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CES. What would you more? Pompey, good night. ACT II

Good Brother,

Let me request you of our graver business

120

Frowns' at this levity. Gentle Lords, let's part;
You see we have burnt our cheeks: strong Enobarb
Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue
Splits what it speaks: the wild disguise hath almost
Antick'd us all. What needs more words? Good

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You have my father's house- But, what? we are

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These drums! these trumpets, flutes! what!

Let Neptune hear we bid a loud farewell

To these great fellows: sound, and be hang'd, sound

out!

[Sound a flourish, with drums.

[exeunt.

ENO. HOO! says 'a. There's my cap.

MEN. HOO! Noble Captain, come.

Sc. VII

ACT III

SCENE I. A Plain in Syria.

Enter VENTIDIUS as it were in triumph, with SILIUS, and
other Romans, Officers, and Soldiers; the dead body
of PACORUS borne before him.

VEN. Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck; and now
Pleas'd Fortune does of Marcus Crassus' death
Make me revenger. Bear the King's son's body

1 i.e. which frowns.

2 i.e. keep you close to the wind, and take you ashore.

ACT III
Sc. I

Before our army. Thy Pacorus, Orodes,
Pays this for Marcus Crassus.

SIL.

Noble Ventidius,

Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm,
The fugitive Parthians follow; spur through Media,
Mesopotamia, and the shelters whither

The routed fly: so thy grand captain Antony
Shall set thee on triumphant chariots, and

Put garlands on thy head.

VEN.

O Silius, Silius,

I have done enough: a lower place, note well,
May make too great an act; for learn this, Silius:
Better to leave undone, than by our deed

ΤΟ

Acquire too high a fame when him we serve's

away.

Cæsar and Antony have ever won

More in their officer than person: Sossius,

One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,

For quick accumulation of renown,

Which he achiev'd by the minute, lost his favour.
Who does i' the wars more than his captain can
Becomes his captain's captain; and ambition,
The soldier's virtue, rather makes choice of loss,
Than gain which darkens him.

I could do more to do Antonius good,

But 'twould offend him; and in his offence

Should my performance perish.

SIL.

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Thou hast, Ventidius, that'

Without the which a soldier and his sword

Grants scarce distinction.2 Thou wilt write to Antony?

VEN. I'll humbly signify what in his name,

That magical word of war, we have effected;

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How, with his banners and his well-paid ranks,
The ne'er-yet-beaten horse of Parthia

We have jaded out o' the field.

SIL.

Where is he now?

VEN. He purposeth to Athens; whither, with what haste
The weight we must convey with 's will permit,

We shall appear before him. On, there; pass along!

[exeunt.

1 i.e. sense.

2 are hardly to be distinguished.

SCENE II. Rome. An Ante-chamber in CÆSAR's House.

Enter AGRIPPA at one door, ENOBARBUS at another.
AGR. What, are the brothers parted?
ENO. They have dispatch'd with Pompey, he is gone;
The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps

To part from Rome; Cæsar is sad; and Lepidus,
Since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubled
With the green-sickness.

AGR.

"Tis a noble Lepidus.

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ENO. A very fine one. O, how he loves Cæsar!
AGR. Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony !
ENO. Cæsar? Why, he's the Jupiter of men.
AGR. What's Antony? The God of Jupiter.
ENO. Spake you of Cæsar?
of Cæsar? How! the nonpareil !
AGR. O Antony! O thou Arabian Bird!
ENO. Would you praise Cæsar, say Cæsar; go no further.
AGR. Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.
ENO. But he loves Cæsar best; yet he loves Antony:
Hoo! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets,

cannot

Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number, hoo!

His love to Antony. But, as for Cæsar,

Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.

AGR.

Both he loves.

ENO. They are his shards, and he their beetle. [Trumpets

within.] So

This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa.

AGR. Good fortune, worthy Soldier; and farewell.

Enter CESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA.

ANT. No further, Sir.

CES. You take from me a great part of myself;
Use me well in 't. Sister, prove such a wife
As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest band1
Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,
Let not the piece of virtue, which is set

Betwixt us as the cement of our love

1 strongest warrant.

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ACT III
Sc. II

ACT III

Sc. II

To keep it builded, be the ram to batter
The fortress of it; for better might we
Have lov'd without this mean, if on both parts

This be not cherish'd.

ANT.

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Make me not offended

In your distrust.

CÆS.

I have said.

ANT.

You shall not find,

Though you be therein curious, the least cause
For what you seem to fear: so, the Gods keep you,
And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!
We will here part.

CAS. Farewell, my dearest Sister, fare thee well:

The elements be kind to thee, and make
Thy spirits all of comfort! fare thee well.

OCTA. My noble Brother!

ANT. The April's in her eyes; it is love's Spring,
And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful.
OCTA. Sir, look well to my husband's house; and—
CES.

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What,

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ANT. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can

Her heart inform her tongue-the swan's-down feather,
That stands upon the swell at full of tide,

And neither way inclines.

ENO. [aside to AGRIPPA.] Will Cæsar weep?

AGR. [aside to ENOBARBUS.]

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He has a cloud in 's face.

ENO. [aside to AGRIPPA.] He were the worse for that

were he a horse;

So is he being a man.

AGR. [aside to ENOBARBUS.] Why, Enobarbus,

When Antony found Julius Cæsar dead,

He cried almost to roaring; and he wept

When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.

ENO. [aside to AGRIPPA.] That year, indeed, he was troubled with a rheum;

What willingly he did confound he wail'd,

Believe 't, till I wept too.

CES.

No, sweet Octavia,

You shall hear from me still; the time shall not

Out-go my thinking on you.

ANT.

Come, Sir, come;

I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love:
Look, here I have you; thus I let you go,

And give you to the Gods.

CAS.

Adieu; be happy!

LEP. Let all the number of the Stars give light

60 ACT III

Sc. II

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Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS.

CLEO. Where is the fellow ?
ALEX.

CLEO. Go to, go to.

Half afeard to come.

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I'll have: but how, when Antony is gone

Through whom I might command it? Come thou near.

MESS. Most gracious Majesty—

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CLEO. Didst hear her speak? is she shrill-tongu'd or low?

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