The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 35

SCARUS. G.o.ds and G.o.ddesses, All the whole synod of them!

En.o.bARBUS. What's thy pa.s.sion?

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

En.o.bARBUS. How appears the fight?

SCARUS. On our side like the token'd pestilence, Where death is sure. Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt- Whom leprosy o'ertake!- i' th' midst o' th' fight, When vantage like a pair of twins appear'd, Both as the same, or rather ours the elder- The breese upon her, like a cow in June- Hoists sails and flies.

En.o.bARBUS. That I beheld; Mine eyes did sicken at the sight and could not Endure a further view.

SCARUS. She once being loof'd, The n.o.ble 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.

En.o.bARBUS. Alack, alack!

Enter CANIDIUS

CANIDIUS. 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!

En.o.bARBUS. Ay, are you thereabouts?

Why then, good night indeed.

CANIDIUS. Toward Peloponnesus are they fled.

SCARUS. 'Tis easy to't; and there I will attend What further comes.

CANIDIUS. To Caesar will I render My legions and my horse; six kings already Show me the way of yielding.

En.o.bARBUS. I'll yet follow The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason Sits in the wind against me. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_11 SCENE XI.

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA'S palace

Enter ANTONY With attendants

ANTONY. 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 s.h.i.+p Laden with gold; take that; divide it. Fly, And make your peace with Caesar.

ALL. Fly? Not we!

ANTONY. I have fled myself, and have instructed cowards To run and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone; I have myself resolv'd upon a course Which has no need of you; 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 loathness; take the hint Which my despair proclaims. Let that be left Which leaves itself. To the sea-side straight way.

I will possess you of that s.h.i.+p 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 CLEOPATRA, led by CHARMIAN and IRAS, EROS following

EROS. Nay, gentle madam, to him! Comfort him.

IRAS. Do, most dear Queen.

CHARMIAN. Do? Why, what else?

CLEOPATRA. Let me sit down. O Juno!

ANTONY. No, no, no, no, no.

EROS. See you here, sir?

ANTONY. O, fie, fie, fie!

CHARMIAN. Madam!

IRAS. Madam, O good Empress!

EROS. Sir, sir!

ANTONY. Yes, my lord, yes. He at Philippi kept His sword e'en like a dancer, while I struck The lean and wrinkled Ca.s.sius; and 'twas I That the mad Brutus ended; he alone Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had In the brave squares of war. Yet now- no matter.

CLEOPATRA. Ah, stand by!

EROS. The Queen, my lord, the Queen!

IRAS. Go to him, madam, speak to him.

He is unqualitied with very shame.

CLEOPATRA. Well then, sustain me. O!

EROS. Most n.o.ble sir, arise; the Queen approaches.

Her head's declin'd, and death will seize her but Your comfort makes the rescue.

ANTONY. I have offended reputation- A most unn.o.ble swerving.

EROS. Sir, the Queen.

ANTONY. O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See How I convey my shame out of thine eyes By looking back what I have left behind 'Stroy'd in dishonour.

CLEOPATRA. O my lord, my lord, Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought You would have followed.

ANTONY. Egypt, thou knew'st too well My heart was to thy rudder tied by th' strings, And thou shouldst tow me after. O'er my spirit Thy full supremacy thou knew'st, and that Thy beck might from the bidding of the G.o.ds Command me.

CLEOPATRA. O, my pardon!

ANTONY. Now I must To the young man send humble treaties, dodge And palter in the s.h.i.+fts of lowness, who With half the bulk o' th' 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 cause.

CLEOPATRA. Pardon, pardon!

ANTONY. 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 'a come back?

Love, I am full of lead. Some wine, Within there, and our viands! Fortune knows We scorn her most when most she offers blows. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_12 SCENE XII.

CAESAR'S camp in Egypt

Enter CAESAR, AGRIPPA, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, with others

CAESAR. Let him appear that's come from Antony.

Know you him?

DOLABELLA. Caesar, '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.

Enter EUPHRONIUS, Amba.s.sador from ANTONY

CAESAR. Approach, and speak.

EUPHRONIUS. 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.

CAESAR. Be't so. Declare thine office.

EUPHRONIUS. 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 circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs, Now hazarded to thy grace.

CAESAR. 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.

EUPHRONIUS. Fortune pursue thee!

CAESAR. Bring him through the bands. Exit EUPHRONIUS [To THYREUS] To try thy eloquence, now 'tis 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.

THYREUS. Caesar, I go.

CAESAR. Observe how Antony becomes his flaw, And what thou think'st his very action speaks In every power that moves.

THYREUS. Caesar, I shall. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_13 SCENE XIII.

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA'S palace

Enter CLEOPATRA, En.o.bARBUS, CHARMIAN, and IRAS

CLEOPATRA. What shall we do, En.o.barbus?

En.o.bARBUS. Think, and die.

CLEOPATRA. Is Antony or we in fault for this?

En.o.bARBUS. 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?