Most sweet queen, Cleo. Nay, pray you, seek no colour for your going, But bid farewell, and go: when you sued staying, Then was the time for words: No going then; Eternity was in our lips, and eyes;

Bliss in our brows' bent; 29) none our parts so poor,
But was a race of heaven: 30) They are so still,
Or thou, the greatest soldier of the world,
Art turn'd the greatest liar.

How now, lady!

Ant. Cleo. I would, I had thy inches; thou should'st know, There were a heart in Egypt. Ant. Hear me, queen: The strong necessity of time commands Our services a while: but my full heart Remains in use with you. Our Italy Shines o'er with civil swords: Sextus Pompeius Makes his approaches to the port of Rome: Equality of two domestic powers

Breeds scrupulous faction: The hated, grown to strength,

Are newly grown to love: the condemn'd Pompey,
Rich in his father's honour, creeps apace
Into the hearts of such as have not thriv'd
Upon the present state, whose numbers threaten ;
And quietness, grown sick of rest, would purge
By any desperate change: My more particular,
And that which most with you should safe my
going, 31)

Is Fulvia's death.

Cleo. Though age from folly could not give me freedom,

It does from childishness: · Can Fulvia die? 32)
Ant. She's dead, my queen:

Look here, and, at thy sovereign leisure, read
The garboils she awak'd; 33) at the last, best:
See when, and where she died.
Cleo.
O most false love!
Where be the sacred vials thou should'st fill
With sorrowful water? 34) Now I see, I see,
In Fulvia's death, how mine receiv'd shall be.
Ant. Quarrel no more, but be prepar'd to know
The purposes I bear; which are, or cease,
As you shall give the advice: Now, by the fire,
That quickens Nilus' slime, I go from hence,
Thy soldier, servant; making peace, or war,
As thou affect'st.

Cleo.
Cut my lace, Charmian, come;
But let it be. I am quickly ill, and well:
So Antony loves. 35)
Ant.
My precious queen, forbear;
And give true evidence to his love, which stands
An honourable trial.
Cleo.

So Fulvia told me. I pr'ythee, turn aside, and weep for her; Then bid adieu to me, and say, the tears Belong to Egypt: 36) Good now, play one scene Of excellent dissembling; and let it look Like perfect honour. Ant. You'll heat my blood; no more. Cleo. You can do better yet; but this is meetly. Ant. Now, by my sword,

Cleo.

And target, Still he mends; But this is not the best: Look, 'pry'thee, Charmian,

But that your royalty

Holds idleness your subject, I should take you
For idleness itself. 39)
Cleo.
"Tis sweating labour,
To bear such idleness so near the heart
As Cleopatra this. But, sir, forgive me;
Since my becomings kill me, 40) when they do not
Eye well to you: Your honour calls you hence;
Therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly,

And all the gods go with you! upon your sword
Sit laurel'd victory! 41) and smooth success
Be strew'd before your feet!
Ant.
Let us go. Come ;
Our separation so abides, and flies,
That thou, residing here, go'st yet with me,
And I, hence fleeting, here remain with thee,
Away.

SCENE IV.

[Exeunt.

Rome. An Apartment in Cæsar's House.
Enter OCTAVIUS CÆSAR, LEPIDUS, and Attendants.
Cas. You may see, Lepidus, and henceforth know,
It is not Cæsar's natural vice to hate
One great competitor: 42) from Alexandria
This is the news; He fishes, drinks, and wastes
The lamps of night in revel: is not more manlike
Than Cleopatra; nor the queen of Ptolemy
More womanly than he: hardly gave audience, or
Vouchsaf'd to think he had partners: You shall
find there

A man, who is the abstract of all faults
That all men follow.
Lep.
I must not think, there are
Evils enough to darken all his goodness:
His faults, in him, seem as the spots of heaven,
More fiery by night's blackness; hereditary,
Rather than purchas'd; 43) what he cannot change,
Than what he chooses.

Cas. You are too indulgent: Let us grant, it is not
Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy;
To give a kingdom for a mirth; to sit
And keep the turn of tippling with a slave;
To reel the streets at noon, and stand the buffet
With knaves that smell of sweat; say this becomes him,
(As his composure must be rare indeed,
Whom these things cannot blemish,) yet must Antony
No way excuse his soils, when we do bear
So great weight in his lightness. 44) If he fill'd
His vacancy with his voluptuousness,
Full surfeits, and the dryness of his bones,
Call on him for't: 45) but, to confound such time,
That drums him from his sport, and speaks as loud
As his own state, and ours, 'tis to be chid
As we rate boys; who, being mature in knowledge,
Pawn their experience to their present pleasure,
And so rebel to judgment.

