All the whole synod of them!

Gods, and goddesses,

Eno. What's thy passion? Scar. The greater cantle 7 of the world is lost With very ignorance; we have kiss'd away Kingdoms and provinces.

Eno. How appears the fight? Scar. On our side like the token'd pestilence, Where death is sure. Yon' ribald-rid nag of Egypt, Whom leprosy o'ertake! i' the midst o' the fight,When vantage like a pair of twins appear'd, Both as the same, or rather ours the elder, The brize upon her, like a cow in June, Hoists sails, and flies.

Eno.

That I beheld: mine eyes

Did sicken at the sight on't, and could not Endure a further view.

Scar.

The noble ruin of her magick, Antony,
She once being loof'd2,

Claps on his sea-wing, and like a doting mallard,
Leaving the fight in height, flies after her:
I never saw an action of such shame;
Experience, manhood, honour, ne'er before
Did violate so itself.
Eno.

Alack, alack!

Enter CANIDIUS.

Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath, And sinks most lamentably. Had our general 4 Brings forth. 5 Hazard. 6 Name of Cleopatra's ship. 7 Corner. 8 Spotted. The gad-fly that stings cattle. "Brought close to the wind.

Submits her to thy might; and of thee craves The circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs, Now hazarded to thy grace.

Cæs.

For Antony,
I have no ears to his request. The queen
Of audience, nor desire, shall fail; so she
From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,
Or take his life there: This if she perform,
She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.
Eup. Fortune pursue thee!
Cæs.

Bring him through the bands. [Exit EUPHRONIUS. To try thy eloquence, now 'tis time: Despatch; From Antony win Cleopatra: promise,

[To THYREUS. And in our name, what she requires; add more, From thine invention, offers: women are not, In their best fortunes, strong; but want will perjure The ne'er touch'd vestal: Try thy cunning, Thyreus; Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we Will answer as a law.

Cæsar, I go.

Thyr. Cas. Observe how Antony becomes his flaw 2; And what thou think'st his very action speaks In every power that moves.

Thyr.

Cæsar, I shall. [Exeunt.

SCENE XI.-Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, and IRAS.

Cleo. What shall we do, Enobarbus?
Eno.
Think, and die.
Cleo. Is Antony, or we, in fault for this?
Eno. Antony only, that would make his will
Lord of his reason. What although you fled
From that great face of war, whose several ranges
Frighted each other? why should he follow?
The itch of his affection should not then
Have nick'd his captainship; at such a point,
When half to half the world oppos'd, he being
The mered question 3: 'Twas a shame no less
Than was his loss, to course your flying flags,
And leave his navy gazing.
Cleo.

Pr'ythee, peace.
Enter ANTONY, with EUPHRONIUS.
Ant. Is this his answer?

Eup.

Ant.

Ay, my lord.

The queen

Shall then have courtesy, so she will yield

Us up.

And answer me declin'd5, sword against sword,
Ourselves alone: I'll write it; follow me.

[Exeunt ANTONY and EUPHRONIUS.
Eno. Yes, like enough, high-battled Cæsar will
Unstate his happiness, and be stag'd to the show,
Against a sworder. I see, men's judgments are
A parcel 6 of their fortunes; and things outward
Do draw the inward quality after them,
To suffer all alike. That he should dream,
Knowing all measures, the full Cæsar will
Answer his emptiness;- Cæsar, thou hast subdu'd
His judgment too.

Att.

Enter an Attendant.

A messenger from Cæsar. Cleo. What, no more ceremony? - See, my women!

Against the blown rose may they stop their nose,
That kneel'd unto the buds. Admit him, sir.
Eno. Mine honesty, and I, begin to square.7
[Aside.

The loyalty, well held to fools, does make
Our faith mere folly:- Yet, he that can endure
To follow with allegiance a fallen lord,
Does conquer him that did his master conquer,
And earns a place i' the story.

Cleo.

Enter THYREUS.

Thyr. Hear it apart.

Cæsar's will?

Cleo. None but friends; say boldly. Thyr. So, haply, are they friends to Antony. Eno. He needs as many, sir, as Cæsar has; Or needs not us. If Cæsar please, our master Will leap to be his friend: For us, you know, Whose he is, we are; and that's Cæsar's.

Thyr. So. Thus then, thou most renown'd; Cæsar entreats, Not to consider in what case thou stand'st, Further than he is Cæsar.

Cleo. Go on: Right royal. Thyr. He knows, that you embrace not Antony As you did love, but as you fear'd him.

To be sure of that, [Aside. I will ask Antony. - Sir, sir, thou'rt so leaky, That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for Thy dearest quit thee.

[Erit ENOBARBUS. Thyr. Shall I say to Cæsar What you require of him? for he partly begs To be desir'd to give. It much would please him, That of his fortunes you should make a staff To lean upon: but it would warm his spirits, To hear from me you had left Antony, And put yourself under his shrowd, The universal landlord.

Cleo.

What's your name?
Thyr. My name is Thyreus.
Cleo.

Most kind messenger,
Say to great Cæsar this, In disputation 8
I kiss his conquering hand: tell him I am prompt
To lay my crown at his feet, and there to kneel:

8

In age and power. Are of a piece with them. 7 Quarrel.

