Page images
PDF
EPUB

Mec. Let Rome be thus

Inform'd,

Agrip. Who, queasy with his insolence

Already, will their good thoughts call from him. Oct. The people know it; and have now receiv'd His accusations.

Agrip. Whom does he accuse?

Oct. Cæsar: and that, having in Sicily
Sextus Pompeius spoil'd, we had not rated him
His part o' the isle: then does he say, he lent me
Some shipping unrestor'd: lastly, he frets,
That Lepidus of the triumvirate

Should be depos'd; and, being, that we detain
All his revenue.

Agrip. Sir, this should be answer'd.

Oct. 'Tis done already, and the messenger gone. I have told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel; That he his high authority abus'd,

And did deserve his change.

quer'd,

For what I have con

I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia,
And other of his conquer'd kingdoms, I

Demand the like.

Mec. He'll never yield to that.

Oct. Nor must not then be yielded to in this.

Enter Octavia, attended.

Octav. Hail, Cæsar, and my lord! hail, most dear Cæsar!

Oct. That ever I should call thee castaway!

Octav. You have not call'd me so, nor have you

cause.

Oct. Why hast thou stol'n upon us thus? You

come not

Like Cæsar's sister: The wife of Antony
Should have an army for an usher, and
The neighs of horse to tell of her approach,
Long ere she did appear: the trees by the way

E

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 ostent of our love, which, left unshown,
Is often left unlov'd: we should have met you
By sea and land; supplying every stage
With an augmented greeting.

Octav. Good my lord,

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

Oct. Which soon he granted,

Being an obstruct 'tween his lust and him.
Octav. Do not say so, my

Oct. I have eyes upon him,

lord.

And his affairs come to me on the wind:

Where, say you, he is now?

Octav. My lord, in Athens.

Oct. No, my wrong'd sister; Cleopatra Hath nodded him to her.

Octav. Ah me, most wretched!

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

Oct. Welcome hither:

Your letters did withhold our breaking forth;
Till we perceived, both how you were wrong'd,
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 determin'd things to destiny

Hold unbewail'd their way. Welcome to Rome:
Nothing more dear to me. 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. Be of comfort;
And ever welcome to us.

Agrip. Welcome, lady.

Mec. 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.

Octav. Is it so, sir?

Oct. Most certain. Sister, welcome: Pray you

now,

Be ever known to patience: My dearest sister!

ACT THE THIRD.

SCENE I.

[Exeunt.

Near Actium.

Antony's Camp.

Enter CLEOPATRA and Enobarbus.

Cleo. I will be even with thee, doubt it not.

Enob. But why, why, why?

Cleo. Thou hast forespoke my being in these wars? And say'st, it is not fit.

Enob. Well, is it, is it?

Cleo. Is't not denounc'd 'gainst us? Why should

not we

Be there in person?

Enob. Your presence needs must puzzle Antony; Take from his heart, take from his brain, from his

time,

What should not then be spar'd. He is already
Traduc'd for levity; and 'tis said in Rome,
That Photinus, an eunuch, and your maids
Manage this war.

Cleo. Sink Rome; and their tongues rot,

That speak against us! A charge we bear i'the war,
And, as the president of my kingdom, will
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it;
I will not stay behind.

Enob. Nay, I have done.

Here comes the emperor.

Enter Antony and Canidius.

Ant. Is't not strange, Canidius, That from Tarentum, and Brundusium, He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea, And take in Toryne?--You have heard on't, sweet? Cleo. Celerity is never more admir'd,

Than by the negligent.

Ant. A good rebuke,

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

Will fight with him by sea,

Cleo. By sea! What else?

Canid. Why will my lord do so?

Ant. For that he dares us to't.

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

Enob. Your ships are not well mann'd :

Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people
Ingrost by swift impress; in Cæsar's fleet

Are those, that often have 'gainst Pompey fought:
Their ships are yare; yours, heavy: No disgrace
Can fall you for refusing him at sea,
Being prepar'd for land.

Ant. By sea, by sea.

Enob. Most worthy sir, you therein throw away The absolute soldiership you have by land; Distract your army, which doth most consist Of war-mark'd footmen; leave unexecuted Your own renowned knowledge; quite forego The way which promises assurance; and Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard, From firm security.

Ant. I'll fight at sea.

Cleo. I have sixty sails, Cæsar none better.
Ant, Come:

Our overplus pf shipping will we burn;

And,with the rest full-mann'd, from the head of Actium Beat the approaching Cæsar. But if we fail,

Enter an Attendant.

We then can do't at land.—Thy business?
Atten. The news is true, my lord; he is descry'd;
Cæsar has taken Toryne.

Ant. Can he be there in person? 'tis impossible;
Strange, that his power should be.—Canidius,
Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,
And our twelve thousand horse:—we'll to our ship;

Enter Diomede.

Away, my Thetis.—How now, worthy soldier?
Diom. O, noble emperor, do not fight by sea;
Trust not to rotten planks: Do you misdoubt
This sword, and these my wounds? Let the Egyp-

tians,

« PreviousContinue »