Imatges de pàgina
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Men. Then is Cæfar and he for ever knit together.

no. 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 fo too. But you fhall find the band that feems to tie their friendship together, will be the very ftrangler of their amity: Octavia is of a holy, cold, and ftill converfation.

Men. Who would not have his wife fo?

no. Not he that himself is not fo; which is Mark Antony. He will to his Egyptian dish again; then shall the fighs of Octavia blow the fire up in Cæfar, and, as I faid before, that which is the ftrength of their amity, shall prove the immediate author of their variance. Antony will use 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 Egypt. Men. Come, let's away.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VII. Pompey's Galley. Mufick plays. Enter two or three Servants with a banquet. 1 Ser. Here they'll be, man: fome o' their plants are ill rooted already, the least wind i'th' world will blow them down.

2 Ser. Lepidus is high-colour'd.

1 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.

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

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

1 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.

A a 2

Trumpets.

Trumpets. Enter Cæfar, Antony, Pompey, Lepidus, Agrippa, Mecænas, Ænobarbus, Menas, with other Captains. Ant. Thus do they, Sir: they take the flow o'th' Nile By certain fcale, i'th' pyramid; they know

L

By th' height, the lowness, or the mean, if dearth
Or foizon follow. The higher Nilus fwells,
The more it promifes; as it ebbs, the feedsman
Upon the flime and ooze scatters his grain,
And shortly comes to harvest.

Lep. You've ftrange 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.

Pom. Sirrah, fome wine! a health to Lepidus.

Lep. I am not fo well as I fhould be: but I'll ne'er out. no. Not till you have flept; I fear me, you'll be in, 'till then.

Lep. Nay certainly, I have heard the Ptolemy's pyramifis are very goodly things; without contradiction I have heard that.

Men. Pompey, a word.

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

[Afide.

Men. Forfake thy feat, I do befeech thee, captain,

And hear me fpeak a word.

Pom. Forbear me 'till anon.

This wine for Lepidus.

Lep. What manner o' thing is your crocodile ?

[Whispers.

Ant. It 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 own 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 its own colour too.

Lep. 'Tis a ftrange ferpent.

Ant. "Tis fo, and the tears of it are wet.
Caf. Will this defcription fatisfie him?

Ant. With the healths that Pompey gives him, elfe he

is a very Epicure.

Pom. Go hang, Sir, hang! tell me of that? away!

Do

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 thy ftool.

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

Men. I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes.

Pom. Thou haft ferv'd me with much faith; what's elfe 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'st thou?

[to fay?

Men. Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? that's twice.

Pom. How fhall that be?

Men. But entertain it, and

Although thou think me poor, I am the man

Will give thee all the world.

Pom. Haft thou drunk well?

Men. No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup. Thou art, if thou dar'ft be, the earthly Jove: Whate'er the ocean pales, or fky inclips,

Is thine, if thou wilt ha't.

Pom. Shew me which way.

Men. These three world-fharers, these competitors,
Are in thy veffel. Let me cut the cable,

And when we are put off, fall to their throats:
All then is thine.

Pom. Ah, this thou should have done,

And not have spoken on't. In me 'tis villainy,
In thee't 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
Being done unknown,
Hath fo betray'd thine act.
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 afhore, I'll pledge it for him, Pompey.

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no, Here's to thee, Menas. Men. Enobarbus, welcome. Pom. Fill 'till the cup be hid.

Eno. There's a ftrong fellow, Menas. [Pointing to Lep. Men. Why?

Eno. He bears the third part of the world, man! feest not? 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 vessels, hoa.
Here is to Cæfar.

Caf. I could well forbear it ;

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

Ant. Be a child o'th' time.

Caf. Poffefs't, I'll anfwer; but I had rather faft From all, four days, than drink fo much in one.

Eno. Ha, my brave Emperor, shall we dance now Th' Egyptian bacchanals, and celebrate our drink? Pom. Let's ha't, good foldier.

Ant. Come let's all take hands,

"Till that the conquering wine hath fteept our fenfe 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 bear as loud,
As his ftrong fides can volly.

[Mufick plays. Ænobarbus places them band in hand.

The SONG.

·Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne,
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 go round,

Caf

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

Let me request you, off; our graver business
Frowns at this levity. Gentle Lords, let's part,
You fee we have burnt our cheek. Strong Enobarbus
Is weaker than the wind; and mine own tongue
Splits what it speaks; the wild disguise hath almoft
Antickt us all. What needs more words? good night.
Good Antony, your hand.

Pom. I'll try you on the fhore.

Ant. And fhall, Sir; give's your hand.

Pom. Oh, Antony, you have my father's house. But what? we're friends: come down into the boat. Eno. Take heed you fall not, Menas.

Men. I'll not on fhore:

No, to my cabin-these drums! these trumpets! what! Let Neptune hear we bid a loud farewel

To these great fellows. Sound and be hang'd, found out! [Sound a flourish, with drums.

Eno. Hoo fays a! there's my cap.

Men. Hoa, noble captain, come.

ACT III. SCENE I.
A Camp in Syria.

[Exeunt.

Enter Ventidius as in Triumph, the dead body of Pacorus born before him, Silius, Roman Soldiers and Attendants.

Ven.

and now

Pleas'd fortune does of Marcus Craffus' death

Make me revenger. Bear the King's fon's body
Before our hoft; thy Pacorus, Orodes,

A Pays this for Marcus Craffus.

Sil. Noble Ventidius,

Whilft yet with Parthian blood thy fword is warm,
The fugitive Parthians follow. Spur through Media,
Mefopotamia, and the shelters whither

The routed fly. So thy grand captain Antony

Shall fet thee on triumphant chariots, and

Put garlands on thy head.

Ven. Silius, I've done

Enough. A lower place, note well, may make

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