“The” Works of William Shakespeare

Of us must Pompey presently be sought,

Or else he seeks out us.

Cæs. Great and increasing: but by sea

He is an absolute master.

Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it :
Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we
The business we have talk'd of.

Not sickness should detain me.

[Flourish. Exeunt Cæsar, Antony, and Lepidus.

Mec. Welcome from Egypt, sir.

Eno. Half the heart of Caesar, worthy Mecænas!-My honourable friend, Agrippa!—

Agr. Good Enobarbus!

Mec. We have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested. (52) You stayed well by 't in Egypt.

Eno. Ay, sir; we did sleep day out of countenance, made the night light with drinking.

and

Mec. Eight wild-boars roasted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve persons there; is this true?

Eno. This was but as a fly by an eagle: we had much more monstrous matter of feast, which worthily deserved noting.

Mec. She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her.

Eno. When she first met Mark Antony, she pursed up heart, upon the river of Cydnus.

his

Agr. There she appeared indeed; or my reporter devised well for her.

Eno. I will tell you.

The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne,

Burn'd on the water: the poop was beaten gold;

Purple the sails, and so perfumed that

The winds were love-sick with them; th' oars were silver,

(53)

Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made
The water which they beat to follow faster,

As amorous of their strokes. For her own person,
It beggar'd all description: she did lie

In her pavilion-cloth-of-gold of tissue—
O'er-picturing that Venus where we see
The fancy outwork nature: on each side her
Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids,
With divers-colour'd fans, whose wind did seem
To glow(54) the delicate cheeks which they did cool,
And what they undid did.

Agr.

O, rare for Antony! Eno. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides,

So many mermaids, tended her i' th' eyes,

And made their bends adornings :(55) at the helm
A seeming mermaid steers: the silken tackle

Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands,(56)
That yarely frame the office. From the barge
A strange invisible pérfume hits the sense
Of the adjacent wharfs. The city cast
Her people out upon her; and Antony,
Enthron'd i' the market-place, did sit alone,
Whistling to th' air; which, but for vacancy,
Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,

And made a gap in nature.

Agr.

Rare Egyptian!

Eno. Upon her landing, Antony sent to her,

Invited her to supper: she replied,

It should be better he became her guest;

Which she entreated: our courteous Antony,

Whom ne'er the word of "No" woman heard speak,

Being barber'd ten times o'er, goes to the feast,

And for his ordinary pays his heart

For what his eyes eat only.

Agr.

Royal wench!

She made great Cæsar lay his sword to bed:

He plough'd her, and she cropp'd.

Eno.

I saw her once

Hop forty paces through the public street;

And having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted,
That she did make defect perfection,

And, breathless, power breathe forth.

Mec. Now Antony must leave her utterly.

Eno. Never; he will not:(57)

Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety: other women cloy

The appetites they feed; but she makes hungry
Where most she satisfies: for vilest things
Become themselves in her; that the holy priests
Bless her when she is riggish.

Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modesty, can settle
The heart of Antony, Octavia is

A blessed lottery to him.

Let us go.

Agr.
Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest
Whilst you abide here.

Eno.

Humbly, sir, I thank you. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. The same. A room in CÆSAR's house.

Enter ANTONY, CESAR, OCTAVIA between them; and Attendants.

Ant. The world and my great office will sometimes Divide me from your bosom.

Octa.

All which time

Before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers

To them for you.

Ant.

Good night, sir.—My Octavia,
Read not my blemishes in the world's report:
I have not kept my square; but that to come

Shall all be done by the rule.

Octa. Good night, sir.(58)
Cæs. Good night.

Good night, dear lady.

[Exeunt Cæsar and Octavia.

Enter Soothsayer.

Ant. Now, sirrah,-you do wish yourself in Egypt? Sooth. Would I had never come from thence, nor you thither (59)

but

Ant. If you can, your reason?

Sooth. I see it in my motion, (60) have it not in my tongue:
yet hie
you to Egypt again.

Ant. Say to me

Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Cæsar's or mine ?

Sooth. Cæsar's.

Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side:

Thy demon, that's(61) thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,

Where Cæsar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Becomes a fear,(62) as being o'erpower'd: therefore
Make space enough between you.

Ant.

Speak this no more.

Sooth. To none but thee; no more, but when to thee. If thou dost play with him at any game,

Thou'rt sure to lose; and, of that natural luck,

He beats thee 'gainst the odds: thy lustre thickens,

When he shines by: I say again, thy spirit

Is all afraid to govern thee near him ;

But he away, 'tis noble.(63)

Ant.

Get thee gone:

Say to Ventidius I would speak with him :—

[Exit Soothsayer.

He shall to Parthia.-Be it art or hap,
He hath spoken true: the very dice obey him;
And, in our sports, my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds;
His cocks do win the battle still of mine,
When it is all to naught; and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
I' th' east my pleasure lies.

Enter VENTIDIUS.

O, come, Ventidius,

You must to Parthia: your commission's ready;

Follow me, and receive 't.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV. The same. A street.

Enter LEPIDUS, MECENAS, and Agrippa.

Lep. Trouble yourselves no further: pray you, hasten Your generals after.