Should have borne men; and expectation fainted,
Longing for what it had not; nay, the dust
Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,
Rais'd by your populous troops: but you are come
A market-maid to Rome; and have prevented
The ostentation of our love, which, left unshown,
Is often left unloved: we should have met you
By sea and land; supplying every stage

With an augmented greeting.

OCTAVIA

Good my lord,

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

CÆSAR

Which soon he granted,

Being an obstruct 'tween his lust and him.

Do not say so, my lord.

OCTAVIA

CÆSAR

I have eyes upon him,

And his affairs come to me on the wind.

Where is he now?

OCTAVIA

My lord, in Athens.

CÆSAR

No, my most wronged sister; Cleopatra

Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire.

re

ne

ACT III, SCENE VI

Up to a whore; who now are levying

The kings o' th' earth for war he hath assembled
Bocchus, the King of Libya; Archelaus,

Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, King

Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian King, Adallas;
King Malchus of Arabia; King of Pont;
Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, King
Of Comagene; Polemon and Amyntas,
The Kings of Mede and Lycaonia,
With a more larger list of sceptres,

OCTAVIA

Ay me, most wretched,

That have my heart parted betwixt two friends.
That do afflict each other!

95

CÆSAR

Welcome hither:

Your letters did withhold our breaking forth;
Till we perceived, both how you were wrong led,
And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart :
Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
O'er your content these strong necessities;
But let determined things to destiny

Hold unbewail'd their way.

Nothing more dear to me.

Welcome to Rome;
You are abus'd

Beyond the mark of thought: and the high gods,
To do you justice, make them ministers

Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort;
And ever welcome to us.

AGRIPPA

Welcome, lady.

MECENAS

Welcome, dear madam.

Each heart in Rome does love and pity you:
Only the adulterous Antony, most large
In his abominations, turns you off;

And gives his potent regiment to a trull,
That noises it against us.

OCTAVIA

Is it so, sir?

CÆSAR

Most certain. Sister, welcome: pray you,
Be ever known to patience my dear'st sister!

SCENE VII

NEAR ACTIUM. ANTONY'S CAMP

Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS.

CLEOPATRA

I will be even with thee, doubt it not.

ENOBARBUS

But why, why, why?

CLEOPATRA

Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,

And say'st it is not fit.

ENOBARBUS

Well, is it, is it?

Exeunt.

CLEOPATRA

If not denounc'd against us, why should not we

Be there in person?

ENOBARBUS, aside

Well, I could reply:

If we should serve with horse and mares together,
The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear
A soldier and his horse.

CLEOPATRA

What is 't you say?

ENOBARBUS

Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;

Take from his heart, take from his brain, from 's time, What should not then be spar'd. He is already

Traduc'd for levity; and 't is said in Rome

That Photinus an eunuch and your maids.
Manage this war.

CLEOPATRA

Sink Rome, and their tongues rot

That speak against us! A charge we bear i' th' war, And, as the president of my kingdom, will

Appear there for a man. Speak not against it;

I will not stay behind.

That from Tarentum and Brundusium

He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea,

And take in Toryne? You have heard on 't, sweet?

CLEOPATRA

Celerity is never more admir'd

Than by the negligent.

ANTONY

A good rebuke,

Which might have well becom'd the best of men,
To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we

Will fight with him by sea.

CLEOPATRA

By sea! what else?

CANIDIUS

Why will my lord do so?

ANTONY

For that he dares us to 't

ENOBARBUS

So hath my lord dar'd him to single fight.

CANIDIUS

Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia,

Where Cæsar fought with Pompey; but these offers, Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off;

And so should you.

ENOBARBUS

Your ships are not well mann'd;

Your mariners are muleters, reapers, people

Ingross'd by swift impress; in Cæsar's fleet

Are those that often have 'gainst Pompey fought :

Their ships are yare; yours, heavy : no disgrace