I must be laughed at, If, or for nothing, or a little, I Should say myself offended; and with you Chiefly i'the world: more laugh'd at, that I should Once name you derogately, when to sound your name It not concern'd me.

Ant.

What was't to you?

My being in Egypt, Cæsar,

Caes. No more than my residing here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt Might be my question,

Ant. Cæs. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befall me. Your wife and brother Made wars upon me; and their contestation Was theme for you,-you were the word of war,

How intend you, practis'd?

Ant, You do mistake your business-my brother

never

Did urge me in his act: I did inquire it;
And have my learning from some true reports,
That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather
Discredit my authority with yours;

And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your cause? Of this, my letters
Before did satisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
As matter whole you have not to make it with,
It must not be with this.

Cæs.

You praise yourself By laying defects of judgment to me; but You patch'd up your excuses.

Ant. Not so, not so; I know you could not lack, I am certain on't, Very necessity of this thought, that I, Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought, Could not with grateful eyes attend those wars Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife, I would you had her spirit in such another: The third o'the world is yours; which, with a snaffle, You may pace easy, but not such a wife.

Eno. Would we had all such wives, that the men might go to wars with the women!

Ant. So much incurable, her garboils, Cæsar, Made out of her impatience (which not wanted Shrewdness of policy, too), I, grieving, grant Did you too much disquiet: for that, you must But say, I could not help it.

Cas.

I wrote to you When rioting in Alexandria: you Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts Did gibe my missive out of audience. Ant.

He fell upon me ere admitted; then

Sir,

Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i'the morning: but, next day,
I told him of myself; which was as much
As to have asked him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our strife; if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

Cas.
You have broken
The article of your oath; which you shall never
Have tongue to charge me with.

Lep.

Soft, Cæsar.

Ant. No, Lepidus, let him speak;

The honour's sacred which he talks on now, Supposing that I lack'd it: but on, Cæsar;

The article of my oath,

Cas. To lend ine arms, and aid, when I requir'd

them;

'Tis nobly spoken!

Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no further The griefs between ye-to forget them quite, Were to remember that the present need Speaks to atone you,

Lep.

Worthily spoke, Mecænas!

Eno. Or, if you borrow one another's love for the instant, you may, when you hear no more words of Pompey, return it again: you shall have time to wrangle in, when you have nothing else to do.

Ant. Thou art a soldier only; speak no more. Eno. That truth should be silent, I had almost forgot.

Ant. You wrong this presence: therefore, speak no

Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity,
To make you brothers, and to knit
With an unslipping knot, take Antony
Octavia to his wife: whose beauty claims
No worse a husband than the best of men;
Whose virtue, and whose general graces, speak
That which none else can utter. By this marriage,
All little jealousies, which now seem great,

And all great fears, which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing: truths would be but tales,
Where now half tales be truths: her love to both
Would, each to other, and all loves to both,
Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke;
For 'tis a studied, not a present thought,
By duty ruminated.

Ant.
Will Cæsar speak?
Cas. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd,
With what is spoke already.

Agr. Good Enobarbus!

Mec. We have cause to be glad, that matters are so well digested. You stay'd well by it in Egypt.

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

Mec. Eight wild boars roasted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve persons there! is this true? Eno. This was but as a fly by an eagle: we had much more monstrous matter of feasts, which worthily deserved noting.

Mec. She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her.

Eno. When she first met Mark Antony, she pursed up his heart upon the river of Cydnus.

Agr. There she appeared, indeed; or my reporter devised well for her.

Eno. I will tell you:

The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne,
Burn'd on the water: the poop was beaten gold;
Purple the sails, and so perfumed, that

The winds were love-sick with thems the oars were silver;

Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made
The water, which they beat, to follow faster,

As amorous of their strokes. For her own person,
It beggar'd all description: she 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 side her,
Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids,
With divers-colour'd fans, whose wind did seem
To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,
And what they undid, did.

Agr.
O, rare for Antony !
Eno. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides,
So many mermaids, tended her i' the eyes,
And made their bends adornings: at the helm
A seeming mermaid steers; the silken tackle
Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands.
That yarely frame the office. From the barge
A strange invisible perfume hits the sense
Of the adjacent wharfs. The city cast
Her people out upon her; and Antony,
Enthron'd in the market-place, did sit alone,
Whistling to the 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 sent to her, Invited her to supper: she replied, It should be better, he became her guest; Which she entreated: 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 Cæsar lay his sword to bed; He plough'd her, and she cropp'd.

