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Eno. Why, fir, give the gods a thankful facrifice. When it pleaseth their deities to take the wife of a man from him, it fhews to man the tailors of the earth; comforting therein, that when 15 old robes are worn out, there are members to make new. If there were no more women but Fulvia, then had you indeed a cut, and the cafe to be lamented: this grief is crown'd with confolation; your old finock brings forth a new petticoat: 20 -and, indeed, the tears live in an onion, that fhould water this forrow.

Ant. The business she hath broach'd in the state, Cannot endure my absence.

Eno. And the business you have broach'd here 25 cannot be without you; efpecially that of Cleopatra's, which wholly depends on your abode.

Ant. No more light anfwers. Let our officers
Have notice what we purpose: I shall break
The caufe of our expedience 2 to the queen,
And get her love to part. For not alone
The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches 3,
Do strongly speak to us; but the letters too
Of many our contriving friends in Rome
Petition us at home: Sextus Pompeius

4

Hath given the dare to Cæfar, and commands
The empire of the fea: our flippery people
(Whofe love is never link'd to the deferver,
'Till his deferts are paft) begin to throw
Pompey the great, and all his dignities
Upon his fon; who, high in name and power,
Higher than both in blood and life, ftands up
For the main foldier: whofe quality, going on,
The fides of the world maydanger: much is breeding,
Which, like the courfer's hair 5, hath yet but life,
And not a ferpent's poifon. Say, our pleasure,
To fuch whofe place is under us, requires
Our quick remove from hence.

Eno. I fhall do`t.

SCENE

[Say, I am dancing; if in mirth, report, That I am fudden fick: Quick, and return.

30

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Cleo. Why should I think, you can be mine, and 35 Though you in swearing shake the throned gods, Who have been falfe to Fulvia? Riotous madness, To be entangled with those mouth-made vows, Which break themselves in fwearing!

40

Ant. Moft sweet queen,

[going,

Cles. Nay, pray you, feek no colour for your
But bid farewel, and go: when you fu'd staying,
Then was the time for words: No going then;-
Eternity was in our lips, and eyes;

Blifs in our brows' bent 7; none our parts fo poor,
45 But was a race of heaven: They are so still,
Or thou, the greatest foldier of the world,
Are turn'd the greatest liar.

Ant. How now, lady!

[know,

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Ant. Hear me, queen:

The ftrong neceffity of time commands
Our fervices a while; but my full heart
Remains in ufe with you. Our Italy
Shines o'er with civil fwords: Sextus Pompeius
Makes his approaches to the port of Rome:

1 The meaning is this: "As the gods have been pleafed to take away your wife Fulvia; so they have provided you with a new one in Cleopatra; in like manner as the tailors of the earth, when your old garments are worn out, accommodate you with new ones.” 2 Expedience for expedition. 3 i.e. things that touch me more fenfibly. 4 i. e. with us at home. 5 Alluding to an old idle notion, that the hair of a horfe dropped into corrupted water, will turn to an animal. 6 You must go as if you came without my order or knowledge. 7 i. e. in the arch of our eye-brows. 8 i. e. had a mack or flavour of heaven. The race of wine is the taite of the foil.

Equality

Equality of two domestic powers
Breeds fcrupulous faction: The hated, grown to

strength,

5

Are newly grown to love: the condemn'd Pompey,
Rich in his father's honour, creeps apace
Into the hearts of fuch as have not thriv'd
Upon the present ftate, whofe numbers threaten ;]
And quietnefs, grown sick of rest, would purge
By any defperate change: My more particular,
And that which moft with you should fafe my going, 10
Is Fulvia's death.
[freedom,

Clea. Though age from folly could not give me
It does from childishness :-Can Fulvia die?
Ant. She's dead, my queen:

Look here, and, at thy fovereign leisure, read

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Where be the facred vials thou shouldst fill
With forrowful water2? Now I fee, I fee,
In Fulvia's death, how mine receiv'd shall be.
Ant. Quarrel no more, but be prepar'd to know
The purposes I bear; which are, or cease,
As you fhall give the advice: By the fire,
That quickens Nilus' flime, I go from hence,
Thy foldier, fervant; making peace, or war,
As thou affect'ft.

Cleo. Cut my lace, Charmian, come ;-
But let it be.I am quickly ill, and well;
So 3 Antony loves.

Ant. My precious queen, forbear;

And give true evidence to his love, which stands
An honourable trial.

Cleo. So Fulvia told me.

