TPTT The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra: ACT III
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
SCENE I. A plain in Syria.
SCENE II. Rome. An ante-chamber in OCTAVIUS CAESAR's house.
SCENE III. Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace.
SCENE IV. Athens. A room in MARK ANTONY's house.
SCENE V. The same. Another room.
SCENE VI. Rome. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's house.
SCENE VII. Near Actium. MARK ANTONY's camp.
SCENE VIII. A plain near Actium.
SCENE IX. Another part of the plain.
SCENE X. Another part of the plain.
SCENE XI. Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace.
SCENE XII. Egypt. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp.
SCENE XIII. Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace.
ACT IV
ACT V
About the Play
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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
5     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,
10    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
15    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
20    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
25    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
30    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
35    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,
40    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!
45    Against the blown rose may they stop their nose
      That kneel'd unto the buds. Admit him, sir.
Exit Attendant
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      (Aside) Mine honesty and I begin to square.
      The loyalty well held to fools does make
      Our faith mere folly: yet he that can endure
50    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
CLEOPATRA
      Caesar's will?
THYREUS
      Hear it apart.
CLEOPATRA
55    None but friends: say boldly.
THYREUS
      So, haply, are they friends to Antony.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      He needs as many, sir, as Caesar has;
      Or needs not us. If Caesar please, our master
      Will leap to be his friend: for us, you know,
60    Whose he is we are, and that is, Caesar's.
THYREUS
      So.
      Thus then, thou most renown'd: Caesar entreats,
      Not to consider in what case thou stand'st,
      Further than he is Caesar.
CLEOPATRA
65    Go on: right royal.
THYREUS
      He knows that you embrace not Antony
      As you did love, but as you fear'd him.
CLEOPATRA
      O!
THYREUS
      The scars upon your honour, therefore, he
70    Does pity, as constrained blemishes,
      Not as deserved.
CLEOPATRA
      He is a god, and knows
      What is most right: mine honour was not yielded,
      But conquer'd merely.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
75    (Aside) 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
THYREUS
      Shall I say to Caesar
80    What you require of him? for he partly begs
      To be desired 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,
85    And put yourself under his shrowd,
      The universal landlord.
CLEOPATRA
      What's your name?
THYREUS
      My name is Thyreus.
CLEOPATRA
      Most kind messenger,
90    Say to great Caesar this: in deputation
      I kiss his conquering hand: tell him, I am prompt
      To lay my crown at 's feet, and there to kneel:
      Tell him from his all-obeying breath I hear
      The doom of Egypt.
THYREUS
95    'Tis your noblest course.
      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.
CLEOPATRA
100   Your Caesar's father oft,
      When he hath mused of taking kingdoms in,
      Bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place,
      As it rain'd kisses.
Re-enter MARK ANTONY and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
MARK ANTONY
      Favours, by Jove that thunders!
105   What art thou, fellow?
THYREUS
      One that but performs
      The bidding of the fullest man, and worthiest
      To have command obey'd.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      (Aside) You will be whipp'd.
MARK ANTONY
110   Approach, there! Ah, you kite! Now, gods
      and devils!
      Authority melts from me: of late, when I cried 'Ho!'
      Like boys unto a muss, kings would start forth,
      And cry 'Your will?' Have you no ears? I am
115   Antony yet.

Enter Attendants

      Take hence this Jack, and whip him.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      (Aside) 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp
      Than with an old one dying.
MARK ANTONY
      Moon and stars!
120   Whip him. Were't twenty of the greatest tributaries
      That do acknowledge Caesar, should I find them
      So saucy with the hand of she here,--what's her name,
      Since she was Cleopatra? Whip him, fellows,
      Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face,
125   And whine aloud for mercy: take him hence.
THYREUS
      Mark Antony!
MARK ANTONY
      Tug him away: being whipp'd,
      Bring him again: this Jack of Caesar's shall
      Bear us an errand to him.

