Antony and Cleopatra - Act 2 - Scene 7

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

    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
    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
    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,
    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

    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

    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
    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
    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

    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

    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

    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

    [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

    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

    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,
    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:
    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;
    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,
    '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

    [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

    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

    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

    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

    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:
    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

    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.
    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,
    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

    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
    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

    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

    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

    Ho! Noble captain, come.

    Exeunt