To give a kingdom for a mirth; to sit To reel the streets at noon, and stand the buffet With knaves that smell of sweat; say, this becomes him, (As his composure must be rare indeed Whom these things cannot blemish,) yet must Antony So great weight in his lightness. If he fill'd Lep. Enter a Messenger. Here's more news. Mess. Thy biddings have been done; and every hour, Most noble Cæsar, shalt thou have report How 't is abroad. Pompey is strong at sea; And it appears he is belov'd of those That only have fear'd Cæsar: to the ports Cæs. I should have known no less :-- And the ebb'd man, ne'er lov'd till ne'er worth love, Goes to, and back, lackeying the varying tide, Mess. Cæsar, I bring thee word, a Soils-defilements, taints. Menecrates and Menas, famous pirates, Make the sea serve them; which they ear and wound Taken as seen; for Pompey's name strikes more Leave thy lascivious vassals. When thou once Did famine follow; whom thou fought'st against, Which beasts would cough at: thy palate then did deign The roughest berry on the rudest hedge; Yea, like the stag, when snow the pasture sheets, Lep. "T is pity of him. a Vassals. The spelling of the original is vassails. The modern reading is wassals. Now, in three other passages of the original, where the old English word wassal is used, it is spelt wassels. Wassal is employed by Shakspere in the strict meaning of drunken revelry; and that could scarcely be called "lascivious." On the contrary, "leave thy lascivious vassals expresses Cæsar's contempt for Cleopatra and her minions, who were strictly the vassals of Antony, the queen being one of his tributaries. Did show ourselves i' the field; and, to that end, Thrives in our idleness. Lep. Cæs. It is my business too. Till which encounter, Farewell. Lep. Farewell, my lord: What you shall know meantime Of stirs abroad, I shall beseech you, sir, To let me be partaker. Cæs. Doubt not, sir; I knew it for my bond. SCENE V.-Alexandria. [Exeunt. A Room in the Palace. Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and MARDIAN. Cleo. Charmian,— Char. Madam. Cleo. Ha, ha!— Give me to drink mandragora. Char. Why, madam? Cleo. That I might sleep out this great gap of time My Antony is away. Char. Cleo. O, 't is treason! Char. You think of him too much. Madam, I trust not so. What's your highness' pleasure? Cleo. Thou, eunuch! Mardian ! Mar. Cleo. Not now to hear thee sing; I take no pleasure In aught an eunuch has: "T is well for thee, That, being unseminar'd, thy freer thoughts May not fly forth of Egypt. Hast thou affections? Cleo. Indeed? Mar. Not in deed, madam; for I can do nothing But what indeed is honest to be done : Yet I have fierce affections, and think Cico. O Charmian, Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he, or sits he? Or does he walk? or is he on his horse? O happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony! Do bravely, horse! for wot'st thou whom thou mov'st? And burgoneta of men.-He 's speaking now, brow; Alex. Enter ALEXAS. Sovereign of Egypt, hail! Cleo. How much unlike art thou Mark Antony! Yet, coming from him, that great medicine hath With his tinct gilded thee. How goes it with my brave Mark Antony? He kiss'd, the last of many doubled kisses,- Alex. a Burgonet-helmet. This treasure of an oyster; at whose foot, Her opulent throne with kingdoms: All the east," Cleo. 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, 't is the man; but note him: He was not sad; for he would shine on those So does it no man else.-Mett'st thou my posts? Cleo. Who's born that day Shall die a beggar.-Ink and paper, Charmian.- Char. O that brave Cæsar! The valiant Cæsar! Cleo. Be chok'd with such another emphasis! Say, the brave Antony. Char. Cleo. By Isis, I will give thee bloody teeth, If thou with Cæsar paragon again My man of men! a Arm-gaunt, of which we have no other example, conveys the notion of a steed fierce and terrible in armour. |