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 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

To 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

Y' have 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.

Pompeius

Sit, and some wine! A health to Lepidus!

Lepidus

I am not so well as I should be, but I'll ne'er 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

Aside to Pom.

Pompey, a word.

Pompeius

Aside to Men.

Say in mine ear: what is't?

Menas

Aside to Pom.

Forsake thy seat, I do beseech thee, captain,

And hear me speak a word.

Pompeius

Aside to Men.

Forbear me till anon.

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 hath 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 it own colour too.

Lepidus

'Tis a strange serpent.

Antony

'Tis 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.

Pompeius

Aside to Men.

Go hang, sir, hang! Tell me of that? away!

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

Menas

Aside to Pom.

If for the sake of merit thou wilt hear me,

Rise from thy stool.

Pompeius

Aside to Men.

I think th' art mad. The matter? Rises, and walks aside.

Menas

I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes.

Pompeius

Thou hast served me with much faith. What's else to say?

Be jolly, lords.

Antony

These quick-sands, Lepidus,

Keep off them, for you sink.

Menas

Wilt thou be lord of all the world?

Pompeius

What say'st thou?

Menas

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

Pompeius

How should that be?

Menas

But entertain it,

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

Will give thee all the world.

Pompeius

Hast thou drunk well?

Menas

No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup.

Thou art, if thou darest be, the earthly Jove:

What e'er the ocean pales, or sky inclips,

Is thine, if thou wilt ha't.

Pompeius

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.

Pompeius

Ah, this thou shouldst have done,

And not have spoke on't! In me 'tis villainy;

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 betrayed 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 palled fortunes more.

Who seeks, and will not take when once 'tis offered,

Shall never find it more.

Pompeius

This health to Lepidus!

Antony

Bear him ashore. I'll pledge it for him, Pompey.

Enobarbus

Here's to thee, Menas!

Menas

Enobarbus, welcome!

Pompeius

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 thou; increase the reels.

Menas

Come.

Pompeius

This is not yet an Alexandrian feast.

Antony

It ripens towards it. Strike the vessels, ho?

Here's 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! To Antony.

Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals,

And celebrate our drink?

Pompeius

Let's ha't, good soldier.

Antony

Come, let's all take hands,

Till that the conquering wine hath 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 bear as loud

As his strong sides can volley.

Boy

THE SONG.

Come, thou monarch of the vine,

Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne!

In thy fats 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!

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

Anticked us all. What needs more words? Good night.

Good Antony, your hand.

Pompeius

I'll try you on the shore.

Antony

And shall, sir; give's your hand.

Pompeius

O Antony,

You have my father's house, — But, what? we are friends.

Come, down into the boat.

Enobarbus

Take heed you fall not. Exeunt all but 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 hanged, sound out! Sound a flourish, with drums.

Enobarbus

Ho! says 'a. There's my cap.

Menas

Ho! Noble captain, come. Exeunt.