Beat mine, in-hoop'd at odds. I will to Egypt; You must to Parthia, your commiffion's ready : Enter Lepidus, Mecenas, and Agrippa. [Excunt. Lep. Trouble yourselves no farther : pray you baslen Your Generals after. Agr. Sir, Mark Antony Will e'en but kifs Octavia, and we'll follow. Lep. Till I fhall fee you in your foldier's 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, Beth. Sir, good fuccefs. Lep. Farewel. [Exeunt. SCENE V. Changes to the palace in Alexandria. Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas. Cleo. Give me fome mufic: Mufic, moody food Of us that trade in love. Omnes. The mufic, 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. [short, Cleo. And when good will is fhew'd, tho't come too The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now. Give me mine angle, we'll to the river, there, My mufic playing far off, I will betray Tawny-finn'd fith; my bended hook fhal pierce VOL. VII. I Their flimy jaws; and, as I draw them up, Char. 'Twas merry when You wager'd on your angling; when your diver Cleo. That time !-oh times !— I laughed him out of patience, and that night Rain thou thy faithful tidings in mine ears, Mef. Madam! Madam ! Cleo. Antony's dead? If thou fay fo, villain, thou kill'ft thy mistress : If thou fo yield him, there is gold, and here Have lipp'd, and trembled kiffing. Mef. First, Madam, he is well. Cleo. Why, there's more gold. But, firrah, mark, we To fay, the dead are well: Bring it to that, The gold I give thee, will I met and pour Down thy ill uttering throat. Mef. Good Madam, hear me. Cleo. Well, go to, I will: But there's no goodness in thy face. If Antony To trumpet fuch good tidings? if not well, [ufe Thou should't come like a fury crown'd with fnakes, Not like a formal man. Mef. Will't please you hear me? Cleo. I have a mind to ftrike thee ere thou speak'st; Yet if thou fay Antony lives, 'tis well, Or friends with Cæfar, or not captive to him, I'll fet thee in a fhower of gold, and hail *Formal for ordinary. Cleo. Thou'rt an honeft man. Me. Cæfar and he are greater friends than ever. Me. But yet, Madam Cleo. I do not like But yet, it does allay The good precedence t; fie upon But yet: But yet is as a jailor to bring forth Some monstrous malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend, Pour out thy pack of matter to mine ear, The good and bad together: he's friends with Cæfar, In ftate of health, thou fay'ft; and thou fay'st, free. Me. Free, Madam! no: I made no fuch report, He's bound unto Octavia. Cleo. For what good turn? Mel. For the best turn i' th' bed. Cleo. I am pale, Charmian. Me. Madam, he's married to Octavia, Cleo. The most infectious peftilence upon thee ! Meff. Good Madam, patience. Cleo. What fay you? [Strikes him down. [Strikes him Hence, horrible villain, or I'll fpurn thine eyes [She hales him up and down. It was a ceremony among the eastern nations, at coronations, triumphs, and great festivals, that their kings fitting in ftate had fhowers of gold, and pearl, and precious ftones, poured down upon them. To which custom Milton alfo alludes: Or where the gorgeous caft with richeft hand Show'rs on her kings barbaric pearl and gold. Bi 2. v. 3. This fact is verified by hiftorians. In the life of Timor Bec or Tamerlane, written by a Perfian, a contemporary author, are the following words, as they are tranflated by Monf, Petit de la Croix, in the account there given of his coronation, B. 2. chap. 1. Les princes du fang royal & les emirs repandirent à pleines mains fur fa tête quantité d'or & de pierreries, felon la coûtume, And at the bottom of the page is this note; Cette coûtume fubfifte encore aujourdhui, non feulement au couronne ment des princes, mais encore aux marriages des particuliers. t precedence, for precedent. Thou shalt be whipp'd with wire, and stew'd in brine, Smarting in ling'ring pickle. Me. Gracious Madam, I, that do bring the news, made not the match. Cleo. Say, 'tis not fo, 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 befide Thy modesty can beg. Me. He's married, Madam. Cleo. Rogue, thou haft liv'd too long. Me. Nay, then I'll run: [Draws a dagger. What mean you, Madam? I have made no fault. [Exit. Cleo. Some innocents 'fcape not the thunderbolt- Cleo. I will not hurt him. Thefe hands do lack nobility, that they ftrike Have given myfelf the caufe. Come hither, Sir. Re-enter the Messenger. Though it be honeft, it is never good To bring bad news: give to a gracious meffage Me. I have done my duty. Cleo. Is he married! I cannot hate thee worfer than I do, If you again fay, Yes. Mel. He's married, Madam. Cleo. The gods confound thee! doft thou hold there fill? Me. Should I lye, Madam? Cleo. Oh, I would thou didft; So half my Egypt were fubmerg'd, and made A ciftern for fcald fuakes! go, get thee hence ; Hadit thou Narciffus in thy face, to me Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is married? Cleo. He is married? Meff. Take no offence, for I would not offend you ; To punish me for what you make me do, Seems much unequal. He's married to Octavia. Glo. Oh, that his faults should make a knave of thee, That sayst but what thou'rt fure of!-Get thee hence; The merchandizes thou haft brought from Rome, Are all too dear for me: Lie they upon thy hand, and be undone by 'em! Char. Good your Highness, patience. [Exit Melf. Cleo. In praifing Antony, I have difprais'd Cæfar. Char. Many times, Madam. Cleo. I am paid for it now. I faint; oh Iras, Charmian Lead me from hence, 'tis no matter Go to the fellow, good Alexas, bid him The colour of her hair. Bring me word quickly, Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon, [Exeunt. Changes to the cost of Italy, near Mifenum. Enter Pompey and Menas, at one door with drum and trumpet; at another, Cæfar, Lepidus, Antony, Eвоbarbus, Mecenas, Agrippa, with Soldiers marching, Pom. Your hoftages I have, fo have you mine; And we shall talk before we fight. Caf. Moft meet, That first we come to words; and therefore have we Our written purposes before us fent; Which if thou haft confider'd, let us know. If 'twill tie up thy discoutented iword,. |