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Men. Then is Cæfar, and he, for ever knit to- Upon the flime and ooze fcatters his grain, gether.

Eno. If I were bound to divine of this unity, 1

would not prophety fo.

Men. I think, the policy of that purpose made more in the marriage, than the love of the parties. Eno. I think fo too. But you fhall find, the band, that feems to tie their friendship together, will be the very strangler of their amity: Octavia, is of a holy, cold, and ftill converfation.

Men. Who would not have his wife fo?
Ene. Not he, that himself is not fo; which is
Mark Antony. He will to his Egyptian difh again:
then fhall the fighs of Octavia blow the fire up in
Cæfar; and, as I faid before, that which is the

And fhortly comes to harvest.

Lep. You have strange ferpents there.

Ant. Ay, Lepidus.

Lep. Your ferpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your fun: fo is your crocodile.

Ant. They are fo.

Pomp. Sit, and fome wine.-A health to Lepidus.

Lep. I am not fo well as 1 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 Ptolemies'

ftrength of their amity, fhall prove the immediate Pyramifes are very goodly things; without contraauthor of their variance. Antony will ufe his af-diction, I have heard that. fection where it is; he marry'd but his occafion

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1 Serv. Here they'll be, man: Some o' their plants are ill-rooted already, the leaft wind i' the world will blow them down.

2 Serv. Lepidus is high-colour'd.

1 Serv. They have made him drink alms-drink2. 2 Serv. As they pinch one another by the difpofitions, he cries out no more; reconciles them to his entreaty, and himself to the drink.

Men. Pompey, a word.

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Pomp. Say in mine ear: What is't?
Mon. Forfake thy feat, I do beleech thee, captain,

And hear me fpeak a word.

Linde [Lepidus.

Pomp. Forbear me 'till anon.-This wine for Lep. What manner o' thing your crocodile ? Ant. It is fhap'd, fir, like itfelf: 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 nourishes it; and the elements once out of it, it tranfmigrates.

Lep. What colour is it of?
Ant. Of its own colour too.
Lep. 'Tis a ftrange ferpent.

Ant. 'Tis fo. And the tears of it are wet.
Ceef. Will this description fatisty him?
Ant. With the health that Pompey gives him,
elfe he is a very epicure.

Pomp. [To Monas afide.] Go, hang, fir, 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,

1 Serv. But it raifes the greater war between Rife from thy ftool. him and his difcretion.

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 fervice, as a partizan 4 I could not heave.

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

A fennet founded. Enter Cafar, Antony, Pompey, Lepidus, grippa, Mecenas, Enobarbus, Menas, with other Captains.

Ant. Thus do they, fir: They take the flow o'
the Nile

By certain fcales i' the pyramid; they know,
By the height, the lowness or the mean, if dearth,
Or foizon 7, follow: the higher Nilus fwells,
The more it promifes: as it cbbs, the feedfman

Pomp. [Rifes, and walks afide.] I think, thou'rt

mad. The matter?

Men. I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes. Pomp. To Menas.] Thou haft ferv'd me with much faith: What's elfe to say?—

Be jolly, lords.

Ant. Thefe quick-fands, Lepidus,
Keep off them, for you fink.

Men. Wilt thou he lord of all the world?
Pomp. What fay it thou?

[That's twice.

Men. Wilt thou be lord of the whole world?
Pomp. How fhall that be?

Men. But entertain it,

And, though you think me poor, I am the man
Will give thee all the world.

Pomp. Haft thou drunk well?

Men. No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup. Thou art, if thou dar'ft be, the earthly Jove :

2 A phrafe,

Plants, befides its common meaning, is here used for the foot, from the Latin. amongit good fellows, to fignify that liquor of another's fhare which his companion drinks to rate him. But it fatirically alludes to Celar and Antony's admitting him into the triumvirate, in order to take off from themselves the load of envy. 3 A phrafe equivalent to that now in ufe, of teaching one in a fore place. 4 i. e. a pike. 51. e. Great offices are the holes where eyes should be, which, if the eyes be wanting, pitifully differ the cheeks. 6 i, e. the middle. 7 i. c. plenty, abundance.

Whate'er

Whate'er the ocean pales, or sky inclips 1, Is thine, if thou wilt have it.

Pomp. Shew me which way.

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Men. Thefe three world-tharers, thefe compeAre in thy veffel: Let me cut the cable; And, when we are put off, fall to their throats: All then is thine.

