Page:Antony and Cleopatra (1921) Yale.djvu/78

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Cæs. Why have you stol'n upon us thus? You come not

Like Cæsar's sister; the wife of Antony

Should have an army for an usher, and

The neighs of horse to tell of her approach

Long ere she did appear; the trees by the way

Should have borne men; and expectation fainted,

Longing for what it had not; nay, the dust

Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,

Rais'd by your populous troops. But you are come

A market-maid to Rome, and have prevented

The ostentation of our love, which, left unshown,

Is often left unlov'd: we should have met you

By sea and land, supplying every stage

With an augmented greeting.

Oct. Good my lord,

To come thus was I not constrain'd, but did it

On my free-will. My lord, Mark Antony,

Hearing that you prepar'd for war, acquainted

My grieved ear withal; whereon, I begg'd

His pardon for return.

Cæs. Which soon he granted,

Being an abstract 'tween his lust and him.

Oct. Do not say so, my lord.

Cæs. I have eyes upon him,

And his affairs come to me on the wind.

Where is he now?

Oct. My lord, in Athens.

Cæs. No, my most wrong'd sister; Cleopatra

Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire

Up to a whore; who now are levying

 51, 52 prevented The ostentation: anticipated the display 52, 53 which, left unshown unlov'd; cf. n.

61 abstract: abbreviation, shortening; cf. n.

