CLEO. What, was he fad, or merry?

ALEX. Like to the time o'the year between the extremes Of hot and cold; he was nor fad, nor merry.

CLEO. O well-divided difpofition!-Note him,

Note him, good Charmian, 'tis the man; but note him:
He was not fad; for he would fhine on those
That make their looks by his: he was not merry;
Which seem'd to tell them, his remembrance lay
In Egypt with his joy: but between both :
O heavenly mingle!-Be'ft thou fad, or merry,
The violence of either thee becomes;

So does it no man elfe.-Met'ft thou my pofts?
ALEX. Ay, madam, twenty feveral messengers:
Why do
you fend fo thick?

CLEO. Who's born that day

When I forget to fend to Antony,

Shall die a beggar.-Ink and paper, Charmian.-
Welcome, my good Alexas.-Did I, Charmian,
Ever love Cæfar fo?

CHAR. O that brave Cæfar!

CLEO. Be chok'd with fuch another emphafis!

Say, the brave Antony.

CHAR. The valiant Cæfar!

CLEO. By Ifis, I will give thee bloody teeth,

If thou with Cæfar paragon again

My man of men.

CHAR. By your moft gracious pardon,

I fing but after you.

CLEO. My fallad days;

When I was green in judgement :-Cold in blood,
To fay, as I faid then! But, come, away:
Get me ink and paper: he fhall have every day
A feveral greeting, or I'll unpeople. Egypt.

[Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. Meffina. A Room in POMPEr's Houfe.

Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS.

POм. If the great gods be juft, they shall affift The deeds of justest men.

MENE. Know, worthy Pompey,

That what they do delay, they not deny.

POM. Whiles we are fuitors to their throne, decays The thing we fue for.

MENE. We, ignorant of ourselves,

Beg often our own harms, which the wife powers
Deny us for our good; fo find we profit,

By lofing of our prayers.

POм. I fhall do well:

The people love me, and the fea is mine;
My power's a crefcent, and my auguring hope
Says, it will come to the full. Mark Antony
In Egypt fits at dinner, and will make

No wars without doors: Cæfar gets money, where
He loses hearts: Lepidus flatters both,

Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,

Nor either cares for him.

MEN. Cæfar and Lepidus

Are in the field; a mighty ftrength they carry.

POм. Where have you this? 'tis false.

MEN. From Silvius, fir.

POм. He dreams; I know, they are in Rome together, Looking for Antony: But all charms of love,

Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wan'd lip!

Let witchcraft join with beauty, luft with both!
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,

Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks,
Sharpen with cloylefs fauce his appetite;

That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour,
Even till a Lethe'd dulnefs.-How now Varrius?
Enter VARRIUS.

VAR. This is moft certain that I fhall deliver:
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
Expected; fince he went from Egypt, 'tis
A fpace for further travel.

POм. I could have given lefs matter
A better ear.-Menas, I did not think,

This amorous furfeiter would have don'd his helm
For fuch a petty war: his foldiership

Is twice the other twain: But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck
The ne'er luft-wearied Antony.

MEN. I cannot hope,

Cæfar and Antony fhall well greet together:
His wife, that's dead, did trefpaffes to Cæfar;
His brother warr'd upon him ;'although, I think,
Not mov'd by Antony.

POм. I know not, Menas,

How leffer enmities may give way to greater.
Were't not that we ftand up against them all,
'Twere pregnant they should square between themselves;
For they have entertained caufe enough

To draw their fwords: but how the fear of us
May cement their divifions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be it as our gods will have it! It only ftands
Our lives upon, to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. Rome. A Room in the Houfe of LEPIDUS. Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS.

LEP. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, to entreat your captain To foft and gentle speech.

ENO. I fhall entreat him

To answer like himfelf: if Cæfar move him,
Let Antony look over Cæfar's head,

And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,

Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,
I would not fhav't to-day.

LEP. 'Tis not a time

For private ftomaching.

ENO. Every time

Serves for the matter that is then born in it.

LEP. But fmall to greater matters must give way.

ENO. Not if the small come first.

LEP. Your speech is paffion :

But, pray you, ftir no embers up. Here comes

The noble Antony.

Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS.

ENO. And yonder, Cæfar.

Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA. ANT. If we compose well here, to Parthia :

Hark you, Ventidius.

CES. I do not know,

Mecænas; afk Agrippa.

LEP. Noble friends,

That which combin'd us was moft great, and let not
A leaner action rend us. What's amifs,

May it be gently heard: When we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit

Murder in healing wounds: Then, noble partners, (The rather, for I earnestly beseech,)

Touch you the foureft points with sweetest terms,

Nor curftness grow to the matter.

ANT. 'Tis fpoken well :

Were we before our armies, and to fight,

I fhould do thus.

CES. Welcome to Rome.

ANT. Thank you.

CES. Sit.

ANT. Sit, fir!

CES. Nay,

Then

ANT. I learn, you take things ill, which are not fo;

Or, being, concern you not.

CES. I must be laugh'd at,

If, or for nothing, or a little, I

Should fay myself offended; and with you

Chiefly i'the world: more laugh'd at, that I should Once name you derogately, when to found your name It not concern'd me.

ANT. My being in Egypt, Cæfar,

What was't to you

?

CES. No more than my refiding here at Rome

Might be to you in Egypt: Yet, if you there

Did practise on my ftate, your being in Ægypt

Might be my question.

ANT. How intend you, practis'd?

CES. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befal me. Your wife, and brother, Made wars upon me; and their contestation

Was theme for you, you were the word of war.

ANT. You do mistake your business; my brother never