Spoke scantly of me: when perforce he could not2 Oct. SCENE VI.-Rome. A room in Cæsar's house. In Alexandria, here's the manner of it,- Since then hath made between them. Unto her 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, He gave brother! Husband win, win brother, the 'stablishment of Egypt; made her O, bless my Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia, Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway Absolute 'Twixt these extremes at all. Moc. Ant. Gentle Octavia, Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks Yourself shall go between us: The mean time, lady, I'll raise the preparation of a war Thanks to my lord. The Jove of power make me most weak, most Your reconciler! Wars 'twixt you twain would be Ant. When it appears to you where this begins, Can equally move with them. Provide your going; Eno. How now, friend Eros? Eros. There's strange news come, sir. Eno. What, man? Eros. Cæsar and Lepidus have made wars upon Pompey. queen. This in the public eye? Agr. Who, queasy 13 with his insolence Whom does he accuse? Cas. Cæsar and that, having in Sicily Sir, this should be answer'd. And did deserve his change; for what I have con- Mæc. Eno. This is old; What is the success ?9 I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia, Eros. Cæsar, having made use of him10 in the And other of his conquer'd kingdoms, I 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 he 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. He'll never yield to that. Oct. Hail, Cæsar, and my lord! hail, most dear Cas. That ever I should call thee, cast away! Oct. You have not call'd me so, nor have you cause. Cas. Why have you stol'n upon us thus? You come not Like Cæsar's sister: The wife of Antony Oct. Good my lord, To come thus was I not constrain'd, but did it Cœs. My lord, in Athens. Oct. Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas: Oct. Cæs. 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. Agr. Welcome, lady. Mac. Welcome, dear madam. Each heart in Rome does love and pity you: Only the adulterous Antony, most large In his abominations, turns you off; And gives his potent regiments to a trull,4 That noises its against us. Is it so, sir? Oct. Cæs. Most certain. Sister, welcome: Pray you, Be ever known to patience: My dearest sister! By sea! What else? Can. Why will my lord do so? Ant. For9 he dares us to❜t. 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 serve not for his vantage, he shakes off'; And so should you. Eno. Your ships are not well mann'd: Your mariners are muleteers, 10 reapers, people Ingross'd by swift impress;11 in Cæsar's fleet Are those, that often have 'gainst Pompey fought: Their ships are yare; 12 yours, heavy 13 No disgrace Shall fall you for refusing him at sea, Being prepar'd for land. Ant. By sea, by sea. 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. Ant. I'll fight at sea. Cleo. I have sixty sails,14 Cæsar none better. Ant. Our overplus of shipping will we burn; [Exeunt. And, with the rest full mann'd, from the head of Actium Beat the approaching Cæsar. But if we fail, Enter a Messenger. We then can do't at land.-Thy business? Ant. Can he be there in person? 'tis impossible; Strange, that his should be.-Canidius, power Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land, And our twelve thousand horse :-We'll to our ship; Enter a Soldier. Away, my Thetis 2-How now, worthy soldier? Sold. Ŏ noble emperor, do not fight by sea; Trust not to rotten planks: Do you misdoubt This sword, and these my wounds? Let the Egyp tians, And the Phoenicians, go a ducking; we Have used to conquer, standing on the earth, And fighting foot to foot. Ant. Well, well, away. [Exeunt Antony, Cleopatra, and Enobarbus. Sold. By Hercules, I think, I am i'the right. Can. Soldier, thou art: but his whole action grows Not in the power on't: So our leader's led, Sold. But we keep whole by land. This speed of Cæsar's Sold. While he was yet in Rome, His power went out in such distractions, as Beguil'd all spies. Čan. Who's his lieutenant, hear you? Sold. They say, one Taurus. Can. Well I know the man. Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath, And sinks most lamentably. Had our general O, he has given example for our flight, Been what he knew himself, it had gone well: Most grossly, by his own. Eno. Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good night Indeed. Eno. I'll yet follow SCENE IX-Alexandria. A room in the pal- To run, and show their shoulders.-Friends, bę gone; I have myself resolv'd upon a course, (10) Corner. (11) Spotted. (12) Lewd, common strumpet. (13) Better. (14) The gad-fly, that stings cattle. (15) Brought close to the wind, (16) Belated, benighted. 3 A Which has no need of you; be gone : Iras. 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; He is unqualitied3 with very shame. Cleo. Well then,-Sustain me :-O! Eros. Most noble sir, arise; the queen approaches; Her head's declined, and death will seize her; but4 Your comfort makes the rescue. Ant. I have offended reputation; A most unnoble swerving. Eros. Sir, the queen. Ant. O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See, Cleo. Ant. Egypt, thou knew'st too well, 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. O, my pardon. Cleo. Ant. Now I must 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 (1) Cæsar. (2) Fought by his officers. (3) Divested of his faculties. (4) Unless. (5) Values. (6) Euphronius, schoolmaster to Antony's children. O pardon, pardon. Obey it on all cause. We scorn her most, when most she offers blows. Dol. Cœs. Enter Euphronius. Approach, and speak. Eup. Such as I am, I come from Antony: I was of late as petty to his ends, As is the morn-dew on the myrtle leaf To his grand sea.7 Cæs. Be it so; Declare thine office. Eup. Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and Requires to live in Egypt: which not granted, He lessens his requests; and to thee sues To let him breathe between the heavens and earth, A private man in Athens: This for him. Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness; Submits her to thy might; and of thee craves The circles of the Ptolemies for her heirs, Now hazarded to thy grace. Cæs. For Antony, I have no ears to his request. The queen Cœs. 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 Lord of his reason. What although you Pr'ythee, peace. Eup. Ant. Ay, my lord. The queen Shall then have courtesy, so she will yield Eup. He says so. Let her know it. What is most right: Mine honour was not yielded, Eno. To be sure of that, [Aside. I will ask Antony.-Sir, sir, thou'rt so leaky, That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for Thy dearest quit thee. [Exit Enobarbus. Thyr. Shall I say to Cæsar What you require of him? for he partly begs To be desir'd to give. It much would please him, That of his fortunes you should make a staff To lean upon but it would warm his spirits, Ant. To him again; Tell him, he wears the rose To hear from me you had left Antony, Of youth upon him; from which the world should|| And put yourself under his shrowd, The universal landlord. Ant. Cleo. note That head, my lord? Something particular: his coin, ships, legions, May be a coward's; whose ministers would prevail Under the service of a child, as soon As the command of Cæsar: I dare him therefore [Exeunt Antony and Euphronius. Cleo. : What's your name? Thyr. My name is Thyreus. Most kind messenger, Say to great Cæsar this, In disputation? I kiss his conqu'ring hand: tell him, I am prompt Thyr. Cleo. The bidding of the fullest You will be whipp'd. Ant. Approach, there:-Ay, you kite!-Now gods and devils! Authority melts from me: Of late, when I cry'd, ho Enter Attendants. Antony yet. Take hence this Jack,13 and whip him taries That do acknowledge Cæsar, should I find them name, Since she was Cleopatra ?)—Whip him, fellows, (7) Supposed to be an error for deputation, i. e. by proxy. (8) Obeyed. (9) Grant me the favour. (10) Conquering. (11) Most complete and perfect. (12) Scramble. (13) A term of contempt. |