Exeunt Attendants with THYREUS

130   You were half blasted ere I knew you: ha!
      Have I my pillow left unpress'd in Rome,
      Forborne the getting of a lawful race,
      And by a gem of women, to be abused
      By one that looks on feeders?
CLEOPATRA
135   Good my lord,--
MARK ANTONY
      You have been a boggler 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
140   Adore our errors; laugh at's, while we strut
      To our confusion.
CLEOPATRA
      O, is't come to this?
MARK ANTONY
      I found you as a morsel cold upon
      Dead Caesar's trencher; nay, you were a fragment
145   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.
CLEOPATRA
150   Wherefore is this?
MARK ANTONY
      To let a fellow that will take rewards
      And say 'God quit you!' be familiar with
      My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal
      And plighter of high hearts! O, that I were
155   Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar
      The horned herd! for I have savage cause;
      And to proclaim it civilly, were like
      A halter'd neck which does the hangman thank
      For being yare about him.

Re-enter Attendants with THYREUS

160   Is he whipp'd?
First Attendant
      Soundly, my lord.
MARK ANTONY
      Cried he? and begg'd a' pardon?
First Attendant
      He did ask favour.
MARK ANTONY
      If that thy father live, let him repent
165   Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou sorry
      To follow Caesar in his triumph, since
      Thou hast been whipp'd for following him: henceforth
      The white hand of a lady fever thee,
      Shake thou to look on 't. Get thee back to Caesar,
170   Tell him thy entertainment: look, thou say
      He makes me angry with him; for he seems
      Proud and disdainful, harping on what I am,
      Not what he knew I was: he makes me angry;
      And at this time most easy 'tis to do't,
175   When my good stars, that were my former guides,
      Have empty left their orbs, and shot their fires
      Into the abysm of hell. If he mislike
      My speech and what is done, tell him he has
      Hipparchus, my enfranched bondman, whom
180   He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,
      As he shall like, to quit me: urge it thou:
      Hence with thy stripes, begone!
Exit THYREUS
CLEOPATRA
      Have you done yet?
MARK ANTONY
      Alack, our terrene moon
185   Is now eclipsed; and it portends alone
      The fall of Antony!
CLEOPATRA
      I must stay his time.
MARK ANTONY
      To flatter Caesar, would you mingle eyes
      With one that ties his points?
CLEOPATRA
190   Not know me yet?
MARK ANTONY
      Cold-hearted toward me?
CLEOPATRA
      Ah, dear, if I be so,
      From my cold heart let heaven engender hail,
      And poison it in the source; and the first stone
195   Drop in my neck: as it determines, so
      Dissolve my life! The next Caesarion smite!
      Till by degrees the memory of my womb,
      Together with my brave Egyptians all,
      By the discandying of this pelleted storm,
200   Lie graveless, till the flies and gnats of Nile
      Have buried them for prey!
MARK ANTONY
      I am satisfied.
      Caesar sits down in Alexandria; where
      I will oppose his fate. Our force by land
205   Hath nobly held; our sever'd navy too
      Have knit again, and fleet, threatening 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;
210   I and my sword will earn our chronicle:
      There's hope in't yet.
CLEOPATRA
      That's my brave lord!
MARK ANTONY
      I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breathed,
      And fight maliciously: for when mine hours
215   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;
220   Let's mock the midnight bell.
CLEOPATRA
      It is my birth-day:
      I had thought to have held it poor: but, since my lord
      Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra.
MARK ANTONY
      We will yet do well.
CLEOPATRA
225   Call all his noble captains to my lord.
MARK ANTONY
      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
230   Even with his pestilent scythe.
Exeunt all but DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
      Now he'll outstare the lightning. To be furious,
      Is to be frighted out of fear; and in that mood
      The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still,
      A diminution in our captain's brain
235   Restores his heart: when valour preys on reason,
      It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek
      Some way to leave him.
Exit
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