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

He was not sad, for he would shine on those
That make their looks by his was not merry,
Which seem'd to tell them, his remembrance lay
In Egypt with his joy; but between both:
O heavenly mingle! Be'st thou sad, or merry,
The violence of either thee becomes,

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So does it no man else. Met'st thou my posts?

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Alex. Ay, madam, twenty several messengers. Why do you send so thick?

Cleo.

Who's born that day

When I forget to send to Antony,

Shall die a beggar. Ink and paper, Charmian.
Welcome, my good Alexas. Did I, Charmian,
Ever love Cæsar so?

Char.

O, that brave Cæsar!

Cleo. Be chok'd with such another emphasis ! Say, the brave Antony.

Char.

The valiant Cæsar!

Cleo. By Isis, I will give thee bloody teeth, If thou with Cæsar paragon again

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But come, away;

When I was green in judgment, cold in blood,

To say as I said then!

Get me ink and paper:

He shall have every day a several greeting,
Or I'll unpeople Egypt.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. — Messina. A Room in POMPEY's House.

IF

Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS.

POMPEY.

F the great gods be just, they shall assist
The deeds of justest men.

Menecrates.

Know, worthy Pompey,

That what they do delay, they not deny.

Pom. Whiles we are suitors to their throne, de

cays

The thing we sue for.

Mene.

We, ignorant of ourselves,

Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers Deny us for our good; so find we profit

By losing of our prayers.

Pom.

I shall do well:

The people love me, and the sea is mine;
My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come t' th' full. Mark Antony

In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make

No wars without doors: Cæsar gets money where

He loses hearts: Lepidus flatters both,

Of both is flatter'd ; but he neither loves,

Nor either cares for him.

Menas.

Cæsar and Lepidus

Are in the field: a mighty strength they carry.

Pom. Where have you this? 'tis false.

Men.

From Silvius, sir.

Pom. He dreams: I know they are in Rome to

gether,

Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wan'd lip!

Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both:
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks,
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,

That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour,
Even till a Lethe'd dulness.

Enter VARRIUS.

How now, Varrius!

Varrius. This is most certain, that I shall de

liver.

Mark Antony is every hour in Rome

Expected; since he went from Egypt, 'tis

A space for farther travel.

Pom.

I could have given less matter

A better ear. Menas, I did not think

This amorous surfeiter would have donn'd his helm
For such a petty war: his soldiership

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 lust-wearied Antony.

Men.
I cannot hope
Cæsar and Antony shall well greet together:
His wife that's dead did trespasses to Cæsar;
His brother warr'd upon him, although, I think,
Not mov'd by Antony.

Pom.

I know not, Menas,

How lesser enmities may give way to greater.

Were 't not that we stand up against them all,

'Twere pregnant they should square between them

selves;

For they have entertained cause enough

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

Be it as our gods will have 't! It only stands
Our lives upon, to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Rome. A Room in the House of Lepidus.

Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS.

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

Eno.

I shall entreat him

To answer like himself: if Cæsar move him,

Let Antony look over Cæsar's head,

And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,

Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,

I would not shave 't to-day.

Lep.

Eno.

For private stomaching.

"Tis not a time

Every time

Serves for the matter that is then born in 't.

Lep. But small to greater matters must give

Eno.

Lep.

way.

Not if the small come first.

Your speech is passion:

But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes

The noble Antony.

Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS.

Eno.

And yonder, Cæsar.

Enter CAESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA. Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia: Hark you, Ventidius.

Cæs.

Mecænas; ask Agrippa.

Lep.

I do not know,

That which combin'd us
A leaner action rend us.

Noble friends,

was most great, and let not What's amiss,

May it be gently heard: when we debate

Our trivial difference loud, we do commit

Murther in healing wounds. Then, noble partners, (The rather, for I earnestly beseech)

Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms, Nor curstness grow to th' matter.

Ant.

'Tis spoken well.

Were we before our armies, and to fight,

I should do thus.

Cas. Welcome to Rome.

Ant.

Cæs. Sit.

Ant. Sit, sir.

Cas. Nay, then

Thank you.

Ant. I learn you take things ill, which are not so;

Or, being, concern you not.

Cæs.

I must be laugh'd at,

If, or for nothing, or a little, I

Should say myself offended; and with you

Chiefly i' th' world: more laugh'd at, that I should Once name you derogately, when to sound your name It not concern'd me.

Ant.

What was't to you ?

My being in Egypt, Cæsar,

Cas. No more than my residing here at Rome

Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there

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