And what they undid, did.

AGR.

ད་

O, rare for Antony! ENO. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides, So many mermaids, tended her i' the eyes, And made their bends adornings: at the helm A seeming mermaid steers; the silken tackle Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands, That yarely frame the office. From the barge A strange invisible perfume hits the sense Of the adjacent wharfs. The city cast Her people out upon her; and Antony, Enthron'd in the market-place, did sit alone Whistling to the air; which, but for vacancy, Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,

And made a gap in nature.

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 public 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

The 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.

Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest,
Whilst you abide here.

ENO.

Humbly, sir, I thank you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same. A Room in Cæsar's House.

Enter CAESAR, ANTONY, OCTAVIA between them, Attendants, and a Soothsayer.

ANT. The world, and my great office, will sometimes Divide me from your bosom.

Оста.

All which time

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.

OCTA. Good night, sir.

CAS. Good night.

Good night, dear lady.—

[Exeunt CESAR and OCTAVIA.

ANT. Now, sirrah! you do wish yourself in Egypt?

SOOTH. 'Would I had never come from thence, nor you thither!

ANT. If you can, your reason?

SOOTH. I see it in my motion, have it not in my tongue:

But yet hie you to Egypt again.

ANT. Say to me,

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

SOOTH. Cæsar's.

Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side:

Thy dæmon (that thy spirit which keeps thee) is

Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,

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, 't is noble.

ANT.

Get thee gone:

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 quails 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.

SCENE IV.-The same. A Street.

Enter LEPIDUS, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.

[Exeunt.

LEP. Trouble yourselves no further: pray you, hasten Your generals after.

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

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

MEC.

We shall,

As I conceive the journey, be at the Mount

SCENE V.-Alexandria.

A Room in the Palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAs, and ALEXAS.

CLEO. Give me some music; music, moody food Of us that trade in love.

ATTENDANT.

The music, ho!

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, madani.

CLEO. And when good will is show'd, though't come too

short,

The actor may plead pardon

I'll none now:

Give me mine angle,-we'll to the river: there,

My music 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.

"T was 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!-0 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.

Madam, madam,—

MESS.

CLEO. Antony's dead?

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

But well and free,

If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here

My bluest veins to kiss; a hand that kings
Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing.

MESS.

First, madam, he's well.

CLEO. Why, there's more gold. But, sirrah, mark; we

use

To say the dead are well: bring it to that,
The gold I give thee will I melt, and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.

MESS. Good madam, hear me.
CLEO.

Well, go to, I will;

But there's no goodness in thy face, if Antony
Be free and healthful:-
-so tart a favour

To trumpet such good tidings! If not well,

Thou shouldst come like a fury crown'd with snakes,
Not like a formal man.

MESS.

Will 't please you hear me?

CLEO. I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak st: Yet, if thou say Antony lives, is well,

Or friends with Cæsar, or not captive to him,

I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail

Rich pearls upon thee.

MESS.

CLEO.

Madam, he's well.

Well said.

Thou 'rt an honest man.

MESS. And friends with Cæsar.

CLEO.

MESS. Cæsar and he are greater friends than ever.
CLEO. Make thee a fortune from me.

But yet, madam.

MESS.
CLEO. I do not like "but yet," it does allay
The good precedence; fie upon "but yet:"
"But yet" is as a gaoler to bring forth
Some monstrous malefactor. Prithee, friend,

Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,

The good and bad together: He 's friends with Cæsar;
In state of health thou say'st; and thou say'st free.