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Enter Ventidius as in Triumph, the dead body of Pacorus born before bim, Silius, Roman Soldiers and Attendants.

No

VENTIDIUS.

OW, darting Parthia, art thou ftruck, and now
Pleas'd fortune does of Marcus Crassus' death
Make me revenger. Bear the King's fon's body

Before our hoft; thy Pacorus, Orodes,

Pays this for Marcus Craffus.

Sil. Noble Ventidius,

Whilft yet with Parthian blood thy fword is warm,
The fugitive Parthians follow. Spur through Media,
Mefopotamia, and the fhelters whither

The routed fly. So thy grand captain Antony
Shall fet thee on triumphant chariots, and
Put garlands on thy head.

Vent. 'Silius, I've done

Enough. A lower place, note well, may make
Too great an act: for learn this, Silius, better
To leave undone, than by our deed acquire
Too high a fame, when he we ferve's away.
Cafar and Antony have ever won

More in their officer, than perfon. Sofius,
One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
For quick accumulation of renown,

Which he atchiev'd by th' minute, loft his favour.
Who does i' th' wars more than his captain can,
Becomes his captain's captain and ambition,
(The foldier's virtue) rather makes choice of lofs,
Than gain which darkens him. I could do more

X 2

To

6 Oh Silius, Silius,

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To do Antonius good, but 'twould offend him ;
And in his offence fhould my performance perish.
Sil. Thou haft, Ventidius, that, without the which
A foldier and his fword grant fcarce distinction:
Thou wilt write to Antony.

Ven. I'll humbly fignifie what in his name,
(That magical word of war) we have effected;
How with his banners, and his well-paid ranks,
The ne'er-yet-beaten horfe of Parthia

We've jaded out o'th' field.

Sil. Where is he now?

Ven. He purpofeth to Athens; with what hafte The weight we muft convey with's will permit, We fhall appear before him. Pafs along.

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[Exeunt.

Enter Agrippa at one door, Ænobarbus at another.

7Hat, are the brothers parted?

[gone,

Agr. WHat,
Eno.They have dispatcht with Pompey, he is

To part

The other three are fealing. Octavia weeps
from Rome: Cafar is fad, and Lepidus,
Since Pompey's feaft, as Menas fays, is troubled
With the green-fickness.

Agr. 'Tis a noble Lepidus.

Eno. A very fine one; oh, how he loves Cafar! Agr. Nay but how dearly he adores Mark Antony! Eno. Cafar? why, he's the Jupiter of men. Agr. What's Antony, the God of Jupiter? Eno. Speak you of Cafar? oh the non-pareil ! Agr. Of Antony? oh the Arabian bird! Eno. Would you praise Cæfar? fay, Cafar! go no further. Agr. Indeed he plied them both with excellent praises. Ano. But he loves Cæfar beft, yet he loves Antony : Hoo! hearts, tongues," 'figures, fcribes, bards, poets, cannot Think,

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Think, fpeak, caft, write, 'fing, hoo! his love to Antony. But as for Cæfar, kneel, kneel down, and wonder. Agr. Both he loves.

Eno. They are his fhards, and he their beetle. SoThis is to horfe; adieu, noble Agrippa.

[Trumpets. Agr. Good fortune, worthy foldier, and farewel.

Enter Cæfar, Antony, Lepidus, and Octavia. Ant. No farther, Sir.

felf:

Caf. You take from me a great part of my
Use me well in't. Sifter, prove fuch a wife
As my thoughts make thee, and my farthest bond.
Shall pass on thy approof. Moft noble Antony,
Let not the piece of virtue which is fet
Betwixt us, as the cement of our love,
To keep it builded, be the ram to batter

The fortrefs of it; for much better might we
Have lov'd without this mean, if on both
This be not cherisht.

Ant. Make me not offended

In your diftrust.

Cef. I have faid.

Ant. You fhall not find,

parts

Though you be therein curious, the leaft caufe
For what you seem to fear; fo the Gods keep you,
And make the hearts of Romans ferve your ends!
We will here part.

Caf. Farewel, my dearest fifter, fare thee well;
The elements be kind to thee, and make

Thy fpirits all of comfort; fare thee well!
Oa. My noble brother!

Ant. The April's in her eyes, it is love's fpring,
And these the showers to bring it on; be chearful.
O. Sir, look well to my husband's house; and-
Caf. What,

Octavia?

Oct. I'll tell you in your ear.

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2 for better

9 fing, number, ho! 1 kneel down,

Ant.

Ant. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can Her heart inform her tongue; the fwan's down-feather, That ftands upon the fwell at full of tide,

And neither way inclines.

Eno. Will Cæfar weep?

Agr. He has a cloud in's face.

Eno. He were the worse for that, were he a horse; So is he, being a man.

Agr. Why, Enobarbus?

When Antony found Julius Cæfar dead,

He cryed almost to roaring: and he wept,

When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.

Eno. That year indeed he was troubled with a rheum, What willingly he did confound, he wail'd;

Believ't 'till I weep too.

Caf. No, fweet Octavia,

You fhall hear from me ftill; the time fhall not

Out-go my thinking on you.

Ant. Come, Sir, come,

I'll wrestle with you in my ftrength of love.

[go,

Look, here I have you; [Embracing him.] thus I let you

And give you to the Gods.

Caf Adieu, be happy!

Lep. Let all the number of the ftars give light

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Cleo.

SCENE

The Palace in Alexandria.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas.

Here is the fellow?

Alex. Half afraid to come.

Cleo. Go to, go to: come hither, Sir,

Enter

Enter the Melenger as before.

Alex. Good Majefty,

Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you,

But when you are well pleas'd.

Cleo. That Herod's head

I'll have; but how? when Antony is gone,

Through whom I might command it: come thou near.

Mef. Moft gracious Majefty!

Cleo. Didft thou behold Octavia?

Mef Ay, dread Queen.

Cleo. Where?

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Mef. Madam, in Rome, I lookt her in the face: And faw her led between her brother and

Mark Antony.

Cleo. Is the as tall as me?

Mef. She is not, Madam.

Cleo. Didft hear her fpeak? is fhe fhrill-tongu'd or low?
Mef. Madam, I heard her speak, fhe is low-voic'd.
Cleo. That's not fo good; he cannot like her long.
Char. Like her? oh Ifis! 'tis impoffible.

Cleo. I think fo, Charmian; dull of tongue, and dwarfish. What majefty is in her gate? remember

If e'er thou look'dft on majefty.

Mef. She creeps;"

Her motion and her ftation are as one:

She fhews a body rather than a life,

A ftatue than a breather.

Cleo. Is this certain?

Mef. Or I have no obfervance.

Char. Three in Egypt

Cannot make better note.

Cleo. He's very knowing,

I do perceive't; there's nothing in her yet.

The fellow has good judgment.

Char. Excellent.

Cleo. Guefs at her years, I pr'ythee.

X 4

(a) Obfervance is here used for Obfervation.

Mef,

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