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

Mec. We shall,

As I conceive the journey, be at mount *
Before you, Lepidus.

Lep. Your way is shorter,

My purposes do draw me much about;
You'll win two days upon me.

Mec. Agr. Sir, good success!
Lep. Farewell.

[Exeunt.

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.

Attend. 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 play'd, As with a woman :-Come, you'll play with me,

Sir ?

Mar. As well as I can, madam.

Cleo. And when good will is shew'd, though it come too short,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now :-
Give me mine angle, we'll to the river: there,
My music playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finn'd 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. 'Twas merry, when

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

Cleo. That time !-0 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 drunk him to his bed;
Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst
I wore his sword Philippan, O! from Italy ;-

Mount Misenum.
Head-dress.

+ Melancholy.

Enter a MESSENGER.

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:
Bat well and free,

If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here
My bluest veins to kiss; a hand, that kings
Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing.

Mess. First, madam, he's 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,-why so tart a favour
To trumpet such good tidings? If not well,
Thou shouldst come like a fury crown'd with
snakes,

Not like a formal man t.

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, is well,

Or friends with Caesar, or not captive to him,
I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail

Rich pearls upon thee.

Mess. Madam, he's well.

Cleo. Well said.

Mess. And friends with Cæsar.

Cleo. Thou'rt an honest man.

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. Pr'ythee, friend,
Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,

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

So sour a countenance.

A man in his senses.

+ Preceding.

Mess. Free, madam! no; I made no such report

He's bound unto Octavia.

Cleo. For what good turn?

Mess. For the best turn i' the bed.

Cleo. I am pale, Charmian.

Mess. Madam, he's married to Octavia.

Cleo. The most infectious pestilence upon thee!

Mess. Good madam, patience.

Cleo. What say you ?-Hence,

[Strikes him down.

[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 whipp'd with wire, and stew'd in brine,

Smarting in ling'ring 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 thee with what gift beside

Thy modesty can beg.

Mess. He's married, madam.

Cleo. Rogue, thou hast lived too long.

Mess. Nay, then I'll run :

[Draws a Dagger.

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

[Exit.

Char. Good madam, keep yourself within your

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;
Though I am mad, I will not bite him :-Call.
Char. He is afeard to come.

Cleo. I will not hurt him :

These hands do lack nobility, that they strike
A meaner than myself; since I myself
Have given myself the cause.-Come hither, Sir.

Re-enter MESSENGER.

Though it be honest, it is never good

To bring bad news: give to a gracious message

Recompense.

Th

An host of tongues; but let ill tidings te
Themselves, when they be felt.
Mess. I have done my duty.
Cleo. Is he married?

I cannot hate thee worser than I do,

If thou again say, Yes.

Mess. He is married, madam.

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 submerged, and made
A cistern for scaled 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:

via.

To punish me for what you make me do,
Seems much unequal: he is married to Octavia.
Cleo. O, that his faults should make a knave of

thee,

That art not!-What? thou'rt sure oft-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 dispraised Cæsar.
Char. Many times, madam.

Cleo. I am paid for't now.

Lead me from hence,

I faint; O Iras, Charmian,-Tis no matter :-
Go to the fellow, good Alexas; bid him
Report the feature + of Octavia, her years,
Her inclination, let him not leave out

The colour of her hair :-Bring me word quickly.

[Exit Alexas.

Let him for ever go :-Let him not-Charmian,
Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,
T'other way he's a Mars :-Bid you Alexas

[To Mardian. Bring me word, how tall she is.-Pity me, Char

mian,

But do not speak to me.-Lead me to my chamber.

[Exeunt.

• Whelmed under water.

+ Beauty.

SCENE VI.-Near Misenum.

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.

Cas. Most meet,

That first we come to words; and therefore have we

Our written purposes before us sent;

Which if thou hast consider'd, let us know
If 'twill tie up thy discontented sword;
And carry back to Sicily much tall youth
That else must perish here.

Pom. To you all three,

The senators alone of this great world,
Chief factors for the gods,-I do not know,
Wherefore my father should revengers want,
Having a son, and friends; since Julius Cæsar,
Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghosted t,
There saw you labouring for him. What was it,
That moved pale Cassius to conspire? And what
Made the all-honour'd, honest, Roman Brutus,
With the arm'd rest, courteous of beauteous free-
dom,

To drench the Capitol; but that they would
Have one man but à man? And that is it,

Hath made me rig my navy; at whose burden
The anger'd ocean foams; with which I meant
To scourge the ingratitude that despiteful Rome
Cast on my noble father.

Cas. Take your time.

Ant. Thou canst not fear 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.

Pom. At land, indeed,

Thou dost o'er-count me of my father's house:
But, since the cuckoo builds not for himself,

Remain in't as thou may'st.

Lep. Be pleased to tell us,

(For this is from the present ), how you take The offers we have sent you.

Cas. There's the point.

• Brave.
Present subject.

+ Haunted.

+ Affright.