Pom. [To MENAS, aside.] Go, hang, sir, hang; Do as I bid you.-Where's this cup I called for? [Aside. I think thou'rt mad. The matter? [Rises and walks aside. Men. I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes. Pom. Thou hast served me with much faith. What's else to say? Be jolly, lords. Ant. These quicksands, Lepidus, Keep off them, for you sink. Men. Wilt thou be lord of all the world? Pom. Men. Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? twice. What say'st thou ? That's Men. No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup. Thou art, if thou dar'st be, the earthly Jove; Whate'er the ocean pales, or sky inclips,1 Is thine, if thou wilt have't. Pom. Show me which way. Men. These three world-sharers, these competitors,2 Are in thy vessel. Let me cut the cable; And, when we are put off, fall to their throats. All there is thine. Ah, this thou shouldst have done, Pom. And not have spoke on't! In me, 'tis villany; In thee, it had been good service. Thou must know, 'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honor; Mine honor, it. Repent that e'er thy tongue Hath so betrayed thine act. Being done unknown, Desist, and drink. [Aside. I should have found it afterwards well done; Men. For this, I'll never follow thy palled' fortunes more. Who seeks, and will not take, when once 'tis offered, Shall never find it more. Pom. This health to Lepidus. Ant. Bear him ashore.-I'll pledge it for him, Pompey. Eno. Here's to thee, Menas. Men. Pom. Fill, till the cup be hid. Enobarbus, welcome. Eno. There's a strong fellow, Menas. [Pointing to the Attendant who carries off Lepidus. Men. Eno. Why? He bears The third part of the world, man; see'st not? Men. The third part then is drunk. 'Would it were all, That it might go on wheels! Eno. Drink thou; increase the reels.2 Men. Come. Pom. This is not yet an Alexandrian feast. Ant. It ripens towards it.-Strike the vessels,3 ho! Here is to Cæsar. Cæs. I could well forbear it. It's monstrous labor when I wash my brain, And it grows fouler. Ant. Be a child o' the time Cæs. Possess it, I'll make answer; but I had rather fast From all, four days, than drink so much in one. [TO ANTONY. 1 Palled is vapid, past its time of excellence; palled wine is wine that has lost its sprightliness. 2 Menas says, "The third part of the world is drunk (meaning Lepidus, one of the triumvirs.) Would it were all so, that it might go on wheels, i. e. turn round or change." To which Enobarbus replies, "Drink thou; increase the reels," i. e. increase its giddy course. 3 i. e. tap them, broach them. Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals, Pom. Let's ha't, good soldier. Ant. Come, let us all take hands; Till that the conquering wine hath steeped our sense In soft and delicate Lethe. Eno. All take hands. Make battery to our ears with the loud music;- 2 As his strong sides can volley. [Music plays. ENOBARBUS places them hand in hand. SONG. Come, thou monarch of the vine, Cæs. What would you more ?-Pompey, good night. Let me request you off; our graver business night. Good Antony, your hand. Good 1 The half-line omitted in this place may be supplied with words resembling those in Milton's Comus: "Come, let us all take hands, and beat the ground, Till," &c. 2 The holding is the burden or under-song. 3 Pink eyne are small eyes. The flower called a pink is in French oeillet, or little eye. To pink and wink is to contract the eyes and peep out of the lids. Pom. I'll try you o' the shore. Ant. And shall, sir; give's your hand. Pom. O Antony, You have my father's house.-But what? We are friends: Come, down into the boat. Eno. Take heed you fall not. [Exeunt POMPEY, CESAR, ANTONY, and Menas, I'll not on shore. Men. Atendants. No, to my cabin. These drums!-these trumpets, flutes! what!- To these great fellows. Sound, and be hanged, sound out. [A flourish of trumpets, with drums. Eno. Ho, says 'a!-There's my cap. Men. Ho!-noble captain! Come. [Exeunt. ACT III. SCENE I. A Plain in Syria. Enter VENTIDIUS, as after conquest, with SILIUS, and other Romans, Officers, and Soldiers; the dead body of PACORUS borne before him. Ven. Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck;1 and now, Pleased fortune does of Marcus Crassus' death Make me revenger.-Bear the king's son's body Pays this for Marcus Crassus. Sil. 1 Struck alludes to darting. Noble Ventidius, 2 Pacorus was the son of Orodes, king of Parthia. Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm, The routed fly. So thy grand captain Antony Ven. O Silius, Silius, I have done enough. A lower place, note well, May make too great an act. For learn this, Silius; Better to leave undone, than by our deed Acquire too high a fame, when him we serve's away. Cæsar, and Antony, have ever won More in their officer, than person. Sossius, Which he achieved by the minute, lost his favor. I could do more to do Antonius good, But 'twould offend him; and in his offence Sil. Thou hast, Ventidius, that Without the which a soldier, and his sword, Grants1 scarce distinction. Thou wilt write to Antony? That magical word of war, we have effected; We have jaded out o' the field. Sil. Where is he now? Ven. He purposeth to Athens; whither, with what haste The weight we must convey with us will permit, We shall appear before him.-On, there; pass along. [Exeunt. 1 Grants for affords. "Thou hast that, Ventidius, which if thou didst want, there would be no distinction between thee and thy sword. You would be both equally cutting and senseless." |