Antony and Cleopatra Part 4

Mar. Not in deed Madam, for I can do nothing But what in deede is honest to be done: Yet haue I fierce Affections, and thinke What Venus did with Mars

Cleo. Oh Charmion: Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he, or sits he?

Or does he walke? Or is he on his Horse?

Oh happy horse to beare the weight of Anthony!

Do brauely Horse, for wot'st thou whom thou moou'st, The demy Atlas of this Earth, the Arme And Burganet of men. Hee's speaking now, Or murmuring, where's my Serpent of old Nyle, (For so he cals me:) Now I feede my selfe With most delicious poyson. Thinke on me That am with Phoebus amorous pinches blacke, And wrinkled deepe in time. Broad-fronted Caesar, When thou was't heere aboue the ground, I was A morsell for a Monarke: and great Pompey Would stand and make his eyes grow in my brow, There would he anchor his Aspect, and dye With looking on his life.

Enter Alexas from Caesar.

Alex. Soueraigne of Egypt, haile

Cleo. How much vnlike art thou Marke Anthony?

Yet comming from him, that great Med'cine hath With his Tinct gilded thee.

How goes it with my braue Marke Anthonie?

Alex. Last thing he did (deere Queene) He kist the last of many doubled kisses This Orient Pearle. His speech stickes in my heart

Cleo. Mine eare must plucke it thence

Alex. Good Friend, quoth he: Say the firme Roman to great Egypt sends This treasure of an Oyster: at whose foote To mend the petty present, I will peece Her opulent Throne, with Kingdomes. All the East, (Say thou) shall call her Mistris. So he nodded, And soberly did mount an Arme-gaunt Steede, Who neigh'd so hye, that what I would haue spoke, Was beastly dumbe by him

Cleo. What was he sad, or merry?

Alex. Like to the time o'th' yeare, between y extremes Of hot and cold, he was nor sad nor merrie

Cleo. Oh well diuided disposition: Note him, Note him good Charmian, 'tis the man; but note him.

He was not sad, for he would s.h.i.+ne on those That make their lookes by his. He was not merrie, Which seem'd to tell them, his remembrance lay In Egypt with his ioy, but betweene both.

Oh heauenly mingle! Bee'st thou sad, or merrie, The violence of either thee becomes, So do's it no mans else. Met'st thou my Posts?

Alex. I Madam, twenty seuerall Messengers.

Why do you send so thicke?

Cleo. Who's borne that day, when I forget to send to Anthonie, shall dye a Begger. Inke and paper Charmian.

Welcome my good Alexas. Did I Charmian, euer loue Caesar so?

Char. Oh that braue Caesar!

Cleo. Be choak'd with such another Emphasis, Say the braue Anthony

Char. The valiant Caesar

Cleo. By Isis, I will giue thee b.l.o.o.d.y teeth, If thou with Caesar Paragon againe: My man of men

Char. By your most gracious pardon, I sing but after you

Cleo. My Sallad dayes, When I was greene in iudgement, cold in blood, To say, as I saide then. But come, away, Get me Inke and Paper, he shall haue euery day a seuerall greeting, or Ile vnpeople Egypt.

Exeunt.

Enter Pompey, Menecrates, and Menas, in warlike manner.

Pom. If the great G.o.ds be iust, they shall a.s.sist The deeds of iustest men

Mene. Know worthy Pompey, that what they do delay, they not deny

Pom. Whiles we are sutors to their Throne, decayes the thing we sue for

Mene. We ignorant of our selues, Begge often our owne harmes, which the wise Powres Deny vs for our good: so finde we profit By loosing of our Prayers

Pom. I shall do well: The people loue me, and the Sea is mine; My powers are Cressent, and my Auguring hope Sayes it will come to'th' full. Marke Anthony In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make No warres without doores. Caesar gets money where He looses hearts: Lepidus flatters both, Of both is flatter'd: but he neither loues, Nor either cares for him

Mene. Caesar and Lepidus are in the field, A mighty strength they carry

Pom. Where haue you this? 'Tis false

Mene. From Siluius, Sir

Pom. He dreames: I know they are in Rome together Looking for Anthony: but all the charmes of Loue, Salt Cleopatra soften thy wand lip, Let Witchcraft ioyne with Beauty, l.u.s.t with both, Tye vp the Libertine in a field of Feasts, Keepe his Braine fuming. Epicurean Cookes, Sharpen with cloylesse sawce his Appet.i.te, That sleepe and feeding may prorogue his Honour, Euen till a Lethied dulnesse- Enter Varrius.

How now Varrius?

Var. This is most certaine, that I shall deliuer: Marke Anthony is euery houre in Rome Expected. Since he went from Egypt, 'tis A s.p.a.ce for farther Trauaile

Pom. I could haue giuen lesse matter A better eare. Menas, I did not thinke This amorous Surfetter would haue donn'd his Helme For such a petty Warre: His Souldiers.h.i.+p Is twice the other twaine: But let vs reare The higher our Opinion, that our stirring Can from the lap of Egypts Widdow, plucke The neere l.u.s.t-wearied Anthony

Mene. I cannot hope, Caesar and Anthony shall well greet together; His Wife that's dead, did trespa.s.ses to Caesar, His Brother wan'd vpon him, although I thinke Not mou'd by Anthony

Pom. I know not Menas, How lesser Enmities may giue way to greater, Were't not that we stand vp against them all: 'Twer pregnant they should square between themselues, For they haue entertained cause enough To draw their swords: but how the feare of vs May Ciment their diuisions, and binde vp The petty difference, we yet not know: Bee't as our G.o.ds will haue't; it onely stands Our liues vpon, to vse our strongest hands Come Menas.

Exeunt.

Enter En.o.barbus and Lepidus.

Lep. Good En.o.barbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, to intreat your Captaine To soft and gentle speech

En.o.b. I shall intreat him To answer like himselfe: if Caesar moue him, Let Anthony looke ouer Caesars head, And speake as lowd as Mars. By Iupiter, Were I the wearer of Anthonio's Beard, I would not shaue't to day

Lep. 'Tis not a time for priuate stomacking

Eno. Euery time serues for the matter that is then borne in't

Lep. But small to greater matters must giue way

Eno. Not if the small come first

Lep. Your speech is pa.s.sion: but pray you stirre No Embers vp. Heere comes the n.o.ble Anthony.

Enter Anthony and Ventidius.

Eno. And yonder Caesar.

Enter Caesar, Mecenas, and Agrippa.

Ant. If we compose well heere, to Parthia: Hearke Ventidius

Caesar. I do not know Mecenas, aske Agrippa

Lep. n.o.ble Friends: That which combin'd vs was most great, and let not A leaner action rend vs. What's amisse, May it be gently heard. When we debate Our triuiall difference loud, we do commit Murther in healing wounds. Then n.o.ble Partners, The rather for I earnestly beseech, Touch you the sowrest points with sweetest tearmes, Nor curstnesse grow to'th' matter

Ant. 'Tis spoken well: Were we before our Armies, and to fight, I should do thus.