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Agr.

Rare Egyptian!
Eno. Upon her landing, Antony sent to her,
Invited her to supper: she replied,

It should be better, he became her guest;
Which she entreated: Our courteous Antony,
Whom ne'er the word of No woman heard speak,
Being barber'd ten times o'er, goes to the feast;
And, for his ordinary, pays his heart,

For what his eyes eat only.

Agr.

Royal wench! She made great Cæsar lay his sword to bed; He plough'd her, and she cropp'd.

Eno.

I saw her once

Hop forty paces through the publick street:

And having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted, That she did make defect, perfection,

And, breathless, power breathe forth.

Mec. Now Antony must leave her utterly.

Eno. Never; he will not;

Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety: Other women

Cloy th' appetites they feed; but she makes hungry,
Where most she satisfies. For vilest things

Become themselves in her; that the holy priests

Bless her, when she is riggish."

Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modesty, can settle The heart of Antony, Octavia is

A blessed lottery' to him.

Let us go.

Good Enobarbus make yourself my guest,

Agr.

Whilst you

abide here.

Eno.

Humbly, sir, I thank you,

[Exeunt,

when she is riggish.] i. e. wanton.

! A blessed lottery-] Lottery for allotment.

SCENE III.

The same. A Room in Cæsar's House.

Enter CESAR, ANTONY, OCTAVIA between them; Attendants and a Soothsayer.

Ant. The world, and my great office, will some

times

Divide me from your bosom.

All which time

Octa.
Before the gods my knee shall bow my 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 square; but that to come Shall all be done by the rule. Good night, dear

lady.

Octa. Good night, sir.

Cæs. Good night.

[Exeunt CESAR and OCTAVIA. Ant. Now, sirrah! you do wish yourself in Egypt? Sooth. 'Would I had never come from thence,

Thither!

nor you

Ant. If you can, your reason?
Sooth.

I see't in

My motion,2 have it not in my tongue: But yet

Hie you again to Egypt.

Ant.

Say to me,

Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Cæsar's, or mine? Sooth. Cæsar's.

2 I see't in

My motion,- i. e. the divinitory agitation; but Mr. Theobald reads, with some probability, I see it in my notion.

Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side:
Thy dæmon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,

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Where Cæsar's is not; but, near him, thy angel Becomes a Fear, as being o'erpower'd; therefore Make space enough between you.

Ant.

Speak this no more.

Sooth. To none but thee; no more, but when to

thee.

If thou dost play with him at any game,

Thou art sure to lose; and, of that natural luck, He beats thee 'gainst the odds; thy lustre thickens, When he shines by: I say again, thy spirit

Is all afraid to govern thee near him;

But, he away, 'tis noble.

Get thee gone:

Ant.
Say to Ventidius, I would speak with him:-

[Exit Soothsayer.
He shall to Parthia.-Be it art, or hap,
He hath spoken true: The very dice obey him;
And, in our sports, my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds:
His cocks do win the battle still of mine,
When it is all to nought; and his quails3 ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,

Enter VENTIDIUS.

I' the east my pleasure lies:-O, come, Ventidius, You must to Parthia; your commission's ready: Follow me, and receive it.

3

[Exeunt.

his quails-] The ancients used to match quails as we

match cocks.

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inhoop'd, at odds.] Inhoop'd is inclosed, confined, that they may fight.

SCENE IV.

The same. A Street.

Enter LEPIDUS, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.

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Lep: Trouble yourselves no further: pray you,

hasten

Your generals after.

Agr.

Sir, Mark Antony

Will e'en but kiss Octavia, and we'll foilow.

Lep. Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress, Which will become you both, farewell.

Mec.

As I conceive the journey, be at mount
Before you, Lepidus.

Lep.

My purposes do draw me much about;

5

We shall,

Your way is shorter,

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You'll win two days upon me.

Mec. Agr.

Lep. Farewell.

SCENE V.

Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS.

Cleo. Give me some musick; musick, moody food Of us that trade in love.

Attend.

The musick, ho!

3

6

at mount] i. e. Mount Misenum.

musick, moody food-] Moody, in this instance, means melancholy. Cotgrave explains moody, by the French words, morne and triste.

Enter MARDIAN.

Cleo. Let it alone; let us to billiards:" Come, Charmian.

Char. My arm is sore, best play with Mardian. Cleo. As well a woman with an eunuch play'd, As with a woman;-Come, you'll play with me, sir? Mar. As well as I can, madam.

Cleo. And when good will is show'd, though it come too short,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now:-
Give me mine angle,-We'll to the river: there,
My musick playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,
I'll think them every one an Antony,

And say, Ah, ha! you're caught.

Char,

"Twas merry, when You wager'd on your angling; when your diver Did hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he With fervency drew up.

Cleo. That time!-O times!I laugh'd him out of patience; and that night I laugh'd him into patience: and next morn, Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed; Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst I wore his sword Philippan, O! from Italy;

Enter a Messenger.

Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
That long time have been barren.

Mess.

Cleo. Antony's dead?

Madam, madam,—

If thou say so, villain, thou kill'st thy mistress:

let us to billiards:] This is one of the numerous anachronisms that are found in these plays.

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