Mes. My master's man.-Strato, where is thy

master?

Stra. Free from the bondage you are in, Messala:

The conquerors can but make a fire of him:
For Brutus only overcame himself,

And no man else hath honour by his death.
Luc. So Brutus should be found.-I thank
thee, Brutus,

That thou hast proved Lucilius' saying true.

Oct. All that served Brutus, I will entertain them.

Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me? Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you. Oct. Do so, good Messala.

Mes. How died my master, Strato?

Stra. I held the sword, and he did run on it.

Mes. Octavius, then, take him to follow thee, That did the latest service to my master.

Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all.

All the conspirators, save only he,
Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar:
He, only, in a general honest thought,
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle; and the elements
So mixed in him, that Nature might stand up
And say to all the world, "This was a man!"

Oct. According to his virtue let us use him;
With all respect and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
Most like a soldier, ordered honourably.-
So call the field to rest: and let's away,
To part the glories of this happy day. [Exeunt

Cleo. Perchance (nay, and most like), You must not stay here longer: your dismission Is come from Cæsar: therefore hear it, Antony.— Where's Fulvia's process?-Cæsar's, I would say-both :

Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen, Thou blushest, Antony, and that blood of thine Is Cæsar's homager: else so thy cheek pays shame When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds.—The messengers.

Ant. Let Rome in Tyber melt, and the wide arch Of the ranged empire fall!-Here is my space. Kingdoms are clay: our dungy earth alike Feeds beast as man: the nobleness of life

Is to do thus [Embracing], when such a mutual pair

And such a twain can do 't: in which I bind, On pain of punishment, the world to weet We stand up peerless.

That he approves the common liar, who
Thus speaks of him at Rome: but I will hope
Of better deeds to-morrow. Rest you happy!

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.-The same.

Another Room.

Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a Soothsayer.

Char. Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most anything Alexas, almost most absolute Alexas, where's the soothsayer that you praised so to the queen?-O that I knew this husband which you say must change his horns with garlands! Alex. Soothsayer!

Eno. Bring in the banquet quickly: wine enough, Cleopatra's health to drink.

Char. Good sir, give me good fortune.
Sooth. I make not, but foresee.

Char. Pray, then, foresee me one.

Sooth. You shall be yet far fairer than you are. Char. He means, in flesh.

Iras. No; you shall paint when you are old. Char. Wrinkles forbid!

Alex. Vex not his prescience: be attentive. Char. Hush!

Sooth. You shall be more beloving than beloved. Char. I had rather heat my liver with drinking. Alex. Nay, hear him.

Char. Good now, some excellent fortune! Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all: let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry may do homage: find me to marry me with Octavius Cæsar, and companion me with my mistress.

Sooth. You shall outlive the lady whom you

serve.

Char. O excellent! I love long life better than figs.

Sooth. You have seen and proved a fairer former fortune than that which is to approach.

Char. Then belike my children shall have no names. Pr'y thee how many boys and wenches must I have?

Sooth. If every of your wishes had a womb, And fertile every wish, a million.

Char. Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch.