Both he loves. Eno. They are his shards,' and he their beetle. So,
This is to horse.-Adieu, noble Agrippa. Agr. Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell. Enter Cæsar, Antony, Lepidus, and Octavia. Ant. No further, sir.
Cas. You take from me a great part of myself; Use me well in it.-Sister, prove such a wife As my thoughts make thee, and as my furthest band
Shall pass on thy approof.-Most noble Antony, Let not the piece of virtue, which is set Betwixt us, as the cement of our love, To keep it builded, be the ram, to batter The fortress of it: for better might we
Have lov'd without this mean, if on both parts This be not cherish'd.
You shall not find, Though you be therein curious, the least cause For what you seem to fear: So, the gods keep you, And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends! We will here part.
Cas. Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well; The elements' be kind to thee, and make. Thy spirits all of comfort! fare thee well.
Octa. My noble brother!
Ant. The April's in her eyes: It is love's spring, And these the showers to bring it on.-Be cheerful. Octa. Sir, look well to my husband's house; andCæs.
Octa. I'll tell you in your ear. Ant. Her tongue will not obey her heart,
Her heart inform her tongue: the swan's down feather,
That stands upon the swell at full of tide, And neither way inclines.
Eno. Will Cæsar weep? Agr.
He has a cloud in's face.
Eno. He were the worse for that, were he a horse; So is he, being a man.
When Antony found Julius Cæsar dead,
He cried almost to roaring: and he wept, When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.
Eno. That year, indeed, he was troubled with a rheum;
What willingly he did confound, he wail'd : Believe it, till 1 weep too.
You shall hear from me still; the time shall not Out-go my thinking on you.
Come, sir, come; I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love: Look, here I have you; thus I let you go,
And give you to the gods.
Lep. Let all the number of the stars give light
Farewell, farewell!
[Kisses Octavia. Farewell. [Trumpets sound. Exeunt.
(3) Octavia. (5) Of air and water.
I look'd her in the face; and saw her led' Between her brother and Mark Antony. Cleo. Is she as tall as me? Mess.
She is not, madam. Cleo. Didst hear her speak? Is she shrill-tongu'd, or low?
Mess. Madam, I heard her speak; she is lowvoic'd.
Cleo. That's not so good:-he cannot like her long, Char. Like her? Ö Isis! 'tis impossible. Cleo. I think so, Charmian: Dull of tongue and dwarfish!-
She creeps; What majesty is in her gait? Remember, Mess. If e'er thou look'dst on majesty. Her motion and her station" are as one: She shows a body rather than a life; A statue, than a breather. Is this certain? Cleo. Mess. Or I have no observance. Char.
Cannot make better note. Cleo.
Mess. And I do think, she's thirty.
Cleo. Bear'st thou her face in mind? is it long,
Mess. Round even to faultiness.
For the most part too, Cleo. They are foolish that are so.-Her hair, what colour? Mess. Brown, madam: And her forehead is as low As she would wish it.
There is gold for thee. Cleo. Thou must not take my former sharpness ill: I will employ thee back again; I find thee Most fit for business: Go, make thee ready; [Exit Messenger. Our letters are prepar'd.
A proper man. repent me much, Why, methinks, by him,
Cleo. Indeed, he is so: That so I harry'd him. This creature's no such thing. Char.
O nothing, madam. Cleo. The man hath seen some majesty, and
Char. Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend,
(6) Destroy. (7) Standing. (8) Pulled, lugged.
Spoke scantly of me: when perforce he could not But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly He vented' them; most narrow measure lent me : When the best hint was given him, he not took't, Or did it from his teeth.4
Oct. O my good lord, Believe not all; or, if you must believe, Stomach' not all. A more unhappy lady, If this division chance, ne'er stood between, Praying for both parts:
And the good gods will mock me presently, When I shall pray, O, bless my lord and husband! Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud,
O, bless my brother! Husband win, win brother, Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway "Twixt these extremes at all. Gentle Octavia,
Ant. Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks Best to preserve it: IfI lose mine honour, I lose myself: better I were not yours, Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested, Yourself shall go between us: The mean time, lady, I'll raise the preparation of a war
Shall stain your brother; Make your soonest haste; So your desires are yours. Oct.