Enter a Messenger.

Lep. Here's more news. Mess. Thy biddings have been done; and every hour, Most noble Cæsar, shalt thou have report How 'tis abroad. Pompey is strong at sea;

And it appears, he is belov'd of those
That only have fear'd Cæsar; to the ports
The discontents repair, 46) and men's reports
Give him much wrong'd.

Cas.

I should have known no less
It hath been taught us from the primal state,
That he, which is, was wish'd, until he were;
And the ebb'd man, ne'er lov'd, till ne'er worth love,
Comes dear'd, by being lack'd. This common body,
Like a vagabond flag upon the stream,
Goes to, and back, lackeying the varying tide, 47)
To rot itself with motion.
Mess.
Cæsar, I bring thee word,
Menecrates and Menas, famous pirates,
Make the sea serve them; which they ear 48) and
wound

With keels of every kind: Many hot inroads
They make in Italy; the borders maritime
Lack blood to think on't, 49) and flush youth
revolt :

No vessel can peep forth, but 'tis as soon
Taken as seen; for Pompey's name strikes more,
Than could his war resisted.

Antony,

Cas.
Leave thy lascivious wassels. 51) When thou once
Wast beaten from Modena, where thou slew'st
Hirtius and Pansa, consuls, at thy heel
Did famine follow; whom thou fought'st against
Though daintily brought up, with patience more
Than savages could suffer: Thou didst drink
The stale of horses, and the gilded puddle 52)
Which beasts would cough at: thy palate then did
deign

The roughest berry on the rudest hedge;
Yea, like the stag, when snow the pasture sheets,
The barks of trees thou browsed'st; on the Alps,
It is reported, thou didst eat strange flesh,
Which some did die to look on: And all this
(It wounds thine honour, that I speak it now,)
Was borne so like a soldier, that thy cheek
So much as lank'd not.

Of stirs abroad, I shall beseech you, sir, To let me be partaker.

Cas.

Doubt not, sir;

I knew it for my bond. 53)

SCENE V.

O happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony!
Do bravely, horse! for wot'st thou whom thou mov'st?
The demi-Atlas of this earth, the arm

And burgonet of men. - 56) He's speaking now,
Or murmuring, Where's my serpent of old Nile?
For so he calls me; Now I feed myself
With most delicious poison:· Think on me,
That am with Phoebus' amorous pinches black,
And wrinkled deep in time? Broad-fronted Cæsar, 57)
When thou wast here above the ground, I was
A morsel for a monarch: and great Pompey
Would stand, and make his eyes grow in my brow;
There would he anchor his aspéct, and die
With looking on his life.

Alex.

Enter ALEXAS.

Sovereign of Egypt, hail! Cleo. How much unlike art thou Mark Antony! Yet, coming from him, that great medicine hath With his tinct gilded thee. — 58)

How goes it with my brave Mark Antony!
Alex. Last thing he did, dear queen,

He kiss'd, the last of many doubled kisses,
This orient pearl; - His speech sticks in my heart.
Cleo. Mine ear must pluck it thence.
Alex.
Good friend, quoth he,
Say, The firm Roman to great Egypt sends
This treasure of an oyster; at whose foot
To mend the petty present, I will piece
Her opulent throne with kingdoms; All the east,
Say thou, shall call her mistress. So he nodded,
And soberly did mount a termagant steed, 59)
Who neigh'd so high, that what I would have spoke
Was beastly dumb'd by him.

Cleo.
What, was he sad, or merry?
Alex. Like to the time o'the year between the ex-

tremes

His wife, that's dead, did trespasses to Cæsar; His brother warr'd upon him; although, I think, Not moved by Antony.

Pom. I know not, Menas, How lesser enmities may give way to greater. Were't not that we stand up against them all, "Twere pregnant they should square ) between themselves;

For they have entertained cause enough

To draw their swords: but how the fear of us
May cement their divisions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be it as our gods will have it! It only stands
Our lives upon, 9) to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
[Exeunt. 10)

Cæsar and Lepidus

Men.
Are in the field; a mighty strength they carry.
Pom. Where have you this? 'tis false.

Men.
From Silvius, sir.
Pom. He dreams; I know, they are in Rome to-
gether,

Looking for Antony: But all charms of love ')
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wan'd lip! 2)

Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both!
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks,
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite;
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour,
Even till a lethe'd dullness. 3) How now, Varrius?

