On board Pompey's Galley off Misenum.
 Music plays.
 Enter two or three SERVANTS with a banquet.

1st Servant	Here they'll be, man. Some o' their plants are ill-rooted 
	already; the least wind i'th' world will blow them down.

2nd Servant	Lepidus is high-coloured.

1st Servant	They have made him drink alms-drink.

2nd Servant	As they pinch one another by the disposition, he cries out 
	"No more"; reconciles them to his entreaty, and himself to 
	th' drink.

1st Servant	But it raises the greater war between him and his 
	discretion.

2nd Servant	Why, this it is to have a name in great men's fellowship. I 
	had as lief have a reed that will do me no service as a 
	partisan I could not heave.

1st Servant	To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move 
	in't, are the holes where eyes should be, which pitifully 
	disaster the cheeks.

                            A sennet sounded.
        Enter CAESAR, ANTONY, POMPEY, LEPIDUS, AGRIPPA, MAECENAS,
             ENOBARBUS, MENAS, with other CAPTAINS and a BOY.

Antony	[To CAESAR.]
	Thus do they, sir: they take the flow o'th' Nile
	By certain scales i'th' pyramid; they know
	By th' height, the lowness, or the mean, if dearth
	Or foison follow. The higher Nilus swells
	The more it promises; as it ebbs, the seedsman
	Upon the slime and ooze scatters his grain,
	And shortly comes to harvest.

Lepidus	You've 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				[Aside to MENAS.]	Forbear me till anon.
	[Aloud.] This wine for Lepidus!

Lepidus	What manner o' thing is your crocodile?

Antony	It is shaped, 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 it 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.
										[MENAS whispers to POMPEY.
Pompey	[Aside to MENAS.]
	Go hang, sir, hang! Tell me of that? Away!
	Do as I bid you. [Aloud.] Where's this cup I called 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 thou'rt mad. The matter?
							  [Rises and walks aside with MENAS.

Menas	I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes.

Pompey	Thou hast served me with much faith; what's else to say?
	[Calling.] Be jolly, lords.

Antony								These quicksands, Lepidus,
	Keep off them, for you sink.

Menas	Wilt thou be lord of all the world?

Pompey										What sayst thou?

Menas	Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? That's twice.

Pompey	How should that be?

Menas							But entertain it,
	And though thou 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 betrayed 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 palled fortunes more.
	Who seeks and will not take, when once 'tis offered
	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 to the SERVANT who carries off LEPIDUS.

Menas	Why?

Enobarbus	A' bears the third part of the world, man; seest 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 grow 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 steeped 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 beat as loud
	As his strong sides can volley.
													[Music plays.
	[ENOBARBUS places them hand in hand.

Boy	[Sings.]	Come, thou monarch of the vine,
			Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne!
			In thy fats our cares be drowned,
			With thy grapes our hairs be crowned.
				Cup us till the world go round,
				Cup us till the world go round!

Caesar	What would you more? Pompey, good night.
								[To ANTONY.] 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
	Anticked 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 hanged, sound out!
								  [Sound a flourish, with drums.

Enobarbus	[Throwing his cap in the air.]
	Hoo, says a'! There's my cap.

Menas	Hoa, noble Captain, come!
													[Exeunt.

