Puslapio vaizdai
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To public ear:

Spoke scantly of me: when perforce he could not2
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,
Stomachs 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.

Ant.

Gentle Octavia,

Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks
Best to preserve it: If I 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.

Thanks to my lord.

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.8

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
Can equally move with them. Provide your going;
Choose your own company, and command what cost
Your heart has mind to.

Eno. Then, world, thou hast a pair of chaps, no

more;

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.
Eno.

'Twill be naught:

But let it be. Bring me to Antony.
Eros. Come, sir.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VI. -Rome. A room in Cæsar's house.
Enter Cæsar, Agrippa, and Mæcenas.

Cæs. 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.

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Мас.

Inform'd.

Let Rome be thus

Agr. Who, queasy13 with his insolence Already, will their good thoughts call from him. Cæs. The people know it; and have now receiv'd His accusations.

Agr.

Whom does he accuse?

Cas. Cæsar: and that, having in Sicily
Sextus Pompeius spoil'd, we had not rated 14 him
His part o'the isle: then does he say, he lent me

he frets,

Some shipping unrestor'd: lastly, [Exeunt.
That Lepidus of the triumvirate
Should be depos'd; and, being, that we detain
All his revenue.
Agr.

SCENE V-The same. Another room in the same. Enter Enobarbus and Eros, meeting.

Eno. How now, friend Eros?

Eno. What, man?

Eros. There's strange news come, sir.

Sir, this should be answer'd.
Cæs. '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 conPompey.

Eno. This is old; What is the success ?9

Eros. Cæsar, having made use of him10 in the wars 'gainst Pompey, presently denied him rivality;11 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.
(3) Published. (4) Indistinct, through his teeth.
(5) Resent. (6) Disgrace. (7) Cement, close.
(8) Opening.

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come not

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.

Good my lord,

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 grieved ear withal; whereon, I begg'd

His pardon for return.
Cas.

Which soon he granted,

Being an obstruct2 'tween his lust and him.

Oct. Do not say so, my lord.

Cæs.

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And say'st, it is not fit.
Eno.

Well, is it, is it?

Cleo. Is't not? Denounce against us, why should

not we

Be there in person?

Eno. [Aside.] Well, I could reply:

If we should serve with horse and mares together,
The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear
A soldier, and his horse.

Cleo.

What is't you say?

Eno. Your presence needs must puzzle Antony; Take from his heart, take from his brain, from his

time,

What should not then be spar'd. He is already
Traduc'd for levity; and 'tis said in Rome,
That Photinus an eunuch, and your maids,

Manage this war.

Cleo.

Sink Rome; and their tongues rot,

That speak against us! A charge we bear i'the war,
And, as the president of my kingdom, will

I have eyes upon him, Appear there for a man.

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Cæs. 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.

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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.

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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;

(8) Take, subdue. (9) Because.
(10) Mule-drivers
(11) Pressed in haste.
(12) Ready. (13) Incumbered. (14) Ships.

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You keep by land The legions and the horse whole, do you not? Can. Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,

Publicola, and Cælius, are for sea:

But we keep whole by land. This speed of Cæsar's
Carries beyond belief.

Sold.

While he was yet in Rome,

His power went out in such distractions, as

Beguil'd all spies.

Can.

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 the rudder;
To see't, mine eyes are blasted.

Scar.

Enter Scarus.

All the whole synod of them!

Eno.

Gods, and goddesses,
What's thy passion?

Scar. The greater cantle 10 of the world is lost
With very ignorance; we have kiss'd away
Kingdoms and provinces.
Eno.

How appears the fight?

Scar. On our side like the token'dil pestilence,
Where death is sure. Yon'ribald-rid nag 12 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, 13-
The brize14 upon her, like a cow in June,
Hoists sails, and flies.

Eno.

That I beheld: mine eyes

Did sicken at the sight on't, and could not
Endure a further view.
Scar.

