Re-enter the Gentleman of M. Antony.

2 Gent. The emperor approaches, and commands,
On pain of death, that none presume to stay.

1 Gent. I dare not disobey him.

[Going out with the other.

Vent. Well, I dare.
But I’ll observe him first unseen, and find
Which way his humour drives: The rest I’ll venture.

[Withdraws.

Enter Antony, walking with a disturbed motion before he speaks.

Ant. They tell me, ’tis my birthday, and I’ll keep it
With double pomp of sadness.
’Tis what the day deserves, which gave me breath.
Why was I raised the meteor of the world,
Hung in the skies, and blazing as I travelled,
Till all my fires were spent; and then cast downward,
To be trod out by Cæsar?

Vent. [aside]. On my soul,
’Tis mournful, wondrous mournful!

Ant. Count thy gains.
Now, Antony, wouldst thou be born for this?
Glutton of fortune, thy devouring youth
Has starved thy wanting age.

Vent. How sorrow shakes him!

[Aside.

[Antony having thrown himself down.

Lie there, thou shadow of an emperor;
The place thou pressest on thy mother earth
Is all thy empire now: now it contains thee;
Some few days hence, and then ’twill be too large,
When thou’rt contracted in thy narrow urn,
Shrunk to a few cold ashes; then Octavia
(For Cleopatra will not live to see it),
Octavia then will have thee all her own,
And bear thee in her widowed hand to Cæsar;
Cæsar will weep, the crocodile will weep,
To see his rival of the universe
Lie still and peaceful there. I’ll think no more on’t.

Ant. Give me some music: look that it be sad:
I’ll soothe my melancholy, till I swell,
And burst myself with sighing.—

[Soft music.

’Tis somewhat to my humour: stay, I fancy
I’m now turned wild, a commoner of nature;
Of all forsaken, and forsaking all;
Live in a shady forest’s sylvan scene,
Stretched at my length beneath some blasted oak,
I lean my head upon the mossy bark,
And look just of a piece as I grew from it;
My uncombed locks, matted like mistletoe,
Hang o’er my hoary face; a murmuring brook
Runs at my foot.

Vent. Methinks I fancy
Myself there too.

Ant. The herd come jumping by me,
And, fearless, quench their thirst, while I look on, And take me for their fellow-citizen.
More of this image, more; it lulls my thoughts.

[Soft music again.