Of all forsaken, and forsaking all,

Live in a shady forest's sylvan scene,

Stretch'd at my length beneath some blasted oak,
I lean my head upon the mossy bark,

And look just of a piece as I grew

from it:

My uncomb'd locks, matted like mistletoe,

Hang o'er my hoary face; a murm❜ring brook
Runs at my foot-

Vent. "Methinks I fancy

Myself there too.

“ Ant. The herd come jumping by me,

"And fearless quench their thirst while I look on, "And take me for their fellow-citizen.

"More of this image, more; it lulls my thoughts."

[Soft music again.

Vent. I must disturb him: I can hold no longer.

[Stands before him.

Ant. [Starting up.] Art thou Ventidius ?

Vent. Are you Anthony?

I'm liker what I was than you to him

Ant. I would be private. Leave me.

Vent. Sir, I love you,

And therefore will not leave you.

Ant. Will not leave me!

Where have you learnt that answer? Who am

Vent. My emperor; the man I love next Heav'n:y

C

If I said more I think 'twere scarce a sin :.

You're all that's good and godlike.

Ant. All that's wretched.

You will not leave me then?
Vent. 'Twas too presuming

Το say
I would not; but I dare not leave you;
And 'tis unkind in you to chide me hence

So soon, when I so far have come to see you.
Ant. Now thou hast seen me art thou satisfied?
For if a friend thou hast beheld enough,

And if a foe too much.

Vent. Look, emperor, this is no common dew:

I have not wept this forty years; but now
My mother comes afresh into my eyes:
I cannot help her softness.

[Weeping

Ant. By Heav'n he weeps, poor good old man, he weeps!

"The big round drops course one another down "The furrows of his cheeks. Stop 'em, Ventidius, "Or I shall blush to death; they set my shame "That caus'd 'em full before me.

"Vent. I'll do my best."

Ant. Sure there's contagion in the tears of friends; See, I have caught it too. Believe me 'tis not

For

my own griefs but thine-Nay, father Vent. Emperor.

Ant. Emperor! why that's the style of victory: The conq'ring soldier, red with unfelt wounds,

Slutes his gen'ral so; but never more

Shall that sound reach my ears.

Vent. I warrant you.

Ant. Actium, Actium! Oh

Vent. It sits too near you.

Ant. Here, here it lies, a lump of lead by day,
And in my short distracted nightly slumbers
The hag that rides my dreams-

Vent. Out with it; give it vent.

Ant. Urge not my shame

I lost a battle.

Vent. So has Julius done.

Ant. Thou favour'st me, and speak'st not half thou

think'st;

For Julius fought it out and lost it fairly;

But Antony

Vent. Nay, stop not.

Ant. Antony

(Well, thou wilt have it) like a coward fled,

Fled while his soldiers fought; fled first Ventidius. Thou long'st to curse me, and I give thee leave; "I know thou cam'st prepar'd to rail.

"Vent. I did."

Ant. I'll help thee-I have been a man, Ventidius. Vent. Yes, and a brave one; but—

Ant. I know thy meaning.

But I have lost my reason, have disgrac'd
The name of soldier with inglorious ease;
"In the full vintage of my flowing honours
"Sat still, and saw it prest by other hands;

"Fortune came smiling to my youth and woo'd it, "And purple greatness met my ripen❜d years. "When first I came to empire I was borne "On tides of people crowding to my triumphs, "The wish of nations, and the willing world "Receiv'd me as its pledge of future peace. "I was so great, so happy, so belov'd, "Fate could not ruin me, till I took pains,

“And work'd against my Fortune, chid her from me, "And turn'd her loose; yet still she came again. "My careless days and my luxurious nights "At length have weary'd her, and now she's gone, "Gone, gone, divorc'd for ever." Help me, soldier, To curse this madman, this industrious fool,

Who labour'd to be wretched. Pr'ythee curse me. V'ent. No.

Ant. Why?

Vent. You are too sensible already

Of what you 'ave done, too conscious of your failings, And like a scorpion whipt by others first

To fury, sting yourself in mad revenge.

I would bring balm, and pour it in your wounds, Cure your distemper'd mind, and heal your fortunes. Ant. I know thou wouldst.

Vent. I will.

"Ant. Ha, ha, ha, ha!

"Vent. You laugh.

"Ant. I do, to see officious love

"Give cordials to the dead.

"Vent. You would be lost then?

"Ant. I am.

"Vent. I say you are not. Try your fortune.
"Ant. I have to th' utmost.

desperate

Dost thou think me

"Without just cause? No, when I found all lost
"Beyond repair, I hid me from the world,
"And learn'd to scorn it here, which now I do
“So heartily, I think it is not worth
"The cost of keeping.

"Vent. Cæsar thinks not so;

"He'll thank you for the gift he could not take, “You would be kill'd like Tully, would you? Do "Hold out your throat to Cæsar and die tamely. "Ant. No, I can kill myself, and so resolve. "Vent. I can die with you too when time shall serve;

"But Fortune calls upon us now to live,

"To fight, to conquer."

Ant. Sure thou dream'st, Ventidius.

Vent. No, 'tis you dream; you sleep away your hours

In desp'rate sloth, miscall'd philosophy.

Up, up, for honour's sake! twelve legions wait you,
And long to call you chief: by painful journies
I led 'em, patient both of heat and hunger,
Down from the Parthian marches of the Nile:
'Twill do you good to see their sunburnt faces,

Their scarr'd cheeks, and chopt hands: there's vir-
tue in 'em: