FIRST SERVANT
Here they’ll be, man. Some o’ their plants are ill-rooted already; the least wind i’ th’ 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 th’ drink.
FIRST SERVANT
But it raises the greater war between him and his discretion.
SECOND SERVANT
Why, this it 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.
ANTONY
Thus do they, sir: they take the flow o’ th’ Nile
By certain scales i’ th’ pyramid; they know
By th’ 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?
ANTONY
Ay, Lepidus.
LEPIDUS
Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile.
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 out.
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
Pompey, a word.
POMPEY
Say in mine ear what is ’t?
MENAS
Forsake seat, I do beseech , captain,
And hear me speak a word.
POMPEY
Forbear me till .—
This wine for Lepidus!
LEPIDUS
What manner o’ thing is your crocodile?
ANTONY
It is shaped, sir, like itself, and it is as broad as it breadth. It is just so high as it is, and moves with it own organs. It lives by that which nourisheth it, and the elements once out of it, it transmigrates.
LEPIDUS
What colour is it of?
ANTONY
Of its own colour too.
LEPIDUS
a strange serpent.
ANTONY
so, and the tears of it are wet.
CAESAR
Will this description satisfy him?
ANTONY
With the health that Pompey gives him, else he is a very epicure.
POMPEY
Go hang, sir, hang! Tell me of that? Away!
Do as I bid you.—Where’s this cup I called for?
MENAS
If for the sake of merit wilt hear me,
Rise from stool.
POMPEY
I think thou’rt mad.
POMPEY
The matter?
MENAS
I have ever held my cap off to fortunes.
POMPEY
served me with much faith. What’s else to say?—
Be jolly, lords.
ANTONY
These quicksands, Lepidus,
Keep off them, for you sink.
MENAS
Wilt be lord of all the world?
POMPEY
What sayst ?
MENAS
Wilt be lord of the whole world?
That’s twice.
POMPEY
How should that be?
MENAS
But entertain it,
And though you think me poor, I am the man
Will give all the world.
POMPEY
drunk well?
MENAS
No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup.
art, if dar’st be, the earthly Jove.
Whate’er the ocean pales or sky inclips
Is , if wilt have’t.
POMPEY
Show me which way.
MENAS
These three world-sharers, these competitors,
Are in vessel. Let me cut the cable,
And when we are put off, fall to their throats.
All then is .
POMPEY
Ah, this have done
And not have spoke on ’t! In me villainy;
In ’t had been good service. must know
not my profit that does lead mine honour;
Mine honour it. Repent that e’er tongue
so betray’d act. Being done unknown,
I should have found it afterwards well done,
But must condemn it now. Desist, and drink.
MENAS
For this,
I’ll never follow palled fortunes more.
Who seeks, and will not take when once offered,
Shall never find it more.
POMPEY
This health to Lepidus!
ANTONY
Bear him ashore. I’ll pledge it for him, Pompey.
ENOBARBUS
Here’s to , Menas!
MENAS
Enobarbus, welcome!
POMPEY
Fill till the cup be hid.
ENOBARBUS
There’s a strong fellow, Menas.
MENAS
Why?
ENOBARBUS
’A bears the third part of the world, man. Seest not?
MENAS
The third part, then, is drunk. Would it were all,
That it might go on wheels!
ENOBARBUS
Drink . Increase the reels.
MENAS
Come.
POMPEY
This is not yet an Alexandrian feast.
ANTONY
It ripens towards it. Strike the vessels, ho!
Here is to Caesar!
CAESAR
I could well forbear’t.
It’s monstrous labour when I wash my brain
And it grows fouler.
ANTONY
Be a child o’ the time.
CAESAR
Possess it, I’ll make answer.
But I had rather fast from all, four days,
Than drink so much in one.
ENOBARBUS
Ha, my brave emperor,
Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals
And celebrate our drink?
POMPEY
Let’s ha’t, good soldier.
ANTONY
Come, let’s all take hands
Till that the conquering wine steeped our sense
In soft and delicate Lethe.
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 beat as loud
As his strong sides can volley.
ENOBARBUS
Come, monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne!
In vats our cares be drowned,
With grapes our hairs be crowned.
Cup us till the world go round,
Cup us till the world go round!
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 almost
Anticked us all. What needs more words. Good night.
Good Antony, your hand.
POMPEY
I’ll try you on the shore.
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.
ENOBARBUS
Take heed you fall not.
ENOBARBUS
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 hanged, sound out!
ENOBARBUS
Hoo, says ’a! There’s my cap!
MENAS
Hoo! Noble captain, come.