 | Antony and Cleopatra |  |
ACT III.
SCENE I.
Near Actium. Antony's Camp.Enter Cleopatra, and Enobarbus.
Cle.
I will be even with thee, doubt it not.
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But why, why, why?
Cle.
Thou hast fore-spoke my being in these wars;
And say'st, it is not fit.
Eno.
—Well, is it, is it?
Cle.
Is't not denounc'd 'gainst us? Why should not we
Be there in person?
Eno.
—Well, I could reply:—
If we should serve with horse and mares together,
The horse were meerly lost; the mares would bear
A soldier, and his horse.
Cle.
—What is't you say?
Eno.
Your presence needs must puzle 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.
Cle.
—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
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it;
I will not stay behind.
Eno.
—Nay, I have done.
Here comes the Emperor.
Enter Antony, and Canidius.
Ant.
—Is't not strange, Canidius,
That from Tarentum, and Brundusium,
He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea,
And take in Toryne?—You have heard on't, sweet?
Cle.
Celerity is never more admir'd,
Than by the negligent.
Ant.
—A good rebuke,
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To taunt at slackness.—My Canidius, we
Will fight with him by sea.
Cle.
—By sea! What else?
Can.
Why will my lord do so?
Ant.
—For that 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 man'd:
Your mariners are muliteers, reapers, people
Ingrost by swift impress; in Cæsar's fleet
Are those, that often have 'gainst Pompey fought:
Their ships are yare; yours, heavy: No disgrace
Can 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 footmen; leave unexecuted
Your own renowned knowledge; quite forego
The way which promises assurance; and
Give up yourself meerly to chance and hazard,
From firm security.
Ant.
—I'll fight at sea.
Cle.
I have sixty sails, Cæsar none better.
Ant.
—Come:
Our over-plus of shipping will we burn;
And, with the rest full-man'd, from the head of Actium
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Enter an Attendant.
We then can do't at land.—Thy business?
Att.
The news is true, my lord; he is descry'd;
Cæsar has taken Toryne.
Ant.
Can he be there in person? 'tis impossible;
Strange, that his power should be.—Canidius,
Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,
And our twelve thousand horse:—we'll to our ship;
Enter Diomede.
Away, my Thetis.—How now, worthy soldier?
Dio.
O noble Emperor, do not fight by sea;
Trust not to rotten planks: Do you misdoubt
This sword, and these my wounds? Let the Egyptians,
And the Phænicians, go a ducking; we
Have us'd to conquer, standing on the earth,
And fighting foot to foot.
Ant.
—Well, well, away.
[Exeunt Ant. Cle. Eno. and Attendant.
Dio.
By Hercules, I think I am i'the right.
Can.
Soldier, thou art: but this whole action grows
Not in the power on't: So our leader's led,
And we are women's men.
Dio.
—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.
Dio.
—While he was yet in Rome,
His power went out in such distractions, as
Beguil'd all spies.
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—Who's his lieutenant, hear you?
Dio.
They say, one Taurus.
Can.
—Well I know the man.
Re-enter Attendant.
Att.
The Emperor calls Canidius.
Can.
With news the time's in labour, and throws forth,
Each minute, some.
[Exeunt.
SCENE II.
The same. Plain between both Camps.Enter Cæsar, Taurus, Officers, and Others.
Cæs.
Taurus,—
Tau.
—My lord.
Cæs.
Strike not by land; keep whole: provoke not battle,
'Till we have done at sea. Do not exceed
The prescript of this ‡ scrowl: Our fortune lies
Upon this jump.
[Exeunt.
Enter Antony, Enobarbus, and Others.
Ant.
Set we our squadrons on yon' side o'the hill,
In eye of Cæsar's battle; from which place
We may the number of the ships behold,
And so proceed accordingly.
[Exeunt.
Enter Canidius, marching with his Land-army one Way; and Taurus, the Lieutenant of Cæsar, with his, the other Way. After their going in, is heard the Noise of a Sea-fight.
Alarums. 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.
Enter Diomede.
Dio.
—Gods, and goddesses,
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Eno.
—What's thy passion?
Dio.
The greater cantle of the world is lost
With very ignorance; we have kiss'd away
Kingdoms, and provinces.
Eno.
—How appears the fight?
Dio.
On our side like the token'd pestilence,
Where death is sure. Yon' ribald 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 breeze upon her, like a cow in June,
Hoists sails, and flies.
