University of Virginia Library

Actus Primus.

Titius, Plancus, Canidius.
TITIUS.
Shame and dishonour to the Roman name
A triumph held at Alexandria
Only to honour Cleopatraes pride?

PL.
Ah Marcus, this Ægyptian Queen was made
To be the ruine of Antonius.

CA.
To be the pleasure of Antonius.

PL.
How can you jest Canidius, on a theame
So sad?

CA.
How Plancus can you prophecie
So sadly on so merry an occasion,
As is the love of Ladies?

TI.
Let Canidius
Have his own way, Munatius, tis in vain
To talk to him.

CA.
Would you could let me have
Antonius his way, upon condition
I suffer'd you to censure gravely of it,
And prophecie my ruine. But my Lords,
You were as good be merry too, and take
Your share of pleasure in th'Ægyptian Court.
You'l do no good with these perswasions.
He loves the Queen, and will do so in spite.
Of our morality.

PL.
Tis too too true,
That face of hers, that beauty in the bud
Not fully blown, in yeers of innocence
(If any yeers of hers were innocent)
Set off with no adulterisme of art,
Nor cloath'd with state and pompous Majestie,
But in a fortune clouded and distrest
A wretched prisoner in her brother's Court,
Yet then I say that charming face could move
The manly temper of wise Julius Cæsar.
That Mars in heat of all his active warre,
When he pursu'd the flying Pompey hither,
His sword yet reeking in Pharsaliaes slaughter
At sight of her became a doting Lover:
And could we think that our Antonius
A man not master of that temperance
That Cæsar had, could finde a strength to guard
His soul against that beauty now set off
With so much wealth and majesty?

CA.
No surely.
I did not think Antonius was an Eunuch.
Nor could I have believ'd he had been worthy
To be a successour in Cæsar's power,
Unlesse he had succeeded him in her.
Great Julius noble acts in warre and state
Assur'd the world that he was wise and valiant:
But if he had not falne in love with her
I should have much suspected his good nature.

PL.
Nay then, Canidius, it shall be yours.

CA.
Or what indeed were greatnesse in the world
If he that did possesse it, might not play
The wanton with it? this Ægyptian Queen
Is a state-beauty, and ordain'd by fate
To be possest by them that rule the world.
Great Pompey's sonne enjoy'd her first, and pluck'd
Her Virgin blossome. When that Family,

Plutarch.

Whose ruine fill'd the World, was overthrown,
Great Iulius next came in as conquerour
To have his share, and as he did in power,
Succeeded him in Cleopatraes love.
Now our Antonius takes his turn, and thinks
That all the legions, all the swords, that came
To make his greatnesse up when Julius dy'd,
Could give no greater priviledge to him
Then power to be the servant to this Queen.
Thus whosoere in Rome be conquerour
His laurell wreath is Cleopatraes love.
And to speak justly of her, Nature teem'd
To build this woman for no meaner height.
Her soule is full of greatnesse, and her wit
Has charms as many as her beauty has.
With Majestie beyond her sex she rules
Her spatious Kingdomes, and all neighbour Princes
Admire her parts. How many languages
Speaks she with elegance? Embassadors
From th'Æthiopians, Arabs, Troglodites,

Plut.

From th'Hebrews, Syrians, Medes, and Parthians
Have in amazement heard this learned Queen
Without the aid of an interpreter
In all their severall tongues returne their answers;
When most of her dull predecessor Kings
Since Ptolemæus Philadelphus time
Scarce understood th'Ægyptian tongue, and some
Had quite forgot the Macedonian.

TI.
How well Canidius descants on this theame!

PLA.
I'll lay my life it pleases him; the man
Is deep in love, and pity tis he has
So great a rivall as Antonius.

CA.
Well use your wit upon me; but I doubt
If any man could search your secret thoughts,
Tis envy, not morality that makes
You taxe his love, how gravely ere you talke.

