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 44
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 48
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, 52
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 56
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, 60
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. 64
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.
