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 shine 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 Souldiership 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.