TI.
But can Canidius think it should be just
In our Antonius to forsake for her
His lawfull wife the good Octavia?

CA.
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 matrimoniall faults,
That have already seen the breach of all
Romes sacred laws, by which the world was bound?
Have we endur'd our Consuls state and power
To be subjected by the lawlesse arms
Of private men, or Senators proscrib'd,
And can we now consider whether they
That did all this, may keep a wench or no?
It was the crime of us, and Fate it self
That Antony and Cæsar could usurpe
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.

PLA.
Have we then,
Who have been greatest Magistrates, quite lost
All shew of liberty, and now not dare
To counsell him?

CA.
A shew 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 part
I love the person of Antonius;
And through his greatest loosenesse can discern
A nature here, honester then Cæsars.
And if a warre do grow twixt them (as surely
Ambition would ere long finde out a cause
Although Octavia had not been neglected)
Rather then Rome should still obey two Lords,
Could wish that all were Anthony's alone.
Who would, I think, be brought more easily
Then Cæsar, to resigne the government.

TI.
Would I could think that either would do so.
Here comes her servant Mardio.

Enter Mardio.
MAR.
Noble Lords,
The Queen by mee entreats your company
At supper with the Lord Antonius.

CA.
Marcie return our humble services,
Wee'll instantly attend her. Now my friends,
Can you a while put off austerity,
And rigid censures, to be freely merry?

TI.
It may be so. Wee'll try what wine can do.

Exeunt.
A Feast preparing. Euphronius, Glaucus, Charmio.
EU.
Glaucus, let more of this perfume be got.

GLA.
I have enough in readinesse; or else
'Twould be too late to think on't now, the Queen
Is upon entrance.

EU.
Charmio, art thou sure
Those tapers stand just as the Queen commanded?

CLA.
Tis the same order that Antonius
When last he feasted here, so much admir'd;
And said 'mongst all the curiosities

Plutarch.

That he had seen, the placing of those lights.
Did not the feast affect him.

EU.
Though the Romans
In power and warlike-state exceed us farre,
Yet in our Court of Ægypt they may learn
Pleasure and bravery, but art thou sure
That all things here are well?

CHA.
As exquisite
As the Queens wish would have it. Hark they come.

Achoreus the Priest, Antonius, Cleopatra, Canidius, Titius, Plancus.
CLE.
To say, my Lord, that you are welcome hither
Were to disparage you, who have the power
To make your self so, what ere you see
In Ægypt is your own.

AN.
What Ægypt holds
If I be judge, not all the world besides
Can equalize.

CLE.
Will't please you take
Your place, and these your noble Roman friends?

AN.
Father Achoreus, sit you neer to mee.
Your holy Orders, and great age, which shews
The Gods have lov'd you well, may justly challenge
A reverence from us.

CLE.
Great Julius Cæsar
Did love my father well; he oft was pleas'd
At houres of leisure to conferre with him
About the nature of our Nile, of all
The mysteries of Religion, and the wonders
That Ægypt breeds.

ACH.
He had a knowing soule,
And was a master of Philosophy
As well as Warre.

AN.
How like the spangled sky
These tapers make the high-arch'd roofe to show?
While Cleopatra like bright Cynthia
In her full orbe more guilds the cheerfull night.
Shee's still at full; yet still me thinks she vexes,
And grows more fair and more majesticall.

CLE.
My Lords, you Romans, whose victorious arms
Have made you Masters of the world, possesse
Such full and high delights in Italy,
That our poor Ægypt can present no pleasure
Worth your acceptance: but let me entreat
You would be freely merry, and forgive
Your entertainment.

ANT.
'Tis an entertainment
That might invite and please the Gods. Me thinks,
Jove should descend, while Cleopatra's here,
Disguis'd for love, as once for fear he was,
When bold Typhœus scal'd the starry sky,
And all the Gods disguis'd in Ægypt lurk'd.
Love were a nobler cause then fear to bring him,
And such a love as thine.

