ACT I
Sc. V

CLEO.

He kiss'd—the last of many doubled kisses
This orient pearl : his speech sticks in my

heart.
CLEO. Mine ear must pluck it thence.
ALEX.

Good Friend, quoth he,
Say, the firm Roman to great Egypt sends
This treasure of an oyster ; at whose foot,
To mend the petty present, I will piece
Her opulent throne with kingdoms; all the East,
Say thou, shall call her mistress. So he nodded,
And soberly did mount an arm-gaunt steed,
Who neigh'd so high, that what I would have spoke 50
Was beastly dumb'd by him.

What, was he sad or merry?
ALEX. Like to the time o' the year between the extremes

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
That make their looks by his; he was not merry,
Which seem'd to tell them his remembrance lay
In Egypt with his joy; but between both:
O heavenly mingle! Be’st thou sad or merry,
The violence of either thee becomes,

So does it no man else. Mett'st thou my posts?
ALEX. Ay, Madam, twenty several messengers :

Why do you send so thick ?
CLEO.

Who's born that day
When I forget to send to Antony
Shall die a beggar. Ink and paper, Charmian.
Welcome, my good Alexas. Did I, Charmian,

Ever love Cæsar so?
CHAR.

O that brave Cæsar!
Cleo. Be chokd with such another emphasis !

Say, the brave Antony.
CHAR.

The valiant Cæsar!
Cleo. By Isis, I will give thee bloody teeth,

If thou with Cæsar paragon again

My man of men.
CHAR.

By your most gracious pardon,
I sing but after you.

1 Perhaps 'arınigant steed,' in the sense of cataphract.'
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60

70

ACT I
Sc. V

CLEO.

My salad days,
When I was green in judgment : cold in blood,
To say as I said then! But, come, away;
Get me ink and paper :
He shall have every day a several greeting,
Or I'll unpeople Egypt.

[exeunt.

ACT II

SCENE I. Messina. POMPEY's House.

Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS, in warlike

manner.

POM. If the great Gods be just, they shall assist

The deeds of justest men.
MENE.

Know, worthy Pompey,
That what they do delay, they not deny.
Pom. Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays

The thing we sue for.
MENE.

We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms, which the wise Powers Deny us for our good; so find we profit

By losing of our prayers.
Pom.

I shall do well :
The People love me, and the Sea is mine;
My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to the full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors : Cæsar gets money where
He loses hearts : Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,

Nor either cares for him.
MEN.

Cæsar and Lepidus
Are in the field; a mighty strength they carry.
Pom. Where have you this ? 'tis false.
MEN.

From Silvius, Sir.
Pom. He dreams: I know they are in Rome together,

IO

20

ACT II
Sc. I

Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wann'd lip!
Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both !
Tie
up

the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite;
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour
Even till a Lethe'd dulness !

30

Enter VARRIUS.

How now, Varrius!
VAR. This is most certain that I shall deliver:
Mark Antony is every

hour in Rome
Expected : since he went from Egypt ’tis

A space' for further travel.
Pom.

I could have given less matter
A better ear.

Menas, I did not think
This amorous surfeiter would have donn'd his helm
For such a petty war: his soldiership
Is twice the other twain. But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck

The ne'er-lust-wearied Antony.
MEN.

I cannot hope
Cæsar and Antony shall well greet together :
His wife that's dead did trespasses to Cæsar ;
His brother warr'd upon him ; although, I think,

Not moy'd by Antony.
Pom.

I know not, Menas,
How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
Were't not that we stand up against them all,
"Twere pregnant they should square? between them-

selves;
For they have entertained cause enough
To draw their swords: but how the fear of us
May cement their divisions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be't as our Gods will have't! It only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.

[exeunt. 2 quarrel.

3 i.e. It is of vital importance to us.

40

50

1 i.l. of time.

ACT II
Sc. II

SCENE II. Rome.

The House of LEPIDUS.

Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS.

LEP. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,

And shall become you well, to entreat your Captain

To soft and gentle speech.
ENO.

I shall entreat him
To answer like himself: if Cæsar move him,
Let Antony look over Cæsar's head,
And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,

I would not shave't to-day.
LEP.

"Tis not a time
For private stomaching.
ENO.

Every time
Serves for the matter that is then born in 't.
LEP. But small to greater matters must give way.
ENO. Not if the small come first.
LEP.

Your speech is passion :
But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes
The noble Antony.

10

LEP.

Enter CÆSAR, MECÆNAS, and AGRIPPA.
ANT. If we compose well here, to Parthia :
Hark, Ventidius.

I do not know,
Mecænas; ask Agrippa.

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)

ACT II
Sc. II

30

40

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.

[Flourish.
CAS. Welcome to Rome.
ANT. Thank you.
CÆs. Sit.
Ant. Sit, Sir.
CES. Nay, then–
Ant. I learn, you take things ill which are not so,
Or, being, concern you not.

.
CÆs.

I must be laugh'd at,
If, or for nothing or a little, I
Should say myself offended, and with you
Chiefly i' the world ; more laugh'd at, that I should
Once name you derogately, when to sound your name

It not concern'd me.
ANT.

My being in Egypt, Cæsar,
What was 't to you?
CÆs. No more than my residing here at Rome

Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there
Did practise on my State, your being in Egypt

Might be my question.
ANT.

How intend you, practis'd ?
CÆs. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent

By what did here befall me. Your wife and brother
Made wars upon me; and their contestation

Was theme for you, you were the word of war.
Ant. You do mistake your business; my brother never

Did urge me in his act; I did inquire it;
And have my learning from some true reports,
That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather
Discredit my authority with your's,
And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your cause? Of this my

letters
Before did satisfy you. If you 'll patch a quarrel,
As matter whole you have not to make it with,

It must not be with this.
CÆs.

You praise yourself

50