Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

Aboard my Gally, I invite you all.

Will you lead, Lords?

All. Shew's the way, Sir.

Pom. Come.

Exeunt. Manent Enob. and Menas.

Men. Thy Father, Pompey, would ne'er have made Treaty. You, and I have known, Sir.

Eno. At Sea, I think.

Men. We have, Sir.

Eno. You have done well by Water.

Men. And you by Land.

Eno. I will praife any Man that will praise me, though it cannot be denied what I have done by Land.

Men. Nor what I have done by water.

Eno. Yes, fomething you can deny for your own fafety: you have been a good Thief by Sea.

Men. And you by Land.

Eno. There I deny my Land Service: but give me your Hand, Menas, if your Eyes had authority, here they might have two Thieves kiffing.

Men. All Mens faces are true, whatfoe'er their hands are. Eno. But there is ne'er a fair Woman, has a true Face. Men. No flander, they fteal hearts.

Eno. We came hither to fight with you.

Men. For my part, I am forry it is turn'd to a drinking. Pompey doth this day laugh away his Fortune.

Eno. If he do, fure he cannot weep't back again.

Men. You've faid, Sir; we look'd not for Mark Antony here; pray you, is he married to Cleopatra?

Eno. Cafar's Sifter is call'd Octavia.

Men. True, Sir, fhe was the wife of Caius Marcellus. Eno. But now fhe is the wife of Marcus Antonius.

Men. Pray ye, Sir.

Eno. 'Tis true.

Men. Then is Cafar and he for ever knit together. Eno. If I were bound to Divine of this Unity, I would not Prophefie fo.

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 you fhall find the band that seems to tie their friendship together, will be the very eftranger of their Amity: Octavia is of a holy, cold, and ftill converfation.

C 4

Men.

Men. Who would not have his Wife fo?

[ocr errors]

Eno. Not he that himself is not fo; which is Mark Antony. He will to his Ægyptian dish again; then shall the fighs of Octavia blow the Fire up in Cafar, and, as I faid before, that which is the Strength of their Amity, fhall prove the immediate Author of their Variance. Antony will ufe his affection where it is. He married but his occafion here.

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

Eno. I fhall take it, Sir: we have us'd our Throats in Ægypt.

Men. Come, let's away.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V. Pompey's Galley.

Mufick Plays.

Enter two or three Servants with a Banquet.

Ser. Here they'll be, Man: fome o' their Plants are ill rooted already, the leaft wind i'th' World will blow them dow..

2 Ser. Lepidus is high-colour'd.

Ser. They have made him drink Alms drink.

2 Ser. As they pinch one another by the difpofition he cries out, no more; reconciles them to his entreaty, and himself to th' drink.

Ser. But it raises the greater War between him and his difcretion.

2 Ser. Why this it is to have a Name in great Mens Fellowfhip: I had as lieve have a Reed that will do me no fervice, as a Partizan I could not heave.

I Ser. To be call'd into a huge Sphere, and not to be seen to move in't, are the holes where Eyes fhould be, which pitifully difafter the Cheeks.

Trumpets.

Enter Cæfar, Antony, Pompey, Lepidus, Agrippa, Mecænas, Enobarbus, Menas, with other Captains.

Ant. Thus do they, Sir: they take the flow o'th' Nile By certain fcale, i'th' Pyramid; they know

By th' height, the lownefs, or the mean, if Dearth

Or Foizon follow. The higher Nilus fwells,

The

The more it promises; as it ebbs, the Seedfman
Upon the Slime and Ooze fcatters his Grain,
And shortly comes to Harvest.

Lep. You've ftrange Serpents there.

Ant. Ay, Lepidus.

Lep. Your Serpent of Egypt, is bred now of your mud by the Operation of the Sun; fo is your Crocodile.

Ant. They are so.

Pom. Sirrah, fome Wine! A Health to Lepidus.

Lep. I am not fo well as I 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 Ptolomy's Pyramifis are very goodly things; without contradiction I have heard that.

