Men. I think the policy of that purpose made more in the marriage, than the love of the parties.

Eno. I think fo too. But you fhall find the band that seems to tie their friendship together, will be the very ftrangler of their amity: Ottavia is of a holy, cold, and ftill converfation.

Men. Who would not have his wife fo?

Eno. Not he that himself is not fo; which is Mark Antony. He will to his Ægyptian difh again; then shall the fighs of Octavia blow the fire up in Cefar, and, as I faid before, that which is the ftrength of their amity, fhall prove the immediate author of their variance. Antony will ufe his affection where it is: he married but his occafion here.

Men. And thus it may be. Come, Sir, will you aboard? I have a health for you.

Eno. I fhall take it, Sir: we have us'd our throats in

Egypt.

Men. Come, let's away.

SCENE

Pompey's Galley.

[Exeunt.

VII.

Mufick plays. Enter two or three Servants with a

banquet.

1 Ser. HERE they'll be, man: fome o' their plants are ill rooted already, the leaft wind i' th'

world will blow them down.

2 Ser. Lepidus is high-colour'd.

1 Ser. They have made him drink alms-drink.

2 Ser. As they pinch one another by the difpofition, he cries out, No more; reconciles them to his entreaty, and himself to th' drink.

1 Ser. But it raises the greater war between him and his difcretion.

2 Ser.

2 Ser. Why, this it is to have a name in great men's fellowship: I had as lieve have a reed that will do me no fervice, as a partizan I could not heave...

1 Ser. To be call'd into a huge fphere, and not to be feen to move in't, are the holes where eyes fhould be, which pitifully disaster the cheeks.

Trumpets. Enter Cæfar, Antony, Pompey, Lepidus, Agrippa, Mecenas, Enobarbus, Menas, with other Captains

Ant. Thus do they, Sir: they take the flow o' th' Nile By certain fcale, i'th' pyramid; they know By th' height, the lownefs, or the mean, if dearth Or foizon follow. The higher Nilus fwells, The more it promifes; as it ebbs, the feedsman Upon the flime and ooze fcatters his grain, And fhortly comes to harvest.

Lep. You've ftrange ferpents there.

Ant. Ay, Lepidus.

Lep. Your ferpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your fun; fo is

Ant. They are fo.

your crocodile.

Pom. Sirrah, fome wine! a health to Lepidus.

Lep. I am not fo well as I fhould be: but I'll ne'er out. Eno. Not 'till you have flept; I fear me, you'll be in, 'till then.

Lep. Nay, certainly, I have heard the Ptolemy's pyramifis are very goodly things; without contradiction I have heard that.

Men. Pompey, a word.

Pom. Say in mine ear, what is't?

[Afide.

Men. Forfake thy feat, I do befeech thee, captain,

And hear me fpeak a word.

Pom. Forbear me 'till anon.

This wine for Lepidus.

[Whispers.

Lep. What manner o' thing is your crocodile?

Ant. It is fhap'd, Sir, like it felf, and it is as broad as it hath breadth; it is juft fo high as it is, and moves

with

with its own organs. It lives by that which nourisheth it, and the elements once out of it, it tranfmigrates.

Lep. What colour is it of?

Ant. Of its own colour too.
Lep. 'Tis a ftrange ferpent.

Ant. 'Tis fo, and the tears of it are wet.
Caf. Will this description fatisfie him?

I

Ant. With the 'healths that Pompey gives him, elfe he is a very Epicure.

Pom. Go hang, Sir, hang! tell me of that? away!
Do as I bid you. Where's the cup I call'd for?
Men. If for the fake of merit thou wilt hear me,
Rife from thy ftool.

Pom. I think thou'rt mad; the matter?

Men. I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes.
Pom. Thou haft ferv'd me with much faith: what's
elfe to say?

Be jolly, Lords.

Ant. Thefe quick-fands, Lepidus,

Keep off them, for you fink.

Men. Wilt thou be lord of all the world?

Pom. What fay'st thou?

Men. Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? that's twice.

Pom. How fhall that be?

.Men. But entertain it, and

Although, thou think me poor, I am the man

Will give thee all the world.

Pom. Haft thou drunk well?

Men. No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup. Thou art, if thou dar'ft be, the earthly Jove: Whate'er the ocean pales, or sky inclips,

Is thine, if thou wilt ha't.

Pom. Shew me which way.

Men. These three world-fharers, these competitors,
Are in thy veffel. Let me cut the cable,

And when we are put off, fall to their throats:
All then is thine.

I health

2 Though

Pom.

Pom Ah, this thou fhouldft have done,
And not have fpoken on't. In me 'tis villainy,
In thee't had been good fervice: thou must know,
'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour;
Mine honour it repent that e'er thy tongue
Hath fo betray'd thine act. Being done unknown,
I fhould have found it afterwards well done;
But muft condemn it now. Defift, and drink.
Men. For this

I'll never follow thy pall'd fortunes more;

Who feeks, and will not take when once 'tis offer'd,
Shall never find it more.

Pom. This health to Lepidus.

Ant. Bear him afhore, I'll pledge it for him, Pompey.
Eno. Here's to thee, Menas.
Men. Enobarbus, welcome.
Pom. Fill 'till the cup be hid.
Eno. There's a ftrong fellow,

Men. Why?

Menas.

[Pointing to Lepidus.

[not?

Eno. He bears the third part of the world, man! feest Men. The third part then is drunk; would it were all,

That it might go on wheels.

Eno. Drink thou, encrease the reels.

Men. Come.

Pom. This is not yet an Alexandrian feast.

Ant. It ripens towards it; ftrike the veffels, hoa.

Here is to Cafar.

Caf. I could well forbear it;

It's monstrous labour when I wash my brain,
And it grows fouler.

Ant. Be a child o' th' time.

Caf. Poffefs't, I'll anfwer; but I had rather fast From all, four days, than drink fo much in one. Eno. Ha, my brave Emperor, fhall we dance now Th' Egyptian bacchanals, and celebrate our drink? Pom. Let's ha't, good foldier.

VOL. V.

3 Poffefs it, I'll make anfwer;

Ant. Come let's all take hands,

'Till that the conquering wine hath steept our fenfe In foft and delicate Lethe.

Eno. All take hands:

Make battery to our ears with the loud mufick,
The while I'll place you, then the boy fhall fing.
The holding every man fhall + 'bear as loud,

As his ftrong fides can volly.

4

[Mufick plays. Enobarbus places them band in band.
The SONG.

Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne,
In thy vats our cares be drown'd:
With thy grapes our hairs be crown'd!
Cup us 'till the world go round,

Cup us 'till the world go round.

Cef. What would you more? Pompey, good-night.
Good brother,

Let me request you, off; our graver business
Frowns at this levity. Gentle Lords, let's part,
You fee we have burnt our cheek. Strong Enobarbus
Is weaker than the wind; and mine own tongue
Splits what it fpeaks; the wild difguife hath almost
Antickt us all. What needs more words? good night.
Good Antony, your hand.

Pom. I'll try you on the fhore.

Ant. And fhall, Sir; give's your hand.

Pom. Oh, Antony, you have my father's houfe. But what? we're friends: come down into the boat. Eno. Take heed you fall not, Menas.

Men. i'll not on fhore:

No, to my cabin thefe drums! thefe 5 trumpets! what!` Let Neptune hear we bid a loud farewel

To thefe great fellows. Sound and be hang'd, found out! [Sound a flourish, with drums.

Eno.