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Eno. Upon her landing, Antony fent to her,
Invited her to fupper: fhe reply'd,

It fhould be better, he became her guest;
Which the 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 Cæfar lay his fword to bed;
He plough'd her, and the cropt.

Eno. I faw her once

Hop forty paces through the public street :

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And having loft her breath, fhe 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:

Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety: Other women cloy
The appetites they feed; but the makes hungry,
Where most she fatisfies. For vilest things
Become themselves in her; that the holy priests
Blefs her, when she is riggish.

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

A bleffed lottery to him.

Agr. Let us go.-~

Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest,

Whilft you abide here.

Eno, Humbly, fir, I thank you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE III.

Enter CAESAR, ANTONY, OCTAVIA between them; Attendants, and a Soothsayer.

Ant. The world, and my great office, will fomeDivide me from your bofom.

Oda. All which time,

Before the gods my knee shall bow in prayers

To them for you.

Ant. Good night, fir.-My Octavia,

[times

Read not my blemishes in the world's report:
I have not kept my fquare: but that to come
Shall all be done by the rule. Good night, dear lady.
Oda. Good night, fir,

Caf. Good night.

[Exeunt Cæs. and OCTA. Ant. Now, firrah! you do with yourfelf in Egypt?

Sooth. 'Would I had never come from thence, nor

Thither!

Ant. If you can, your reason?

Sooth. I fee it in

My motion, have it not in my tongue: But yet
Hie you to Egypt again.

Ant. Say to me,

[you

Whofe fortunes fhall rife higher, Cæfar's, or mine?

Sooth. Cæfar's.

Therefore, O Antony, ftay not by his fide:

Thy dæmon, that's thy fpirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,

Where Cæfar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Becomes a Fear, as being o'erpower'd; therefore
Make space enough between you.

Ant. Speak this no more.

[thee. Sooth. To none but thee; no more, but when to

If thou doft play with him at any game,

Thou art fure to lofe; and, of that natural luck,
He beats thee 'gainst the odds; thy luftre thickens,
When he fhines by: I fay again, thy fpirit

Is all afraid to govern thee near him;
But, he away, 'tis noble.

Ant. Get thee gone:

Say to Ventidius, I would fpeak with him :--

[Exit Soothsayer. He fhall to Parthia.-Be it art, or hap,

He hath spoken true: The very dice obey him;
And, in our fports, my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds:
His cocks do win the battle ftill of mine,
When it is all to nought; and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,

Enter VENTIDIUS.

I' the east my pleafure lies.-O, come, Ventidius, You must to Parthia; your commiffion's ready: Follow me, and receive it.

SCENE IV. The fame; Aftreet.

[Exeunt.

Enter LEPIDUS, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.

Lep. Trouble yourselves no farther: pray you, halten Your generals after.

Agr. Sir, Mark Antony

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

Lep. 'Till I fhall fee you in your foldier's dress, Which will become you both, farewel.

Mec. We fhall,

As I conceive the journey, be at mount

Before

Before you, Lepidus.

Lep. Your ftay is fhorter,

My purposes do draw me much about;

You'll win two days upon me.

Both. Sir, good fuccefs!

Lep. Farewel.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V. The palace in Alexandria.

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS. Cleo. Give me fome mufic; mufic, moody food Of us that trade in love.

Omnes. The music, ho!

Enter MARDIAN.

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

Char. My arm is fore, beft play with Mardian. Cleo. As well a woman with an eunuch play'd, As with a woman :-Come, you'll play with me, fir? Mar. As well as I can, madam.

Cleo. And when good-will is fhew'd, though it
come too fhort,

The actor may plead pardon: I'll none now:-
Give me mine angle,We'll to the river: there,
My mufic playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce
Their flimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,
I'll think them every one an Antony,

And fay, Ah, ha! you're caught.

Char. 'Twas merry, when

You wager'd on your angling; when your diver
Did hang a falt-fish on his hook, which he
With fervency drew up.

D 2

Clea

Cleo. That time!O times!

I laugh'd him out of patience, and that night:
I laugh'd him into patience: and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drank him to his bed;
Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst
I wore his fword Philippan. O! from Italy;-
Enter a Meffenger.

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

Cleo. Antony's dead?

If thou fay fo, villain, thou kill'ft thy mistress
But well and free,

If fo thou yield him, there is gold, and here
My blueft veins to kifs; a hand, that kings
Have lipp'd, and trembled kiffing.

Mef. Firft, madam, he is well.

Cleo. Why, there's more gold. But, firrah, mark; We use

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

The gold I give thee, will I melt, and

Down thy ill-uttering throat.

Mef. Good madam, hear me.

Cleo. Well, go to, I will;

pour

But there's no goodness in thy face: If Antony
Be free, and healthful-so tart a favour

To trumpet fuch good tidings! If not well,

Thou fhouldft come like a fury crown'd with snakes, Not like a formal man.

Mef. Will't please you hear me?

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

Yet, if thou fay, Antony lives, is well,

Or friends with Cæfar, or not captive to him,

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