[Cleopatra.] He is married?

[Messenger.] To punish me for what you make me say, Unless you'd have me lie, is most unequal.

[Cleopatra.] What? thou art sure of it? Go, get thee hence: The merchandize which thou hast brought from Rome, Is all too dear: lie it upon thy hand,

And be undone by it! Lead me from hence,

I faint! O, Iras, Charmian !—'Tis no matter :-
Go to the fellow, good Alexas; bid him
Report the features of Octavia, and her years;
Her inclinations; the colour of her hair :
Bring me word quickly.

And have I lost him? Let him go for ever!
Ah no; I must not, cannot lose him, Charmian :
Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,
On the other, he's a Mars.-Go, bid Alexas
Bring word how tall she is. Pity me, Charmian,
But speak not to me.-Lead me to my chamber.

"Our swift scene flies" from Egypt again to Italy: we must imagine the sea-coast in the bay of Naples, and the platforms raised on piles, extending from the shore on one side, and from Pompey's galley on the other. On these the conference is held, from a distance at first; but the parties coming to an agreement, planks are laid from one platform to the other, and they embrace. It is at this moment, we will become hearers of the dialogue. The persons present are Pompey, Lepidus, Octavius Cæsar, Antony, Enobarbus, and Menas; the last of whom is a naval commander under Pompey.

[Pompey.] Thus then we are agreed; and I now crave That what we have determin'd, shall be written And seal'd between us.

[Octavius.] That, Pompey, is the next we have to do.

[Pompey.] Here in my galley will I feast you both, Ere we do part; or, if you choose, then let us Draw lots who shall begin the mutual feasts.

[Antony.] I will begin.

[Pompey.] No, Antony, take your lot:

But first or last your fine Egyptian cookery

Shall have its praise. I've heard that Julius Cæsar
Grew fat with feeding there.

[Antony.] You may have heard

Much more, perchance, than I can answer to.

Antony, turning to another person, leaves Enobarbus to continue the dialogue with Pompey.

[Enobarbus.] No more of that, sir: if you have fair meanings, With fair words to them, I can be your witness.

[Pompey.] To whom, I pray, do I-O, pardon me; I know thee now: how far'st thou, soldier?

[Enobarbus.] Well;

And well am like to do; for I perceive
Four feasts a-cooking.

[Pompey.] Let me shake thy hand;

Í never hated thee: I've seen thee fight,
When I have envied thy behaviour.

[Enobarbus.] Sir,

I never lov'd you much; but I have prais'd you,
When you have well deserv'd ten times as much
As I have said you did.

[Pompey.] Enjoy thy plainness;

It nothing ill becomes thee, valiant soldier.
Aboard my galley I invite you all :

Come!

Menas and Enobarbus remain behind: Menas speaks:

[Menas.] You and I have known, sir.

[Enobarbus.] At sea, I think? You have done well, sir, there.

[Menas.] And you by land.

[Enobarbus.] Good: I will praise any man that praises me; though it cannot be denied what I have done by land.

[Menas.] Nor what I have done by sea.

[Enobarbus.] Yes; there is something you can deny for the sake of your own safety: you have been a great thief by sea.

[Menas.] And you by land.

[Enobarbus.] Well, give me your hand, Menas.

If our

eyes had authority, here might they take two thieves link'd in friendship. Yet we came hither to fight you. [Menas.] Ay, and for my part, I am sorry it is to be turn'd to a drinking bout. Pompey doth this day laugh away

his fortune.

[Enobarbus.] And if he do, he cannot weep it back again. [Menas.] You have said, sir. We look'd not for Mark Antony here: pray you, is he married to Cleopatra? [Enobarbus.] Cæsar's sister is call'd Octavia.

[Menas.] True, sir; she was the wife of Caius Marcellus. [Enobarbus.] But she is now the wife of Marcus Antoninus:-you are surprised, sir, but 'tis true.

[Menas.] Indeed!-then is Cæsar and he for ever knit together.

[Enobarbus.] If I were bound to divine of their unity, I would not prophesy so. You shall find that the band

which seems to tie their friendship together, will be the very strangler of their amity: Octavia is of a holy, cold, and still conversation.

[Menas.] Who would not have his wife so?

[Enobarbus.] Not he that is himself not so: and Mark Antony is such a he. He will to his Egyptian dish again his affection will be used where it is: he has married for his occasion.

[Menas.] It may be as you say. Come, sir, will you aboard? I have a health for you: let's away.

The parties, after the feasting, are supposed to come to Rome and the following dialogue is between Enobarbus and Agrippa in an ante-chamber of Cæsar's house, some days after their arrival: Enobarbus speaks :

[Enobar.] Thus friends do part: Pompey at length is gone; The three are sealing; and Octavia weeps

To part from Rome: Cæsar is sad; and Lepidus,
Since Pompey's feast, is troubled with a sickness.

[Agrippa.] 'Tis a noble Lepidus.

[Enobarbus.] A very fine one:

And then how much and dearly he loves Cæsar,[Agrippa.] Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony. Indeed he plied them both with excellent praises.

[Enobar.] But he loves Cæsar best; yet he loves Antony : Ho! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets, canThink, speak, cast, write, sing, number, ho! his love [not To Antony: but as for Cæsar, Cæsar,

Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder!

The trumpets speak of our departure: hark!
This is to horse.-Adieu, noble Agrippa.

Octavius Cæsar, Octavia, and Antony, come from the inner part of the house: Cæsar is bidding Octavia and her husband farewell:

Sister, prove
Noble Antony,

[Octavius.] You take from me a great part of myself;
Use that part well, I pray you.
The wife my thoughts do make you.
Let not the piece of virtue, that is set
Between us to cement our love, become
A cause to make it totter. Better we
Had lov'd without this means, if, on both parts,
This be not cherish'd.

[Antony ] Make me not offended

By any such distrust. You shall not find,

Though you do seek it, any the least cause

For what you seem to fear. So, the gods keep you!
We here will part.

[Octavius.] My sister, fare thee well!

The elements be kind to thee, and make Thy spirits all of comfort!-Fare thee well! [Octavia.] My noble brother!

[Antony.] Sunshine has its showers.

Cæsar, you make an April in her looks;

It is love's Spring; she still would speak with you. [Octavia.] Sir, look well to my husband's house, and,I'll tell you in your ear.

Antony stands observing her with admiration as she embraces her brother, and endeavours to speak to him: [Antony.] Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can Her heart inform her tongue: her sweet affection Is as the gentle down some swan has dropp'd, That stands upon the swell at full of tide, And neither way inclines. Nay come, sir, come; I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love: Your hand on this side-yours, Octavia: look, 'Tis here I have you ;-thus I let you go,

And give you to the gods. Now, now, for Athens! Again we fly from Rome to Alexandria. We left Cleopatra retiring to her chamber, unable at that time to bear a further audience with the messenger who had brought the ill news from Rome: she now determines to see him again. [come. [Cleopatra.] Where is the fellow, Charmian? bid him [Charmian.] He comes, but is afraid: he doth declare, Herod of Jewry dares not look upon you But when you are well pleas'd.

[Cleopatra.] That Herod's head

I'll have :-but how, when Antony is gone, [near.
Through whom I might command it ?-Come thou
Now speak, man: do not tremble: didst thou see
Octavia ?