Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia, He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he affign'd In the habiliments of the goddess Ifis That day appear'd, and oft before gave audience, Mec. Let Rome be thus inform'd. Agr. Who, queafy with his infolence already, Will their good thoughts call from him. Caf. The people know it, and have now receiv'd His accufations. Agr. Whom does he accufe? Caf. Cæfar; for that having in Sicily Should be depos'd; and being, that we detain Arg. Sir, this fhould be anfwer'd. Caf. 'Tis done already, and his meffenger gone. I told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel; That he his high authority abus'd, And did deferve his change. For what I've conquer'd I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia, And other of his conquer'd kingdoms, 1 Demand the like. Mec. He'll ne'er yield to that. Caf. Nor muft he then be yielded to in this. Enter Octavia, with Attendants. O. Hail, Cafar, and my Lord! hail, moft dear Caf. That ever I fhould call thee caft away! Oct. You have not call'd me fo, nor have you cause. Like Cæfar's fifter. The wife of Antony The neighs of horse to tell of her approach. Long ere fhe did appear. The trees by th' way [not Should have afcended to the roof of heav'n, Oct. Good my Lord, To come thus was I not conftrain'd, but did, it Gaf. Which foon he granted, Being an obstruct 'tween his luft and him. Caf. I have eyes upon him, And his affairs come to me on the wind. Where is he now? Oct. My Lord, in Athens. Caf. No, my moft wronged fifter; Cleopatra Hath nodded him to her.. He hath given his empire Up to a whore, who now are levying The Kings o' th' earth for war. He hath affembled Bocchus the King of Libya, Archelaus Of Paphlagonia, the Thracian King Adúllas, Oct. Ah me most wretched, That have my heart parted betwixt two friends, Caf. Welcome hither; Your letters did with hold our breaking forth, Hold unbewail'd their way. Nothing more dear to me. Welcome to Rome; You are abus'd Beyond the mark of thought; and the high.gods, Of us, and thofe that love you. Be of comfort, Agr. Welcome, Lady. Mec. Welcome, dear Madam. Each heart in Rome does love and pity you; And gives his potent regiment to a trull, Oct. Is it fo, Sir? Caf. It is moft certain. Sifter, welcome; pray you, Be ever known to patience. My dear'st fifter! [Exe. SCENE VI. Near the promontory of Actium. Enter Cleopatra and Enobarbus. Cleo. I will be even with thee, doubt it not. Eno. But why, why, why? Cleo. Thou haft forefpoke my being in these wars ; And fay'ft it is not fit. Eno. Well; is it, is it? Cleo. Is't not denounc'd against us? why should not we be there in person? Eno Well, I could reply: if we should serve with horfe and mares together, the horfe were merely loft, the mares would bear a foldier and his horfe. Cleo. What is't you say? Eno. Your prefence needs must puzzle Antony; Take from his heart, take from his brain, from's time, What fhould not then be fpar'd, He is already Traduc'd for levity; and 'tis faid in Rome, That Photinus an eunuch, and your maids, Manage this war. Cleo Sink, Rome, and their tongues rot That speak against us! A charge we bear i' th' war; Enter Antony and Canidius. Eno. Nay, I have done. Here comes the Emperor. Ant. Is it not strange, Canidius, That from Tarentum, and Brundufium, He could fo quickly cut th' Ionian fea, And take in Toryne? You have heard on't, sweet? Cleo. Celerity is never more admir'd Than by the negligent. Ant. A good rebuke, Which might have well become the best of mea Canidius, we Will fight with him by fea. Cleo. By fea, what else? Can. Why will my Lord do so ? Ant. For that he dares us to't. Eno. So hath my Lord dar'd him to fingle fight. Can. Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia, Where Cafar fought with Pompey. But thefe offers, Which fe ve not for his vantage, he shakes off; And fo fhould you. Eno. Your fhips are not well mann'd, Your mariners are muliteers, reapers, people Ant. By fea, by sea. Eno. Moft worthy Sir, you therein throw away Ant. I'll fight at fea. Cleo. I have fixty fails, Cæfar none better. And, with the rest full mann'd, from the head of Actium Beat the approaching Cæfar. But if we fail. Thy bufmefs? Enter a Mejenger. Me. The news is true, my Lord; he is defcried; Cæfar has taken Toryne. Ant. Can he be there in perfon? 'tis impoffible. Strange, that his power fhould be fo. Canidius, Our nineteen legions thou fhalt hold by land, And our twelve thousand horfe. We'll to our fhip; Away, my Thetis ! Enter a Soldier. How now, worthy Soldier! Sol. Oh, Noble Emperor, do not fight by fea, Trust not to rotten planks: do you misdoubt This fword, and thefe my wounds? let the Ægyptians And the Phoenicians go a-ducking: we Have us'd to conquer standing on the earth, And fighting foot to foot. Ant. Well, well, away. [Exeunt Ant. Cleo. and Eno. Sol. By Hercules, I think I am i' th' right. Can. Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows Not in the power on't fo our leader's led, And we are womens' men. Sol. You keep by land. The legions and the horse whole, do you not? Publicola, and Cælius, are for sea : But we keep whole by land. This fpeed of Cæfar's Carries beyond belief. Sol. While he was yet in Rome, His power went out in fuch distractions as Beguil'd all spies, Can. Who's his lieutenant, hear you? Sol. They fay, one Taurus. Gan. Well I know the man. |