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is my hand。 A sister I bequeath you； whom no brother Did ever love so
dearly。 Let her live To join our kingdoms and our hearts； and never Fly off
our loves again！ LEPIDUS。 Happily； amen！ ANTONY。 I did not think to
draw my sword 'gainst Pompey； For he hath laid strange courtesies and
great Of late upon me。 I must thank him only； Lest my remembrance suffer
ill report； At heel of that； defy him。 LEPIDUS。 Time calls upon's。 Of us
must Pompey presently be sought； Or else he seeks out us。 ANTONY。
Where lies he？ CAESAR。 About the Mount Misenum。 ANTONY。 What is
his strength by land？ CAESAR。 Great and increasing； but by sea He is an
absolute master。 ANTONY。 So is the fame。 Would we had spoke together！
Haste we for it。 Yet； ere we put ourselves in arms； dispatch we The
business we have talk'd of。 CAESAR。 With most gladness； And do invite
you to my sister's view； Whither straight I'll lead you。 ANTONY。 Let us；
Lepidus； Not lack your company。 LEPIDUS。 Noble Antony； Not sickness
should detain me。 ＇Flourish＇ Exeunt all but ENOBARBUS； AGRIPPA；
MAECENAS MAECENAS。 Welcome from Egypt； sir。 ENOBARBUS。
Half the heart of Caesar； worthy Maecenas！ My honourable friend；
Agrippa！ AGRIPPA。 Good Enobarbus！ MAECENAS。 We have cause to be
glad that matters are so well digested。 You stay'd well by't in Egypt。
ENOBARBUS。 Ay； sir； we did sleep day out of countenance and made the
night light with drinking。 MAECENAS。 Eight wild boars roasted whole at
a breakfast； and but twelve persons there。 Is this true？ ENOBARBUS。
This was but as a fly by an eagle。 We had much more monstrous matter of
feast； which worthily deserved noting。 MAECENAS。 She's a most
triumphant lady； if report be square to her。 ENOBARBUS。 When she first
met Mark Antony she purs'd up his heart； upon the river of Cydnus。
AGRIPPA。 There she appear'd indeed！ Or my reporter devis'd well for her。
ENOBARBUS。 I will tell you。 The barge she sat in； like a burnish'd throne；
Burn'd on the water。 The poop was beaten gold； Purple the sails； and so
perfumed that The winds were love…sick with them； the oars were silver；
Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke； and made The water which they
beat to follow faster； As amorous of their strokes。 For her own person； It
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beggar'd all description。 She did lie In her pavilion； cloth…of…gold； of tissue；
O'erpicturing that Venus where we see The fancy out…work nature。 On
each side her Stood pretty dimpled boys； like smiling Cupids； With divers…
colour'd fans； whose wind did seem To glow the delicate cheeks which
they did cool； And what they undid did。 AGRIPPA。 O； rare for Antony！
ENOBARBUS。 Her gentlewomen； like the Nereides； So many mermaids；
tended her i' th' eyes； And made their bends adornings。 At the helm A
seeming mermaid steers。 The silken tackle Swell with the touches of those
flower…soft hands That yarely frame the office。 From the barge A strange
invisible perfume hits the sense Of the adjacent wharfs。 The city cast Her
people out upon her； and Antony； Enthron'd i' th' market…place； did sit
alone； Whistling to th' air； which； but for vacancy； Had gone to gaze on
Cleopatra too； And made a gap in nature。 AGRIPPA。 Rare Egyptian！
ENOBARBUS。 Upon her landing； Antony sent to her； Invited her to
supper。 She replied It should be better he became her guest； Which she
entreated。 Our courteous Antony； Whom ne'er the word of 'No' woman
heard speak； Being barber'd ten times o'er； goes to the feast； And for his
ordinary pays his heart For what his eyes eat only。 AGRIPPA。 Royal
wench！ She made great Caesar lay his sword to bed。 He ploughed her； and