Eno.

I saw her once

Hop forty paces through the public street:
And having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted,
That she 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 th' appetites they feed; but she makeshungry
Where most she satisfies. For vilest things

Become themselves in her; that the holy priests
Bless her, when she is riggish.

Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modesty, can settle
The heart of Antony, Octavia is

A blessed lottery to him.

Agr.

Let us go.

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

Eno.

Humbly, sir, I thank you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same. A Room in Cæsar's House.

Enter CESAR, ANTONY, OCTAVIA between them, Attendants, and a Soothsayer.

Ant. The world, and my great office, will some.

times

Divide me from your bosom.

Oct.
All which time
Before the gods my knee shall bow my 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 square; but that to come
Shall all be done by the rule. Good night, dear lady.
Oct. Good night, sir.

Cas, Good night. [Exeunt CASAR and OCTAVIA,
Ant. Now, sirrah! you do wish yourself in Egypt?
Sooth. 'Would I had never come from thence, nor
you
Thither!

Ant. If you can, your reason P
Sooth.

I see't in
My motion, have it not in my tongue: but yet
Hie you again to Egypt.

Say to Ventidius, I would speak with him :-
[Exit Soothsayer,

He shall to Parthia.-Be it art, or hap,
He hath spoken true: the very dice obey him;
And, in our sports, my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds:
His cocks do win the battle, still of mine,
When it is all to naught; and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
Enter VENTIDIUS.

I' the east my pleasure lies :-O, come, Ventidius,
You must to Parthia; your commission's ready:
Follow me, and receive it.
[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-The same. A Street.
Enter LEPIDUS, MACENAS, and AGRIPPA.
Lep. Trouble yourselves no further: pray you,
hasten
Your generals after.
Agr.
Sir, Mark Antony
Will e'en but kiss Octavia, and we'll follow.
Lep. Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress,
Which will become you both, farewell.
Mec.
We shall,

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

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now:-
Give me mine angle, we'll to the river: there,
My music playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,
I'll think them every one an Antony,
And say, ah, ah! you're caught.
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
I laugh'd him into patience; and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed;
Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst
I wore his sword Philippan. Ol from Italy.
Enter a Messenger.

Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
Than long time have been barren.

Mess.

Cleo. Antony's dead ?

Madam, madam,

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.

To

Mess.

First, madam, he's well.

Cleo. Why, there's more gold. But, sirrah, mark;

we use

the dead are well: bring it to that,
say,
The gold I give thee, will I melt, and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.

Mess. Good madam, hear me.
Cleo.

Well, go to, I will;
But there's no goodness in thy face: if Antony
Be free, and healthful,-why so tart a favour
To trumpet such good tidings? If not well,
Thou shouldst come like a fury crown'd with snakes,
Not like a formal man.

Mess.

Will't please you, hear me?

Cleo. I have a mind to strike thee, ere thou

Cleo.

Madam, he's well.

Well said. Mess. And friends with Cæsar. Cleo. Thou'rt an honest man. Mess. Cæsar and he are greater friends than ever. Cléo. Make thee a fortune from me. Mess. But yet, madam,Cleo. I do not like but yet,-it does allay The good precedence; fie upon but yet: But yet is as a gaoler to bring forth Some monstrous malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend, Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,

The good and bad together: he's friends with Cæsar; In state of health, thou say'st; and, thou say'st, free. Mess. Free, madam! no; made no such report: He's bound unto Octavia.

Cleo.

For what good turn? Mess. For the best turn i' the bed. Cleo. I am pale, Charmian. Mess. Madam, he's married to Octavia. Cleo. The most infectious pestilence upon thee! [Strikes him down. Mess. Good madam, patience. Cleo. What say you?-Hence, [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, Mess.

Gracious madam, I, that do bring the news, made not the match. Cleo. Say, 'tis not so, a province I will give thee, And make thy fortunes proud: the blow thou hadst Shall make thy peace, for moving me to rage; And I will boot thee with what gift beside Thy modesty can beg.

Char. Good madam, keep yourself within yourself; The man is innocent.

