CANIDIUS

be the pleasure of Antonius. Plancus can you prophecy sadly on so merry and occasion, As is the love of Ladies? Would you could let me have Antonius his way, upon condition I suffered you to censure gravely of it, And prophecy my ruin. But my Lords, You were as good be merry too, and take Your share of pleasure in th'Aegyptian Court. You'll do no good with these persuasions. He loves the Queen, and will do so in spite. Of our morality. No surely. I did not think Antonius was and Eunuch. Nor could I have believed he had been worthy To be a successor in Caesa power, Unless he had succeeded him in her. Great Julius noble acts in war and state Assured the world that he was wise and valiant: But if he had not fallen in love with her I should have much suspected his good nature. Or what indeed were greatness in the world If he that did possess it, might not play The wanton with to? this Egyptian Queen Is a state beauty, and ordained by fate To be possessed by them that rule the world. Great Pompey's son enjoyed her first, and plucked Her Virgin blossom. When that Family, Plutarch. Whose ruin filled the World, was overthrown, Great Jul us next came in as conqueror To have his share, and as he did in power, Succeeded him in Cleopatrae, love. Now our Antonius takes his turn, and thinks That all the legions all the swords, that came To make his greatness up when Julius died, Could give no greater privilege to him Then p were to be the servant to this Queen. Thus whosoere in Room be conqueror His laurel wreathe is Cleopatra's love. And to speak justly of her, Nature teemed To built this woman for no meaner height. Her soul is full of greatness, and her wit Has charms as many as her beauty has. With Majesty beyond her sex she rules Her spacious Kingdoms, and all neighbour Princes Admire her parts. How many languages Speaks she with elegance? Ambassadors From the Aethiopians, Arabs, Troglodites, Plut. From the Hebrews, Syrians, Medes, and Parthians Have in amazement herd this learned Queen Without the aid of and interpreter In all their several tongues return their answers; When most of her dull predecessor Kings Since Ptolemaeus Philadelphus time Scarce understood the Egyptian tongue, and some Had quite forgotten the Macedonian. Well use your wit upon me; but I doubt If any man could search your secret thoughts, 'Tis envy, not morality that makes You tax his love, how gravely ere you talk. Then Like a Roman let me answer, Marcus. Is it become a care worthy of us What woman Antony enjoys? have we Time to dispute his matrimonial faults, That have already seen the breach of all Rome's sacred laws, by which the world was bound? Have we endured our Consuls state and power To be subjected by the lawless arms Of private men, or Senators proscribed, And can we now consider whither they That did all this, may keep a wench or no? It was the crime of us, and Fate it self That Antony and Caesar could usurp A power so great; beyond which we can suffer No more worth thinking of. Nor were't to us Any great fortune if Antonius Were honest of his body. A show of liberty When we have lost the substance, is best kept By seeming not to understand those faults Which we want power to mend. For mine own pa I love the person of Antonius ; And through his greatest looseness can discern A nature here, honester then Caesars. And if a war do grow betwixt them (as surely Ambition would ere long find out a cause Although Octavia had not been neglected) Rather then Room should still obey two Lords, Could wish that all were Anthony's alone. Who would, I think, be brought more easily Then Caesar, to resign the government. Marcio return our humble services, We will instantly attend her. Now my friends, Can you a while put off austerity, And rigid censures, to be freely merry? I cannot choose but think how fit a state For Cleopatra Cyprus Kingdom is; And shall believe that it was ominous That noble Julius Caesar after all Those four rich triumphs which he held at Room When he resolved with Like magnificence To built a Temple to the Goddess Venus, From whom his house derive their pedigree Within his stately Temple, to express The Image of that Goddess, he set up Fair Cleopatra's figure in the place Supposing her to be the Queen of Love. You know my Lord Antonius, this is true, And Cyprus ever was fair Venus I'll. Fill me some wine. Health to the Cyprian Queen. These wrongs are passed all sufferance. Thy war is but defensive, to regain Thine own unjustly taken. All the Gods Preserve Antonius father of his Country. oyall Cleopatra. so fortified with reasons now Plutarch. hat maugre Sossius and Domitius ith all their best persuasions, I'll prevail shall not stay behind; fear it not Madam. he favours, Madam, you can give, have power oblige the greatest Monarchs of the World. I think 'tis fit, my Lord, the Queen, whose bounty Has brought so great assistance to the war, Should not be left behind, beside her presence Will much encourage her Egyptian soldiers, Of which a great partly of the fleet consists. Plutarch. S that he yonder? w to strange shape is that? The news, that I shall bring, will make him worse, And fright that little reason that is left Quite from his breast. How weak a thing is man that seats his Hope's In Fortune's slippery, and unconstant favours, And seeks no surer strengths to guard his soul? Wanting a strong foundation, he is shaken With every wind, overthrown by every storm. And what so frequent as those storms in fortune? Whose fairest weather never brings assurance Of perpetuity but come what will I'll tell him all. I come to bring thee heavy news Antonius. The forces all, which thou didst leave encamped At Actium, horse and foot are gone to Caesar. And all the auxiliary Kings; no strength At all is left thee, but what here thou hast At Alexandria. It makes a deep impression in his passion. My Lord, take better comfort. We needs them not; our strengths are greater far Then Caesar's are; our preparations readier. Nought but delay can question our success. Shall we decree the war? shall not needs their help my Lord, at all. My Lord Antonius?