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.

Ant.

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 naught; and his quails 1 ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,

Enter VENTIDIUS.

1

I' the east my pleasure lies.-O, come, Ventidius; You must to Parthia; your commission's ready : Follow me, and receive it.

[Exeunt.

1 The ancients used to match quails as we match cocks. 2 Enclosed, confined.

SCENE IV.

The same. A street.

Enter LEPIDUS, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.

Lep. Trouble yourselves no farther: pray you,

hasten

Your generals after.

Agr.

Sir, Mark Antony

Will ev'n but kiss Octavia, and we 'll follow.

Lep. Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress, Which will become you both, farewell.

We shall,

Mec.
As I conceive the journey, be at Mount1

Before you, Lepidus.

Lep.

Your way is shorter;

My purposes do draw me much about:

You'll win two days upon me.

Mec. Agr.

Lep. Farewell.

SCENE V.

Sir, good success!

[Exeunt.

Alexandria. A room in the palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and Alexas. Cle. Give me some music; music, moody 2 food Of us that trade in love.

Att.

The music, ho!

11. e. Mount Misenum.

2 Melancholy.

Enter MARDIAN.

Cle. Let it alone; let us to billiards:

Come, Charmian.

Char. My arm is sore; best play with Mardian. Cle. As well a woman with an eunuch play'd, As with a woman:-come, you'll play with me, sir?

Mar. As well as I can, madam.

Cle. And when good will is show'd, though it come too short,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now:
Give me mine angle. We'll to the river: there,
My music playing far off, I will betray

Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,
I'll think them every one an Antony,

And say, 'Ah, ha! you're caught!'

Char.

'Twas merry, when

You wager'd on your angling; when your diver
Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he
With fervency drew up.

Cle.

That time!-O times!-
I laugh'd him out of patience; and that night
I laugh'd him into patience; and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed;
Then put my tires 1 and mantles on him, whilst
I wore his sword Philippan.-O! from Italy?

SHAK.

1 Head-dress.

XII.

D

Enter MESSENGER.

Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,

That long time have been barren.

Mes.

Cle. Antony's dead?

Madam, madam,

If thou say so, villain, thou kill'st thy mistress :
But well and free,

If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here
My bluest veins to kiss; a hand, that kings
Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing.

Mes. First, madam, he is well.

Cle.

But, sirrah, mark; we use

Why, there's more gold.

To say, the dead are well: bring it to that,
The gold I give thee, will I melt, and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.

Mes. Good madam, hear me.

Cle.

Well, go to, I will;

But there's no goodness in thy face. If Antony

Be free and healthful, why so tart a favor 1

To trumpet such good tidings? If not well,

Thou shouldst come like a fury crown'd with snakes, Not like a formal man.2

Mes.

Will 't please you hear me? Cle. I have a mind to strike thee, ere thou

speak'st:

Yet, if thou say, Antony lives, is well,

So sour a countenance.

2 i. e. a man in his senses.

Or friends with Cæsar, or not captive to him,
I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail

Mes. Cæsar and he are greater friends than ever. Cle. Make thee a fortune from me.

Mes.

But yet, madam,

Cle. I do not like 'But yet,' it does allay The good precedence: fie upon 'But yet!' 'But yet' is as a jailer to bring forth

Some monstrous malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend,

Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,

The good and bad together. He's friends with

Cæsar;

In state of health, thou say'st; and, thou say'st,

free.

Mes. Free, madam! no; I made no such report: He's bound unto Octavia.

Cle.

Mes. For the best turn i' the bed.

Cle.

For what good turn?

I am pale, Charmian.

Mes. Madam, he 's married to Octavia.

Cle. The most infectious pestilence upon thee!