CLE.
If I could think
That ere great Jove did play such feats as those,
I'de now beleeve that he were here disguis'd,
And took the noble shape of Anthony

ANT.
This complement so farre transcends, it leaves
No answer for a wit so dull as mine.

A Song.

TI.
Minutius Plancus, I was thinking now
How Hannibal was charm'd at Capua,
When that delicious place had mollifi'd
His rough and cruell soul, and made him learn
The lessons of soft love, and luxury.

PLA.
There was no cause, Marcus, for such a thought.
For our Antonius in the heat of all
His active life knew how to revell well.

ANT.
Let this soft Musique cease, and louder sound.
This second course is mine. Call in Lucilius.
Enter Lucilius with three Crowns.
Fair Cleopatra, for addition

Plutarch.

To what thou hold'st, the world-commanding Rome
Presents these Crowns, and by my hand invests
Thee, Cleopatra Queen of wealthy Cyprus,
Of Cœlosyria, and Phœnicia.
Blush nor, my Love, nor let Romes bounty force
Thy modesty these Crowns from thy fair brow
Receive more lustre then they can bestow.

TI.
I think he need not greatly fear her blushing.

PLA.
No Marcus no; alas these petty Kingdomes
(Though too too great to be so ill bestow'd)
Are not the scope of her ambitious aymes!

CLE.
My Lord, I dare not make excuse, or plead
Unworthinesse, where once Antonius wisdome
Has made election to conferre his favours.

ANT.
Admire not, friends; the God-like power of Rome
Is more declar'd by what it gives away

Plusarch.

Then what it holds. But these are still our owne
And Cleopatra Romes deserving friend.

CA.
I cannot choose but think how fit a state
For Cleopatra Cyprus Kingdome is;
And shall believe that it was ominous
That noble Julius Cæsar after all
Those foure rich triumphs which he held at Rome
When he resolv'd with like magnificence
To build a Temple to the Goddesse Venus,
From whom his house derive their pedigree
Within his stately Temple, to expresse
The Image of that Goddesse, he set up
Fair Cleopatraes 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 Ile.

AN.
'Twas well observ'd noble Canidius.

CA.
Fill me some wine. Health to the Cyprian Queen.

AN.
Drink it to me Canidius; and I thank thee.
Let it go round, my friends.

CLE.
I ever thought
My self much bound to brave Canidius
Since I was happy in his company.

AN.
How fit it is, no other Cyprian Queen,
But Cleopatra shall the Poëts know,
Whose fancies now shall raise that Kingdome higher.
More amorous now will Paphos mountains show,
And all those flowery Meads, the Fields of love,
Ore which no windes but Western ever blow.
The aire it self will yield a sweeter breath
While Cleopatra reignes the Cyprian Queen.

PLA.
How amorous in his language he is grown.

TI.
The times, I fear Minutius, will require
A rougher language shortly. We shall heare
Assoon as any news can come from Rome.

AN.
But long ago was I enforc'd to know
That Cleopatra was the Queen of love,
When first I met thee in Cilicia,

Plut.

And down the silver stream of Cydnus, thou
In Venus shape cam'st sayling, while the aire
Was ravish'd with thy Musick, and the windes
In amorous gales did kisse thy silken sayls.
Thy maids in Graces habits did attend,
And boys, like Cupids, painted quivers bore,
While thousand Cupids in those starry eyes
Stood ready drawn to wound the stoutest hearts.

CLE.
You came like Mars himself in threatning arms
To ruine me, and my poor Country then.
I took that shape, because I knew no strength
No power on earth was able to resist
The conquering fury of Antonius.

AN.
That face of thine resisted me, and did
So sweetly conquer, I was proud to yield;
And more rejoyc'd in that captivity,
Then any Roman in a triumph did.
Enter Hipparchus.
How now, what news with thee?

HIP.
Letters from Rome, my Lord.

AN.
From whom?

