TPTT The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra: ACT II
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
SCENE I. Messina. POMPEY's house.
SCENE II. Rome. The house of LEPIDUS.
SCENE III. The same. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's house.
SCENE IV. The same. A street.
SCENE V. Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace.
SCENE VI. Near Misenum.
SCENE VII. On board POMPEY's galley, off Misenum.
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
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SCENE VII. On board POMPEY's galley, off Misenum.
Music plays. Enter two or three Servants with a banquet
First Servant
      Here they'll be, man. Some o' their plants are
      ill-rooted already: the least wind i' the world
      will blow them down.
Second Servant
      Lepidus is high-coloured.
First Servant
5     They have made him drink alms-drink.
Second Servant
      As they pinch one another by the disposition, he
      cries out 'No more;' reconciles them to his
      entreaty, and himself to the drink.
First Servant
      But it raises the greater war between him and
10    his discretion.
Second Servant
      Why, this is to have a name in great men's
      fellowship: I had as lief have a reed that will do
      me no service as a partisan I could not heave.
First Servant
      To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen
15    to move in't, are the holes where eyes should be,
      which pitifully disaster the cheeks.
A sennet sounded. Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MARK ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POMPEY, AGRIPPA, MECAENAS, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, MENAS, with other captains
MARK ANTONY
      (To OCTAVIUS CAESAR) Thus do they, sir: they take
      the flow o' the Nile
      By certain scales i' the pyramid; they know,
20    By the height, the lowness, or the mean, if dearth
      Or foison follow: the higher Nilus swells,
      The more it promises: as it ebbs, the seedsman
      Upon the slime and ooze scatters his grain,
      And shortly comes to harvest.
LEPIDUS
25    You've strange serpents there.
MARK ANTONY
      Ay, Lepidus.
LEPIDUS
      Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the
      operation of your sun: so is your crocodile.
MARK ANTONY
      They are so.
POMPEY
30    Sit,--and some wine! A health to Lepidus!
LEPIDUS
      I am not so well as I should be, but I'll ne'er out.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      Not till you have slept; I fear me you'll be in till then.
LEPIDUS
      Nay, certainly, I have heard the Ptolemies'
      pyramises are very goodly things; without
35    contradiction, I have heard that.
MENAS
      (Aside to POMPEY) Pompey, a word.
POMPEY
      (Aside to MENAS) Say in mine ear:
      what is't?
MENAS
      (Aside to POMPEY) Forsake thy seat, I do beseech
40    thee, captain,
      And hear me speak a word.
POMPEY
      (Aside to MENAS) Forbear me till anon.
      This wine for Lepidus!
LEPIDUS
      What manner o' thing is your crocodile?
MARK ANTONY
45    It is shaped, sir, like itself; and it is as broad
      as it hath breadth: it is just so high as it is,
      and moves with its own organs: it lives by that
      which nourisheth it; and the elements once out of
      it, it transmigrates.
LEPIDUS
50    What colour is it of?
MARK ANTONY
      Of it own colour too.
LEPIDUS
      'Tis a strange serpent.
MARK ANTONY
      'Tis so. And the tears of it are wet.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
      Will this description satisfy him?
MARK ANTONY
55    With the health that Pompey gives him, else he is a
      very epicure.
POMPEY
      (Aside to MENAS) Go hang, sir, hang! Tell me of
      that? away!
      Do as I bid you. Where's this cup I call'd for?
MENAS
60    (Aside to POMPEY) If for the sake of merit thou
      wilt hear me,
      Rise from thy stool.
POMPEY
      (Aside to MENAS) I think thou'rt mad.
      The matter?
Rises, and walks aside
MENAS
65    I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes.
POMPEY
      Thou hast served me with much faith. What's else to say?
      Be jolly, lords.
MARK ANTONY
      These quick-sands, Lepidus,
      Keep off them, for you sink.
MENAS
70    Wilt thou be lord of all the world?
POMPEY
      What say'st thou?
MENAS
      Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? That's twice.
POMPEY
      How should that be?
MENAS
      But entertain it,
75    And, though thou think me poor, I am the man
      Will give thee all the world.
POMPEY
      Hast thou drunk well?
MENAS
      Now, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup.
      Thou art, if thou darest be, the earthly Jove:
80    Whate'er the ocean pales, or sky inclips,
      Is thine, if thou wilt ha't.
POMPEY
      Show me which way.
MENAS
      These three world-sharers, these competitors,
      Are in thy vessel: let me cut the cable;
85    And, when we are put off, fall to their throats:
      All there is thine.
POMPEY
      Ah, this thou shouldst have done,
      And not have spoke on't! In me 'tis villany;
      In thee't had been good service. Thou must know,
90    'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour;
      Mine honour, it. Repent that e'er thy tongue
      Hath so betray'd thine act: being done unknown,
      I should have found it afterwards well done;
      But must condemn it now. Desist, and drink.
MENAS
95    (Aside) For this,
      I'll never follow thy pall'd fortunes more.
      Who seeks, and will not take when once 'tis offer'd,
      Shall never find it more.
POMPEY
      This health to Lepidus!
MARK ANTONY
100   Bear him ashore. I'll pledge it for him, Pompey.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      Here's to thee, Menas!
MENAS
      Enobarbus, welcome!
POMPEY
      Fill till the cup be hid.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      There's a strong fellow, Menas.
Pointing to the Attendant who carries off LEPIDUS
MENAS
105   Why?
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      A' bears the third part of the world, man; see'st
      not?
MENAS
      The third part, then, is drunk: would it were all,
      That it might go on wheels!
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
110   Drink thou; increase the reels.
MENAS
      Come.
POMPEY
      This is not yet an Alexandrian feast.
MARK ANTONY
      It ripens towards it. Strike the vessels, ho?
      Here is to Caesar!
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
115   I could well forbear't.
      It's monstrous labour, when I wash my brain,
      And it grows fouler.
MARK ANTONY
      Be a child o' the time.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
      Possess it, I'll make answer:
120   But I had rather fast from all four days
      Than drink so much in one.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      Ha, my brave emperor!