Cleo. Some innocents 'scape not the thunderbolt. 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, Chur, He is afeard to come. Cleo. I will not hurt him:-These hands do lack nobility, that they strike A meaner than myself; since I myself Have given myself the cause. Come hither, sir. Re-enter Messenger.

Though it be honest, it is never good

To bring bad news; give to a gracious message
A host of tongues; but let ill tidings tell
Themselves, when they be felt.

Mess. Take no offence, that I would not offend you:

To punish me for what you make me do,
Seems much unequal: he is married to Octavia.

Cleo. O, that hie 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 from Rome
Are all too dear for me; lie they upon thy hand,
And be undone by 'em!
[Exit Messenger.
Char.
Good your highness, patience.
Cleo. In praising Antony, I have disprais'd Cæsar.
Char. Many times, madain.

I faint; O Iras, Charmian,-'tis no matter:-
Go to the fellow, good Alexas; bid him
Report the feature of Octavia, her years,
Her inclination; let him not leave out
The colour of her hair :-bring me word quickly.
[Exit ALEXAS.

Let him for ever go :-let him not-Charmian,
Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,
T'other way he's a Mars:-bid you Alexas

[To MARDIAN. Bring me word, how tall she is. Pity me, Charmian, But do not speak to me. Lead me to my chamber. [Exeunt,

SCENE VI.-Near Misenum. Enter POMPEY and MENAS, at one side, with drum and trumpets; at another, CESAR, LEPIDUS, ANTONY, ENOBARBUS, MACENAS, with Soldiers march

ing. Pom. Your hostages I have, so have you mine; And we shall talk before we fight. Cæs. Most meet, That first we come to words; and therefore have we Our written purposes before us sent; Which, if thou hast consider'd, let us know If 'twill tie up thy discontented sword; And carry back to Sicily much tall youth, That else must perish here.

Pom. To you all three, The senators alone of this great world, Chief factors for the gods,-I do not know, Wherefore my father should revengers want, Having a son, and friends; since Julius Cæsar, Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghosted, There saw you labouring for him. What was it, That mov'd pale Cassius to conspire? And what Made the all-honour'd, honest, Roman Brutus, With the arm'd rest, courtiers of beauteous freedom, To drench the Capitol; but that they would Have one man but a man? And that is it, Hath made me rig my navy; at whose burden The anger'd ocean foams; with which I meant To scourge the ingratitude that despiteful Rome Cast on my noble father.

To try a larger fortune. Pom.

And what may follow,

You have made me offer

Of Sicily, Sardinia; and I must

Rid all the sea of pirates; then, to send
Measures of wheat to Rome: this 'greed upon,
To part with unhack'd edges, and bear back
Our targe undinted.

Cæs. Ant. Lep. That's our offer.
Pom.

Know, then,
I came before you here, a man prepar'd
To take this offer: but Mark Antony
Put me to some impatience: though I lose
The praise of it by telling, you must know,
When Cæsar and your brothers were at blows,
Your mother came to Sicily, and did find
Her welcome friendly.

Ant. I have heard it, Pompey; And am well studied for a liberal thanks, Which I do owe you.

Pom.

Let me have your band:
I did not think, sir, to have met you here.
Ant. The beds i' the east are soft; and thanks to
you,

That call'd me, timelier than my purpose, hither;
For I have gain'd by it.
Cæs.

Since I saw you last,

There is a change upon you. Pom.

Well, I know not

What counts harsh fortune casts upon my face;
But in my bosom shall she never come,
To make my heart her vassal.
Lep.

Well met here.

Pom. I hope so, Lepidus. Thus we are agreed: I crave, our composition may be written, And seal'd between us.

Eno. You have done well by water. Men. And you by land.

Eno. I will praise any man that will praise me; though it cannot be denied what I have done on land. Men. Nor what I have done by water.

Eno. Yes, something you can deny for your own safety: you have been a great thief by sea. Men. And you by land.

But give me

Eno. There I deny my land service. your hand, Menas: if your 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 for

tune.

Eno. If he do, sure, he cannot weep it back again. Men. You have said, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony here; pray you, is he married to Cleopatra? Eno. Cæsar'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 Cæsar, 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.

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 Cæsar; 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. Men. And thus it may be. Come, sir, will you aboard? I have a health for you. Eno. I shall take it, sir: we have used our throats in Egypt.

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 i' the world will blow them down.

