The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra. Уильям Шекспир

heel of that, defy him.

        LEPIDUS. Time calls upon's.

          Of us must Pompey presently be sought,

          Or else he seeks out us.

        ANTONY. Where lies he?

        CAESAR. About the Mount Misenum.

        ANTONY. What is his strength by land?

        CAESAR. Great and increasing; but by sea

          He is an absolute master.

        ANTONY. So is the fame.

          Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it.

          Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we

          The business we have talk'd of.

        CAESAR. With most gladness;

          And do invite you to my sister's view,

          Whither straight I'll lead you.

        ANTONY. Let us, Lepidus,

          Not lack your company.

        LEPIDUS. Noble Antony,

          Not sickness should detain me. [Flourish]

                           Exeunt all but ENOBARBUS, AGRIPPA, MAECENAS

        MAECENAS. Welcome from Egypt, sir.

        ENOBARBUS. Half the heart of Caesar, worthy Maecenas! My

      honourable

          friend, Agrippa!

        AGRIPPA. Good Enobarbus!

        MAECENAS. We have cause to be glad that matters are so well

          digested. You stay'd well by't in Egypt.

        ENOBARBUS. Ay, sir; we did sleep day out of countenance and

      made

          the night light with drinking.

        MAECENAS. Eight wild boars roasted whole at a breakfast, and

      but

          twelve persons there. Is this true?

        ENOBARBUS. This was but as a fly by an eagle. We had much more

          monstrous matter of feast, which worthily deserved noting.

        MAECENAS. She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square to

      her.

        ENOBARBUS. When she first met Mark Antony she purs'd up his

      heart,

          upon the river of Cydnus.

        AGRIPPA. There she appear'd indeed! Or my reporter devis'd well

      for

          her.

        ENOBARBUS. I will tell you.

          The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne,

          Burn'd on the water. The poop was beaten gold;

          Purple the sails, and so perfumed that

          The winds were love-sick with them; the oars were silver,

          Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made

          The water which they beat to follow faster,

          As amorous of their strokes. For her own person,

          It beggar'd all description. She did lie

          In her pavilion, cloth-of-gold, of tissue,

          O'erpicturing that Venus where we see

          The fancy out-work nature. On each side her

          Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids,

          With divers-colour'd fans, whose wind did seem

          To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,

          And what they undid did.

        AGRIPPA. O, rare for Antony!

        ENOBARBUS. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides,

          So many mermaids, tended her i' th' eyes,

          And made their bends adornings. At the helm