He's married, madam. Mess. Cleo. The gods confound thee! dost thou hold there still? Mess. Should I lie, madam? Cleo. O! I would, thou didst, So half my Egypt were submerg'd, and made A cistern for scal'd snakes. Go, get thee hence: Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is married? Mess. I crave your highness' pardon. Cleo. He is married? Mess. Take no offence, that I would not offend you : To punish me for what you make me do, Seems much unequal. He is married to Octavia. Cleo. O that his fault should make a knave of thee, That art not! What! thou 'rt sure of?1-Get thee hence: The merchandise which thou hast brought from Rome, Are all too dear for me: lie they upon thy hand, And be undone by 'em! [Exit Messenger. Char. Good your highness, patience. Cleo. In praising Antony, I have disprais'd Cæsar. Char. Many times, madam. Cleo. Lead me from hence; I am paid for 't now. I faint.-O Iras! Charmian !-'T is no matter.— Report the feature of Octavia, her years, The colour of her hair: bring me word quickly.— [TO MARDIAN. Bring me word, how tall she is.-Pity me, Charmian, But do not speak to me.-Lead me to my chamber. 1 That art not what thou 'rt sure of: in folio. [Exeunt. VOL. VIII.-4 SCENE VI.-Near Misenum. Flourish. Enter POMPEY and MENAS, at one side, with Drum and Trumpet: at another, CESAR, LEPIDUS, ANTONY, ENOBARBUS, MECENAS, with Soldiers marching. Pom. Your hostages I have, so have you mine; And we shall talk before we fight. Cæs. Most meet, That first we come to words; and therefore have we Which, if thou hast consider'd, let us know Pom. There saw you labouring for him. What was it, Cæs. Take your time. Ant. Thou canst not fear1 us, Pompey, with thy sails; We'll speak with thee at sea: at land, thou know'st How much we do o'er-count thee. At land, indeed, Pom. Be pleas'd to tell us, Lep. (For this is from the present) how you take 1 Alarm. The offers we have sent you. Cæs. There's the point. Ant. Which do not be entreated to, but weigh What it is worth embrac'd. Cas. To try a larger fortune. And what may follow, You have made me offer Of Sicily, Sardinia; and I must Rid all the sea of pirates; then, to send Cas. Ant. Lep. That's our offer. Pom. Know then, Ant. I have heard it, Pompey; Pom. Let me have your hand. [They take Hands.1 I did not think, sir, to have met you here. Ant. The beds i' the east are soft; and thanks to you, That call'd me timelier than my purpose hither, For I have gain'd by it. Cæs. Since I saw you last, Well, I know not There is a change upon you. Pom. What counts harsh fortune casts upon my face, But in my bosom shall she never come, To make my heart her vassal. Lep. Well met here. Pom. I hope so, Lepidus.-Thus we are agreed. I crave, our composition may be written, And seal'd between us. Cæs. That's the next to do. Pom. We'll feast each other, ere we part; and let us 1 Not in f. e. Draw lots who shall begin. Ant. That will I, Pompey. Pom. No, Antony, take the lot; but, first Or last, your fine Egyptian cookery Shall have the fame. I have heard, that Julius Cæsar Grew fat with feasting there. Ant. You have heard much. Pom. I have fair meanings, sir. And fair words to them. Pom. Then, so much have I heard: And I have heard, Apollodorus carried― Eno. No more of that he did so. Pom. What, I pray you? Eno. A certain queen to Cæsar in a mattress. Pom. I know thee now: how far'st thou, soldier? Eno. And well am like to do; I perceive, Four feasts are toward. Pom. Well; Let me shake thy hand: I never hated thee. I have seen thee fight, Eno. Sir, I never lov'd you much; but I have prais'd you, Pom. Enjoy thy plainness, It nothing ill becomes thee. Aboard my galley I invite you all: Will you lead, lords? Cas. Ant. Lep. Show us the way, sir. Pom. Come. [Exeunt POMPEY, CESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, Soldiers and Attendants. Men. Thy father, Pompey, would ne'er have made this treaty.[Aside.]—You and I have known, sir. Eno. At sea, I think. Men. We have, sir. Eno. You have done well by water. Men. And you by land. Eno. I will praise any man that will praise me; though it cannot be denied what I have done by land. Men. Nor what I have done by water. Eno. Yes; something you can deny for your own safety: you have been a great thief by sea. Men. And you by land. Eno. There I deny my land service. But give me your hand, Menas: if our eyes had authority, here they might take two thieves kissing. Men. All men's faces are true, whatsoe'er their hands are. Eno. But there is never a fair woman has a true face. Men. No slander; they steal hearts. Eno. We came hither to fight with you. Men. For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking. Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune. Eno. If he do, sure, he cannot weep it back again. Men. You have said, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony here pray you, is he married to Cleopatra? Eno. Cæsar's sister is call'd Octavia. Men. True, sir; she was the wife of Caius Marcellus. Eno. But she is now the wife of Marcus Antonius. Men. Pray you, sir? Eno. 'T is true. Men. Then is Cæsar, and he, for ever knit together. Eno. If I were bound to divine of this unity, I would not prophesy so. Men. I think, the policy of that purpose made more in the marriage, than the love of the parties. Eno. I think so too: hut you shall find, the band that seems to tie their friendship together will be the very strangler of their amity. Octavia is of a holy, cold, and still conversation. Men. Who would not have his wife so? Eno. Not he, that himself is not so; which is Mark Antony. He will to his Egyptian dish again: then, shall the sighs of Octavia blow the fire up in Cæsar; and, as I said before, that which is the strength of their amity, shall prove the immediate author of their variance. Antony will use his affection where it is: he married but his occasion here. Men. And thus it may be. Come, sir, will you aboard? I have a health for you. Eno. I shall take it, sir: we have used our throats in Egypt. Men. Come; let's away. [Exeunt. |