To MARK ANTONY

      Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals,
      And celebrate our drink?
POMPEY
125   Let's ha't, good soldier.
MARK ANTONY
      Come, let's all take hands,
      Till that the conquering wine hath steep'd our sense
      In soft and delicate Lethe.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      All take hands.
130   Make battery to our ears with the loud music:
      The while I'll place you: then the boy shall sing;
      The holding every man shall bear as loud
      As his strong sides can volley.

Music plays. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS places them hand in hand

THE SONG.

      Come, thou monarch of the vine,
135   Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne!
      In thy fats our cares be drown'd,
      With thy grapes our hairs be crown'd:
      Cup us, till the world go round,
      Cup us, till the world go round!
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
140   What would you more? Pompey, good night. Good brother,
      Let me request you off: our graver business
      Frowns at this levity. Gentle lords, let's part;
      You see we have burnt our cheeks: strong Enobarb
      Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue
145   Splits what it speaks: the wild disguise hath almost
      Antick'd us all. What needs more words? Good night.
      Good Antony, your hand.
POMPEY
      I'll try you on the shore.
MARK ANTONY
      And shall, sir; give's your hand.
POMPEY
150   O Antony,
      You have my father's house,--But, what? we are friends.
      Come, down into the boat.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      Take heed you fall not.

Exeunt all but DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS and MENAS

      Menas, I'll not on shore.
MENAS
155   No, to my cabin.
      These drums! these trumpets, flutes! what!
      Let Neptune hear we bid a loud farewell
      To these great fellows: sound and be hang'd, sound out!
Sound a flourish, with drums
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      Ho! says a' There's my cap.
MENAS
160   Ho! Noble captain, come.
Exeunt
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