Pomp. Ah, this thou should't have done, And not have fpoke of it! In me, 'tis villany; In thee, it had been good service. Thou must know, 'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour; Mine honour, it. Repent, that e'er thy tongue Hath so betray'd thine act: Being done unknown, I fhould have found it afterwards well done; But muft condemn it now. Defift, and drink. Men. For this,

I'll never follow thy pall'd 2 fortunes more.Who feeks, and will not take, when once 'tis offer'd, Shall never find it more.

Pomp. This health to Lepidus.

[Pompey.

Ant. Bear him afhore.-I'll pledge it for him,
Eno. Here's to thee, Menas.
Men. Enobarbus, welcome.
Pomp. Fill 'till the cup be hid.

Eno. There's a ftrong fellow, Menas.
[Pointing to the attendant who carries off Lepidus.
Men. Why?

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Make battery to our ears with the loud mufic:-
The while, I'll place you: Then the boy fhall fing;
The holding 4 every man fhall bear, as loud
As his ftrong fides can volly.
|[Mufich plays. Enobarbus places them hand in hand.
S O N G.
Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus, with pink eyne 5 e
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 goes

round!

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Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue
Splits what it fpeaks: the wild difguife hath almost
Antick'd us all. What needs more words? Good
Good Antony, your hand.
[night.-

Pomp. I'll try you on the shore.
Ant. And fhall, fir: give 's your hand.
Pomp. O, Antony, you have my father's houfe,
But what? we are friends: Come down into the
Eno. Take heed you fall not.——
Menas, I'll not on fhore.

Men. No, to my cabin.

[boat.

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Enter Ventidius, as after conqueft; with Silius
other Romans, and the dead body of Pacorus barne

before bim.

III.

Make me revenger.-Bear the king's fon's body Before our army :-Thy Pacorus 7, Orodes!

Pays this for Marcus Craffus.

Sil. Noble Ventidius,

Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy fword is warm,

JOW, darting Parthia, art thou ftruck 6; The fugitive Parthians follow; fpur through Media,

Ven. N°

and now

Pleas'd fortune does of Marcus Craffus' death

Mefopotamia, and the thelters whither
The routed Ay: fo thy grand captain Antony

3 Dr. Johnfon explains this

I i. e. embraces. 2 Palled is vapid, paft its time of excellence. paffage by, Try whether the cafks found as empty: while Mr. Steevens thinks, that frike the veffels means no more than, chink the veffels one against the other, as a mark of our unanimity in drinking, as we now fay, chink glaffes. 4 i, e. the burden of the fong. 5 i. e. eyes inflam'd with drinking. Strack alludes to darting. Thou whofe darts have lo often fruck others, art struck now thyseif. 7 Pacorus Shall was the fon of Orødes, king of Parthia.

Shall fet thee on triumphant chariots, and Put garlands on thy head.

Ven. O Silius, Silius,

I have done enough: A lower place, note well,
May make too great an act: For learn this, Silius;
Better to leave undone, than by our deed
Acquire too high a fame, when he we ferve's away.
Cæfar and Antony have ever won
More in their officer, than perfon: Soffius,
One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
For quick accumulation of renown,
Which he atchiev'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 foldier's virtue, rather makes choice of lofs,
Than gain, which darkens him.

I could do more to do Antonius good,
But 'twould offend him; and in his offence
Should my performance perish.

Sil. Thou haft, Ventidius, that,
Without the which a foldier, and his fword, [tony?
Grants fcarce diftinction. Thou wilt write to An-
Ven. I'll humbly fignify 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 horfe of Parthia
We have jaded out o' the field.

Sil. Where is he now? [what hafte Ven. He purpofeth to Athens: whither with The weight we must convey with us will permit, We shall appear before him.-On, there; pafs along.

SCEN E II.

Rome.

Cafar's Houfe.

[Exeunt.

Exter Agrippa at one door, Enobarbus at another. Agr. What, are the brothers parted? [gone; Eno. They have dispatch'd with Pompey, he is The other three are fealing. Octavia weeps To part from Rome: Cæfar is fad; and Lepidus, Since Pompey's feast, as Menas fays, is troubled With the green-sickness.

Agr. 'Tis a noble Lepidus.

Eno. A very fine one: O, how he loves Cæfar!
Agr. Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark An-
Eno. Cæfar? Why, he's the Jupiter of men. [tony!
Agr. What's Antony? The god of Jupiter.
Eno, Speak you of Cæfar? How? the nonpareil!
Agr. O Antony! O thou Arabian bird 2 Į
Eno. Would you praise Cæfar, fay,-Cxfar;-
go no further.

