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Mufick plays. Enter two or three Servants with a

1 Ser.

Banquet.

ERE they'll be, man: fome o'their plants are ill rooted already, the leaft wind i̇th' world will blow them down.

2 Ser. Lepidus is high-colour'd.

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I Ser. They have made him drink alms-drink. 2 Ser. As they pinch one another by the difpofition, he cries out, no more; reconciles them to his entreaty, and himself to th' Drink.

I Ser. But it raises the greater war between him and his discretion.

2 Ser. Why, this it is to have a name in great men's fellowship: I had as lieve have a reed that will do me no fervice, as a Partizan I could not heave.

1 Ser. To be call'd into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in't, are the holes where eyes fhould be, which pitifully difafter the cheeks.

Trumpets. Enter Cæfar, Antony, Pompey, Lepidus,
Agrippa, Mecænas, Enobarbus, Menas, with other
Captains.

Ant. Thus do they, Sir: they take the flow o'th'
Nile

By certain scale i'th' pyramid; they know,

2 They have made him drink alms-drink,] A phrafe, amongst good-fellows, to fignify that liquor of another's fhare which his companion drinks to eafe him. But it fatirically alludes to Cafar and Antony's admitting him into the triumvirate, in order to take off from themselves the load of envy,

3 As they pinch one another by the difpofition,] A phrase equivalent to that now in ufe, of Touching one in a fore place.

By

By th' height, the lownefs, or the mean, if dearth,
Or foizon, follow. The higher Nilus swells,
The more it promifes; as it ebbs, the Seedsman
Upon the flime and ooze scatters his grain,
And shortly comes to harvest.

Lep. You've ftrange ferpents there.
Ant. Ay, Lepidus.

Lep. Your ferpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your Sun; fo is your Crocodile. Ant. They are so.

Pom. Sirrah, fome wine! a health to Lepidus.
Lep. I am not fo as I fhould be:

But I'll ne'er out.

Eno. Not 'till you have flept; I fear me, you'll be in, 'till then.

Lep. Nay, certainly, I have heard, the Ptolemy's Pyramifis are very goodly things; without contradiction, I have heard that.

Men. Pompey, a word.

Pom. Say in mine ear, what is't?

[Afids.

Men. Forfake thy feat, I do beseech thee, Captain.

And hear me speak a word.

Pom. Forbear me, 'till anon.

This wine for Lepidus.

[Whispers.

Lep. What manner o'thing is your Crocodile? Ant. It is fhap'd, Sir, like itself, and it is as broad as it hath breadth; it is juft fo high as it is, and moves with its own organs. It lives by that which nourifheth it; and the elements once out of it, it transmigrates.

Lep. What colour is it of?

Ant. Of it's own colour too.

Lep. 'Tis a ftrange ferpent.

Ant. 'Tis fo, and the tears of it are wet.

Caf. Will this description fatisfie him?

Ant. With the health that Pompey gives him, else

he is a very Epicure.

VOL. VII.

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Pom. Go hang, Sir, hang! tell me of that? away! Do as I bid you. Where's the Cup I call'd for? Men. If for the fake of merit thou wilt hear me, Rife from thy ftool.

Pom. I think, thou'rt mad; the matter?

Men. I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes. Pom. Thou haft ferv'd me with much faith: what's elfe to fay? be jolly, Lords.

Ant. Thefe quick-fands, Lepidus,

Keep off them, 'fore you fink.

Men. Wilt thou be Lord of all the world?

Pom. What fay'st thou?

Men. Wilt thou be Lord of the whole world? that's

twice.

Pom. How fhall that be?

Men. But entertain it,

And though you think me poor, I am the man

Will give thee all the world.

Pom. Haft thou drunk well?

Men. No, Pompey, I have kept me from the Cup. Thou art, if thou dar'ft be, the earthly Fove: What e'er the Ocean pales, or Sky inclips,

Is thine, if thou wilt ha't.

Pom. Shew me which way.

Men. These three World-fharers, these Competitors, Are in thy Veffel. Let me cut the cable:

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

;

Pom. Ah, this thou fhouldft have done, And not have spoken on't. In me, 'tis villany; In thee, 't had been good fervice: thou must know, 'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour Mine honour, it: repent, that e'er thy tongue Hath fo betray'd thine act. Being done unknown, I should have found it afterwards well done; But must condemn it now. Defift, and drink.

Men.

Men. For this,

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I'll never follow thy pall'd fortunes more;

Who feeks and will not take, when once 'tis offer'd,
Shall never find it more.

Pom. This health to Lepidus.

Ant. Bear him afhoar, 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.

Men. Why?

[Pointing to Lepidus."

Eno. He bears the third part of the world, man! feeft not?

Men. The third part then is drunk; 'would, it were all,

That it might go on wheels!

Eno. Drink thou, encrease the reels.

Men. Come.

Pom. This is not an Alexandrian Feaft.

Ant. It ripens towards it; ftrike the veffels, hoa. Here is to Cafar.

Caf. I could well forbear it;

It's monftrous labour when I wash my brain,
And it grows fouler.

Ant. Be a child o'th' time.

Caf. Poffefs it, I'll make anfwer; but I had rather Faft from all, four days, than drink so much in one. Eno. Ha, my brave Emperor, fhall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals, and celebrate our Drink? Pom. Let's ha't, good Soldier.

Ant. Come, let's all take hands;

'Till that the conquering wine hath steept our fenfe In foft and delicate Lethe.

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thy pall'd fortunes-] Pall'd, i. e. dead. Metaphor taken from funeral folemnities.

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Eno. All take hands:

Make battery to our ears with the loud mufick,
The while I'll place you; then the Boy shall sing:
The Holding every man fhall beat as loud
As his ftrong fides can volly.

[Mufick plays. Enobarbus places them hand in hand. The SONG.

Come, thou Monarch of the Vine,
Plumpy Bacchus, with pink eyne.
In thy vats our cares be drown'd:
With thy grapes our hairs be crown'd!
Cup us, 'till the world go round;
Cup us, 'till the world go round.

Cef. 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 fee, we have burnt our cheeks. Strong Enobarbus
Is weaker than the wind; and mine own tongue
Splits what it fpeaks; the wild disguise hath almoft
Antickt us all. What needs more words? good night.
Good Antony, your hand.

Pom. i'll try you on the fhoar.

Ant. And fhall, Sir; give's your hand.

Pom. Oh, Antony, you have my father's houfe. But, what! we're friends; come down into the boat. Eno. Take heed you fall not, Menas.

Men. I'll not on fhoar.

No, to my cabin-thefe drums!

5 Oh, Antony, you have my father's house.] The hiftorian Paterculus tays, Cum Pompeio quoque circa Mifenum pax inita: Qui baud abfurdè cum in navi Cafaremque & Antonium cœna exciperet, dixit: In Carinis fuis fe cœnam dare: referens hoc dictum ad loci nomen, in quo paterna domus ab Antonio poffidebatur. Our author, tho' he loft the joke, yet feems willing to commemorate the story. Thefe

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