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Rome. A Room in CÆSAR’S House. | |
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Enter CÆSAR, AGRIPPA, and MECÆNAS. | |
| Cæs. Contemning Rome, he has done all this and more | |
| In Alexandria; here’s the manner of ’t; | |
| I’ the market-place, on a tribunal silver’d, | 5 |
| Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold | |
| Were publicly enthron’d; at the feet sat | |
| Cæsarion, whom they call my father’s son, | |
| And all the unlawful issue that their lust | |
| Since then hath made between them. Unto her | 10 |
| He gave the ’stablishment of Egypt; made her | |
| Of Lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia, | |
| Absolute queen. | |
| Mec. This in the public eye? | |
| Cæs. I’ the common show-place, where they exercise. | 15 |
| His sons he there proclaim’d the kings of kings; | |
| Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia | |
| He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign’d | |
| Syria, Cilicia, and Phœnicia. She | |
| In the habiliments of the goddess Isis | 20 |
| That day appear’d; and oft before gave audience, | |
| As ’tis reported, so. | |
| Mec. Let Rome be thus | |
| Informed. | |
| Agr. Who, queasy with his insolence | 25 |
| Already, will their good thoughts call from him. | |
| Cæs. The people know it; and have now receiv’d | |
| His accusations. | |
| Agr. Whom does he accuse? | |
| Cæs. Cæsar; and that, having in Sicily | 30 |
| Sextus Pompeius spoil’d, we had not rated him | |
| His part o’ the isle; then does he say, he lent me | |
| Some shipping unrestor’d; lastly, he frets | |
| That Lepidus of the triumvirate | |
| Should be depos’d; and, being, that we detain | 35 |
| All his revenue. | |
| Agr. Sir, this should be answer’d. | |
| Cæs. ’Tis done already, and the messenger gone. | |
| I have told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel; | |
| That he his high authority abus’d, | 40 |
| And did deserve his change: for what I have conquer’d, | |
| I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia, | |
| And other of his conquer’d kingdoms, I | |
| Demand the like. | |
| Mec. He’ll never yield to that. | 45 |
| Cæs. Nor must not then be yielded to in this. | |
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Enter OCTAVIA, with her Train. | |
| Oct. Hail, Cæsar, and my lord! hail, most dear Cæsar! | |
| Cæs. That ever I should call thee cast-away! | |
| Oct. You have not call’d me so, nor have you cause. | 50 |
| Cæs. Why have you stol’n upon us thus? You come not | |
| Like Cæsar’s sister; the wife of Antony | |
| Should have an army for an usher, and | |
| The neighs of horse to tell of her approach | |
| Long ere she did appear; the trees by the way | 55 |
| Should have borne men; and expectation fainted, | |
| Longing for what it had not; nay, the dust | |
| Should have ascended to the roof of heaven, | |
| Rais’d by your populous troops. But you are come | |
| A market-maid to Rome, and have prevented | 60 |
| The ostentation of our love, which, left unshown, | |
| Is often left unlov’d: we should have met you | |
| By sea and land, supplying every stage | |
| With an augmented greeting. | |
| Oct. Good my lord, | 65 |
| To come thus was I not constrain’d, but did it | |
| On my free-will. My lord, Mark Antony, | |
| Hearing that you prepar’d for war, acquainted | |
| My grieved ear withal; whereon, I begg’d | |
| His pardon for return. | 70 |
| Cæs. Which soon he granted, | |
| Being an obstruct ’tween his lust and him. | |
| Oct. Do not say so, my lord. | |
| Cæs. I have eyes upon him, | |
| And his affairs come to me on the wind. | 75 |
| Where is he now? | |
| Oct. My lord, in Athens. | |
| Cæs. No, my most wrong’d sister; Cleopatra | |
| Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire | |
| Up to a whore; who now are levying | 80 |
| The kings o’ the earth for war. He hath assembled | |
| Bocchus, the King of Libya; Archelaus, | |
| Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, King | |
| Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas; | |
| King Malchus of Arabia; King of Pont; | 85 |
| Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, King | |
| Of Comagene; Polemon and Amintas, | |
| The Kings of Mede and Lycaonia, | |
| With a more larger list of sceptres. | |
| Oct. Ay me, most wretched, | 90 |
| That have my heart parted betwixt two friends | |
| That do afflict each other! | |
| Cæs. Welcome hither: | |
| Your letters did withhold our breaking forth, | |
| Till we perceiv’d both how you were wrong led | 95 |
| And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart; | |
| Be you not troubled with the time, which drives | |
| O’er your content these strong necessities, | |
| But let determin’d things to destiny | |
| Hold unbewail’d their way. Welcome to Rome; | 100 |
| Nothing more dear to me. You are abus’d | |
| Beyond the mark of thought, and the high gods, | |
| To do you justice, make their ministers | |
| Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort, | |
| And ever welcome to us. | 105 |
| Agr. Welcome, lady. | |
| Mec. Welcome, dear madam. | |
| Each heart in Rome does love and pity you; | |
| Only the adulterous Antony, most large | |
| In his abominations, turns you off, | 110 |
| And gives his potent regiment to a trull, | |
| That noises it against us. | |
| Oct. Is it so, sir? | |
| Cæs. Most certain. Sister, welcome; pray you, | |
| Be ever known to patience; my dearest sister! [Exeunt. | 115 |
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