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. [Whispers in ’s ear.] Forsake thy seat, I do beseech thee, captain, And hear me speak a word. 

 POMPEY. [Aside to Menas.] Forbear me till anon.— 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 its own colour too. 

 LEPIDUS. ’Tis a strange serpent. 

 ANTONY. ’Tis so, and the tears of it are wet. 

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