The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak,
Your reconciler! Wars 'twixt you twain would be As if the world should cleave, and that slain men Should solder" up the rift.
Ant. When it appears to you where this begins, Turn your displeasure that way; for our faults Can never be so equal, that your love
Eno. Then, world, thou hast a pair of chaps, no
And throw between them all the food thou hast, They'll grind the one the other. Where's Antony? Eros. He's walking in the garden-thus; and spurns
The rush that lies before him; cries, Fool, Lepidus! And threats the throat of that his officer, That murder'd Pompey.
Eno. Our great navy's rigged. Eros. For Italy, and Cæsar. More, Domitius; My lord desires you presently: my news I might have told hereafter. "Twill be naught: But let it be.-Bring me to Antony. Eros. Come, sir.
SCENE VI.-Rome. A room in Cæsar's house. Enter Cæsar, Agrippa, and Mæcenas.
Cas. Contemning Rome, he has done all this: And more;
In Alexandria, here's the manner of it,- I'the market-place, on a tribunal silver'd, Cleopatra and himself, in chairs of gold, Were publicly enthron'd: at the feet, sat Cæsarion, whom they call my father's son; And all the unlawful issue, that their lust Since then hath made between them. Unto her He gave the 'stablishment of Egypt; made her Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia, Absolute queen.
Cas. I'the common show-place, where they ex
His sons he there proclaim'd, The kings of kings: Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia,
He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign'd Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia: She In the habiliments of the goddess Isis That day appear'd; and oft before gave audience, As 'tis reported, so. Mac. Let Rome be thus Inform'd.
Agr. Who, queasy with his insolence Already, will their good thoughts call from him. Cas. The people know it; and have now receiv'd His accusations. Agr.
Whom does he accuse? Cas. Cæsar: and, that, having in Sicily Can equally move with them. Provide your going; Sextus Pompeius spoil'd, we had not rated1 him Choose your own company, and command what cost | His part o'the isle: then does he say, he lent me Your heart has mind to. Some shipping unrestor'd: lastly, he frets, That Lepidus of the triumvirate Should be depos'd; and, being, that we detain
SCENE V.-The same. Another room in the seme. Enter Enobarbus and Eros, meeting.
Sir, this should be answer'd.
Cas. 'Tis done already, and the messenger gone I have told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel; That he his high authority abus'd,
Eros. Cæsar and Lepidus have made wars upon And did deserve his change; for what I have con Pompey. Eno. This is old; What is the success?"
Eros. Cæsar, having made use of him in the And other of his conquer'd kingdoms, I I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia, wars 'gainst Pompey, presently denied him rival-Demand the like. ity;" would not let him partake in the glory of the action and not resting here, accuses him of letters be had formerly wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal,12 seizes him: So the poor third is up till death enlarge his confine.
(1) Similar tendency. (2) Could not help. (3) Published. (4) Indistinct, through his teeth. (5) Resent. (6) Disgrace. (7) Cement, close. (8) Opening.
He'll never yield to that. Cas. Nor must not then be yielded to in this.
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 ostent' 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. 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 griev'd ear withal'; whereon, I begg'd His pardon for return.
SCENE VII.-Antony's camp, near the promon- tory of Actium. Enter Cleopatra and Eno- barbus.
Cleo. I will be even with thee, doubt it not. Eno. But why, why, why?
Cleo. Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars;
Cas. No, my most wronged sister; Cleopatra Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire Up to a whore; who now are levying
The kings o'the earth for war; He hath assembled Bocchus, the king of Libya; Archelaus, Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, king
Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas: King Malchus of Arabia; king of Pont; Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, king
Of Comagene; Polemon and Amintas, The kings of Mede, and Lycaonia, with a More larger list of sceptres.
Ah me, most wretched, Oct. That have my heart parted betwixt two friends, That do afflict each other!
Welcome hither: Your letters did withhold our breaking forth; Till we perceiv'd, both how you were wrong led, And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart: Be you not troubled with the time, which drives O'er your content these strong necessities; But let determin'd things to destiny Hold unbewail'd their way. Welcome to Rome: Nothing more dear to me. You are abus'd Beyond the mark of thought: and the high gods, To do you justice, make them ministers Of us, and those that love you. Best of comfort; And ever welcome to us.
(2) Obstruction. (4) Harlot. (5) Threatens. (7) Absolutely.
By sea! What else? Can. Why will my lord do so? Ant. Eno. So hath my lord dar'd him to single fight. Can. Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia, Where Cæsar fought with Pompey: But these offers, Which serves not for his vantage, he shakes off'; And so should you.
Eno. Your ships are not well mann'd: Your mariners are muleteers,1° reapers, people Ingross'd by swift impress; in Caesar's fleet Are those, that often have 'gainst Pompey fought: Shall fall you for refusing him at sea, Their ships are yare; 12 yours, heavy. No disgrace By sea, by sea. Ant. Being prepar'd for land. Eno. Most worthy sir, you therein throw away The absolute soldiership you have by land; Distract your army, which doth most consist Of war-mark'd foot-men; leave unexecuted Your own renowned knowledge; quite forego The way which promises assurance; and Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard, From firm security.
I'll fight at sea. Ant. Cleo. I have sixty sails,14 Cæsar none better. Ant. Our overplus of shipping will we burn;
(11) Pressed in haste. (13) Incumbered. (14) Ships,
SCENE VIII-A plain near Actium. Cæsar, Taurus, Officers, and others.
Strike not by land; keep whole Provoke not battle, till we have done at sea. Do not exceed the prescript of this scroll: Our fortune lies upon this jump."
Enter Antony and Enobarbus.
Alarum. Re-enter Enobarbus.
Eno. Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no longer:
The Antoniad, the Egyptian admiral, With all their sixty, fly, and turn their rudder; To see't, mine eyes are blasted.
All the whole synod of them! Eno. Scar. The greater cantle1o of the world is lost With very ignorance; we have kiss'd away Kingdoms and provinces.
Scar. On our side like the token'd" pestilence, Where death is sure. Yon' ribald-rid nag of Egypt, Whom leprosy o'ertake! i'the midst o'the fight,- When vantage like a pair of twins appear'd, Both as the same, or rather ours the elder," The brize' upon her, like a cow in June, Hoists sails, and flies.
That I beheld: mine eyes Did sicken at the sight on't, and could not Endure a further view.
She once being loof'd,' The noble ruin of her magic, Antony, Claps on his sea-wing, and like a doting mallard, Leaving the fight in height, flies after her:
I never saw an action of such shame; Experience, manhood, honour, ne'er before Did violate so itself. Eno.
Alack, alack!
Enter Canidius. \
Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath, And sinks most lamentably. Had our general Been what he knew himself, it had gone well: O, he has given example for our flight, Most grossly, by his own.
Eno. Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good night Indeed. [Aside. Can. Towards Peloponnesus are they fled. Scar. 'Tis easy to't; and there I will attend What further comes.
Can. To Cæsar will I render My legions, and my horse; six kings already Show me the way of yielding.
The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason Sits in the wind against me. [Exeunt.
SCENE IX.-Alexandria. A room in the pal- ace. Enter Antony and Attendants.
Ant. Hark, the land bids me tread no more upon't, It is asham'd to bear me!-Friends, come hither, I am so lated 16 in the world, that I
Ant. Set we our squadrons on yon' side o'the hill, Have lost my way for ever:-I have a ship In eye of Cæsar's battle; from which place Laden with gold; take that, divide it; fly, We may the number of the ships behold, And make your peace with Cæsar. And so proceed accordingly.
