The holy priests gaze on her when she smiles;And with heaved hands, forgetting gravity, They bless her wanton eyes: Even I, who hate her, With a malignant joy behold such beauty;And, while I curse, desire it. Antony Must needs have some remains of passion still, Which may ferment into a worse relapse, If now not fully cured. I know, this minute, With Caesar he's endeavouring her peace.
OCTAVIA. You have prevailed:--But for a further purpose [Walks off.]
I'll prove how he will relish this discovery.
What, make a strumpet's peace! it swells my heart:
It must not, shall not be.
VENTIDIUS. His guards appear.
Let me begin, and you shall second me.
Enter ANTONY
ANTONY. Octavia, I was looking you, my love:
What, are your letters ready? I have given My last instructions.
OCTAVIA. Mine, my lord, are written.
ANTONY. Ventidius.
[Drawing him aside.]
VENTIDIUS. My lord?
ANTONY. A word in private.--
When saw you Dolabella?
VENTIDIUS. Now, my lord, He parted hence; and Cleopatra with him.
ANTONY. Speak softly.--'Twas by my command he went, To bear my last farewell.
VENTIDIUS. It looked indeed [Aloud.]
Like your farewell.
ANTONY. More softly.--My farewell?
What secret meaning have you in those words Of--My farewell? He did it by my order.
VENTIDIUS. Then he obeyed your order. I suppose [Aloud.]
You bid him do it with all gentleness, All kindness, and all--love.
ANTONY. How she mourned, The poor forsaken creature!
VENTIDIUS. She took it as she ought; she bore your parting As she did Caesar's, as she would another's, Were a new love to come.
ANTONY. Thou dost belie her;
[Aloud.]
Most basely, and maliciously belie her.
VENTIDIUS. I thought not to displease you; I have done.
OCTAVIA. You seemed disturbed, my Lord.
[Coming up.]
ANTONY. A very trifle.
Retire, my love.
VENTIDIUS. It was indeed a trifle.
He sent--
ANTONY. No more. Look how thou disobey'st me;[Angrily.]
Thy life shall answer it.
OCTAVIA. Then 'tis no trifle.
VENTIDIUS. [to OCTAVIA.]
'Tis less; a very nothing: You too saw it, As well as I, and therefore 'tis no secret.
ANTONY. She saw it!
VENTIDIUS. Yes: She saw young Dolabella--ANTONY. Young Dolabella!
VENTIDIUS. Young, I think him young, And handsome too; and so do others think him.
But what of that? He went by your command, Indeed 'tis probable, with some kind message;For she received it graciously; she smiled;And then he grew familiar with her hand, Squeezed it, and worried it with ravenous kisses;She blushed, and sighed, and smiled, and blushed again;At last she took occasion to talk softly, And brought her cheek up close, and leaned on his;At which, he whispered kisses back on hers;And then she cried aloud--That constancy Should be rewarded.
OCTAVIA. This I saw and heard.
ANTONY. What woman was it, whom you heard and saw So playful with my friend?
Not Cleopatra?
VENTIDIUS. Even she, my lord.
ANTONY. My Cleopatra?
VENTIDIUS. Your Cleopatra;
Dolabella's Cleopatra; every man's Cleopatra.
ANTONY. Thou liest.
VENTIDIUS. I do not lie, my lord.
Is this so strange? Should mistresses be left, And not provide against a time of change?
You know she's not much used to lonely nights.
ANTONY. I'll think no more on't.
I know 'tis false, and see the plot betwixt you.--You needed not have gone this way, Octavia.
What harms it you that Cleopatra's just?
She's mine no more. I see, and I forgive:
Urge it no further, love.
OCTAVIA. Are you concerned, That she's found false?
ANTONY. I should be, were it so;
For, though 'tis past, I would not that the world Should tax my former choice, that I loved one Of so light note; but I forgive you both.
VENTIDIUS. What has my age deserved, that you should think I would abuse your ears with perjury?
If Heaven be true, she's false.
ANTONY. Though heaven and earth Should witness it, I'll not believe her tainted.
VENTIDIUS. I'll bring you, then, a witness >From hell, to prove her so.--Nay, go not back;[Seeing ALEXAS just entering, and starting back.]
For stay you must and shall.
ALEXAS. What means my lord?
VENTIDIUS. To make you do what most you hate,--speak truth.
You are of Cleopatra's private counsel, Of her bed-counsel, her lascivious hours;Are conscious of each nightly change she makes, And watch her, as Chaldaeans do the moon, Can tell what signs she passes through, what day.
ALEXAS. My noble lord!
VENTIDIUS. My most illustrious pander, No fine set speech, no cadence, no turned periods, But a plain homespun truth, is what I ask.
I did, myself, o'erhear your queen make love To Dolabella. Speak; for I will know, By your confession, what more passed betwixt them;How near the business draws to your employment;And when the happy hour.
ANTONY. Speak truth, Alexas; whether it offend Or please Ventidius, care not: Justify Thy injured queen from malice: Dare his worst.
OCTAVIA. [aside.] See how he gives him courage! how he fears To find her false! and shuts his eyes to truth, Willing to be misled!
ALEXAS. As far as love may plead for woman's frailty, Urged by desert and greatness of the lover, So far, divine Octavia, may my queen Stand even excused to you for loving him Who is your lord: so far, from brave Ventidius, May her past actions hope a fair report.
ANTONY. 'Tis well, and truly spoken: mark, Ventidius.
ALEXAS. To you, most noble emperor, her strong passion Stands not excused, but wholly justified.
Her beauty's charms alone, without her crown, >From Ind and Meroe drew the distant vows Of sighing kings; and at her feet were laid The sceptres of the earth, exposed on heaps, To choose where she would reign:
She thought a Roman only could deserve her, And, of all Romans, only Antony;And, to be less than wife to you, disdained Their lawful passion.
ANTONY. 'Tis but truth.
ALEXAS. And yet, though love, and your unmatched desert, Have drawn her from the due regard of honour, At last Heaven opened her unwilling eyes To see the wrongs she offered fair Octavia, Whose holy bed she lawlessly usurped.
The sad effects of this improsperous war Confirmed those pious thoughts.
