The ne'er-touch'd vestal: Try thy cunning, Thyreus;
Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we
Will answer as a law.

Thyr.

Cæsar, I go.

Cæs. Observe how Antony becomes his flaw; And what thou think'st his very action speaks In every power that moves.

Thyr.

Cæsar, I shall.

[Exeunt.

SCENE XI.

Alexandria. A room in the palace.

Enter Cleopatra, Enobarbus, Charmian, and Iras.

Cleo. What shall we do, Enobarbus?

Eno. Think, and die. Cleo. Is Antony, or we, in fault for this? Eno. Antony only, that would make his will Lord of his reason. What although you fled From that great face of war, whose several ranges Frighted each other? why should he follow? The itch of his affection should not then Have nick'd his captainship; at such a point, When half to half the world oppos'd, he being The mered questiont: 'Twas a shame no less Than was his loss, to course your flying flags, And leave his navy gazing.

Cleo.

Pr'ythee, peace.

Enter Antony, with Euphronius.

Ant. Is this his answer?

Eup.

Ay, my lord.

* Conforms himself to this breach of his fortune. The only cause of the dispute.

To the boy Cæsar send this grizzled head,
And he will fill thy wishes to the brim.

With principalities.

Cleo.

That head, my lord?

Ant. To him again; Tell him, he wears the rose Of youth upon him; from which the world should note Something particular: his coin, ships, legions,

May be a coward's; whose ministers would prevail Under the service of a child, as soon

As i' the command of Cesar: I dare him therefore
To lay his gay comparisons* apart,

And answer me declin'dt, sword against sword,
Ourselves alone: I'll write it; follow me.

[Exeunt Antony and Euphronius.
Eno. Yes, like enough, high-battled Cæsar will
Unstate his happiness, and be stag'd to the show,
Against a sworder.-I see, men's judgements are
A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward
Do draw the inward quality after them,

To suffer all alike. That he should dream,
Knowing all measures, the full Cæsar will

Answer his emptiness!-Cæsar, thou hast subdu'd
His judgement too..

Att.

Enter an Attendant.

A messenger from Cæsar.

Cleo. What, no more ceremony?-See, my wo

men!

Against the blown rose may they stop their nose,
That kneel'd unto the buds.-Admit him, sir.

• Circumstances of splendor.

+ In age and power.

Are of a piece with them.

Eno. Mine honesty, and I, begin to square*.

[Aside.

The loyalty well held to fools, does make
Our faith mere folly :-Yet, he, that can endure
To follow with allegiance a fallen lord,

Does conquer him that did his master conquer,
And earns a place i' the story.

Cleo.

Enter Thyreus.

Cæsar's will?

Thyr. Hear it apart.

Cleo.

None but friends; say boldly. Thyr. So, haplyt, are they friends to Antony. Eno. He needs as many, sir, as Cæsar has; Or needs not us. If Cæsar please, our master Will leap to be his friend: For us, you know, Whose he is, we are; and that's, Cæsar's.

Thyr.

So.

Thus then, thou most renown'd; Cæsar entreats, Not to consider in what case thou stand'st, Further than he is Cæsar.

Cleo.

Go on: Right royal.

Thyr. He knows, that you embrace not Antony As you did love, but as you fear'd him.

Cleo.

O!

Thyr. The scars upon your honour, therefore, he Does pity, as constrained blemishes,

Not as deserv'd.

Cleo.

He is a god, and knows

What is most right: Mine honour was not yielded,, But conquer'd merely.

Eno.

To be sure of that,

[Aside.

I will ask Antony.-Sir, sir, thou'rt so leaky,
That we must leave thee to thy, sinking, for

Thy dearest quit thee.

Thyr.

[Exit Enobarbus.

Shall I say to Cæsar

What you require of him? for he partly begs.

To be desir'd to give. It much would please him,
That of his fortunes you should make a staff
To lean upon: but it would warm his spirits,
To hear from me you had left Antony,

And put yourself under his shrowd,
The universal landlord.

Cleo.

What's your name?

Thyr. My name is Thyreus.
Cleo.

Most kind messenger,

Say to great Cæsar this, In disputation*

I kiss his conqu'ring hand: tell him, I am prompt
To lay my crown at his feet, and there to kneel:
Tell him, from his all-obeying t breath I hear
The doom of Egypt.

Thyr.
'Tis your noblest course.
Wisdom and fortune combating together,
If that the former dare but what it can,

No chance may shake it. Give me grace to lay
My duty on your hand.

Cleo.

Your Cæsar's father

Oft, when he hath mus'd of taking kingdoms in §,
Bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place,
As it rain'd kisses.

Ant.

Re-enter Antony and Enobarbus.

What art thou, fellow?

Thyr.

Favours, by Jove that thunders !

One, that but performs

The bidding of the fullest || man, and worthiest

To have command obey'd.

Eno.

You will be whipp'd.

Ant. Approach, there:- Ay, you kite! Now

gods and devils!

Authority melts from me: Of late, when I cry'd, ho!

* Supposed to be an error for deputation, i. e. by + Obeyed.

proxy.
Grant me the favour.
Most complete and perfect.

$ Conquering.

Like boys unto a muss, kings would start forth,
And cry, Your will? Have you no ears? I am

Enter Attendants.

Antony yet. Take hence this Jackt, and whip him. Eno. 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp,

Than with an old one dying.

Ant.

Moon and stars!

Whip him-Were't twenty of the greatest tributa

ries

That do acknowledge Cæsar, should I find them
So saucy with the hand of she here (What's ber

name,

Since she was Cleopatra?)-Whip him, fellows,
Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face,
And whine aloud for mercy: Take him hence.
Thyr. Mark Antony,-

Ant.

Tug him away: being whipp'd,

Bring him again :-This Jack of Cæsar's shall
Bear us an errand to him.-

[Exeunt Attend. with Thyreus.

You were half blasted ere I knew you:-Ha!
Have I my pillow left unpress'd in Rome,
Forborne the getting of a lawful race,
And by a gem of women, to be abus'd

By one that looks on feeders $?

Cleo.

Good my lord,

Ant. You have been a boggler ever :

But when we in our viciousness grow hard,
(O misery on't!) the wise gods seel our eyes;

In our own filth drop our clear judgements; make us
Adore our errors; laugh at us, while we strut
To our confusion.

Cleo.

O, is it come to this?

Ant. I found you as a morsel, cold upon

Dead Cæsar's trencher: nay, you were a fragment

⚫ Scramble,

A term of contempt.

Servants.

Close up.