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! MARK ANTONY No, no, no, no, no. EROS See you here, sir? MARK ANTONY O fie, fie, fie! CHARMIAN Madam! IRAS Madam, O good empress! EROS Sir, sir,-- MARK ANTONY Yes, my lord, yes; he at Philippi kept His sword e'en like a dancer; while I struck The lean and wrinkled Cassius; and 'twas IThat the mad Brutus ended: he alone Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practise 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 him: O! EROS Most noble sir, arise; the queen approaches:
Her head's declined, and death will seize her, but Your comfort makes the rescue. MARK ANTONY I have offended reputation, A most unnoble swerving. EROS Sir, the queen. MARK 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 follow'd. MARK ANTONY Egypt, thou knew'st too well My heart was to thy rudder tied by the 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 gods Command me. CLEOPATRA O, my pardon! MARK ANTONY 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 pleased, 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! MARK 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 he 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 SCENE XII. Egypt. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp. Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, with others OCTAVIUS 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 off his wing, Which had superfluous kings for messengers Not many moons gone by.
Enter EUPHRONIUS, ambassador from MARK ANTONY OCTAVIUS 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. OCTAVIUS 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. OCTAVIUS 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! OCTAVIUS CAESAR Bring him through the bands.
Exit EUPHRONIUS
To THYREUS
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. OCTAVIUS 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 SCENE XIII. Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace. Enter CLEOPATRA, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, and IRAS CLEOPATRA What shall we do, Enobarbus? DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS Think, and die. CLEOPATRA Is Antony or we in fault for this? DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS 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?
The itch of his affection should not then Have nick'd his captainship; at such a point, When half to half the world opposed, he being The meered question: 'twas a shame no less Than was his loss, to course your flying flags, And leave his navy gazing. CLEOPATRA Prithee, peace.
Enter MARK ANTONY with EUPHRONIUS, the Ambassador MARK ANTONY Is that his answer? EUPHRONIUS Ay, my lord. MARK ANTONY The queen shall then have courtesy, so she Will yield us up. EUPHRONIUS He says so. MARK ANTONY Let her know't.
To the boy Caesar send this grizzled head, And he will fill thy wishes to the brim With principalities. CLEOPATRA That head, my lord? MARK ANTONY 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 ministers would prevail Under the service of a child as soon As i' the command of Caesar: I dare him therefore To lay his gay comparisons apart, And answer me declined, sword against sword, Ourselves alone. I'll write it: follow me.
Exeunt MARK ANTONY and EUPHRONIUS DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS [Aside] Yes, like enough, high-battled Caesar will Unstate his happiness, and be staged 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 Caesar will Answer his emptiness! Caesar, thou hast subdued His judgment too.
Enter an Attendant Attendant A messenger from CAESAR. CLEOPATRA What, no more ceremony? See, my women!
