to have met you here. There is a change upon you. [face; What counts; harsh fortune casts upon my Pom I hope so, Lepidus.-Thus we are agreed: I crave, our composition may be written, Ces. That's the next to do. Pom. We'll feast each other, ere we part; and let us Draw lots who shall begin. Ant. That will I, Pompey. Pom. No, Antony, take the lot: but, first Ant. You have heard much. Eno. A certain queen to Cesar in a mattress. Pom. I know thee now ;-How far'st thou, soldier? Men. And you by land. Eno. There I deny my land service. But give me your hand, Menas: If our eyes had authority, here they might take two thieves kissing. Men. All men's faces are true, whatsoe'er their hands are. Eno. But there is never a fair woman has a true face. Men. No slander; they steal hearts. Eno. We came hither to fight with you. Men. For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking. Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune. Eno. If he do, sure, he cannot weep it back again. Men. You have said, Sir. We looked not for Mark Antony; Pray you, is he married to Cleopatra? Eno. Cesar's sister is call'd Octavia. Men. True, Sir; she was the wife of Caius Marcellus. Eno. But she is now the wife of Marcus Antonius. Men. Pray you, Sir? Eno. 'Tis true. Men. Then is Cesar, and he, for ever knit together. Eno. If I were bound to divine of this unity, I would not prophesy so. Men. I think, the policy of that purpose made more in the marriage, than the love of the parties. Eno. I think so too. But you shall find, the band that seems to tie their friendship together, will be the very strangler of their amity: Octavia is of a holy, cold, and still conversation.t Men. Who would not have his wife so? Eno. Not he, that himself is not so; which is Mark Antony. He will to his Egyptian dish again; then shall the sighs of Octavia blow the fire up in Cesar; and, as I said before, that which is the strength of their amity, shall prove the immediate author of their variance. Antony will use his affection where it is he married but his occasion here. SCENE VII.-On Board POMPEY's Galley, lying near Misenum. Music. Enter two or three SERVANTS, with a Banquet." 1 Serv. Here they'll be, man: Some o' their plants are ill-rooted already, the least wind 'the world will blow them down. 2 Serv. Lepidus is high-coloured. 1 Serv. They have made him drink almsdrink. 2 Serv. As they pinch one another by the disposition, he cries out, no more; reconciles them to his entreaty, and himself to the drink. 1 Serv. But it raises the greater war between him and his discretion. 2 Serv. Why, this is to have a name in great men's fellowship; I had as lief have a reed that will do me no service, as a partizan; I could not heave. Serv. To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in't, are the holes where eyes should be, which pitifully disaster the cheeks. A Sennet sounded. Enter CESAR, ANTONY, POMPEY, LEPIDUS, AGRIPPA, MECENAS, ENOBARBUS, MENAS, with other Captains. Ant. Thus do they, Sir: [To CESAR.] They take the flow o'the Nile By certain scales i'the pyramid; they know, By the height, the lowness, or the mean, if dearth, Or foizon, follow: The higher Nilus swells, The more it promises: as it ebbs, the seeds Pom. Sit, and some wine.-A health to Lepidus. Lep. I am not so well as I should be, but I'll ne'er out. Eno. Not till you have slept; I fear me, you'll be in, till then. Lep. Nay, certainly, I have heard, the Ptolemies' pyramises¶ are very goodly things; without contradiction, I have heard that. Men. Pompey, a word. [Aside. Pom. Say in mine ear: What is't? Men. Forsake thy seat, I do beseech thee, captain, [Aside. And hear me speak a word. Pom. Forbear me till anon.This wine for Lepidus. Lep. What manner o'thing is your crocodile? Ant. It is shaped, Sir, like itself; and it is as broad as it hath breadth: it is just so high as it is, and moves with its own organs: it lives by that which nourisheth it; and the ele ments once out of it, it transmigrates. Lep. What colour is it of? Ant. Of its own colour too. cup. Thou art, if thou dar'st be, the earthly Jove: Pom. Show me which way. Men. These three world-sharers, these competitors,+ Are in thy vessel: let me cut the cable; Pom. Ah, this thou should'st have done, And not have spoke on't! In me, 'tis villany; In thee it had been good service. Thou must know, "Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour; Mine honour it. Repent, that e'er thy tongue Hath so betray'd thine act: Being done unknown, I should have found it afterwards well done; But must condemn it now. Desist and drink. Men. For this, [Aside. I'll never follow thy pall'ds fortunes more.Who seeks, and will not take, when once 'tis Shall never find it more. Pom. This health to Lepidus. [offer'd, Ant. Bear him ashore. I'll pledge it for him, Pompey. Eno. Here's to thee, Menas. Men. Enobarbus, welcome. Pom. Fill, till the cup be hid. Eno. There's a strong fellow, Menas. [Pointing to the Attendant who carries off LEPIDUS. Men. Why? Eno. He bears It's monstrous labour, when I wash my brain, And it grows fouler. Ant. Be a child o'the time. Ces. Possess it, I'll make answer: but I had rather fast From all, four days, than drink so much in one. Eno. Ha, my brave emperor! [To ANTONY. Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals, And celebrate our drink? Pom. Let's ha't, good soldier. Ant. Come, let us all take hands; [sense Till that the conquering wine hath steep'd our In soft and delicate Lethe. Eno. All take hands. Make battery to our ears with the loud music:The while, I'll place you: Then the boy shall sing: The holdingt every man shall bear, as loud [Music plays. ENOBARBUS places them hand SONG. Come, thou monarch of the vine, Ces. What would you more ?-Pompey, good night. Good brother, Let me request you off: our graver business Frowns at this levity.-Gentle lords, let's part; You see, we have burnt our cheeks: strong Enobarbe Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue Splits what it speaks: the wild disguise hath almost SCENE I-A plain in Syria. [Exeunt. Enter VENTIDIUS, as after Conquest, with SILIUs, and other Romans, Officers, and Soldiers; the dead Body of PACORUS borne before him. Ven. Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck; and now Pleas'd fortune does of Marcus Crassus' death Make me revenger.-Bear the king's son's body Before our army:-Thy Pacorus, Orodes,§ + Burden, chorus. + Red eyes & Pacorus was the son of Crodes, king of Parthia. + Erobraces. Kettle drums. 1 Confederates. * Understand. Ven. O Silius, Silius, I have done enough: A lower place, note well, Better leave undone, than by our deed acquire can, Becomes his captain's captain: and ambition, I could do more to do Antonius good, Sil. Thou hast, Ventidius, That without which a soldier, and his sword, Grants scarce distinction. Thou wilt write to Antony? Ven. I'll humbly signify what in his name, That magical word of war, we have effected; How, with his banners, and his well-paid The ne'er-yet-beaten horse of Parthia [ranks, We have jaded out o'the field. Sil. Where is he now? Ven. He purposeth to Athens: whither with what haste [mit, The weight we must convey with us will perWe shall appear before him.-On, there; pass along. [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Rome.-An Antechamber in Enter AGRIPPA, and ENOBARBUS, meeting. is gone; The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps To part from Rome: Cesar is sad; and Lepidus, Since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubWith the green-sickness. Agr. 'Tis a noble Lepidus. [led Eno. A very fine one: O, how he loves Cesar! Agr. Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony! Eno. Cesar? Why, he's the Jupiter of men. Agr. What's Antony? The god of Jupiter. Eno. Spake you of Cesar? How? the nonpa reil! Agr. O Antony! O thou Arabian bird!❤ Eno. Would you praise Cesar, say,-Cesar; -go no farther. Agr. Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises. Eno. But he loves Cesar best ;-Yet he loves Antony: Ho! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets, cannot Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number, ho, his love The Phoenix. To Antony. But as for Cesar, Eno. They are his shards, and he their beetle. So,-[Trumpets. This is to horse.-Adieu, noble Agrippa. Agr. Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell. Enter CESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and Octavia. Ant. No farther, Sir. self; Ces. You take from me a great part of my Use me well in it.-Sister, prove such a wife As my thoughts make thee, and as my furthest band+ Shall pass on thy approof,-Most noble Antony, Ant. Make me not offended Čes. I have said. Ant. You shall not find, Though you be therein curious, the least cause For what you seem to fear: So, the gods keep you, And make the hearts of Romans serve your well; The elements be kind to thee, and make Ant. The April's in her eyes: It is love's spring, [cheerful. And these the showers to bring it on.-Be Oct. Sir, look well to my husband's house; andCes. What, Octavia? Oct. I'll tell you in your ear. Ant. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can Her heart inform her tongue: the swan's down feather, That stands upon the swell at full of tide, Eno. Will Cesar weep? [Aside to AGRIPPA. Agr. Why, Enobarbus? When Antony found Julius Cesar dead, Eno. That year, indeed, he was troubled with a rheum; What willingly he did confound,¶ he wail'd: Believe it, till I weep too. Ces. No, sweet Octavia, You shall hear from me still; the time shall Out-go my thinking on you. Ant. Come, Sir, come; [not I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love: Look, here I have you; thus I let you go, And give you to the gods. Ces. Adieu; be happy! Lep. Let all the number of the stars give light To thy fair way! |