Like balls before me; I'll unhair thy head:

[Hales him up and down. Thou shalt be whipp'd with wire, and stew'd in brine, Smarting in ling'ring pickle!

Mess. Gracious madam,

I, that do bring the news, made not the match. Cleo. Say, 'tis not so, a province I will give thee,

And make thy fortunes proud: the blow thou had'st Shall make thy peace, for moving me to rage;

And I will boot thee with what gift beside

Thy modesty can beg.

Mess. He's marry'd, madam.

Cleo. Rogue, thou hast liv'd too long.

Mess. Nay, then I'll run:

[Draws a Dagger.

What mean you, madam? I have made no fault.

[Exit MESSENger. Char. Good madam, keep yourself within yourself; The man is innocent.

Cleo. Some innocents 'scape not the thunderbolt.— Melt Egypt into Nile! and kindly creatures Turn all to serpents !-Call the slave again; Though I am mad, I will not bite him; call. Char. He is afeard to come.

These hands do lack nobility, that they strike
A meaner than myself; since I myself
Have giv'n myself the cause.-Come hither, sir:

Enter MESSENGER.

Though it be honest, it is never good

To bring bad news: Give to a gracious message
An host of tongues; but let ill tidings tell
Themselves, when they be felt.

Mess. I have but done my duty.
Cleo. Is he marry'd ?

I cannot hate thee worser than I do,
If thou again say, yes.

Mess. He's marry'd madam.

Cleo. The gods confound thee! dost thou hold there still?

Mess. Should I lie, madam?

Cleo. O, I would thou didst,

So half my Egypt were submerg'd, and made
A cistern for scal'd snakes! Go, get thee hence;
Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me

Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is marry'd ?
Mess. I crave your highness' pardon.

Cleo. He is marry'd?

Mess. Take no offence, that I would not offend you:

To punish me for what you make me do,

Seems much unequal: He's marry'd to Octavia. Cleo. O, that his fault should make a knave of thee,

That say'st but what thou art sure of! Get thee hence : The merchandize, which thou hast brought from

Rome,

Are all too dear for me; lie they upon thy hand, And be undone by them! [Exit MESSENGER.

Char. Good your highness, patience.

Cleo. In praising Antony, I have disprais'd Cæsar. Char. Many times, madam.

Cleo. I'm pay'd for't now.

Lead me from hence.

I faint; O Iras, Charmian,-"Tis no matter:-
Go to the fellow, good Alexas; bid him

Report the feature of Octavia, her years,
Her inclination; let him not leave out

The colour of her hair: bring me word quickly.-

[Exit ALEXAS.

Let him for ever go:-Let him not, Charmian;
Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,
The other way's a Mars :-Bid you Alexas

[To MARDIAN.

Bring me word, how tall she is.-Pity me, Char

mian,

But do not speak to me. Lead me to my

chamber.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

Rome.

A Room in CESAR'S House.

Enter OCTAVIUS CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.
Oct. Contemning Rome, he did all this: And once,
In Alexandria, here's the manner of it,-
I'the market place, on a tribunal silver'd,
Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold,
Were publicly enthron'd: at the feet, sat
Cæsarion, whom they call my father's son;
And all the unlawful issue, that their lust
Since then hath made between them. Unto her
the 'stablishment of Egypt; made her
Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,

He

gave

Absolute queen.

Mec. This in the public eye?

Oct. I'the common show-place, where they exer-
cise.

His sons he there proclaim'd, the kings of kings :
Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia,

He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign'd
Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia : She

In the habiliments of the goddess Isis

That day appear'd; and oft before gave audience,
As 'tis reported, so.

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 lord.

Oct. I have eyes upon him,

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