Re-enter Messenger.

Though it be honest, it is never good

To bring bad news: Give to a

gracious message

An host of tongues; but let ill tidings tell Themselves, when they be felt.

Mess.

Cleo. Is he married?

I cannot hate thee worser than I do,

If thou again say, Yes.
Mess.

He is married, madam. Cleo. The gods confound thee! dost thou hold there Mess. Should I lie, madam? [still? O, I would, thou didst;

Cleo.

So half my Egypt were submerg'd, and made
A cistern for scal'd snakes! Go, get thee hence;
Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me
Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is married?
Mess. I crave your highness' pardon.
Cleo.

He is married?
Mess. Take no offence, that I would not offend you.
To punish me for what you make me do,
Seeins much unequal: He is married to Octavia.

Cleo. O, that his faults should make a knave of thee, That art not! - What? thou'rt sure of't?-Get thee

Lead me from hence,

I am paid for't now.

I faint; O Iras, Charmian, 'Tis no matter :

Go to the fellow, good Alexas; bid him
Report the feature of Octavia, her years,

Her inclination, let him not leave out
The colour of her hair:-bring me word quickly.-
[Exit Alexas.

Let him for ever go:-Let him not-Charmian,
Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,
T'other way he's a Mars:- Bid you, Alexas

[To Mardian. Bring me word, how tall she is.-Pity me, Charmian, But do not speak to me.-Lead me to my chamber. [Exeunt.

SCENE VI. Near Misenum.

Enter Pompey and Menas, at one Side, with Drum and Trumpet; at another, Cæsar, Lepidus, Antony, Enobarbus, Mecænas, with Soldiers marching. Pom. Your hostages I have, so have you mine;

And we shall talk before, we fight.

Cæs.

Most meet,

That first we come to words; and therefore have we
Our written purposes before us sent;
Which, if thou hast consider'd, let us know
If 'twill tie up thy discontented sword;
And carry back to Sicily much tall youth,
That else must perish here.
Pom.

To you all three,

The senators alone of this great world,
Chief factors for the gods, -I do not know,
Wherefore my father should revengers want,
Having a son, and friends; since Julius Cæsar,
Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghosted,
There saw you labouring for him. What was it,
That mov'd pale Cassius to conspire? And what
Made the all-honour'd, honest, Roman Brutns,
With the arm'd rest, courtiers of beauteous freedom,
To drench the Capitol; but that they would
Have one man but a man? And that is it,

you labouring

Hath made me rig my navy; at whose burden The anger'd ocean foams; with which I meant To scourge the ingratitude that despiteful Rome Cast on my noble father.

Cas.

Take your time.

Ant. Thou canst not fear us, Pompey, with thy sails, We'll speak with thee at sea at land, thou know'st How much we do o'ercount thee.

Pom.

At land, indeed, Thou dost o'er-count me of my father's house: But, since the cuckoo builds not for himself, Remain in't, as thou may'st. Lep.

Be pleas'd to tell us

(For this is from the present), how you take

The offers we have sent you.
Cas.

There's the point.

Ant. Which do not be entreated to, but weigh

And what may follow,

What it is worth embrac'd. Cas.

You have made me offer

To try a larger fortune.

Pom.

Our targe undinted.

Men. I think, the policy of that purpose made more in the marriage, than the love of the parties.

Eno. I think so too.

But yo you shall find, the band that seems to tie their friendship together, will be the very strangler of their amity: Octavia is of a holy, cold, and still conversation.

Men. Who would not have his wife so?

Eno. Not he, that himself is not so; which is Mark Antony. He will to his Egyptian dish again: then shall the sighs of Octavia blow the fire up in Cæsar; and, as I before, that which is the strength of their amity, shall prove the immediate author of their variance. Antony will use his affection where it is; he married but his occasion here.

Men. And thus it may be. Come, sir, will you aboard? I have a health for you.

Eno. I shall take it, sir: we have used our throats in Egypt.

Men. Come; let's away.

SCENE VII.

[Exeunt.

On board Pompey's Galley, lying near Misenum. Music. Enter two or three Servants, with a Banquet. 1 Serv. Here they'll be, man: Some o'their plants are ill-rooted already, the least wind i'the world will blow them down.

2 Serv. Lepidus is high-coloured.

1 Serv. They have made him drink alms-drink. 2 Serv. As they pinch one another an by the disposition, he cries out, no more; reconciles them to his entreaty, and himself to the drink.

1 Serv. But it raises the greater war between him and his discretion.

2 Serv. Why, this it is to have a name in great men's fellowship: I had as lief have a reed that will do me no service, as a partizan 1 could not heave.

1 Serv. To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in't, are the holes where eyes should be, which pitifully disaster the cheeks.

A Sennet sounded. Enter Cæsar, Antony, Pompey, Lepidus, Agrippa, Mecænas, Enobarbus, Menas, with other Captains.

Ant. Thus do they, sir: [To Cæsar] They take the flow o'the Nile

By certain scales i'the pyramid; they know,

By the height, the lowness, or the mean, if dearth, Or foizon, follow: The higher Nilus swells,

The more it promises as it ebbs, the seedsman

Upon the slime and ooze scatters his grain,
And shortly comes to harvest.

Lep. You have strange serpents there.

Ant. Ay, Lepidus.

Lep. Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud, by the operation of your sun: so is your crocodile.

[Aside. Say in mine ear: What is't?

Men. Forsake thy seat, I do beseech thee, captain,

And hear me speak a word.

Pom.

This wine for Lepidus.

[Aside.

Forbear me till anon.

Lep. What manner o'thing is your crocodile ?

Ant. It is shaped, sir, like itself; and it is as broad as it hath breadth: it is just so high as it is, and moves with its own organs it lives by that which nourisheth it; and the elements once out of it, it transmigrates.

Lep. What colour is it of?

Ant. Of its own colour toor

Lep. 'Tis a strange serpent.

Ant. "Tis so. And the tears of it are wet.

Cæs. What would you more?-Pompey, good night. Good brother,

Pom.

Let me request you off: our graver business Frowns at this levity. Gentle lords, let's part; You see, we have burnt our cheeks: strong Enobarbe Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue Splits what it speaks; the wild disguise hath almost Antick'd us all. What needs more words? Good Good Antony, your hand. [night. I'll try you o'the shore. give's your hand. O, Antony, house, But what? we are [friends? Take heed you fall not.[Exeunt Pompey, Cæsar, Antony, and Attendants. Menas, I'll not on shore. Men.

Ant. And shall, sir

Pom.

You have my father's Come, down into the boat. Eno.

No, to my cabin.-These drums! these trumpets, flutes! what!Let Neptune hear we bid a loud farewell [out. To these great fellows: Sound, and be hang'd, sound [A Flourish of Trumpets, with Drums.

Eno. Ho, says 'a! There's my cap.
Men,

Come.

ACT III.

Ho!-noble captain! [Exeunt.

O Silius, Silius,

I have done enough: A lower place, note well,
May make too great an act: For learn this, Silius;
Better leave undone, than by our deed acquire
Too high a fame, when him we serve's away.
Cæsar, and Antony, have ever won

More in their officer, than person: Sossius,
One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
For quick accumulation of renown,
Which he achiev'd by the minute, lost his favour.
Who does i'the wars more than his captain can,
Becomes his captain's captain: and ambition,
The soldier's virtue, rather makes choice of loss,

Men.

Why?

Eno.

He bears

The third part of the world, man; Seest not?

Men. The third part then is drunk:

'Would it

That it might go on wheels!

[were all,

Eno. Drink thou; increase the reels.

Here is to Cæsar.

Cæs.

1 could well forbear it. It's monstrous labour, when I wash my brain, And it grows fouler.

Ant.

Be a child o'the time.

Cæs. Possess it, I'll make answer: but I had rather fast

[To Antony.

From all, four days, than drink so much in one.
Eno. Ha, my brave emperor!
Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals,
And celebrate our drink ?

Pom.

Let's ha't, good.soldier.

Ant. Come, let us all take hands;

Till that the conquering wine hath steep'd our sense In soft and delicate Lethe.

Eno.

All take hands.

Sil.

That without which a soldier, and his sword, Grants scarce distinction. Thou wilt write to Antony ?

Ven. I'll humbly signify what in his name, That magical word of war, we have effected; How, with his banners, and his well-paid ranks, The ne'er-yet-beaten horse of Parthia

We have jaded out o'the field.

Sil.

Where is he now?

Ven. He purposeth to Athens: whither with what haste The weight we must convey with us will permit, We shall appear before him. On, there; pass along. [Exeunt.

Ant. No further, sir.

Cæs. You take from me a great part of myself;
Use me well in it. Sister, prove such a wife
As my thoughts make thee, and as my furthest band
Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,
Let not the piece of virtue, which is set
Betwixt us, as the cement of our love,
To keep it builded, be the ram, to batter
The fortress of it: for better might we

Have lov'd without this mean, if on both parts
This be not cherish'd.

Ant.

In your distrust. Čæs.

Ant.

Make me not offended

I have said.

You shall not find, Though you be therein curious, the least cause For what you seem to fear: So, the gods keep you, And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends! We will here part.

Cæs. Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well; The elements be kind to thee, and make

Thy spirits all of comfort! fare thee well.

Octa. My noble brother!

Ant. The April's in her eyes: It is love's spring, And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful. Octa. Sir, look well to my husband's house; and

Cæs.

Octavia?

Octa. I'll tell you in your ear.

What,

Ant. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can Her heart inform her tongue: the swan's down feaThat stands upon the swell at full of tide, [ther, And neither way inclines.

Eno. Will Cæsar weep? [Aside to Agrippa. He has a cloud in's face. Agr.

Eno. He were the worse for that, were he a horse; So is he, being a man.

Agr.

Why, Enobarbus ?

When Antony found Julius Cæsar dead,
He cried almost to roaring and he wept,
When at Philippi he found Brutus slain. (rheum;
Eno. That year, indeed, he was troubled with a
What willingly he did confound, he wail'd:

Believe it, till I weep too.

Cæs.

No, sweet Octavia,

You shall hear from me still; the time shall not Out-go my thinking on you.

Ant.

Come, sir, come; I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love: Look, here I have you; thus I let you go, And give you to the gods. Cas.

Adieu; be happy!

Lep. Let all the number of the stars give light To thy fair way !

Farewell, farewell! [Kisses Octavia. [Trumpets sound. Exeunt.

SCENE III. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas.

Cleo. Where is the fellow?
Alex.

Half afeard to come.

Cleo. Go to, go to: -Come hither, sir.

Enter a Messenger.

Alex.

Good majesty,

Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you,
But when you are well pleas'd.
Cleo.

That Herod's head

I'll have: But how? when Antony is gone, Through whom I might command it. Come thou near. Mess. Most gracious majesty,