Eno.
—That I beheld: mine eyes
Did sicken at the sight of it, and could not
Endure a further view.
Dio.
—She once being looft,
The noble ruin of her magick, Antony,
Claps on his sea-wing, and, like a doting mallard,
Leaving the fight in heighth, 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 giv'n example for our flight,
Most grosly, by his own.
Eno.
“Ay, are you there-abouts? Why then, goodnight”
“Indeed.”
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—Toward Peloponnesus are they fled.
Dio.
'Tis easy to't: and there I will attend
What further comes.
[Exit.
Can.
—To Cæsar will I render
My legions, and my horse; six Kings already
Shew me the way of yielding.
[Exit.
Eno.
—I'll yet follow
The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason
Sits in the wind against me.
[Exit.
SCENE III.
Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.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 in the world, that I
Have lost my way for ever: I have a ship
Laden with gold; take that, divide it; fly,
And make your peace with Cæsar.
att.
—Fly! not we.
Ant.
I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards
To run, and shew their shoulders. Friends, be gone:
I have myself resolv'd upon a course
Which has no need of you; be gone, be gone:
My treasure's in the harbour, take it.—O,
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 lothness: take the hint
Which my despair proclaims; let that be left
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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.
[Exeunt Attendants. Throws himself on a Couch.
Enter Eros, with Cleopatra, led by Iras and Charmian.
Ero.
Nay, gentle madam, to him, comfort him.
Ira.
Do, most dear Queen.
Cha.
Do! Why, what else?
Cle.
Let me sit † down.—O Juno!
Ant.
No, no, no, no, no.
Ero.
See you here, sir?
Ant.
O, fie, fie, fie.
Cha.
Madam,—
Ira.
Madam, good Empress,—
Ero.
Sir, sir,—
Ant.
Yes, my lord, yes;—He, at Philippi, kept
His sword even like a dancer; while I strook
The lean and wrinkl'd Cassius; and 'twas I,
That the mad Brutus ended: he alone
Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practise had
In the brave squares of war: Yet now—No matter.
Cle.
Ah me!—Stand by.
[rising.
Ero.
—The Queen, my lord, the Queen.
Ira.
Go to him, madam, speak to him; he is unquality'd
With very shame.
Cle.
—Well then,—Sustain me:—O!
Ero.
Most noble sir, arise; the Queen approaches;
Her head's declin'd, and death will seize her; but
Your comfort makes the rescue.
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I have offended reputation;
A most unnoble swerving.
Ero.
—Sir, the Queen.
Ant.
O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? [starting up]
See
How I convey my shame out of thine eyes,
By looking back on what I have left behind
'Stroy'd in dishonour.
Cle.
—O, my lord, my lord!
Forgive my fearful sails; I little thought,
You would have follow'd.
Ant.
—Egypt, thou knew'st too well,
My heart was to thy rudder ty'd 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.
Cle.
—O, my pardon.
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
Obey it on all causes.
Cle.
—Pardon, pardon.
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 soothsayer,
Is he come back?—Love, I am full of lead:—
Some wine, there, and our viands:—Fortune knows,
We scorn her most, when most she offers blows.
[Exeunt.
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SCENE IV.
A Camp in Egypt. Cæsar's Tent.Enter Cæsar, Thyreus, Dolabella, and others.
Cæs.
Let him appear, that's come from Antony:—
Know you him?
Dol.
—Cæsar, 'tis his soothsayer:
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.
Enter Soothsayer.
Cæs.
—Approach, and speak.
Soo.
Such as I am, I come from Antony:
I was of late as petty to his ends,
As is the morn dew on the mirtle leaf
To his grand sea.
Cæs.
—Be it so; Declare thine office.
Soo.
Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and
Requires to live in Egypt: which not granted,
He lessens his request; and of thee sues
To let him breath 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 circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs,
Now hazarded to thy grace.
Cæs.
—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,
Or take his life there: This if she perform,
She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.
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Fortune pursue thee!
Cæs.
—Bring him through the bands.—
[Exit Soothsayer, attended.
To try thy eloquence, now's the time: Dispatch;
From Antony win Cleopatra: promise,
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, Thyreus;
Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we
Will answer as a law.
Thy.
—Cæsar, I go.
Cæs.