Supposed to be an error for deputation, i. c. by proxy.

Re-enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS.
Favours, by Jove that thunders!

What art thou, fellow?

Thyr.

One, that but performs The bidding of the fullest man, and worthiest To have command obey'd.

Eno.

Ant. Approach, there: gods and devils!

You will be whipp'd. Ay, you kite!

Now

Authority melts from me: Of late, when I cry'd, Ho! Like boys unto a muss 3, kings would start forth, And cry, Your will? Have you no ears? I am

And to proclaim it civilly, were like

A halter'd neck, which does the hangman thank For being yare 7 about him. Is he whipp'd?

Re-enter Attendants, with THYREUS.

1 Att. Soundly, my lord. Ant.

Cry'd he? and begg'd he pardon?

1 Att. He did ask favour.

Ant. If that thy father live, let him repent Thou was not made his daughter; and be thou sorry To follow Cæsar in his triumph, since

Thou hast been whipp'd for following him: henceforth,

The white hand of a lady fever thee,
Shake thou to look on't. Get thee back to Cæsar,
Tell him thy entertainment: Look, thou say,
He makes me angry with him: for he seems
Proud and disdainful; harping on what I am;
Not what he knew I was: He makes me angry;
And at this time most easy 'tis to do't;
When my good stars, that were my former guides,
Have empty left their orbs, and shot their fires
Into the abysm of hell. If he mislike
My speech, and what is done; tell him, he has
Hipparchus, my enfranchis'd bondman, whom
He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,
As he shall like, to quit 8 me: Urge it thou:
Hence, with thy stripes, begone. [Exit THYREUS.
Cleo. Have you done yet?
Ant.

Alack, our terrene 9 moon
Is now eclips'd; and it portends alone
The fall of Antony !

Cleo. I must stay his time. Ant. To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes With one that ties his points?

Cleo.

Not know me yet?

Ant. Cold-hearted toward me?
Cleo.
Ah, dear, if I be so,
From my cold heart let heaven engender hail,
And poison it in the source; and the first stone
Drop in my neck: as it determines 1, so
Dissolve my life! The next Cæsarion ? smite!
Till, by degrees, the memory of myself,
Together with my brave Egyptians all,
By the discandying 3 of this pelleted storm,
Lie graveless; till the flies and gnats of Nile
Have buried them for prey!

Ant.
I am satisfied.
Cæsar sits down in Alexandria; where

I will oppose his fate. Our force by land
Hath nobly held; our sever'd navy too
Have knit again, and fleet threatening most sea-

If from the field I shall return once more
To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood;
I and my sword will earn our chronicle;
There is hope in it yet.

Cleo. That's my brave lord! Ant. I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breath'd, And fight maliciously: for when mine hours Were nice and lucky, men did ransome lives Of me for jests; but now, I'll set my teeth, And send to darkness all that stop me. Come, Let's have one other gaudy night: call to me 8 Requite. 9 Earthly. 2 Her son by Julius Cæsar. • Float. 5 Trifling.

7 Ready, handy. 1 Dissolves.

3 Melting.

Cæsar's Camp at Alexandria.

Cleo.

What means this?

Cæsar to Antony: Let the old ruffian know,
I have many other ways to die; mean time,
Laugh at his challenge.

Mec.
Cæsar must think,
When one so great begins to rage, he's hunted
Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now
Make boot 6 of his distraction: Never anger
Made good guard for itself.

Cæs. Let our best heads Know, that to morrow the last of many battles We mean to fight: - Within our files there are, Of those that serv'd Mark Antony but late, Enough to fetch him in. See it be done; And feast the army: we have store to do't, And they have earn'd the waste. Poor Antony! [Exeunt. A Room in the

SCENE II.. Alexandria. Palace.

[Aside.

Eno. 'Tis one of those odd tricks, which sorrow
shoots
Out of the mind.
Ant.

And thou art honest too.
I wish I could be made so many men ;
And all of you clapp'd up together in
An Antony; that I might do you service,
So good as you have done.

Serv.
The gods forbid !
Ant. Well, my good fellows, wait on me to-night:
Scant not my cups; and make as much of me,
As when mine empire was your fellow too,
And suffer'd my command.

Cleo.

What does he mean?

To give them this discomfort? And I, an ass, am onion-eyed;

No.

Eno. He thinks, being twenty times of better fortune,

He is twenty men to one.

Ant.

To-morrow, soldier, By sea and land I'll fight: or I will live, Or bathe my dying honour in the blood Shall make it live again. Woo't thou fight well? Eno. I'll strike; and cry, Take all. Ant. Well said; come on. — Call forth my household servants; let's to-night

What mean you, sir, Look, they weep; for shame,

Ant. Ho, ho, ho! Now the witch take me, if I meant it thus ! Grace grow where those drops fall! My hearty friends,

You take me in too dolorous a sense;

I spake to you for your comfort: did desire you
To burn this night with torches: Know, my hearts,
I hope well of to-morrow; and will lead you,
Where rather I'll expect victorious life,
Than death and honour. Let's to supper; come,
And drown consideration.
[Exeunt.