ALL FOR LOVE; OR, THE WORLD WELL LOST. BY DRYDEN. PROLOGUE. WHAT flocks of critics hover here to-day, He fights this day unarm'd, without his rhyme; I could name more: a wife, and mistress too; SCENE I.-The Temple of Isis. ACT I. SERAPION and MYRIS, Priests of Isis, discovered. Ser. Portents and prodigies are grown so frequent, That they have lost their name. Our fruitful Nile Were borne above the tops of trees, that grew It slipt from underneath the scaly herd: Enter ALEXAS behind them. Myr. Avert these omens, Heaven! Ser. Last night, between the hours of twelve and one, In a lone aisle of the temple while I walked, ' groans Alex. And dreamt you this, or did invent the story, [Shewing himself. To frighten our Egyptian boys withal, And train them up betimes in fear of priesthood? Ser. My lord, I saw you not, Nor meant my words should reach your ears; but what I uttered was most true. Alex. A foolish dream, Bred from the fumes of indigested feasts Ser. I know my duty: Alex. 'Tis not fit it should, Nor would the times now bear it, were it true. All southern from yon hills the Roman camp Hangs o'er us black and threatening, like a storm Just breaking on our heads. Ser. Our faint Egyptians pray for Antony, But in their servile hearts they own Octavius. Myr. Why, then, does Antony dream out his hours, And tempts not fortune for a noble day, Aler. Oh, there's the wonder. Ser. 'Tis strange, that Antony, for some days Has not beheld the face of Cleopatra, To cure his mind of love. Ser. If he be vanquished, Or make his peace, Egypt is doomed to be A Roman province, and our plenteous harvests Must then redeem the scarceness of their soil. While Antony stood firm, our Alexandria Rivalled proud Rome (dominion's other seat), And Fortune striding, like a vast Colossus, Could fix an equal foot of empire here. Alex. Had I my wish, these tyrants of all na ture, Who lord it o'er mankind, should perish, perish, Ser. How stands the queen affected? She doats, Serapion, on this vanquished man, Enter VENTIDIUS, talking aside with a gentle. man of ANTONY'S. Ser. These Romans will o'erhear us. But who's that stranger? by his warlike port, His fierce demeanor, and erected look, He is of no vulgar note. Aler. Oh, 'tis Ventidius, Our emperor's great lieutenant in the east, Who first shewed Rome, that Parthia could be conquered. When Antony returned from Syria last, He left this man to guard the Roman frontiers. Ser. You seem to know him well. Aler. Too well. I saw him in Cilicia first, When Cleopatra there met Antony. A mortal foe he was to us and Egypt; But let me witness to the worth I hate : A braver Roman never drew a sword; Firm to his prince, but as a friend, not slave; He ne'er was of his pleasures, but presides O'er all his cooler hours, and morning counsels: In short, the plainness, fierceness, rugged virtue Of an old true-stampt Roman lives in him. His coming bodes, I know not what, of ill To our affairs. Withdraw, to mark him better, And I'll acquaint you why I sought you here, And what's our present work. [They withdraw to a corner of the stage, and VENTIDIUS, with the other, comes forward to the front. Vent. Not see him, say you? I say I must and will. Gent. He has commanded, On pain of death, none should approach his pre Of any thing but thought; or if he talks, Vent. Just, just his nature. [ALEXAS and the priests come forward. Alex. You have your full instructions; now ad Live Antony, and Cleopatra live! [Aside Ser. Set out before your doors The images of all your sleeping fathers, With laurels crowned; with laurels wreathe your posts, And strew with flowers the pavement; let the priest Do present sacrifice, pour out the wine, Can they be friends to Antony, who revel Alex. A love, which knows no bounds to An priest? He knows him not his executioner. Oh! she has decked his ruin with her love, I tell thee, eunuch, she has quite unmanned him Thou bravest soldier, and thou best of friends! As bounty were thy being. Rough in battle, Than all their praying virgins left at home! His truth to her, who loves him. Vent. Would I could not! But wherefore waste i precious hours with thee? Thou art her darling mischief, her chief engine, Antony's other fate. Go tell thy queen, Ventidius is arrived to end her charins. Let your Egyptian timbrels play alone, Nor mix effeminate sounds with Roman trumpets. You dare not fight for Antony; go pray, And keep your cowards' holiday in temples. [Exeunt ALEX. SER. Re-enter the Gentleman of MARC 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 ven[Withdraws. ture. Enter ANTONY, walking with a disturbed mo tion before he speaks. Ant. They tell me, 'tis my birth-day; and I'll Where have you learnt that answer? Who am I? 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, wond'rous mournful! Ant. Count thy gains Now, Antony; wouldst thou be born for this? Vent. [Aside] How sorrow shakes him! The place, thou pressest on thy mother earth, Lie still and peaceful there. I'll think no more on't Give me some music; look, that it be sad. [Soft music. 'Tis somewhat to my humour. Stay, I fancy Stretched at my length beneath some blasted oak, I lean my head upon the mossy bark, Vent. My emperor; the man I love next hea ven: If I said more, I think 'twere scarce a sin: Ant. All that's wretched. Vent. 'Twas too presuming To say I would not; but I dare not leave you; For, if a friend, thou hast beheld enough, Vent. Look, emperor, this is no common dew: [Weeping. I have not wept this forty years, but now Ant. By heaven he weeps! Poor good old man, he weeps! The big round drops course one another down The furrows of his cheeks. Stop them, Ventidius, Or I shall blush to death; they set my shame, That caused them, full before me. Vent. I'll do my best. Ant. Sure there's contagion in the tears of friends; See, I have caught it too. Believe me, 'tis not For my own griefs, but thine-Nay, father Vent. Emperor. Ant. Emperor! why that's the style of vic Ant. I'll help thee-I have been a man, Ven- And long to call you chief: by painful journies tidius. Vent. Yes, and a brave one; but Ant. I know thy meaning. But I have lost my reason, have disgraced The name of soldier with inglorious ease; In the full vintage of my flowing honours Sat still, and saw it prest by other hands; Fortune came smiling to my youth, and wooed it, And purple greatness met my ripened years. When first I came to empire, I was borne On tides of people crowding to my triumphs, The wish of nations, and the willing world Received me as its pledge of future peace. I was so great, so happy, so beloved, Fate could not ruin me, till I took pains, And worked against my fortune, chid her from me, And turned her loose; yet still she came again. My careless days, and my luxurious nights, At length have wearied her, and now she's 's gone, Gone, gone, divorced for ever. Help me, soldier, To curse this madman, this industrious fool, Who laboured to be wretched. Pr'ythee curse me. Vent. No. Ant. Why? Vent. You are too sensible already Of what you have done, too conscious of your failings, And, like a scorpion, whipt by others first I would bring balm, and pour it in your wounds, I led them, patient both of heat and hunger, They'll sell those mangled limbs at dearer rates Ant. Why didst thou mock my hopes with promised aids, To double my despair? they are mutinous. Vent. They petition You would make haste to head them. Vent. There's but one way shut up-How came Ant. I will not stir. Vent. They would perhaps desire A better reason. Ant. I have never used My soldiers to demand a reason of My actions. Why did they refuse to march? Vent. They said they would not fight for Cleopatra. Ant. What was't they said? Vent. They said they would not fight for Cleo |