Joins the others

MENAS    For this, I’ll never follow thy palled89 fortunes
Aside

        more:
        Who seeks and will not take when once ’tis offered,
        Shall never find it more91.

POMPEY    This health to Lepidus!
They drink

ANTONY    Bear him ashore. I’ll pledge93 it for him, Pompey.

ENOBARBUS    Here’s to thee, Menas!

MENAS    Enobarbus, welcome!

POMPEY    Fill till the cup be hid96.

Points to an Attendant who is carrying off Lepidus

ENOBARBUS    There’s a strong fellow, Menas.

MENAS    Why?

ENOBARBUS    A99 bears the third part of the world, man: see’st
        not?

MENAS    The third part then he is drunk: would it were all,
        That it might go on wheels101!

ENOBARBUS    Drink thou: increase the reels102.

MENAS    Come.

POMPEY    This is not yet an Alexandrian feast.

ANTONY    It ripens towards it. Strike the vessels105, ho!
        Here’s to Caesar!

CAESAR    I could well forbear’t107.
        It’s monstrous108 labour when I wash my brain
        And it grow fouler109.

ANTONY    Be a child o’th’time110.

CAESAR    ‘Possess it’, I’ll make answer111.
        But I had rather fast from all112 four days
        Than drink so much in one.

ENOBARBUS    Ha, my brave114 emperor!
To Antony
        Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals115
        And celebrate116 our drink?

POMPEY    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 Lethe120.

ENOBARBUS    All take hands:
        Make battery to122 our ears with the loud music,
        The while123 I’ll place you, then the boy shall sing.
        The holding124 every man shall beat as loud
        As his strong sides can volley125.
        Music plays. Enobarbus places them hand in hand.

BOY                        The Song

                Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Sings
                Plumpy127 Bacchus with pink eyne!
                In thy fats129 our cares be drowned,
                With thy grapes our hairs be crowned.
                Cup us130 till the world go round,
                Cup us till the world go round!

CAESAR    What would you more? Pompey, goodnight.
        Good brother132,
        Let me request you off133: our graver business
        Frowns at this levity. Gentle lords, let’s part:
        You see we have burnt our cheeks135. Strong Enobarb
        Is weaker than the wine, and mine own tongue
        Splits what it speaks: the wild disguise137 hath almost
        Anticked138 us all. What needs more words? Goodnight.
        Good Antony, your hand.

POMPEY    I’ll try you140 on the shore.

ANTONY    And shall, sir. Give’s your hand.

POMPEY    O, Antony,
        You have my father’s house. But what143, 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!147
        Let Neptune148 hear we bid a loud farewell
        To these great fellows. Sound and be hanged! Sound out!

Sound a flourish, with drums

ENOBARBUS    Ho, says a150. There’s my cap.
Throws his cap in the air

MENAS    Ho! Noble captain, come.
Exeunt

[Act 3 Scene 1]                               
running scene 9

Location: Syria   

Enter Ventidius as it were in triumph, the dead body of Pacorus borne before him, [with Silius and other Roman officers and soldiers]

VENTIDIUS    Now, darting Parthia1, art thou struck, and now
        Pleased fortune does of Marcus Crassus2’ death
        Make me revenger. Bear the king’s son’s body
        Before our army: thy Pacorus4, Orodes,
        Pays this for Marcus Crassus.

SILIUS    Noble Ventidius,
        Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm,
        The fugitive Parthians follow8. Spur through Media,
        Mesopotamia9, and the shelters whither
        The routed fly. So thy grand captain Antony
        Shall set thee on triumphant11 chariots and
        Put garlands on thy head.

VENTIDIUS    O Silius, Silius,
        I have done enough. A lower place14, note well,
        May make too great an act15. For learn this, Silius:
        Better to leave undone, than by our deed
        Acquire too high a fame when him we serve’s away.
        Caesar and Antony have ever won
        More in their officer than person18. Sossius,
        One of my place20 in Syria, his lieutenant,
        For quick accumulation of renown,
        Which he achieved by th’minute22, lost his favour.
        Who does i’th’wars more than his captain can,
        Becomes his captain’s captain, and ambition —
        The soldier’s virtue — rather makes choice of25 loss,
        Than gain which darkens26 him.
        I could do more to do Antonius good,
        But ’twould offend him, and in his offence28
        Should my performance29 perish.

SILIUS    Thou hast, Ventidius, that
        Without the which a soldier and his sword
        Grants scarce distinction30. Thou wilt write to Antony?

VENTIDIUS    I’ll humbly signify what in his name,
        That magical word of war, we have effected,
        How with his banners and his well-paid ranks
        The ne’er-yet-beaten horse36 of Parthia
        We have jaded37 out o’th’field.

SILIUS    Where is he now?

VENTIDIUS    He purposeth39 to Athens, whither, with what haste
        The weight40 we must convey with’s will permit,
        We shall appear before him. On there, pass along!
Exeunt

[Act 3 Scene 2]                               
running scene 10

Location: Rome   

Enter Agrippa at one door, Enobarbus at another

AGRIPPA    What, are the brothers1 parted?

ENOBARBUS    They have dispatched2 with Pompey, he is gone.
        The other three3 are sealing. Octavia weeps
        To part from Rome, Caesar is sad, and Lepidus
        Since Pompey’s feast as Menas says, is troubled
        With the green sickness6.

AGRIPPA    ’Tis a noble Lepidus.

ENOBARBUS    A very fine8 one: O, how he loves Caesar!

AGRIPPA    Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!

ENOBARBUS    Caesar? Why, he’s the Jupiter of men.

AGRIPPA    What’s Antony? The god of Jupiter!

ENOBARBUS    Spake you of Caesar? How, the non-pareil12!

AGRIPPA    O Antony! O thou Arabian bird13!

ENOBARBUS    Would you praise Caesar, say ‘Caesar’: go
        no further.

AGRIPPA    Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.

ENOBARBUS    But he loves Caesar best, yet he loves Antony:
        Ho! Hearts, tongues, figures17, scribes, bards, poets, cannot
        Think, speak, cast18, write, sing, number, ho,
        His love to Antony. But as for Caesar,
        Kneel down, kneel down and wonder!

AGRIPPA    Both he loves.

ENOBARBUS    They are his shards22 and he their
Trumpet within
        beetle. So:
        This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa.

AGRIPPA    Good fortune, worthy soldier, and farewell.

Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus and Octavia

ANTONY    No further25, sir.

CAESAR    You take from me a great part of myself:
        Use me well in’t27. Sister, prove such a wife
        As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest bond28
        Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,
        Let not the piece30 of virtue which is set
        Betwixt31 us as the cement of our love
        To keep it builded, be the ram to batter
        The fortress of it: for better might we
        Have loved without this mean34, if on both parts
        This be not cherished.

ANTONY    Make me not offended in36 your distrust.

CAESAR    I have said37.

ANTONY    You shall not find,
        Though you be therein curious39, the least cause
        For what you seem to fear. So the gods keep40 you,
        And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends.
        We will here part.

CAESAR    Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well.
        The elements44 be kind to thee, and make
        Thy spirits all of comfort. Fare thee well.

OCTAVIA    My noble brother!
Weeps

ANTONY    The April’s in her eyes: it is love’s spring
        And these the showers to bring it on47. Be cheerful.

OCTAVIA    Sir, look well to my husband’s house49, and—

CAESAR    What, Octavia?

OCTAVIA    I’ll tell you in your ear.