progress to the East. Octavia returned without a murmur to Rome; and there, awaiting the return of her husband's inclinations, continued to manage his affairs, and to act, in every particular, as the mother of his children, including those by his former marriage.

Our first scene is in a room of Cæsar's house: Octavia has been presented to Antony, and signified her willing assent to a union with him: she is accompanied by her brother. Antony, after one of the interviews, is taking leave of her for the night:

[Antony.] The world, admir'd Octavia, will sometimes, For those high duties which it lays upon me, Divide me from your

[Octavia.] All which time,

bosom.

Before the gods my knee shall bend for you
In prayer.

[Antony.] Cæsar, good night. Pray, my Octavia,
Read not my blemishes in the world's report:

I have not kept my square; but that to come
Shall all be done by rule. Good night, dear lady!

Returning him the good night, she is led to the inner rooms by her brother :-Antony, in passing along the con. trary way, speaks to his attendants, and among them to an Egyptian soothsayer, one of his train:

[Antony.] Now, sirrah, you do wish yourself in Egypt? [Sooths.] 'Would I had never come from thence; nor you Come thither.

[Antony.] If you can, your reason: come!

[Soothsayer.] Emotions that I feel, not reasons which
My tongue can utter, make me say so: yet,
Hie you again to Egypt.

[Antony.] Say to me,

Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Cæsar's, or mine.

[Soothsayer.] Cæsar's:

And, therefore, Anto'ny, stay not by his side.
Thy demon, ay, thy spirit, i's of a nature

Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,

Where Cæsar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Sinks his high bearing, overpowered: and therefore
Make space enough between you.

[Antony.] Speak this no more.

[Soothsayer.] I will to none but thee.

Hast thou not found, that, if thou play with him
At any game of chance, thou 'rt sure to lose?
He beats thee 'gainst the odds: thy lustre thickens
When he shines by: I say again, thy spirit
Is all afraid to govern thee near him;
But, he away, 'tis noble.

[Antony.] Get thee gone:

Say to Ventidius I would speak with him;
He shall to Parthia. [a pause.] Be it art or hap,
He ha'th spoken true: the very dice obey him;
And, in our sports, my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds.
What, though I make this marriage for my peace,
I' the East my pleasure lies :-0, come, Ventidius;
You must to Parthia: your commission's ready;.
Follow me, and receive it.

The imagination will easily transport us from Rome to Alexandria: Cleopatra is discovered to us in her palace, surrounded by her attendants, among the foremost of whom are Charmian and Iras, females; also Alexas, one of her officers, and Mardian, one of the eunuchs.

[Cleopatra.] Give me some music; music, moody food Öf us that trade in love: no-let it be:

I will to billiards; Charmian, come: what ails you?
Your arm is hurt? then, Mardian; let him come.
No; I'll not play with him: well, I'll none now :
Give me mine angle,-to the river: there,
With music far off playing, I'll betray

Tawny-finn'd fishes: my bent hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws, and, as I draw them up,
I'll think them every one an Antony,

[Charmian ?

And say, "Ah, ha! you're caught."-What sayst thou,

[Charmian.] I said 'twas merry angling when, with Antony,
You wager'd on your sport, and made your diver
Go hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he
Drew up, and-

[Cleopatra.] O that time!—(0 times!)-that time
I laugh'd him out of patience; and that night
I laugh'd him into patience; and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drank him to his bed;
Then put my tires and mantles on him, while
I wore his sword Philippan.-O! from Italy
Some tidings come: is 't so? quick! bring him hither,
That he may stuff mine ears with news. Now, speak!
But say not, say not, Antony is dead ;-

If, villain, thou sayst so, thou killst thy mistress;
But well and free,

Oh, if thou yield him so, there's gold, and here
My bluest veins to kiss; a hand, that kings
Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing.

[Messenger.] He is well.

[Cle.] Why, there's more gold. But, sirrah, mark; we use To say the dead are well: bring it to that,

The gold I give thee, will I melt, and pour
Down thine ill-uttering throat.

[Messenger.] Be pleas'd to hear me.

[Cleopatra.] I will.

But there's no goodness in thy face: if Antony
Be free and healthful, why so sour a look
To go before such tidings?—if not well,

That look is not enough: thou shouldst have come
Crown'd like a fury with a head of snakes.
I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speakst:
Yet if thou say,-Antony lives, is well,
Is friends with Cæsar, or not captive to him,
I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail
Rich pearls upon thee.

[Messenger.] He is well.

[Cleopatra.] Well said.

[Messenger.] Cæsar and he are greater friends than ever. [Cleopatra.] Thou 'lt win a fortune from me, man!

[Messenger.] But yet

[Cleopatra.] I do not like but yet: it doth allay
The good that went before it: fie! but yet:
But yet is as a gaoler to bring forth

Some monstrous malefactor: pour thy news,
The good and bad together, in mine ear:

He's friends with Cæsar; well, thou sayst; and free?

[Messenger.] Free! no, I said not free: by compact, he Is bound unto Octavia.

[Cleopatra.] Bound? he's bound ?

What good turn hath he bound himself to render
Unto whom didst thou say?

[Messenger.] I said Octavia.

[Cleopatra.] O, I am pale!-he's bound? how bound?

[Messenger.] He's married to Octavia ?

[speak plainly.

[Cleopatra.] The most infectious pestilence upon thee!
Would that my hand, that strikes thee to the earth,
Had power to wither thee? What say you? Hence,
Horrible villain! or I'll spurn thine eyes

Like balls before me; I'll unhair thy head;
Thou shalt be whipp'd with wire, and stew'd in brine,
Smarting in lingering pickle.

[Messenger.] Gracious queen,

I, that do bring the news, made not the match.

[Cleopatra.] Say 'tis not so, a province I will give thee, And make thy fortune for the blow thou hadst.

[Messenger.] Would you the truth?

[Cleopatra.] Yes, yes, the truth!

[Messenger.] He's married.

[Cleopatra.] I'll kill thee, rogue! Let him not run away: Why didst thou not stop him, Charmian ? [Charmian.] Nay, good madam, The man is innocent.

[Cleopatra.] Yes, innocent;

But innocents 'scape not the thunderbolt.
Melt Egypt into Nile! and kindly creatures
Turn all to serpents! Call the slave again:
Though I am mad, I will not bite him:-Call!

[Charmian.] He is afraid to come.

[Cleopatra.] I will not hurt him :

These hands do lack nobility, that they strike
A meaner than myself, since I myself

Have given myself the cause.- -Come hither, sir.
Though it be honest, yet 'tis never good
To bring bad news. Give to a gracious message
A host of tongues; but let ill tidings tell
Themselves.

[Messenger.] I've done my duty.
[Cleopatra.] Is he married?

I cannot hate thee worse, if thou again
Say "yes;" then speak and fear not.

[Messenger.] He is married.

[Cleop.] The gods confound thee! dost thou still hold there?

[Messenger.] Would you that I lie?

[Cleopatra.] O, would thou didst!

Though half my Egypt were submerg'd and made
A cistern for scal'd snakes! Go, get thee hence;
Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me

Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is married?

[Messenger.] I crave your highness' pardon.