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

Agr. Give me leave, Cafar,
Caf. Speak, Agrippa.

Agr. Thou haft a fifter by the mother's fide,
Admir'd O&avia: great Mark Antony
Is now a widower.

Caf. Say not fo, Agrippa;

If Cleopatra heard you, your 'reproof`
Were well deferv'd 7'for rashness.

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

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 ;
Whofe virtue, and whofe general graces speak
That which none elfe can utter. By this marriage,
All little jealoufies, which now feem 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 studied, not a prefent thought,
By duty ruminated.

Ant. Will Cafar 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 Cafar, and

His power unto Octavia.

Ant.

6 proof...old edit. Warb, emend. 8 spoke already.

7 of

Ant. May I never

To this good purpose, that fo 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 our loves,
And sway our great defigns!

Cef. 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 fword 'gainft Pompey, For he hath laid ftrange courtefies and great

Of late upon me. I muft thank him only,

Left my remembrance fuffer ill report;
At heel of that defie him.

Lep. Time calls " 'on's:`

Of us must Pompey prefently be fought,
Or else he feeks out us.

Ant. And where lyes he?

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

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

Would we had spoke together! hafte we for it,
Yet ere we put our felves in arms, difpatch we
The bufinefs 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 fhould detain me.

Exeunt.

SCENE

3 So is

Manent Ænobarbus, Agrippa, Mecænas.

Mec. Welcome from Egypt, Sir.

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

Agr. Good Enobarbus!

Mec. We have caufe to be glad, that matters are fo well digested: you ftaid well by't in Egypt.

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 break faft, and but twelve perfons there; Is this true?

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

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

Eno. When the first met Mark Antony, fhe 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 fhe fat in, like a burnish'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 fafter,

As amorous of their ftrokes. For her own perfon,
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,
VOL. V.

U

And

And what they undid did.

Agr. Oh rare for Antony!

Eno. 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 strange invifible perfume hits the fenfe
Of the adjacent wharfs. The city caft
Her people out upon her; and Antony
Enthron'd i' th' market-place, did fit alone,
Whistling to th' air; which but for vacancy,
Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,
And made a gap in nature.

Agr. Rare Egyptian!

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

It should be better he became her gueft;
Which the entreated. Courteous Antony

Whom ne'er the word of No woman heard fpeak,
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.

Ano. I faw her once

Hop forty paces through the publick ftreet:

And having loft her breath, the fpoke, and panted,

That she did make defect, perfection,

And, breathlefs, power breathe forth.

Mec. Now Antony

Muft leave her utterly.

Eno. Never, he will not.

Age cannot wither her, nor custom ftale
Her infinite variety: other women cloy

The appetites they feed, but the makes hungry

Where

Where most she fatisfies. For vileft things
Become themselves in her, that the holy priefts
Blefs her, when he is riggifh.

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

+ 'A blefs'd allot'ry to him.

Agr. Let us go.

Good Enobarbus, make

your felf

felf my guest,

Whilft you abide here.

[Exeunt.

Eno. Humbly, Sir, I thank you.

Enter Antony, Cæfar, Octavia between them.

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

Oa. All which time,

Before the Gods my knee fhall bow in prayers
To them for you.

Ant. Good-night, Sir. My Ottavia,

Read not my blemishes in the world's report:
I have not kept my fquare, but that to come
Shall all be done by th' rule; good-night, dear Lady.
O Good-night, Sir.

Caf. Good-night.

[Exeunt Cæfar and Octaviá.

Ant. Now, firrah! do you wish your felf in Egypt? Sooth. Would I had ne'er come from thence, 'or you thither.

but

Ant. If you can, your reafon?

Sooth. I fee it in my 6/notion, have it not in my tongues yet hie you to Egypt again.

Ant. Say to me, whofe fortune fhall rife higher, Cæfar's or mine?

Sooth. Cæfar's.

U 2

4 A bleffed lottery

.. old edit. Warb, emend. 6 motion, ... old edit. Theob, emend.

Therefore,

5 nor