That which combin'd us was most great, and let not
A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,

May it be gently heard: When we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Murder in healing wounds: Then, noble partners,
Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
(The rather, for I earnestly beseech,)
Nor curstness grow to the matter. 13)
Ant.

'Tis spoken well: Were we before our armies, and to fight, I should do thus.

I could have given less matter Menas, I did not think,

Cas.

Sit.

A better ear.
This amorous surfeiter would have don'd his helm 5)
For such a petty war: his soldiership
Is twice the other twain: But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow') pluck
The ne'er lust-wearied Antony.

Men.

I cannot hope, 7)

Cæsar and Antony shall well greet together:

Once name you derogately, when to sound your name
It not concern'd me.
Ant.

My being in Egypt, Cæsar, What was't to you?

Cas. No more than my residing here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: Yet, if you there Did practise on my state, 14) your being in Egypt Might be my question. 15) Ant. How intend you, practis'd? Cas. 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. 16) Ant. You do mistake your business; my brother never Did urge me in his act: I did enquire it;

And have my learning from some true reports, 17)
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.
Cas.

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'm certain on't,
Very necessity of this thought, that I,
Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,
Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars
Which 'fronted 18) mine own peace. As for my wife,
I would you had her spirit in such another: 19)
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 uncurable, 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.

Sir,

He fell upon me, ere admitted; then,
Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i'the morning: but, next day,
I told him of myself; 20) which was as much
As to have ask'd 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.
Ant. No, Lepidus, let him speak;

Soft, Cæsar.

The honour's sacred 21) which he talks on now,
Supposing that I lack'd it: But on, Cæsar;
The article of my oath,

Cas. To lend me arms, and aid, when I requir'd them;

Neglected, rather;

The which you both denied.
Ant.
And then, when poison'd hours had bound me up
From mine own knowledge. As nearly as I may,
I'll play the penitent to you: but mine honesty
Shall not make poor my greatness, nor my power
Work without it: 22) Truth is, that Fulvia,
To have me out of Egypt, made wars here;
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do

So far ask pardon, as befits mine honour
To stoop in such a case.
Lep.

"Tis nobly spoken. 23) Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no further The griefs 24) between ye: to forget them quite, Were to remember that the present need Speaks to atone you. 25) 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. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side, Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony Is now a widower.

Cas. Say not so, Agrippa; If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof Were well deserv'd of rashness. Ant. I am not married, Cæsar: let me hear Agrippa further speak.

Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity, To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts 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,27) Where now half tales be truth: 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.

Will Cæsar speak?

Ant. Cas. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is spoke already.

Ant.

What power is in Agrippa,

If I would say, Agrippa, be it so, To make this good?

Cas.

The power of Cæsar, and

His power unto Octavia. Ant.

May I never

Not lack your company. Lep.

Let us, Lepidus,

Noble Antony,

Not sickness should detain me.

[Flourish. Exeunt CÆSAR, ANT., and LEPIDUS. Mec. Welcome from Egypt, sir. Eno. Half the heart of Cæsar, worthy Mecænas! my honourable friend, Agrippa! 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 feast, which worthily deserved noting.

Mec. She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her. 31)

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 them: 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 diverse-colour'd fans, whose wind did seem
To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,
And what they undid, did. 32)
Agr.
O, rare for Antony!
Eno. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides,
So many mermaids, tended her i'the eyes, 33)
And made their bends adornings: 34) at the helm
A seeming mermaid steers; the silken tackle
Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands,
That yarely frame the office. 35) From the barge
A strange invisible pérfume 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.

Rare Egyptian!

Agr.
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 makes hungry,
Where most she satisfies. For vilest things
Become themselves in her; that the holy priests
Bless her, when she is riggish. 36)

Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modesty, can settle
The heart of Antony, Octavia is
A blessed lottery 37) 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 sometimes
Divide me from your bosom.
Octa.
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.—
Octa. Good night, sir.
Cas. Good night. [Exeunt CESAR 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?
Sooth.

I see't in

My motion, 38) have it not in my tongue: But yet
Hie you again to Egypt.
Ant.
Say to me,
Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Cæsar's, or mine?
Sooth. Cæsar's.

Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side:
Thy dæmon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,
Where Cæsar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Becomes a Fear, as being o'erpower'd; therefore
Make space enough between you.

Ant.
Speak this no more.
Sooth. To none but thee; no more, but when to thee.
If thou dost play with him at any game,
Thou art sure to lose; and, of that natural luck,
He beats thee 'gainst the odds; thy lustre thickens,
When he shines by: I say again, thy spirit