By laying defects of Judgment to me: but
You patch up your excufes.
Ant. Not fo, not fo;

I know you could not lack, I'm certain on't,
Very neceffity of this thought, that I

Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought
Could not with grateful eyes attend those wars
Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,
I would you had her spirit in such another;
The third o' th' world is yours, which with a fnaffle
You may pace eafie, but not fuch a wife.

Eno. Would we had all fuch wives, that the men might go to wars with the women.

Ant. So much uncurbable her garboils, Cæfar,
Made out of her impatience, which not wanted
Shrewdness of policy too, I grieving grant,
Did you too much difquiet; for that you muft
But fay, I could not help it.

Caf. I wrote to you,

When rioting in Alexandria you

Did pocket up my letters; and with taunts
Did gibe my miffive out of audience.

Ant. Sir, he fell on me, ere admitted: then
Three Kings I had newly feafted, and did want
Of what I was i' th' morning: but next day
I told him of my felf, which was as much
As to have afkt him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our ftrife: if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

Cef. You have broken

The article of your oath, which you shall never
Have tongue to charge me with.

Lep. Soft, Cafar.

Ant. No,

Lepidus, let him fpeak,

The honour's facred which he talks on now,

Suppofing that I lackt it: but on, Cæfar,

The article of my oath.

Caf. To lend me arms and aid, when I requir'd them,

The which you both deny'd.

Antony and Cleopatra.

Ant. Neglected rather;

And then when poifon'd hours had bound me up
From mine own knowledge. As nearly as I may,
I'll play the penitent to you; but mine honesty
Shall not make poor my greatnefs, nor my power
Work without it. Truth is, that Fulvia,
To have me out of Egypt, made wars here;
For which my felf, the ignorant motive, do
So far afk pardon, as befits mine honour
To ftoop in such a case.

Lep. 'Tis nobly spoken.

Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no further
The griefs between ye: to forget them quite,
Were to remember, that the present need

Speaks to attone you.

Lep. Worthily fpoken, Mecanas.

265

Eno. Or if you borrow one another's love for the inftant, you may when you hear no more words of Pompey return it again: you fhall have time to wrangle in, when you have nothing else to do,

Ant. Thou art a foldier only; fpeak no more.

Eno. That truth fhould be filent, I had almoft forgot.
Ant. You wrong this prefence, therefore speak no more.
Eno. Go to then: your confiderate ftone.
Caf. I do not much diflike the matter, but
The manner of his speech: for't cannot be
We shall remain in friendship, our conditions
So differing in their acts. Yet if I knew

What hoop would hold us ftaunch, from edge to edge
O' th' world I would pursue it.

Agr. Give me leave, Cæfar.

Caf. Speak, Agrippa.

Agr. Thou haft a fifter by the mother's fide, Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

Caf. Say not fo, Agrippa;

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof

Were well deferv'd for rafhneís.

Ant. I am not married, Cæfar; let me hear

Agrippa further fpeak,

VOL. VII.

Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity,
To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts
With an unflipping knot, take Antony
Octavia to his wife; whofe beauty claims
No worse a husband than the best of men ;
Whose virtue, and whofe general graces speak
That which none elfe can utter. By this marriage,
All little jealoufies, which now seem great,

And all great fears, which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing. Truths would be but tales,
Where now half tales be truths: her love to both
Would each to other, and all loves to both
Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke,
For 'tis a ftudied, not a prefent thought,
By duty ruminated.

Ant. Will Cæfar speak?

Caf. Not 'till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is fpoke.

Ant. What power is in Agrippa

(If I would fay, Agrippa, be it fo,) To make this good?

Caf. The power of Cæfar, and

His power unto Octavia.

Ant. May I never

To this good purpose, that so fairly fhews,
Dream of impediment! let me have thy hand;
Further this act of grace and from this hour,
The heart of brothers govern in cur loves,
And fway our great defigns!

Caf. There is my hand:

A fifter I bequeath you, whom no brother

Did ever love fo dearly. Let her live

To join our kingdoms, and our hearts, and never

Fly off our loves again!

Lep. Happily, amen!

Ant. I did not think to draw my sword 'gainst Pompey,

For he hath laid ftrange courtefies and great

Of late upon me.

I must thank him only,

Left my remembrance fuffer ill report:;

At heel of that defie him.

Lep.

Lep. Time calls on's :

Of us muft Pompey presently be fought,
Or else he feeks out us.

Ant. And where lyes he?

Caf. About the mount Mifenum.
Ant. What's his ftrength?

Caf. By land great and increafing, but by fea
He is an abfolute mafter.

Ant. So's the fame.

Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it,
Yet ere we put our felves in arms, dispatch we
The business we have talk'd of.

Caf. With moft gladness;
And do invite you to my fifter's view,
Whither straight I'll lead you.

Ant. Let us, Lepidus,

Not lack your company.

Lep. Noble Antony,

Not fickness should detain me.

Manent nobarbus, Agrippa, Mecænas.

Mec. Welcome from Egypt, Sir.

[Exeunt

Eno. Half the heart of Cafar, worthy Mecenas! my honourable friend Agrippa!

Agr. Good Enobarbus!

Mec. We have cause to be glad, that matters are fo well digefted you ftay'd well by't in Ægypt.

Eno. Ay, Sir, we did fleep day out of countenance, and made the night light with drinking.

Mec. Eight wild boars roafted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve perfons there ; - Is this true?

Eno. This was but as a flie by an eagle: we had much more monstrous matter of feaft, which worthily deferved noting.

Mec. She's a moft triumphant Lady, if report be square to her.

Eno. When the first met Mark Antony, the purs'd up his heart upon the river of Cydnus.

Agr. There the appear'd indeed: or my reporter devis'd well for her.

Eno. I will tell you;

The barge the fat in, like a burnifh'd throne

Burnt on the water; the poop was beaten gold,

Purple the fails, and fo perfumed, that

The winds were love-fick with 'em; the oars were filver,
Which to the tune of flutes kept ftroke, and made
The water which they beat, to follow faster,
As amorous of their ftrokes. For her own person,
It beggar'd all defcription; fhe did lye

In her pavilion, cloth of gold, of tiffue,
O'er-picturing that Venus, where we fee

The fancy out-work nature. On each fide her
Stood pretty dimpled boys, like fmiling Cupids,
With divers-colour'd fans, whose wind did feem
To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,
And what they undid did.

Agr. Oh rare for Antony !

no. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereids, or
So many mermaids, tended her i' th' eyes,
And made their bends adorings. At the helm,
A feeming mermaid fteers; the filken tackles
Swell with the touches of thofe flower-foft hands,
That yarely frame the office. From the barge
A ftrange invifible perfume hits the fense
Of the adjacent wharfs. The city caft
Her people out upon her; and Antony
Enthron'd i' th' market-place, did fit alone,
Whiftling to th' air; which but for vacancy,
Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,
And made a gap in nature.

Agr. Rare Egyptian!

no. Upon her landing, Antony fent to her,

Invited her to fupper: the reply'd,

It should be better he became her gueft;

Which fhe entreated. Courteous Antony,

Whom ne'er the word of No woman heard fpeak,
Being barber'd ten times o'er, goes to the feaft
And for his ordinary pays his heart,

For what his eyes eat only.

Agr. Royal wench!

She