2 Serv. Lepidus is high-coloured.

1 Serv. They have made him drink alms-drink. 2 Serv. As they pinch one another by the disposi tion, 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.

1 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 senet 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 seedsman
Upon the slime and ooze scatters his grain,
And shortly comes to harvest.

Lep. You have strange serpents there.

Ant. Ay, Lepidus.

Lep. Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun: so is your croco dile.

Ant. They are so.

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 elements once out of it, it transmigrates.

Lep. What colour is it of?

Ant. Of its own colour, too.
Lep. 'Tis a strange serpent.

Ant. 'Tis so. And the tears of it are wet.
Cæs. Will this description satisfy him?

Ant. With the health that Pompey gives him, else he is a very epicure,

Pom. [To MENAS aside.] Go hang, sir, hang! tell me of that? away!

Do as I bid you. Where's this cup I call'd for ? Men. If for the sake of merit thou wilt hear me, Rise from thy stool. [Aside. Pom. I think, thou'rt mad. The matter? [Rises, and walks aside. Men. I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes. Pom. Thou hast serv'd me with much faith: what's else to say?

Be jolly, lords.

Ant.

These quick-sands, Lepidus,

Keep of them, for you sink.

Men. Wilt thou be lord of all the world?

Pom.

Show me which way.

Men. These three world-sharers, these competitors,

Are in thy vessel: let me cut the cable;

And, when we are put off, fall to their throats:
All there is thine.
Pom.

Ah! this thou shouldst 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'd fortunes more.
Who seeks, and will not take, when once 'tis offer'd,
Shall never find it more.

Pom,

This health to Lepidus. Ant. Bear him ashore.-I'll pledge it for him, Pom. pey.

Enobarbus, welcome.

Eno. Here's to thee, Menas.
Men.
Pom. Fill, till the cup be hid.
Eno. There's a strong fellow, Menas.
[Pointing to the Attendant who carries off
LEPIDUS.

Men. Eno.

Why?

He bears

Here is to Cæsar. Cæs.

I could well forbear it.
It's monstrous labour, when I wash my brain,
And it grows fouler.
Ant.
Be a child o' the time.
Cas. Possess it, I'll make answer: but I had ra
ther 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; Till that the conquering wine hath steeped our sense 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 holding every man shall bear, as loud
As his strong sides can volley.

[Music plays. ENOBARBUS places them

hand in hand,

SONG.

Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bucchus, with pink eyne:
In thy vats our cares be drown'd;
With thy grupes our hairs be crown'd;
Cup us, till the world go round;
Cup us, till the world go round!

Cas. 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've burnt our cheeks: strong Enobarbe
Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue
Splits what it speaks: the wild disguise bath almo t
Antick'd us all. What needs more words? Good

night.

Good Antony, your hand.
Pom.

I'll try you o' the shore.
Ant. And shall, sir: give's your hand.
Pom.

O, Antony, You have my father's house,-but, what ? we are friends:

Come, down into the boat,
Eno.

Take heed you fall not.[Exeunt POMPEY, CESAR, ANTONY, and Attendants.

Menas, I'll not on shore.
Men.

No, to my cabin.

These drums!-these trumpets, flutes! what!-
Let Neptune hear we bid a loud farewell

To these great fellows: sound, and be hang'd, sound out.

[A flourish of trumpets, with drums. Eno. Ho, says 'a!-There's my cap. Men. Ho!-noble captain! [Exeunt.

Come.

Pleas'd fortune does of Marcus Crassus' death
Make me revenger, Bear the king's son's body
Before our army: thy Pacorus, Orodes,
Pays this for Marcus Crassus.
Šil.
Noble Ventidius,
Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm,
The fugitive Parthians follow; spur through Media,
Mesopotamia, and the shelters whither
The routed fly: so thy grand captain Antony
Shall set thee on triumphant chariots, and
Put garlands on thy head.

Ven.
O Silius, Silius,
I have done enough: a lower place, note well,
May make too great an act: for learn this, Silins;
Better leave undone, than by our deed acquire
Too high a fame, when him we serve's away.
Cæsar and Antony have ever won
More in their officer than person: Sossius,
One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
For quick accumulation of renown,
Which he achiev'd by the minute, lost his favour.
Who does i' the wars more than his captain can,
Becomes his captain's captain; and ambition,