she cropp'd。 ENOBARBUS。 I saw her once Hop forty paces through the
public street； And； having lost her breath； she spoke； and panted； That she
did make defect perfection； And； breathless； pow'r breathe forth。
MAECENAS。 Now Antony must leave her utterly。 ENOBARBUS。 Never！
He will not。 Age cannot wither her； nor custom stale Her infinite variety。
Other women cloy The appetites they feed； but she makes hungry Where
most she satisfies； for vilest things Become themselves in her； that the
holy priests Bless her when she is riggish。 MAECENAS。 If beauty；
wisdom； modesty； can settle The heart of Antony； Octavia is A blessed
lottery to him。 AGRIPPA。 Let us go。 Good Enobarbus； make yourself my
guest Whilst you abide here。 ENOBARBUS。 Humbly； sir； I thank you。
Exeunt
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SCENE III。 Rome。 CAESAR'S house
Enter ANTONY； CAESAR； OCTAVIA between them
ANTONY。 The world and my great office will sometimes Divide me
from your bosom。 OCTAVIA。 All which time Before the gods my knee
shall bow my prayers To them for you。 ANTONY。 Good night； sir。 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 th' rule。 Good night； dear
lady。 OCTAVIA。 Good night； sir。 CAESAR。 Good night。 Exeunt CAESAR
and OCTAVIA
Enter SOOTHSAYER
ANTONY。 Now； sirrah； you do wish yourself in Egypt？
SOOTHSAYER。 Would I had never come from thence； nor you thither！
ANTONY。 If you can… your reason。 SOOTHSAYER。 I see it in my motion；
have it not in my tongue； but yet hie you to Egypt again。 ANTONY。 Say to
me； Whose fortunes shall rise higher； Caesar's or mine？ SOOTHSAYER。
Caesar's。 Therefore； O Antony； stay not by his side。 Thy daemon； that thy
spirit which keeps thee； is Noble； courageous； high； unmatchable； Where
Caesar's is not； but near him thy angel Becomes a fear； as being
o'erpow'r'd。 Therefore Make space enough between you。 ANTONY。 Speak
this no more。 SOOTHSAYER。 To none but thee； no more but when to thee。
If thou dost play with him at any game； Thou art sure to lose； and of that
natural luck 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。 Exit SOOTHSAYER He shall to Parthia。… Be it art or hap；
He hath spoken true。 The very dice obey him； And in our sports my better
cunning faints Under his chance。 If we draw lots； he speeds； His cocks do
win the battle still of mine； When it is all to nought； and his quails ever
Beat mine； inhoop'd； at odds。 I will to Egypt； And though I make this
marriage for my peace； I' th' East my pleasure lies。
Enter VENTIDIUS
O； come； Ventidius； You must to Parthia。 Your commission's ready；
Follow me and receive't。 Exeunt
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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
SCENE IV。 Rome。 A street
Enter LEPIDUS； MAECENAS； and AGRIPPA
LEPIDUS。 Trouble yourselves no further。 Pray you hasten Your
generals after。 AGRIPPA。 Sir； Mark Antony Will e'en but kiss Octavia； and
we'll follow。 LEPIDUS。 Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress； Which
will become you both； farewell。 MAECENAS。 We shall； As I conceive the
journey； be at th' Mount Before you； Lepidus。 LEPIDUS。 Your way is
shorter； My purposes do draw me much about。 You'll win two days upon
me。 BOTH。 Sir； good success！ LEPIDUS。 Farewell。 Exeunt
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SCENE V。 Alexandria。 CLEOPATRA'S palace
Enter CLEOPATRA； CHARMIAN； IRAS； and ALEXAS
CLEOPATRA。 Give me some music… music； moody food Of us that
trade in love。 ALL。 The music； ho！
Enter MARDIAN the eunuch
CLEOPATRA。 Let it alone！ Let's to billiards。 Come； Charmian。
CHARMIAN。 My arm is sore； best play with Mardian。 CLEOPATRA。 As
well a woman with an eunuch play'd As with a woman。 Come； you'll play
with me； sir？ MARDIAN。 As well as I can； madam。