Men, Pompey, a word.

Pom. Say in mine Ear, what is't?

Men. Forfake thy Seat, I do befeech thee, Captain,

And hear me fpeak a word.

Pom. For me 'till anon.

This Wine for Lepidus.

[Afide.

[Whisper in's Ear.

Lep. What manner o'thing is your Crocodile?

Ant. It is fhap'd, Sir, like it felf, and it is as broad as it hath breadth; it is juft fo high as it is, and moves with its ówn Organs. It lives by that which nourisheth it, and the Elements once out of it, it tranfmigrates.

Lep. What colour is it of!

Ant. Of it's own colour too.

Lep. 'Tis a ftrange Serpent.

Ant. 'Tis fo, and the Tears of it are wet.
Caf. Will this Description satisfie him?

Ant. With the Health that Pompey gives him, else he is a very Epicure.

Pom. Go hang, Sir, 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, Rife from the Stool.

Pom., I think thou'rt mad; the matter?

Men. I have ever held my Cap off to thy Fortunes.

Pom.

Pom. Thou haft ferv'd me with much faith: what's elfe to fay? Be jolly, Lords.

Ant. Thefe Quick-fands, Lepidus.

Keep off them, for you fink.

Men. Wilt thou be Lord of all the World?

Pom. What fay'ft thou?

Men. Wilt thou be Lord of the whole World? that's twice.

Pom. How fhall that be?

Men. But entertain it, and though thou 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: What e'er the Ocean pales, or Sky inclips,

Is thine, if thou wilt ha't.

Pom. Shew me which way.

Men. These three World-Sharers, thefe Competitors
Are in thy Veffel. Let me cut the Cable.

And when we are put off, fall to their Throats:
All there is thine.

Pom. Ah, this thou shouldft have done,

And not have fpoken on't. In me 'tis villany,
In thee 't had been good fervice: thou must know,
'Tis not my Profit that does lead mine Honour :
Mine Honour is, Repent that e'er thy tongue,
Hath fo betray'd thine A&t. 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 Fortunes more;

Who feeks and will not take, when once 'tis offer'd,
Shall never find it more.

Pom. This health to Lepidus.

Ant. Bear him afhoar,
I'll pledge it for him, Pompey.
Eno. Here's to thee, Menas.
Men. Enobarbus, welcome.
Pom. Fill 'till the Cup be hid.

Eno. There's a ftrange Fellow, Menas. [Pointing to Lepidus.
Men. Why?

Eno. A bears the third part of the World, Man! feeft not?

Men.

Men. The third Part, then is drunk; would it were all that it might go on Wheels.

Eno. Drink thou, encreafe the Reels.

Men, Come.

Pom. This is not yet an Alexandrian Feaft.

Ant. It ripens towards it; ftrike the Veffels hoa.. Here's to Cafar.

Caf. I could well forbear't, it's monftrous labour when I wash my Brain, and it grows fouler.

Ant. Be a Child o'th' time.

Caf. Poffefs it, I'll make anfwer; but I had rather fast from all, four Days, than drink fo much in one.

Eno. Ha, my brave Emperor, fhall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals, and celebrate our drink? Pom. Let's ha't, good Soldier.

Ant. Come, let's all take Hands,

'Till that the conquering Wine hath fteept our Senfe, In foft and delicate Lethe.

Eno. All take Hands:

Make battery to our Ears with the loud Mufick,
The while, I'll place you, then the Boy fhall fing.
The holding every Man fhall beat as loud,

As his ftrong fides can volly.

Mufick Plays. Enobarbus places them Hand in Hand.

[blocks in formation]

Caf. What would you more? Pompey, good Night. Good Brother

Let me request you of; our graver Business

Frowns at this levity. Gentle Lords, let's part,
You fee we have burnt our Cheek. Strong Enobarbe
Is weaker than the Wind, and mine own Tongue
Splits what it speaks; the wild difguise hath almoft

Antickt

« AnteriorContinua »