His cocks do win the battle still of mine,
When it is all to nought; and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhooped, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
I' the east my pleasure lies.—

Enter VENTIDIUS.

O, come, Ventidius,

[Exeunt.

You must to Parthia: your commission 's ready;
Follow me, and receive it.

SCENE IV.-The same. A Street.

Enter LEPIDUS, MECENAS, and Agrippa.

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

Will e'en but kiss Octavia, and we'll follow.

Lep. Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress, Which will become you both, farewell.

Mec.

As I conceive the journey, be at Mount 3

Before you, Lepidus.

Lep.

We shall,

Your way is shorter;

My purposes do draw me much about:

You'll win two days upon me.

Mec., Agr.

Lep. Farewell!

1 All to nought.]

Sir, good success !

[Exeunt.

All the world to nothing!' K. Richard III., i.

2; Romeo & Juliet, iii. 5.

2

Inhooped.] When enclosed in the ring.

3 At Mount.] At Mount Misenum. Extracts from Plutarch, 20.

Misenum was a promontory of Campania in Italy.

SCENE V.-Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAs, and ALEXAS. Cleo. Give me some music;-music, moody food Of us that trade in love.1

Att.

The music, ho!

Enter MARDIAN.

Cleo. Let it alone; let us to billiards:
Come, Charmian.

Char. My arm is sore; best play with Mardian.
Cleo. As well a woman with an eunuch played

As with a woman.-Come, you'll play with me, sir?
Mar. As well as I can, madam.

Cleo. And when good will is showed, though 't come too short,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now:

Give me mine angle,-we 'll to the river: there,
My music 2 playing far off, I will betray

Tawny-finned fishes; my bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,

I'll think them every one an Antony,

And say, Ah ha! you're caught.

Char.

'T was merry

when

You wagered on your angling;3 when your diver

1 Moody food, &c.] 'If music be the food of love, play on.' Twelfth Night, i. 1.

2 My music.] Music, often signified, as here, a band of musicians. So in The Merchant of Venice, v. 1, 'It is your music, madam, of the house;' and in K. Henry VIII., iv. 2, 'Bid the music leave: they are harsh and heavy to me.'

'Twas merry when, &c.] Extracts from Plutarch, 15.

Did hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he
With fervency drew up.

Cleo.

That time, 0, times!-
I laughed him out of patience; and that night
I laughed him into patience; and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed;
Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst
I wore his sword Philippan.1

Enter a Messenger.

O, from Italy!

Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
That long time have been barren.

Mess.

Madam, madam,

Cleo. Antony's dead!—If thou say so, villain,
Thou kill'st thy mistress: but, well and free!
If thou so yield him,2 there is gold, and here
My bluest veins to kiss,-a hand that kings
Have lipped, and trembled kissing.

Mess.

First, madam, he is well. Cleo. Why, there's more gold. But, sirrah, mark; we

use

To say the dead are well: bring it to that,

The gold I give thee will I melt and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.

Mess. Good madam, hear me.

Cleo.

Well, go to, I will;

But there's no goodness in thy face: if Antony

Be free and healthful-so tart a favour3

1 His sword Philippan.] The sword with which he fought at Philippi.

2 So yield him.] Admit or report him to be so.

3 Favour.] Countenance. Compare Romeo and Juliet, ii. 5, 'Thou shamest the music of sweet news by playing it to me with so sour a face.'

To trumpet such good tidings! If not well,

Thou shouldst come like a Fury crowned with snakes,
Not like a formal1 man.

Mess.

Will 't please you hear me?

Cleo. I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak'st:

Yet, if thou say Antony lives, 't is well;

Or friends with Cæsar, or not captive to him,

I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail

Rich pearls upon thee.2

Mess. Cæsar and he are greater friends than ever.
Cleo. Make thee a fortune from me.

Mess.

But yet, madam,

Cleo. I do not like but yet, it does allay
The good precedence; fie upon but yet!
But yet is as a gaoler to bring forth

Some monstrous malefactor. Prithee, friend,
Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,

The good and bad together: he's friends with Cæsar;
In state of health thou say'st; and thou say'st free.

1 A formal man.] A sedate or sober-minded man. So in The Comedy of Errors, v. 1,

'With wholesome syrups, drugs, and holy prayers,

To make of him a formal man again.'

2 I'll set thee, &c.] In some eastern countries it was customary for princes, at their coronation, to be powdered with gold dust and seed-pearl. Hence the lines in Milton's Paradise Lost, ii. 3, 'Or where the gorgeous East with richest hand Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold.'

Mess. Free, madam! no, I made no such report: He's bound unto Octavia.

Cleo.

I am pale, Charmian.

Mess. Madam, he's married to Octavia.

Cleo. The most infectious pestilence upon thee!

Mess. Good madam, patience.
Cleo.

[Strikes him down.

What say you?-Hence,

[Strikes him again.

Horrible villain! or I'll spurn thine eyes
Like balls before me; I'll unhair thy head;

[She hales him up and down.

Thou shalt be whipped with wire, and stewed in brine,
Smarting in lingering pickle.

Mess.

Gracious madam,

I that do bring the news made not the match.

Cleo. Say 'tis not so, a province I will give thee, And make thy fortunes proud: the blow thou hadst Shall make thy peace for moving me to rage;

And I will boot thee1 with what gift beside

Thy modesty can beg.

What mean you, madam? I have made no fault. [Exit.

Char. Good madam, keep yourself within yourself; The man is innocent.

Cleo. Some innocents 'scape not the thunderbolt.—

Melt Egypt into Nile! and kindly creatures

Turn all to serpents!-Call the slave again :

Boot thee.] Profit thee.