Most noble Cæsar, shalt thou have report That only have fear'd Cæsar: to the ports Oct. I should have known no less:— It hath been taught us from the primal state, And the ebb'd man ne'er lov'd, till ne'er worth love, Goes to, and back, lacqueying the varying tide, Enter another Messenger. Mess. Cæsar, I bring thee word, Make the sea serve them; which they ear and wound Lack blood to think on't, and flush youth revolt: Oct. Antony, Leave thy lascivious wassals: When thou once Did famine follow; whom thou fought'st against, 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, It is reported, thou didst eat strange flesh, Lep. 'Tis pity of him. Oct. Let his shames quickly Drive him to Rome: Time is it, that we twain Lep. To-morrow, Cæsar, I shall be furnish'd to inform you rightly Oct. Till which encounter, Lep. Farewell, my lord: What you shall know mean time Of stirs abroad, I shall beseech you, sir, To let me be partaker. Oct. Doubt not, sir; I knew it for my bond. [Exeunt. SCENE V. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace. Enter Cleopatra, supporting herself on Iras; Cleo. Charmian,— Char. Madam. Cleo. Ha! ha! Give me to drink mandragora. Char. Why, madam ? Cleo. That I might sleep out this great gap of time, My Antony is away. Char. You think of him Too much. Cleo. Indeed!—O Charmian, Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he, or sits he? O, happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony! mov'st? The demy Atlas of this earth, the arm And burgonet of man.—He's speaking now, Or murmuring, "Where's my serpent of old Nile ?" Enter Alexas. Alexas. Sovereign of Egypt, hail! Cleo. How much art thou unlike Mark Antony! Yet, coming from him, that great medicine hath With his tinct gilded thee.— How goes it with my brave Mark Antony ? Say, The firm Roman to great Egypt sends Her opulent throne with kingdoms; all the east, Cleo. What, was he sad or merry? Alexas. Like to the time o'the year between the ex tremes Of hot and cold; he was nor sad nor merry. Cleo. O, well divided disposition!—Note him, Note him, good Charmian, 'tis the man, but note him: He was not sad; for he would shine on those So does it no man else.—Met'st thou my posts? Cleo. Who's born that day When I forget to send to Antony, Shall die a beggar.—Ink and paper, Charmian.— Get me ink and paper: he shall have every day ACT THE SECOND. SCENE I. Rome. A Room in Lepidus' House. Enter Lepidus and Enobarbus. Lep. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, to entreat your captain To soft and gentle speech. D Enob. I shall entreat him To answer like himself: if Cæsar move him, Enob. Every time Serves for the matter that is then born in't. Lep. But small to greater matters must give way. Enob. Not if the small come first. Lep. Your speech is passion: But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes Enter Antony and Canidius. Enob. And yonder Cæsar. Enter OCTAVIUS CESAR, AGRIPPA, and MECENAS. Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia :— Hark you, Canidius,— Oct. I do not know, Mecanas; ask Agrippa. Lep. Noble friends, 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, (The rather, for I earnestly beseech) Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms, Nor curstness grow to the matter. Ant. 'Tis spoken well: Were we before our armies, and to fight, I should do thus. Oct. Welcome to Rome. Ant. Thank you. |