Agr. Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises. [Antony: Eno. But he loves Cæfar beft;-Yet he loves Ho! hearts, tongues, figures, fcribes, bards, poets,

cannot

Grant, for afford.

Think, fpeak, caft, write, fing, number, ho, his love

To Antony. But as for Cæfar, kneel,
Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.
Agr. Both he loves.

Eno. They are his fhards, and he their beetle 3. So,-This is to horse.—Adieu, noble Agrippa. [Trumpets

Agr. Good fortune, worthy foldier; and farewel. Enter Caefar, Antony, Lepidus, and O&avia. Ant. No further, fir.

Cf. You take from me a great part of myself : Ufe me well in it.—Sifter, prove fuch a wife [band As my thoughts make thee, and as my furtheft Shall pafs on thy approof 4.-Moft noble Autony, Let not the piece of virtue, which is fet Betwixt us, as the cement of our love, To keep it builded, be the ram, to batter The fortrefs of it: for better might we Have lov'd without this mean, if on both parts This be not cherish'd.

Ant. Make me not offended In your diftrust.

Caf. I have faid.

Ant. You fhall not find,

Though you be therein curious 5, the leaft caufe For what you feem to fear: So, the gods keep you, And make the hearts of Romans ferve your ends! We will here part.

Caef. Farewel, my dearest sister, fare thee well; The elements be kind to thee, and make Thy fpirits all of comfort! fare thee well. Octa. My noble brother!

Ant. The April's in her eyes; it is love's fpring, And these the fhowers, to bring it on --Be cheerful.

Ofa. Sir, look well to my husband's houfe, and— Caf. What, Octavia ?

Ora. I'll tell you in your ear.

Ant. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can Her heart inform her tongue: the iwan's down feather,

That stands upon the fwell at full of tide,
And neither way inclines.

Eno. Will Cæfar weep?

Agr. He has a cloud in his face.

[horse;

Eno. He were the worfe for that, were he a So is he, being a man.

Agr. Why, Enobarbus ?

When Antony found Julius Cæfar dead,
He cried almost to roaring: and he wept,
When at Philippi he found Brutus flain.

Eno. That year, indeed, he was troubled with
a rheum;

What willingly he did confound, he wail'd :
Believe it, 'till I weep too.

Ceef. No, fweet Octavia,

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

2 The phenix. 3 i. e. They are the wings that raife this heavy, lumpf infect from the ground. 4 i. e. as I will venture the greateft pledge of fecurity, on the trid of thy conduct. si. e. fcrupulous. 6 A horfe is faid to have a cloud in his face, when he has a black or dark-coloured spot in his forehead between his eyes. This gives him a four look, and being Supposed to indicate an ill-temper, is of courte regarded as a great bleith.

Ant. Come, fir, come:

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

Caf. Adieu; be happy!

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

Caf. Farewel! farewel! [Kiffes Oavia.
Ant. Farewell
[Trumpets found. Exeunt.

SCENE III.
The Palace in Alexandria.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas.
Cleo. Where is the fellow?

Alex. Half afeard to come.

Cleo. Go to, go to:-Come hither, fir,
Enter Meffenger.

Alex. Good majesty,

Herod of Jewry I 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.

Mef. Most gracious majesty,—

Cleo. Didft thou behold

Octavia ?

Mef. Ay, dread queen.
Cleo. Where ?

Mef. Madam, in Rome

I look'd her in the face: and faw her led

Between her brother and Mark Antony.
Cleo. Is the as tall as me 2 ?
Mef. She is not, madam.

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Ant. Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,That were excufable, that, and thousands more

[or low? Of femblable import,—but he hath wag'd

[it

Cleo. Didft hear her speak? Is she fhrill-tongu'd, New wars'gainst Pompey; made his will, and read Mef. Madam, I heard her fpeak; fhe is low-To publick ear:

voic'd.

[long.
Cleo. That's not fo good:-he cannot like her
Char. Like her? O Ifis! 'tis impoffible.
Cleo. I think fo, Charmian : Dull of tongue and

dwarfish!

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1 See note 6, p. 758.

Spoke fcantily of me: when perforce he could not
But pay me terms of honour, cold and fickly
He vented them; most narrow measure lent me :
When the belt hint was given him, he not took it,
Or did it from his teeth.