She once being loof'd, 15

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 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:

Who's his lieutenant, hear you? O, he has given example for our flight,

Sold. They say, one Taurus.

Can.

Well I know the man.

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Most grossly, by his own.

Eno. Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good

Indeed.

night

[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.

Eno.

I'll yet follow

[Exeunt.

The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason
Sits in the wind against me.

SCENE IX.-Alexandria. A room in the pal-
Enter Antony, and Attendants.

ace.

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 eyes of Caesar's battle; from which place
We may the number of the ships behold,

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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 soine 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

Iras.

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Eros. Sir, sir,

Obey it on all cause.
Cleo.

O pardon, pardon.

Ant. Fall not a tear, I say; one of them ratess
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.
Cæs. Let him appear that's come from Antony.-
Know you him?
Cæsar, 'tis his schoolmaster:6

Dol.

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Be it so; Declare thine office.

Eup. Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and

Ant. Yes, my lord, yes;-He,1 at Philippi, kept Requires to live in Egypt: which not granted, 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 unqualitied with very shame.

Cleo. Well then, -Sustain me:-O!

Eros. Most noble sir, arise; the queen ap

proaches;

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.

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.

Cas.

For Antony,
I have no ears to his request. The queen
Of audience, nor desire, shall fail; so she
From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,9
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;

Ant. O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See, From Antony win Cleopatra: promise,

How I convey my shame out of thine eyes,

By looking back on what I have left behind,

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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.

[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-

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tune.

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Under the service of a child, as soon
As i'the command of Cæsar: I dare him therefore
To lay his gay comparisons? apart,

And answer me declin'd, sword against sword,
Ourselves alone: I'll write it; follow me.

[Exeunt Antony and Euphronius.

Eno. Yes, like enough, high-battled Cæsar will Unstate his happiness, and be stag'd to the show, Against a sworder.-I see, men's judgments are A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward Do draw the inward quality after them, To suffer all alike. That he should dream, Knowing all measures, the full Cæsar will Answer his emptiness!-Cæsar, thou hast subdu'd His judgment too.

Att.

Enter an Attendant.

A messenger from Cæsar.

Cleo. What, no more ceremony?--See, my women!

Against the blown rose may they stop their nose,
That kneel'd unto the buds.--Admit him, sir.
Eno. Mine honesty, and I, begin to square.5
[Aside.

The loyalty well held to fools, does make
Our faith mere folly: Yet, he, that can endure
To follow with allegiance a fallen lord,

Does conquer him that did his master conquer,
And earns a place i'the story.

Cleo.

Enter Thy reus.

Thyr. Hear it apart.

Cleo.

Cæsar's will?

None but friends; say boldly. Thyr. So, haply, are they friends to Antony. Eno. He needs as many, sir, as Cæsar has; Or needs not us. If Cesar please, our master Will leap to be his friend: For us, you know, Whose he is, we are; and that's, Cæsar's.

(1) The only cause of the dispute.

(2) Circumstances of splendor.

(3) In age and power.

(1) Are of a picce with them. (5) Quarrel. (6) Perhaps.

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To be sure of that, [Aside.

[Exit Enobarbus.

I will ask Antony.-Sir, sir, thou'rt so leaky,
That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for
Thy dearest quit thee.
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 hirn,
That of his fortunes you should make a staff
To lean upon: but it would warın his spirits,
To hear from me you had left Antony,

And put yourself under his shrowd,
The universal landlord.
Cleo.

What's your name?

Thyr. My name is Thyreus. Cleo.

Most kind messenger,

Say to great Cæsar this, In disputation
I kiss his conqu'ring hand: tell him, I am prompt
To lay my crown at his feet, and there to kneel:
Tell him, from his all-obeying breath I hear
The doom of Egypt.

Thyr. Wisdom and fortune combating together, If that the former dare but what it can, No chance may shake it. Give me grace to lay My duty on your hand. Cleo.

'Tis your noblest course.

Your Cæsar's father

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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.

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