I pr'ythee, turn afide, and weep for her;
Then bid adieu to me, and fay, the tears
Belong to Ægypt 4. Good now, play one scene
Of excellent diffembling; and let it look
Like perfect honour.

Ant. You'll heat my blood; no more.

Cleo. You can do better yet; but this is meetly.]
Ant. Now, by my sword,-

Cles. And target.-Still he mends;

But this is not the best: Look, pr'ythee, Charmian,|
How this Herculean Roman does become
The carriage of his chafe.

Ant. I'll leave you, lady.

Cleo. Courteous lord, one word.

Sir, you and I muft part,-but that's not it:
Sir, you and I have lov'd,-but there's not it;
That you know well :-Something it is I would,-

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JO, my oblivion is a very Antony,
And I am all-forgotten".

Ant. But that your royalty

Holds idlenefs your fubject, I should take you
For idleness itself 7.

Cles. 'Tis fweating labour,

To bear fuch idleness so near the heart
As Cleopatra this. But, fir, forgive me ;
Since my becomings 8 kill me, when they do not
Eye well to you: Your honour calls you hence;
Therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly,

And all the gods go with you! Upon your sword
Sit laurell'd victory! and smooth fuccefs
Be ftrew'd before your feet!

Ant. Let us go. Come;

Our feparation so abides, and flies,

That thou, refiding here, go'ft yet with me,
And I, hence fleeting, here remain with thee.
Away.
[Exeunt.

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Enter Octavius Cæfar, Lepidus, and Attendants. Caf. You may fee, Lepidus, and henceforth know, 25 It is not Cæfar's natural vice to hate

One great competitor: From Alexandria
This is the news; He fishes, drinks, and waftes
The lamps of night in revel: is not more manlike
Than Cleopatra; nor the queen of Ptolemy

30 More womanly than he hardly gave audience, or
Vouchfaf'd to think he had partners: You shall
find there

A man, who is the abstract of all faults
That all men follow.

35 Lep. I must not think, there are

Evils enough to darken all his goodness:
His faults, in him, feem as the fpots of heaven,
More fiery by night's blacknefs; hereditary,
Rather than purchas'd 9; what he cannot change,
40 Than what he chooses.
[not

Caf. You are too indulgent: Let us grant, it is
Amifs to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy;"
To give a kingdom for a mirth; to fit
And keep the turn of tippling with a slave;

45 To reel the streets at noon, and ftand the buffet
With knaves that fmell of fweat: fay, this becomes
him,

[tony

(As his compofure must be rare indeed, Whom these things cannot blemish) yet muft An50 No way excufe his foils, when we do bear So great weight in his lightness 10; If he fill'd

3 So for as.

:

4 i. e. to me,

6 The

1 i. e. the commotion fhe occafioned. The word is derived from the old French garbeuil, which Cotgrave explains by burlyburly, great fir. 2 Alluding to the lachrymatory vials, or bottles of tears, which the Romans fometimes put into the urn of a friend. the queen of Agypt. 5 Antony traced his defcent from Anton, a fon of Hercules. plain meaning is, My forgetfulness makes me forget myself. But the expreffes it by calling forgetfulnes Antony; becaufe forgetfulness had forgot her, as Antony had done. 7 i. e. according to Warburton, "But that your charms hold me, who am the greatest fool on earth, in chains, I should have adjudged you to be the greatest." Cleopatra may perhaps here allude to Antony having before called her, in the first scene, "wrangling queen, whom every thing becomes." 9 The meaning, according to Mr. Malone, is, "As the ftars or fpots of heaven are not obfcured, but rather rendered more bright, by the blackness of the night, fo neither is the goodness of Antony eclipfed by his evil qualities, but, on the contrary, his faults feem enlarged and aggravated by his virtues." levity.

3 D 2

1 i. e. trifling

His

His vacancy with his voluptuousness,
Full furfeits, and the drynefs of his bones,
Call on him for't; but, to confound fuch time,-
That drums him from his sport, and speaks as loud
As his own state, and ours,-'tis to be chid
As we rate boys; who, being mature in knowledge2,
Pawn their experience to their prefent pleasure,
And fo rebel to judgement.

Enter a Meflenger.

Lep. Here's more news.

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[hour, 10 To let me be partaker.

Mef. Thy biddings have been done; and every Moft noble Cæsar, shalt thou have report How 'tis abroad. Pompey is ftrong at sea; And it appears, he is belov'd of those That only have fear'd Cæfar: to the ports The difcontents repair, and men's reports Give him much wrong'd.

