A sennet sounded. Enter Cæsar, Antony, Pompey, Lepidus, Agrippa, Maecenas, 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, Lep. You have strange serpents there. 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. Pompey, a word. Pom. [Aside. Say in mine ear: What is't? Men. 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? broad as it hath breadth: it is just so and it is as high as it is, and moves with its own organs it lives by that *Middle. 2 + Plenty. + Pyramids. which nourisheth it; and the elements once out of it, it transmigrates. Lep. What colour is it of? Ant. Of its own colour too. 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? [Aside. I think, thou'rt mad. The matter? [Rises, and 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. Ant. Keep off them, for you sink. These quick-sands, Lepidus, What say'st thou ? Men. Wilt thou be lord of all the world? Pom. Men. Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? That's 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 t, Is thine, if thou wilt have 't. Pom. Show me which way. Men. These three world-sharers, these competi torst, • Encompasses. + Embraces. Confederates. Are in thy vessel: Let me cut the cable; Pom. Ah, this thou should'st have done, And not have spoke on't! In me, 'tis villainy; In thee, it 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 should have found it afterwards well done; But must condemn it now. Desist, and drink. Men. For this, [Aside. I'll never follow thy pall'd fortunes more.- Pom. This health to Lepidus. Ant. Bear him ashore.-I'll pledge it for him, Men. Enobarbus, welcome. Pom. Fill, till the cup be hid. Eno. There's a strong fellow, Menas. [Pointing to the attendant who carries off Lepidus. Men. Eno. Why? He bears The third part of the world, man; See'st not? Men. The third part then is drunk: 'Would it were all, That it might go on wheels! Eno. Drink thou; increase the reels. Men. Come. Pom. This is not yet an Alexandrian feast. Ant. It ripens towards it.-Strike the vesselst, ho! Here is to Cæsar. Cas. I could well forbear it. It's monstrous labour, when I wash my brain, Ant. * Cloyed. Be a child o'the time. + Kettle-drums. . Cæs. Possess* it, I'll make answer: but I had ra ther fast From all, four days, than drink so much in one. Eno. Ha, my brave emperor! Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals, 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. Eno. All take hands. Make battery to our ears with the loud musick:- [Musick plays. Enobarbus places them hand SONG. Come, thou monarch of the vine, Cup us, till the world go round! Cæs. What would you more?-Pompey, good night. Good brother, Let me request you off: our graver business Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue night. Good Antony, your hand. ' Understand. Burden, chorus. Red eyes. Pom. I'll try you o'the shore. Ant. And shall, sir: give's your hand. Pom. O, Antony, You have my father's house,-But what? we are friends: Come, down into the boat. Eno. Take heed you fall not. [Exeunt Pompey, Cæsar, Antony, and Attendants. Menas, I'll not on shore. Men. No, to my cabin. These drums!-these trumpets, flutes! what!— To these great féllows: Sound, and be hang'd, sound out. [A flourish of trumpets, with drums. Eno. Ho, says 'a!-There's my cap. Enter Ventidius, as after conquest, 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 Noble Ventidius, Sil. Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm, • Pacorus was the son of Orodes, king of Parthia. |