Shakespeare's First Folio Part 653

Men. No slander, they steale hearts

En.o.b. We came hither to fight with you

Men. For my part, I am sorry it is turn'd to a Drinking.

Pompey doth this day laugh away his Fortune

En.o.b. If he do, sure he cannot weep't backe againe

Men. Y'haue said Sir, we look'd not for Marke Anthony heere, pray you, is he married to Cleopatra?

En.o.b. Caesars Sister is call'd Octauia

Men. True Sir, she was the wife of Caius Marcellus

En.o.b. But she is now the wife of Marcus Anthonius

Men. Pray'ye sir

En.o.b. 'Tis true

Men. Then is Caesar and he, for euer knit together

En.o.b. If I were bound to Diuine of this vnity, I wold not Prophesie so

Men. I thinke the policy of that purpose, made more in the Marriage, then the loue of the parties

En.o.b. I thinke so too. But you shall finde the band that seemes to tye their friends.h.i.+p together, will bee the very strangler of their Amity: Octauia is of a holy, cold, and still conuersation

Men. Who would not haue his wife so?

Eno. Not he that himselfe is not so: which is Marke Anthony: he will to his Egyptian dish againe: then shall the sighes of Octauia blow the fire vp in Caesar, and (as I said before) that which is the strength of their Amity, shall proue the immediate Author of their variance. Anthony will vse his affection where it is. Hee married but his occasion heere

Men. And thus it may be. Come Sir, will you aboord?

I haue a health for you

En.o.b. I shall take it sir: we haue vs'd our Throats in Egypt

Men. Come, let's away.

Exeunt.

Musicke playes. Enter two or three Seruants with a Banket.

1 Heere they'l be man: some o' their Plants are ill rooted already, the least winde i'th' world wil blow them downe

2 Lepidus is high Coulord

1 They haue made him drinke Almes drinke

2 As they pinch one another by the disposition, hee cries out, no more; reconciles them to his entreatie, and himselfe to'th' drinke

1 But it raises the greater warre betweene him & his discretion

2 Why this it is to haue a name in great mens Fellows.h.i.+p: I had as liue haue a Reede that will doe me no seruice, as a Partizan I could not heaue

1 To be call'd into a huge Sphere, and not to be seene to moue in't, are the holes where eyes should bee, which pittifully disaster the cheekes.

A Sennet sounded. Enter Caesar, Anthony, Pompey, Lepidus, Agrippa, Mecenas, En.o.barbus, Menes, with other Captaines.

Ant. Thus do they Sir: they take the flow o'th' Nyle By certaine scales i'th' Pyramid: they know By'th' height, the lownesse, or the meane: If dearth Or Foizon follow. The higher Nilus swels, The more it promises: as it ebbes, the Seedsman Vpon the slime and Ooze scatters his graine, And shortly comes to Haruest

Lep. Y'haue strange Serpents there?

Anth. I Lepidus

Lep. Your Serpent of Egypt, is bred now of your mud by the operation of your Sun: so is your Crocodile

Ant. They are so

Pom. Sit, and some Wine: A health to Lepidus

Lep. I am not so well as I should be: But Ile ne're out

En.o.b. Not till you haue slept: I feare me you'l bee in till then

Lep. Nay certainly, I haue heard the Ptolomies Pyramisis are very goodly things: without contradiction I haue heard that

Menas. Pompey, a word

Pomp. Say in mine eare, what is't

Men. Forsake thy seate I do beseech thee Captaine, And heare me speake a word

Pom. Forbeare me till anon.

Whispers in's Eare.

This Wine for Lepidus

Lep. What manner o' thing is your Crocodile?

Ant. It is shap'd sir like it selfe, and it is as broad as it hath bredth; It is iust so high as it is, and mooues with it owne organs. It liues by that which nourisheth it, and the Elements once out of it, it Transmigrates

Lep. What colour is it of?

Ant. Of it owne colour too

Lep. 'Tis a strange Serpent

Ant. 'Tis so, and the teares of it are wet

Caes Will this description satisfie him?

Ant. With the Health that Pompey giues him, else he is a very Epicure