Caf. I should have known no less :

It hath been taught us from the primal state,
That he, which is, was wifh'd, until he were;
And the ebb'd man, ne'er lov'd till ne'er worth love,
Comes dear'd, by being lack'd. This common body,
Like to a vagabond flag upon the stream,
Goes to, and back, lackying the varying tide,
To rot itself with motion.

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Caf. Doubt it not, fir; I knew it for my bond. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.

The Palace in Alexandria.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Mardian. Cleo. Charmian,

Cbar. Madam,

Cleo. Ha, ha,-Give me to drink mandragora. Char. Why, madam?

Cleo. That I might fleep out this great gap of time, My Antony is away.

Char. You think of him too much.

Cleo. O, 'tis treafon !

25

Char. Madam, I truft, not fo.

Cleo. Thou, eunuch! Mardian !

Mar. What's your highness' pleasure ?

Cleo. Not now to hear thee fing; I take no
pleasure

30 In aught an eunuch has: 'Tis well for thee,
That, being unfeminar'd, thy freer thoughts [ons?
May not fly forth of Ægypt. Haft thou affecti-
Mar. Yes, gracious madam.
Cleo. Indeed?

35

Did famine follow; whom thou fought'st against, 40
Though daintily brought up, with patience more
Than favages could fuffer: Thou didst drink
The ftale of horfes 7, and the gilded puddle
Which beafts would cough at: thy palate then did

deign

The roughest berry on the rudest hedge;
Yea, like the ftag, when snow the pasture sheets,
The barks of trees thou browsedit: on the Alps,
It is reported, thou didst eat strange flesh,
Which fome did die to look on: And all this
(It wounds thine honour, that I speak it now)
Was borne fo like a foldier, that thy cheek
So much as lank'd not.

Lep. It is pity of him.

Caf. Let his fhames quickly

Drive him to Rome: Time is it, that we twain
Did fhew ourselves i' the field; and, to that end,
Affemble me immediate council: Pompey
Thrives in our idleness.

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Call on bim, is vifit bim for it.

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Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he, or fits
Or does he walk? or is he on his horse?
O happy horfe, to bear the weight of Antony!
Do bravely, horfe! for wot'ft thou whom thou
mov'ft?

45 The demy Atlas of this earth, the arm

And burgonet 9 of man.-He's fpeaking now, Or murmuring, Where's my ferpent of old Nile!' For fo he calls me;-Now I feed myself With most delicious poifon : Think on me, 50 That am with Phoebus' amorous pinches black, And wrinkled deep in time? Broad-fronted Cæfar, When thou waft here above the ground, I was A morfel for a monarch: and great Pompey Would ftand, and make his eyes grow in my

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4 i. e. turn pale at the thought of it. 5 Flush youth is youth ripened to manhood; youth

whofe blood is at the flow. cumftances of Antony's diftrefs was fuppofed to procure fleep.

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Cleo. How much unlike art thou Mark Antony!
Yet, coming from him, that great medicine hath
With his tinct gilded thee 1.—

How goes it with my brave Mark Antony?
Alex. Laft thing he did, dear queen,
He kifs'd, the laft of many doubled kisses,
This orient pearl!-His fpeech sticks in my heart.
Cles. Mine ear must pluck it thence.
Alex. Good friend, quoth he,

Say," the firm Roman to great Ægypt fends
"This treasure of an oyfter: at whose foot,
"To mend the petty prefent, I will piece
"Her opulent throne with kingdoms': All the east,|
"Say thou, fhall call her mistress." So he nodded,
And foberly did mount an arm-gaunt 2 fteed,
Who neigh'd fo high, that what I would have spoke
Was beastly dumb'd 3 by him.

Cleo. What, was he fad, or merry?

Alex. Like to the time o' the year between the

extreams

Of hot and cold; he was nor fad, nor merry.

Cleo. O well-divided difpofition!-Note him, Note him, good Charmian, 'tis the man; but note him:

He was not fad; for he would shine on those

That make their looks by his: he was not merry;
Which feem'd to tell them, his remembrance lay]

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Pomp.

SCENE

I.

Melfina. Pompey's House.

ACT II.

Enter Pompey, Menecrates, and Menas.

He lofes hearts: Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.

Men. Cæfar and Lepidus are in the field;

IF the great gods be juft, they fhall affift 40 A mighty ftrength they carry.

The deeds of jufteft men.

Men. Know, worthy Pompey,

That what they do delay, they not deny.

[cays

Pomp. Whiles we are fuitors to their throne, deThe thing we fue for 6.