HIP.
Geminius.

AN.
To morrow wee'll peruse them. No affairs
Of what import or height so ere, shall have
Power to disturbe the pleasures of this night.
Our theam to night is love, which oft has made
The Thunderer himself a while lay by
The weary burden of his government.
Come lead away.
'Twere fit to read them now.
None knows what gain a little time may be

AN.
You may peruse them Titius; lead away.
Exeunt.
Manent Titius, Plancus.
Can no affairs of what import so ere
Break one nights pleasure? well Antonius,
The tottering state thou holdst, must be supported
By nobler vertues, or it cannot stand.

PLA.
Cyprus, Phœnice, Cœlosyria,
Three, wealthy Kingdoms got with Roman bloud,
And our forefathers valour, given away
As the base hire of an adulterous bed.
Was Cyprus conquer'd by the sober vertue
Of Marcus Cato, to be thus bestow'd?

TI.
This act will please yong Cæsar.

PLA.
'Twill displease
The Senate, Marcus, and Antonius friends.

TI.
Alas, he knows not what true friendship means,
But makes his friends his slaves, and which is worse
Slaves to his lusts and vices; could he else
Slight our advise so? men, whom Rome has seen
Wearing her highest honours, and of birth
As great as his. Unlesse he change his minde
I shall believe my friendship was ill plac'd,
And strive to place it better.

PLA.
This last act
Will quickly be at Rome.

TI.
They have enough
Already, noble Plancus; think you not
It will be censur'd that the Roman name
Was much dishonour'd by that base surprize

Dio. Cass.

Of Artavases the Armenian King?

Plutarch.

Whom through the streets of Alexandria
He led in triumph bound with golden chains
Forcing the captive King, (if all his threats
Could have enforc'd so much) prostrate t'adore
Proud Cleopatra, as if all his acts,
And all the honour of his armes were due
To her and not to Rome. Calvisius too

Plutarch.

In Senate late accus'd him for bestowing
On Cleopatra that so farre renown'd
And famous Library of Pergamus,
In which there were two hundred thousand Books.
How many such wilde actions have her charms
Enforc'd his weaknesse to?

PLA.
His Testament,
Which now at Rome the Vestall Virgins keep,
Of which we two are privy to the sealing,
Should it be known, would stirre all Romans hate,
Willing his bodie, though he dy'd at Rome,

Dio.

To be interr'd at Alexandria.

Plutarch

But if a warre 'twixt him and Cæsar grow
(As needs it must, although not yet declar'd)
For Cæsar now is levying men and money
Through Italy, Spain, France and Germany,
Against what foe can his designe be bent
But our Antonius? if a warre I say
Twixt them should happen, tell me, noble Titius,
What should we do?

TI.
Fight for Antonius.

PLA.
True friend, were he himself, or were there hope,
Or possibility he could be so.
But shall our valour toile in sweat and bloud
Only to gain a Roman Monarchy
For Cleopatra, and th'effeminate rout
Of base Canope? shall her timbrels fright
Romes Capitoll, and her advanced pride
Tread on the necks of captive Senators?
Or, which is more, shall th'earths Imperiall seat

Dio.

Remove from Rome to Ægypts swarthy sands?
For who can tell if mad Antonius
Have promis'd her, as Caius Marius once
Promis'de the Samnites, to transferre the state?

TI.
It may be so, his dotage is enough
To grant it her, her pride enough to aske it.
Manutius Plancus, in this whole discourse
Thou speak'st my very thoughts no more, here comes
Lucilius, whither so fast?

Enter Lucilius.
LU.
My Lords,
Down to the Fort to wait upon the Consuls,
The Roman Consuls both, Titus Domitius,

Dio.

And Caius Sossius are from Rome arriv'd

Sueton.

Here at Pelusium, what the matter is
Is not yet known.

PLA.
Wee'll go along with thee;
This now begins to look like businesse, Marcus.

Exeunt.