Observe how Antony becomes his flaw;
And what thou think'st his very action speaks
In every power that moves.
Thy.
—Cæsar, I shall.
[Exeunt.
SCENE V.
Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.Enter Cleopatra, Enorbarbus, Charmian, and Iras.
Cle.
What shall we do, Enorbarbus?
Eno.
—Drink, and die.
Cle.
Is Antony, or we, in fault for this?
Eno.
Antony only, that would make his will
Lord of his reason. What though you fled
From that great face of war, whose several ranges
Frighted each other? why should he follow you?
The itch of his affection should not then
Have nick'd his captainship; at such a point,
When half to half the world oppos'd, he being
The meered question: 'Twas a shame no less
Than was his loss, to course your flying flags,
And leave his navy gazing.
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—Prythee, peace.
Enter Antony, and Soothsayer.
Ant.
Is that his answer?
Soo.
—Ay, my lord.
Ant.
—The Queen
Shall then have courtesy, so she will yield
Us up.
Soo.
—My lord, he says so.
Ant.
—Let her know't.—
To the boy Cæsar send this grizl'd head,
And he will fill thy wishes to the brim
With principalities.
Cle.
—That head, my lord?
Ant.
To him again; Tell him, he wears the rose
Of youth upon him; from which, the world should note
Something particular: his coin, ships, legions,
May be a coward's; whose ministries would prevail
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 Soothsayer.
Eno.
“Yes, like enough; high-battl'd Cæsar will”
“Unstate his happiness, and be stag'd to the shew”
“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.”
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Att.
—A messenger from Cæsar.
Cle.
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.
[Exit Attendant.
Eno.
“Mine honesty, and I, begin to square.”
“The loyalty, well held to fools, does make”
“Our faith meer folly:—Yet, he, that can endure”
“To follow with allegiance a fall'n lord,”
“Does conquer him that did his master conquer,”
“And earns a place i'the story.”
Enter Thyreus.
Cle.
—Cæsar's will?
Thy.
Hear it apart.
Cle.
—None but friends; say on boldly.
Thy.
So, haply, are they friends to Antony.
Eno.
He needs as many, sir, as Cæsar has;
Or needs not us. If Cæsar please, our master
Will leap to be his friend: Or, as you know,
Whose he is, we are; and that is, Cæsar's.
Thy.
—So.—
Thus then, thou most renown'd; Cæsar entreats,
Not to consider in what case thou stand'st
Further than he is Cæsar.
Cle.
—Go on: Right royal.
Thy.
He knows, that you embrace not Antony
As you did love, but as you fear'd him.
Cle.
—O!
Thy.
The scars upon your honour, therefore, he
Does pity, as constrained blemishes,
Not as deserv'd.
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—He is a god, and knows
What is most right: Mine honour was not yielded,
But conquer'd meerly.
Eno.
—“To be sure of that,”
“I will ask Antony. Sir, sir, thou art so leaky,”
“That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for”
“Thy dearest quit thee.”
[Exit Enobarbus.
Thy.
—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,
To hear from me you had left Antony,
And put yourself under his shroud, the great,
The universal landlord.
Cle.
—What's your name?
Thy.
My name is Thyreus.
Cle.
—Most kind messenger,
Say to great Cæsar this, In deputation
I kiss his conquering 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.
Thy.
—'Tis your noblest course.
Wisdom and fortune combatting 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.
Cle.
—Your Cæsar's father oft,
[giving her Hand.
When he hath mus'd of taking kingdoms in,
Bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place,
As it rain'd kisses.
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Ant.
—Favours, by Jove that thunders!—
What art thou, fellow?
Thy.
—One, that but performs
The bidding of the fullest man, and worthiest
To have command obey'd.
Eno.
—“You will be whip'd.”
Ant.
Approach, there;—Ah, you kite!—Now, gods and devils!
Authority melts from me of late: when I cry'd ho!
Like boys unto a muss, Kings would start forth,
And cry, Your will?—Have you no ears? I am
Enter Attendants.
Antony yet. Take hence this Jack, and whip him.
Eno.
“'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp,”
“Than with an old one dying.”
Ant.
—Moon and stars!
Whip him:—Wer't twenty of the greatest tributaries
That do acknowledge Cæsar, should I find them
So saucy with the hand of the † here, (What's her name,
Since she was Cleopatra?)—Whip him, fellows,
'Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face,
And whine aloud for mercy: Take him hence.