Which has no need of you; be gone : My treasure's in the harbour, take it.-0, I follow'd that I blush to look upon: My very hairs do mutiny; for the white Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them For fear and doting.-Friends, be gone: you shall Have letters from me to some friends that will Sweep your way for you. Pray you, look not sad, Nor make replies of loathness: take the hint Which my despair proclaims; let that be left Which leaves itself: to the sea-side straightway: I will possess you of that ship and treasure. Leave me, I pray, a little; 'pray you now :- Nay, do so; for, indeed, I have lost command, Therefore I pray you:-I'll see you by and by.
[Sits down. Enter Eros, and Cleopatra, led by Charmian and
Eros. Nay, gentle madam, to him:-Comfort him. Iras. Do, most dear queen.
Char. Do? Why, what else?
Cleo. Let me sit down. O Juno!
Ant. No, no, no, no, no.
Eros. See you here, sir?
Ant. O fie, fie, fie.
Char. Madam,
Iras. Madam; O good empress!— Eros. Sir, sir,-
Ant. Yes, my lord, yes ;-He,' at Philippi, kept His sword even like a dancer; while I struck The lean and wrinkled Cassius; and 'twas I, That the mad Brutus ended: he alone Dealt on lieutenantry,2 and no practice had
In the brave squares of war: Yet now-No matter. Cleo. Ah, stand by.
Eros. The queen, my lord, the queen. Iras. Go to him, madam, speak to him; unqualitied' with very shame.
Cleo. Well then,-Sustain me :-O!
Eros. Most noble sir, arise; the queen
Her head's declined, and death will seize her; Your comfort makes the rescue.
Ant. I have offended reputation;
A most unnoble swerving.
Ant. O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See, How I convey my shame out of thine eyes, By looking back on what I have left behind, 'Stroy'd in dishonour.
O my lord, my lord! Cleo. Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought, You would have follow'd.
Egypt, thou knew'st too well, Ant. My heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings, And thou should'st tow me after: O'er my spirit Thy full supremacy thou knew'st; and that Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods Command me.
Cleo. Now I must Ant. To the young man send humble treaties, dodge And palter in the shifts of lowness; who With half the bulk o'the world play'd as I pleas'd, Making, and marring fortunes. You did know, How much you were my conqueror; and that My sword, made weak by my affection, would
(2) Fought by his officers. (4) Unless. (3) Divested of his faculties.
(6) Euphronius, schoolmaster to Antony's chil
Obey it on all cause. Cleo. Ant. Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates' All that is won and lost: Give me a kiss; Even this repays me.-We sent our schoolmaster, Is he come back?-Love, I am full of lead: Some wine, within there, and our viands:-For- tune knows,
We scorn her most, when most she offers blows. [Exeunt. SCENE X.-Cæsar's camp, in Egypt. Enter Cæsar, Dolabella, Thyreus, and others. Cas. Let him appear that's come from Antony.- Know you him?
Dol. Cæsar, 'tis his schoolmaster: An argument that he is pluck'd, when hither He sends so poor a pinion of his wing, Which had superfluous kings for messengers, Not many moons gone by."
I have no ears to his request. The queen Of audience, nor desire, shall fail; so she From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend," Or take his life there: This if she perform, She shall not sue unheard. So to them both. Eup. Fortune pursue thee! Cas.
Bring him through the bands. [Exit Euphronius. To try thy eloquence, now 'tis time: Despatch; From Antony win Cleopatra: promise,
[To Thyreus. And in our name, what she requires; add more, From thine invention, offers: women are not, In their best fortunes, strong: but want will perjure The ne'er-touch'd vestal: Try thy cunning, Thy-
(10) Conforms himself to this breach of his for
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