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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。 POMPEY。 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 POMPEY＇ Pompey； a word。 POMPEY。 ＇Aside to MENAS＇ Say
in mine ear； what is't？ MENAS。 ＇Aside to POMPEY＇ Forsake thy seat； I
do beseech thee； Captain； And hear me speak a word。 POMPEY。
＇ Whispers in's ear ＇ Forbear me till anon… This wine for Lepidus！
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LEPIDUS。 What manner o' thing is your crocodile？ ANTONY。 It is shap'd；
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 its 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。 POMPEY。 ＇Aside to MENAS＇ Go； hang； sir；
hang！ Tell me of that！ Away！ Do as I bid you。… Where's this cup I call'd for？
MENAS。 ＇Aside to POMPEY＇ If for the sake of merit thou wilt hear me；
Rise from thy stool。 POMPEY。 ＇Aside to MENAS＇ I think th'art mad。
＇Rises and walks aside＇ The matter？ MENAS。 I have ever held my cap off
to thy fortunes。 POMPEY。 Thou hast serv'd me with much faith。 What's
else to say？… Be jolly； lords。 ANTONY。 These quicksands； Lepidus； Keep
off them； for you sink。 MENAS。 Wilt thou be lord of all the world？
POMPEY。 What say'st thou？ MENAS。 Wilt thou 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 thee all
the world。 POMPEY。 Hast thou drunk well？ MENAS。 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 Is thine； if thou wilt ha't。 POMPEY。
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。 POMPEY。 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 betray'd 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 pall'd fortunes more。 Who seeks； and will not take when
once 'tis offer'd； 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 thee； Menas！ MENAS。 Enobarbus； welcome！ POMPEY。 Fill till
the cup be hid。 ENOBARBUS。 There's a strong fellow； Menas。 ＇Pointing
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to the servant who carries off LEPIDUS＇ MENAS。 Why？ ENOBARBUS。
'A bears the third part of the world； man； see'st 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。 POMPEY。
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' th' time。 CAESAR。 Possess it； I'll make answer。 But I had
rather fast from all four days Than drink so much in one。 ENOBARBUS。
＇To ANTONY＇ 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 hath
steep'd 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。 ＇Music plays。 ENOBARBUS places them hand in
hand＇
THE SONG Come； thou monarch of the vine； Plumpy Bacchus with
pink eyne！ In thy fats our cares be drown'd； With thy grapes our hairs be
crown'd。 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 Antick'd 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。 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 hang'd； sound out！
＇Sound a flourish； with drums＇ ENOBARBUS。 Hoo！ says 'a。 There's my
cap。 MENAS。 Hoo！ Noble Captain； come。 Exeunt
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ACT III。
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SCENE I。 A plain in Syria
Enter VENTIDIUS； as it were in triumph； with SILIUS and other
Romans； OFFICERS and soldiers； the