Thy.
Mark Antony,—
Ant.
—Tug him away: being whip'd,
Bring him again:—This Jack of Cæsar's shall
Bear us an errand to him.—
[Exeunt Attendants, with Thyreus.
You were half blasted ere I knew you:—Ha!
Have I my pillow left unprest in Rome,
Forborn the getting of a lawful race,
And by a jem of women, to be abus'd
By one that looks on feeders?
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—Good my lord,—
Ant.
You have been a bogler ever:—
But when we in our viciousness grow hard,
(O, misery on't!) the wise gods seel our eyes
In our own filth; drop our clear judgments; make us
Adore our errors; laugh at us, while we strut
To our confusion.
Cle.
—O, is't come to this?
Ant.
I found you as a morsel, cold upon
Dead Cæsar's trencher: nay, you were a fragment
Of Cneius Pompey's; besides what hotter hours,
Unregister'd in vulgar fame, you have
Luxuriously pick'd out: For, I am sure,
Though you can guess what temperance should be,
You know not what it is.
Cle.
—Wherefore is this?
Ant.
To let a fellow that will take rewards,
And say, God quit you! be familiar with
My play-fellow, your hand; this kingly seal,
Re-enter Attendants, with Thyreus.
And plighter of high hearts!—O, is he whip'd?
1. A.
Soundly, my lord.
Ant.
—Cry'd he? and beg'd he pardon?
1. A.
He did ask favour.
Ant.
If that thy father live, let him repent
Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou sorry
To follow Cæsar in his triumph, since
Thou hast been whip'd for following him: henceforth,
The white hand of a lady fever thee,
Shake thou to look on't. Get thee back to Cæsar,
Tell him thy entertainment: Look, thou say,
He makes me angry with him: for he seems
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Not what he knew I was: He makes me angry;
And at this time msot most easy 'tis to do't;
When my good stars, that were my former guides,
Have empty left their orbs, and shot their fires
Into the abism of hell. If he mislike
My speech, and what is done; tell him, he has
Hipparchus, my enfranched bondman, whom
He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,
As he shall like, to quit me: Urge it thou;
Hence with thy stripes, be gone.
[Exit Thyreus.
Cle.
Have you done yet?
Ant.
—Alack, our terrene moon
Is now eclips'd; and it portends alone
The fall of Antony!
Cle.
—I must stay his time.
[to her Women.
Ant.
To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes
With one that ties his points?
Cle.
—Not know me yet?
Ant.
Cold-hearted toward me?
Cle.
—Ah, dear, if I be so,
From my cold heart let heaven engender hail,
And poison it in the source; and the first stone
Drop in my neck: as it determines, so
Dissolve my life! The next Cæsarion smite!
'Till, by degrees, the memory of my womb,
Together with my brave Egyptians all,
By the discandying of this pelleted storm,
Lie graveless; 'till the flies and gnats of Nile
Have bury'd them for prey!
Ant.
—I am satisfy'd.
Cæsar sits down in Alexandria; where
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Hath nobly held; our sever'd navy too
Have knit again, and fleet, threat'ning most sea-like.—
Where hast thou been, my heart?—Dost thou hear, lady?
If from the field I shall return once more
To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood;
I and my sword will earn our chronicle;
There is hope in it yet.
Cle.
—That's my brave lord!
Ant.
I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breath'd,
And fight maliciously: for when mine hours
Were nice and lucky, men did ransom lives
Of me for jests; but now, I'll set my teeth,
And send to darkness all that stop me. Come,
Let's have one other gaudy night: call to me
All my sad captains, fill our bowls; once more
Let's mock the midnight bell.
Cle.
—It is my birth-day:
I had thought, to have held it poor; but, since my lord
Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra.
Ant.
Well yet do well.
Cle.
Call all his noble captains to my lord.
Ant.
Do so, we'll speak to them; and to-night I'll force
The wine peep through their scars.—Come on, my Queen;
There's sap in't yet. The next time I do fight,
I'll make death love me; for I will contend
Even with his pestilent sithe.
[Exeunt Antony, Cleopatra, Cha. Ira. and Att.
Eno.
Now he'll out-stare the lightning. To be furious,
Is, to be frighted out of fear: in that mood,
The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still,
A diminution in our captain's brain
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It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek
Some way to leave him.
[Exit.
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