A Sennet sounded. Enter CÆSAR, ANTONY, POMPEY, LepiDUS, AGRIPPA, MECENAS, ENOBARBUS, MENAS, with other Captains. Ant. Thus do they, Sir. [To CÆSAR.] They take the flow o' the Nile By certain scales i' the pyramid: they know, By the height, the lowness, or the mean, if dearth, Lep. You have strange serpents there. Ay, Lepidus. Lep. Your serpent of Egypt is bred, now, of your mud by the operation of your sun: so is your crocodile. Ant. They are so. Pom. Sit, and some wine! A health to Lepidus. Lep. I am not so well as I should be, but I'll ne'er out. Eno. Not till you have slept: I fear me, you'll be in, till then. Lep. Nay, certainly, I have heard, the Ptolemies' pyramises are very goodly things; without contradiction, I have heard that. Men. [Aside.] Pompey, a word. Pom. [Aside.] Say in mine ear: what is 't? Men. [Aside.] Forsake thy seat, I do beseech thee, captain, And hear me speak a word. Pom. This wine for Lepidus. [Aside.] Forbear me till anon. — Lep. What manner o' thing is your crocodile? Ant. It is shaped, Sir, like itself, and it is as broad as it hath breadth; it is just so high as it is, and moves with its own organs; it lives by that which nourisheth it, and the elements once out of it, it transmigrates. Lep. What colour is it of? Ant. Of its own colour too. Lep. 'T is a strange serpent. Ant. 'Tis so; and the tears of it are wet. Cæs. Will this description satisfy him? Ant. With the health that Pompey gives him, else he is a very epicure. Pom. [To MENAS, aside.] Go, hang, Sir, hang! Tell me of that? away! Do as I bid you. Where's this cup I call'd for? Men. [Aside.] If for the sake of merit thou wilt hear me, Rise from thy stool. Pom. [Aside.] I think, thou 'rt mad. The matter? [Walks aside. Men. I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes. Pom. Thou hast serv'd me with much faith. What's else to say?— Be jolly, lords. Men. Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? That's twice. Pom. How should that be? Men. But entertain it, And though thou think me poor, I am the man Will give thee all the world. Pom. Hast thou drunk well? 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, Is thine, if thou wilt have 't. Pom. Show me which way. Men. These three world-sharers, these competitors, Are in thy vessel: let me cut the cable; And, when we are put off, fall to their throats: All there is thine. Pom. Ah! this thou should'st have done, And not have spoke on 't. In me, 't is villainy; In thee, 't had been good service. Thou must know, 'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour, Mine honour, it. Repent, that e'er thy tongue Hath so betray'd thine act: being done unknown, I'll never follow thy pall'd fortunes more. Who seeks, and will not take, when once 't is offer'd, Men. Eno. [Pointing to the Attendant who carries off LEPIDUS. The third part of the world, man: see'st not? Why? He bears Men. The third part, then, he is drunk: would it were all, That it might go on wheels! Eno. Drink thou; increase the reels. Men. Pom. Come. This is not yet an Alexandrian feast. Ant. It ripens towards it. Strike the vessels, ho! Here is to Cæsar. Cœs I could well forbear it. It's monstrous labour, 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 once. Eno. Ha, my brave emperor! Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals, And celebrate our drink? Pom. [TO ANTONY. Let's ha't, good soldier. Ant. Come, let us all take hands, Till that the conquering wine hath steep'd our sense In soft and delicate Lethe. Make battery to our ears with the loud music; The while I'll place you: then, the boy shall sing; As his strong sides can volley. [Music plays. ENOBARBUS places them hand in hand. Good brother, Pompey, good night. Let me request you off: our graver business Pom. Pom. You have my father's house. Eno. O, Antony! [Exeunt POMPEY, CÆSAR, ANTONY, and Attendants. Menas, I'll not on shore. Men. These drums! Let Neptune hear, we bid a loud farewell To these great fellows: sound, and be hang'd! sound out! [A Flourish. Enter VENTIDIUS, as it were in triumph, with SILIUS, and other Romans, Officers, and Soldiers; the dead Body of PACORUS borne before him. Ven. Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck; and now Pleas'd fortune does of Marcus Crassus' death Make me revenger. Bear the king's son's body Before our army. — Thy Pacorus, Orodes, Pays this for Marcus Crassus. Sil. Noble Ventidius, Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm, The routed fly so thy grand captain, Antony, Ven. More in their officer, than person: Sossius, Which he achiev'd by the minute, lost his favour. I could do more to do Antonius good, |