She made great Cæfar lay his fword to bed, Eno. I faw her once Hop forty paces through the publick street: And having loft her breath, the fpoke, and panted, And, breathlefs, power breathe forth. Muft leave her utterly. Eno. Never, he will not. Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modefty, can settle A blefs'd allot'ry to him. Agr. Let us go. Good Enobarbus, make your felf my gueft, Whilft you abide here. no. Humbly, Sir, I thank you. [Exeunt Enter Antony, Cæfar, Octavia between them. Ant. The world, and my great office, will fometimes Divide me from your bofom. Oct. All which time, Before the Gods my knee fhall bow in prayers To them for you. Ant. Good-night, Sir. My Octavia, Read not my blemishes in the world's report: I have not kept my fquare, but that to come Shall all be done by th' rule; O. Good-night, Sir, SCENE IV. good-night, dear Lady. [Exeunt Cæfar and Octavia. Ant. Now, firrah! do you wifh your felf in Egypt? Sooth. Would I had ne'er come from thence, or you thither. Ant. If you can, your reason? Z 3 Seeth. Sooth. I fee it in my notion, have it not in my tongue but yet hie you to Ægypt again. Ant. Say to me, whofe fortune shall rife higher, Cafar's or mine? Sooth. Cæfar's. Therefore, oh Antony, ftay not by his fide. Thy Damon, that's thy fpirit which keeps thee, is Where Cafar's is not. But near him thy angel And therefore make thou fpace enough between you, Sooth. To none but thee; no more but when to thee; Thou'rt fure to lofe: he's of that natural luck Ant. Get thee gone : [Exit Sooth. Say to Ventidius, I would fpeak with him. You must to Parthia, your commiffion's ready: [Exeunt. Enter Lepidus, Mecænas, and Agrippa. Agr. Sir, Mark Antony Lucian relates that at Athens Quail-fighting was exhibited at thews and many other ancient Authors mention it as a fport much in ufe. Will e'en but kifs Octavia, and we'll follow. Mec. We fhall, As I conceive the journey, be at th' mount Lep. Your way is shorter, My purposes do draw me much about; You'll win two days upon me. Both. Good fuccefs! Lep. Farewel! [Exeunt. SCENE V. The Palace in Alexandria. Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras and Alexas. Cleo. Give me fome mufick: mufick, moody food Of us that trade in love, Omnes. The mufick, hoa! Enter Mardian the Eunuch. Cleo. Let it alone, let us to billiards: come, Char. My arm is fore, beft play with Mardian. Cleo. And when good-will is fhew'd, tho't come too short, The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now, Give me mine angle, we'll to th' river, there Char. 'Twas merry when You wager'd on your angling, when your diver Cleo. That time! oh times!. I laught him out of patience, and that night Then Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilft Rain thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears, Cleo. Antony's dead? If thou fay fo, villain, thou kill'ft thy mistress: If thou fo yield him, there is gold, and here Mef. Firft, Madam, he is well. Cleo. Why, there's more gold. But, firrah, mark, we use To fay, the dead are well: bring it to that, The gold I give thee will I melt and pour Down thy ill-uttering throat. Mef. Good Madam, hear me. Clee. Well, go to, I will: But there's no goodness in thy face. If Antony Thou should't come like a Fury crown'd with snakes, Mef. Will't please you hear me? Cleo. I have a mind to ftrike thee ere thou speak'ft; Or friends with Cafar, or not captive to him, Rich pearls upon thee.* *It was a ceremony among the Eastern nations at coronations, triumphs, and great feftivals, that their Kings fitting in fate had Jhowers of gold and pearl and precious stones four'd down upon them: to which custom Milton also alludes: B. ii. v. 3. Or where the gorgeous East with richeft hand Show'rs on her Kings Barbarick Pearl and Gold. This fat is verified by Hiftorians. In the life of Timur-bec or Tamerlain written by a Perían a cotemporary Author, are the following words as they are tranflated by Monf. Pe'tis de la Croix in the account there given of his Coronation. B. ii. chap. 1. Les Princes du fang royal & les Emirs repandirent à pleines mains fur fa tête quantité d'Or & de pierreries felon la coûtume. And Mef. Madam, he's well. Cleo. Well faid. Mef. And friends with Cæfar. Cleo. Thou'rt an honeft man. Mef. Cæfar and he are greater friends than ever. Mef. But yet, Madam Cleo. I do not like but yet, it do's allay The good precedent; fie upon but yet; But yet is as a jaylor to bring forth Some monstrous malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend, The good and bad together: he's friends with Cafar, Cleo. For what good turn? Mef. For the best turn i'th' bed. Cleo. I am pale, Charmian. Mef. Madam, he's married to Octavia. Cleo. The moft infectious peftilence upon thee! [Strikes bim down, Mef. Good Madam, have but patience. [Strikes bim. Cleo. What fay you? [She bales bim up and down, Thou shalt be whipt with wire, and stew'd in brine, Smarting in lingring pickle. Mef. Gracious Madam, I, that do bring the news, made not the match. Cleo. Say 'tis not fo, a province I will give thee, Thy modefty can beg. And at the bottom of the page is this note; Cette coûtume fubfifte encore aujourd'hui non feulement au cou ronnement des Princes mais encore aux marriages des Particuliers. Mef. |