Men. We, ignorant of ourselves,

Beg often our own harms, which the wife powers
Deny us for our good: fo find we profit,
By lofing of our prayers.

Pomp. I fhall do well:

The people love me, and the fea is mine;

My power's a crefcent, and my auguring hope
Says, it will come to the full. Mark Antony
In Egypt fits at dinner, and will make

Pomp. Where have you this? 'tis falfe.
Men. From Silvius, fir.

Pomp. He dreams; I know, they are in Rome

together,

45 Looking for Antony: But all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, foften thy wan lip!

Let witchcraft join with beauty, luft with both
Tie up the libertine in a field of feafts,
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks,

50 Sharpen with cloylefs fauce his appetite;
That fleep and feeding may prorogue his honour,
Even 'till a Lethe'd dulnefs-How now, Varrius?
Enter Varrius.

Var. This is most certain that I fhall deliver:

No wars without doors: Cæfar gets money, where 55 Mark Antony is every hour in Rome

2 Arm

Alluding to the philofopher's ftone, which, by its touch, converts bafe metal into gold. The alchemifts call the matter, whatever it be, by which they perform tranfmutation, a medicine. gaunt perhaps means, a horse fo flender that a man might clafp him, and therefore formed for expedition. In Chaucer's defcription of a King of Thrace in the Knight's Tale, armgrete is used to fignify as big as the arm; arm-gaunt therefore may mean as flender as the arm. We still say, in vulgar comparison, as long as my arm, as thick as my leg, &c. 3 i. e. put to filence by him. 4 The meaning is, Those were my fallad days, when I was green in judgement; but your blood is as cold as my judgement, if you have the fame opinion of things now as I had then. 5 By fending out meffengers. theaning is, While we are praying, the thing for which we pray is lofing its value.

3 D 3

6 The

Expected;

Expected; fince he went from Ægypt, 'tis

A fpace for farther travel.

Pomp. I could have given lefs matter A better ear.-Menas, I did not think,

Lep. Noble friends,

That which combin'd us was most great, and let not
A leaner action rend us. What's amifs,
May it be gently heard: When we debate

This amorous furfeiter would have don'd' his helm 5 Our trivial difference loud, we do commit

For fuch a petty war: his foldiership

Is twice the other twain: But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck
The ne'er luft-wearied Antony.

Men. I cannot hope 2,

Cæfar and Antony fhall well greet together:
His wife, that's dead, did trefpaffes to Cæfar;
His brother warr'd upon him; although, I think,
Not mov'd by Antony.

Pemp. I know not, Menas,

How leffer enmities may give way to greater.
Were 't not that we ftand up against them all,
'Twere pregnant they should square 3 between
themselves;

For they have entertained caufe enough

To draw their fwords: but how the fear of us
May cement their divifions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.

Be it as our gods will have it! It only stands
Our lives upon, to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.

SCENE II.
Rome.

Enter Enobarbus, and Lepidus.

[Exeunt.

Lep. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,
And shall become you well, to entreat your captain
To foft and gentle speech.

Eno. I fhall entreat him

To answer like himfelf: if Cæfar move him,
Let Antony look over Cæfar's head,

And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,

Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,

I would not fhave 't to-day 4.

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1 To don is do on, to put on.

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Murder in healing wounds: Then, noble partners, (The rather, for I earnestly befeech)

Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,

Nor curftnefs 5 grow to the matter.

Ant. "Tis fpoken well:

Were we before our armies, and to fight,
I fhould do thus.

Caf. Welcome to Rome.

Ant. Thank you.

Caf. Sit.

Ant. Sit, fir!

Caf. Nay, then

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40

[45]

Made wars upon me; and their contestation
Was theme for you, you were the word of war.
Ant. You do mistake your business; my brother

never

Did urge me in his a& 9 : I did enquire it ;
And have my learning from fome true reports 10,
That drew their fwords with you. Did he not
rather
Difcredit my authority with yours;

And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your caufe 11? Of this my letters
Before did fatisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
50 As matter whole you have not to make it with,
It must not be with this.

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2 Hope for expect. 3 i. e. quarrel.

4 i. e. I would meet him undreifed, without fhew of refpect. si. e. Let not ill bumtur be added to the fubject of our differ ence. 6 To pratife means to employ unwarrantable arts or ftratagems.

7 i. e. my theme or fubje&t of converfation. 8 i. e. The pretence of the war was on your account; they took up arms in your name, and you were made the theme and fubject of their infurrection. make use of my name as a pretence for the war. 10 eaufe as you to be offended with me.

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