Against the blown rose may they stop their nose,
That kneel'd unto the buds. Admit him, sir.

Eno. [Aside.] Mine honesty and I begin to

square.

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 i̇' th' story.

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,
Farther than he is Cæsar.

Go on right royal.

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

Cleo.

O!

Thyr. The scars upon your honour, therefore, he

Does pity, as constrained blemishes,

Not as deserv'd.

Cleo.

He is a god, and knows

What is most right. Mine honour was not yielded, But conquer'd merely.

Eno.

[Aside.] To be sure of that,

I will ask Antony. Sir, sir, thou'rt so leaky,
That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for
Thy dearest quit thee.

Thyr.

[Exit ENOBARBUS.

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 shroud,

The universal landlord.

Cleo.

What's your name ?

Most kind messenger,

Thyr. My name is Thyreus.
Cleo.

Say to great Cæsar this. - In deputation

I kiss his conqu'ring hand: tell him I am prompt To lay my crown at 's feet, and there to kneel:

Tell him from his all-obeying breath I hear

The doom of Egypt.

Thyr.
Wisdom and fortune combating together,
If that the former dare but what it can,

'Tis your noblest course.

Give me grace to lay

Your Cæsar's father oft,

No chance may shake it.

My duty on your hand.

Cleo.
When he hath mus'd of taking kingdoms in,
Bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place,
As it rain'd kisses.

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

Eno.

You will be whipp'd.

- Now gods

Ant. Approach, there. —Ay, you kite!

and devils!

Authority melts from me: of late, when I cri'd “ho!” Like boys unto a muss, kings would start forth, "Your will?" Have you no ears? I am

And cry,

Enter Attendants.

Antony yet. Take hence this Jack, and whip him. Eno. 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp Than with an old one dying.

Ant. Whip him.

taries

Moon and stars!

Were 't twenty of the greatest tribu

That do acknowledge Cæsar, should I find them

So saucy with the hand of she here, what's her

name,

Since she was Cleopatra ?

Whip him, fellows,

Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face,
And whine aloud for mercy. Take him hence.
Thyr. Mark Antony,-

Ant.

Bring him again.

Tug him away: being whipp'd, The Jack of Cæsar's shall

Bear us an errand to him..

[Exeunt Attend. with THYREUS.

You were half blasted ere I knew you: ha!
Have I my pillow left unpress'd in Rome,
Forborne the getting of a lawful race,

And by a gem of women, to be abus'd

By one that looks on feeders ?

Cleo.

Good my lord,

Ant. You have been a boggler ever:

But when we in our viciousness grow hard,

(O misery on 't!) the wise gods seal our eyes,

In our own filth drop our clear judgments; make us
Adore our errors; laugh at 's, while we strut
To our confusion.

Cleo.

O, is it come to this?

Ant. I found you as a morsel, cold upon Dead Cæsar's trencher: nay, you were a fragment Of Cneius Pompey's; besides what hotter hours, Unregister'd in vulgar fame, you have

Luxuriously pick'd out; for, I am sure,

Though you can guess what temperance should be, You know not what it is.

Cleo.

And say,

Wherefore is this?

Ant. To let a fellow that will take rewards,
'God quit you!' be familiar with
My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal,
And plighter of high hearts!

O, that I were

Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar

The horned herd! for I have savage cause;

And to proclaim it civilly were like

A halter'd neck, which does the hangman thank

For being yare about him.

Enter Attendants with THYREUS.

Is he whipp'd?

1 Att. Ant.

Soundly, my lord.

1 Att.

Cri'd he? and begg'd he pardon ?

He did ask favour.

Ant. If that thy father live, let him repent

Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou sorry

To follow Cæsar in his triumph, since

Thou hast been whipp'd for following him: hence

forth,

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 me. Urge it thou:
Hence, with thy stripes! begone!

Cleo. Have you done yet?
Ant.

[Exit THYREUS.

Alack our terrene 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?

Ah, dear! if I be so,

Ant. Cold-hearted toward me?
Cleo.

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, so

Dissolve my life! The next Cæsarion smite,
Till by degrees the memory of my womb,
Together with my brave Egyptians all,
By the discandying of this pelleted storm,