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Men. [Aside to Poм.] Pompey, a word.

Pom. [Aside to MEN.] Say in mine ear: what is 't? Men. [Aside to Poм.] Forsake thy seat, I do beseech thee, captain,

And hear me speak a word.

Pom. [Aside to MEN.] Forbear me till anon.— This wine for Lepidus!

Lep. What manner o' thing is your crocodile?

Ant. 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.

Lep. What colour is it of?

Ant. Of its own colour too.
Lep. 'T is a strange serpent.

Ant. "T is so. And the tears of it are wet.

Cæs. [Aside to ANT.] Will this description satisfy him?

Ant. [Aside to CES.] With the health that Pompey gives him, else he is a very epicure.

Pom. [Aside to MEN.] Go hang, sir, hang! Tell me of that? away!

Do as I bid you.-Where's this cup I called for?

Men. [Aside to Ром.] If for the sake of merit thou wilt

hear me,

Rise from thy stool.

Pom. [Aside to MEN.] I think thou'rt mad. The
matter?
[Rises, and walks aside.

Men. I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes.
Pom. Thou has served me with much faith.

What's

else to say?—

Be jolly, lords.

The tears of it.] Crocodiles' tears is a proverbial expression.

Ant.

These quicksands, Lepidus,

Keep off them, for

you

sink.

Men. Wilt thou be lord of all the world?

Pom.

What say'st thou ?

Men. Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? That's twice.

Pom. How should that be?

Men.

But entertain it,'

And, though thou think me poor, I am the man

Will give thee all the world.

Pom.

Hast thou drunk well?

Men. No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup.
Thou art, if thou dar'st be, the earthly Jove:
Whate'er the ocean pales, or sky inclips,3
Is thine, if thou wilt ha 't.

Pom.

2

Show me which way

Men. 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.

Pom.

Ah, this thou shouldst have done,
And not have spoke on 't! In me 't is villany:
In thee 't had been good service. Thou must know,
'T is not my profit that does lead mine honour :
Mine honour, it. Repent that e'er thy tongue
Hath so betrayed thine act: being done unknown,5
I should have found it afterwards well done;
But must condemn it now. Desist, and drink.

1 But entertain it.] Only give reception to the thought. See Extracts from Plutarch, 22.

2 Pales.] Bounds.

Inclips.] Embraces.

• Competitors.] Associates; partners.

5 Being done unknown.] If it had been done unknown to me. Found it.] Judged it.

Men. [Aside.] For this, I'll never follow thy palled fortunes more.

Who seeks, and will not take when once 't is offered,
Shall never find it more.

Pom.

This health to Lepidus!

Ant. Bear him ashore.-I'll pledge it for him, Pompey. Eno. Here's to thee, Menas.

Men.

Pom. Fill till the cup be hid.

Enobarbus, welcome !

Eno. There's a strong fellow, Menas.

[Pointing to the Attendant who carries off LEPIDUS.

Men. Why?

Eno. 'A bears' the third part of the world, man; see'st not? Men. The third part, then, is drunk: would it were all, That it might go on wheels!

Eno. Drink thou; increase the reels.

Men. Come.

Pom. This is not yet an Alexandrian feast.

Ant. It ripens towards it.-Strike the vessels,2 ho!— Here is to Cæsar.

Cæs.

I could well forbear 't.

It's monstrous labour when I wash my brain
And it grows fouler.

Ant.

Be a child o' the time.3

Cas. Possess it, I'll make answer: 4

'A bears.] He bears. 'A for he is familiar to the readers of our old dramatists.

2 Strike the vessels.] To strike here means to tap a cask. 3 Be a child o' the time.] Accommodate yourself to the occasion. 4 Possess it, &c.] The meaning here intended must be-Propose the toast: I will respond. But the phrase possess it, if it be genuine, sounds strangely in this situation. To possess often signified to inform or acquaint; and possess us, that is, possess us of it, or give it out, may perhaps be the right reading. In Twelfth Night, ii. 3, Sir Toby says, 'Possess us, possess us; tell us something of him!'

But I had rather fast from all four days,
Than drink so much in one.

Eno. [To ANTONY.] Ha, my brave emperor !
Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals,
And celebrate our drink?

Pom.

Let's ha 't, good soldier.

Ant. Come, let us all take hands,

Till that the conquering wine hath steeped our sense
In soft and delicate Lethe.

Eno.

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. ENOBARBUS places them hand in hand.

All.

SONG.

Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne ! 3
In thy vats our cares be drowned;
With thy grapes our hairs be crowned;

[ Cup us, till the world go round;

Cup us, till the world go round!

Cæs. 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

'Fast from all.] Abstain entirely.

2 The holding.] The refrain or burden of the song. Pink eyne.] Small eyes.

Splits what it speaks: the wild disguise hath almost
What needs more words?

Anticked us all.

night.

Good Antony, your hand.

Pom.

I'll try you on the shore.

Ant. And shall, sir: give's your hand.

Pom. O, Antony, you have my father's house,

But what? we are friends: Come down into the boat.
Eno. Take heed you fall not.-

Good

[Exeunt POMPEY, CESAR, ANTONY, and Attendants.

Men. No, to my cabin.—

Menas, I'll not on shore.

These drums!—these trumpets, flutes! what!—

Let Neptune hear we bid a loud farewell

To these great fellows: sound and be hanged! sound

out!

[A flourish of trumpets, with drums.

'a.-There's my cap.

Eno. Ho! says
Men. Ho!-noble captain, come.

[Exeunt.

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