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2 This fcene (fays Dr. Grey) is a manifeft allufion to the questions put Whoever will by queen Elizabeth to Sir James Melvil, concerning his mistress, the queen of Scots. give himfelf the trouble to confult his Memoirs, will probably fuppofe the refemblance to be more 3 Station, in this inftance, means the act of landing. 4 To harry, is to use si. e. difgrace.

than accidental.

Toughly.

1

Shall

Shall stain your brother: Make your foonest hafte;
So your defires are yours.

Oda. Thanks to my lord.

The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak,
Your reconciler! Wars 'twixt you twain would be
As if the world fhould cleave, and that flain men
Should folder up the rift.

Ant. When it appears to you where this begins,
Turn your difpleasure that way; for our faults
Can never be fo equal, that your love
Can equally move with them. Provide your going;
Choose your own company, and command what coft
Your heart has mind to.

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[Exeunt.

[Pompey. Eros. Cæfar and Lepidus have made wars upon Eno. This is old; What is the fuccefs? Eros. Cæfar, having made ufe of him in the wars 'gainst Pompey, prefently denied him 2 rivality; would not let him partake in the glory of the action and not refting here, accufes him of letters he had formerly wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal 3, feizes him: So the poor third is up, 'till death enlarge his confine.

:

Eno. Then 'would thou had'ft a pair of chaps,

no more ;

And throw between them all the food thou haft,
They'll grind the other. Where is Antony?

Eros. He's walking in the garden-thus; and
fpurns

The rush that lies before him: cries, Fool, Lepidus!
And threats the throat of that his officer,
That murder'd Pompey.

Eno. Our great navy's rigg'd.

Eros. For Italy, and Cæfar. More, Domitius; My lord defires you prefently: my news 1 might have told hereafter.

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Inform'd.

Agr. Who, queafy with his infolence
Already, will their good thoughts call from him.
Caef. The people know it; and have now receiv'
His accufations.

Agr. Whom does he accuse?

Caf. Cæfar and that, having in Sicily
Sextus Pompeius fpoil'd, we had not rated him
His part o' the isle: then does he say, he lent me
Some shipping unrestor'd: lastly, he frets,
That Lepidus of the triumvirate

Should be depos'd; and, being, that we detain
All his revenue.

I

Agr. Sir, this should be answer'd.

Cf. 'Tis done already, and the messenger gone. have told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel ; That he his high authority abus'd, [quer'd, And did deferve his change; for what I have congrant him part; but then, in his Armenia, And other of his conquer'd kingdoms, I Demand the like.

Mec. He'll never yield to that.

Gæf. Nor must not then be yielded to in this.

Enter Octavia.

Oa. Hail, Cæfar, and my lord! hail, most dear
Cæfar !

Corf. That ever I should call thee, caft-away!
Octa. You have not call'd me fo, nor have you
[come not

caufe.

Cef. Why have you ftol'n upon us thus ? You
Like Cæfar's fifter: The wife of Antony
Should have an army for an ufher, and

The neighs of horie to tell of her approach,
Long ere the did appear: the trees by the way,
[Exeunt. Should have borne men; and expectation fainted,
Longing for what it had not: nay, the dust
Should have afcended to the roof of heaven,
Rais'd by your populous troops: But you are come
A market-maid to Rome; and have prevented
The oftentation of our love, which, left unthewn,
Is often left unlov'd: we fhould have met you
By fea, and land; fupplying every stage
With an augmented greeting.

Enter Cefar, Agrippa, and Mecenas.

Cf. Contemning Rome, he has done all this:

And more;

In Alexandria, here's the manner of it,-
I the market-place, on a tribunal filver'd,
Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold
Were publickly enthron'd: at the feet, fat
Cæfarion, whom they call my father's fon;
And all the unlawful iffue, that their luft
Since then hath made between them. Unto her
He gave the 'ftablishment of Egypt; made her
Of Lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,
Abfolute queen.

Otta. Good my lord,

To come thus was I not conftrain'd, but did it
On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,
Hearing that you prepar'd for war, acquainted
My grieved ear withal; whereon, I begg`d
His pardon for return.

Cef. Which foon he granted,

Being an obftruct 5 'tween his luft and him.

1 i. e. dif; race. 2 i. e. equal rank. 3 i. e. upon Cæfar's accufation. 4 Lydia for Lybia. ●bitufion, a bar to the profecution of his watton pleafures with Cleopatra.

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