TPTT The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra: ACT V
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
SCENE I. Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp.
SCENE II. Alexandria. A room in the monument.
About the Play
Feedback
  Search:   
for:

SCENE I. Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp.
Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, AGRIPPA, DOLABELLA, MECAENAS, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, and others, his council of war
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
      Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield;
      Being so frustrate, tell him he mocks
      The pauses that he makes.
DOLABELLA
      Caesar, I shall.
Exit
Enter DERCETAS, with the sword of MARK ANTONY
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
5     Wherefore is that? and what art thou that darest
      Appear thus to us?
DERCETAS
      I am call'd Dercetas;
      Mark Antony I served, who best was worthy
      Best to be served: whilst he stood up and spoke,
10    He was my master; and I wore my life
      To spend upon his haters. If thou please
      To take me to thee, as I was to him
      I'll be to Caesar; if thou pleasest not,
      I yield thee up my life.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
15    What is't thou say'st?
DERCETAS
      I say, O Caesar, Antony is dead.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
      The breaking of so great a thing should make
      A greater crack: the round world
      Should have shook lions into civil streets,
20    And citizens to their dens: the death of Antony
      Is not a single doom; in the name lay
      A moiety of the world.
DERCETAS
      He is dead, Caesar:
      Not by a public minister of justice,
25    Nor by a hired knife; but that self hand,
      Which writ his honour in the acts it did,
      Hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it,
      Splitted the heart. This is his sword;
      I robb'd his wound of it; behold it stain'd
30    With his most noble blood.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
      Look you sad, friends?
      The gods rebuke me, but it is tidings
      To wash the eyes of kings.
AGRIPPA
      And strange it is,
35    That nature must compel us to lament
      Our most persisted deeds.
MECAENAS
      His taints and honours
      Waged equal with him.
AGRIPPA
      A rarer spirit never
40    Did steer humanity: but you, gods, will give us
      Some faults to make us men. Caesar is touch'd.
MECAENAS
      When such a spacious mirror's set before him,
      He needs must see himself.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
      O Antony!
45    I have follow'd thee to this; but we do lance
      Diseases in our bodies: I must perforce
      Have shown to thee such a declining day,
      Or look on thine; we could not stall together
      In the whole world: but yet let me lament,
50    With tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts,
      That thou, my brother, my competitor
      In top of all design, my mate in empire,
      Friend and companion in the front of war,
      The arm of mine own body, and the heart
55    Where mine his thoughts did kindle,--that our stars,
      Unreconciliable, should divide
      Our equalness to this. Hear me, good friends--
      But I will tell you at some meeter season:

Enter an Egyptian

      The business of this man looks out of him;
60    We'll hear him what he says. Whence are you?
Egyptian
      A poor Egyptian yet. The queen my mistress,
      Confined in all she has, her monument,
      Of thy intents desires instruction,
      That she preparedly may frame herself
65    To the way she's forced to.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
      Bid her have good heart:
      She soon shall know of us, by some of ours,
      How honourable and how kindly we
      Determine for her; for Caesar cannot live
70    To be ungentle.
Egyptian
      So the gods preserve thee!
Exit
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
      Come hither, Proculeius. Go and say,
      We purpose her no shame: give her what comforts
      The quality of her passion shall require,
75    Lest, in her greatness, by some mortal stroke
      She do defeat us; for her life in Rome
      Would be eternal in our triumph: go,
      And with your speediest bring us what she says,
      And how you find of her.
PROCULEIUS
80    Caesar, I shall.
Exit
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
      Gallus, go you along.

Exit GALLUS

      Where's Dolabella,
      To second Proculeius?
All
      Dolabella!
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
85    Let him alone, for I remember now
      How he's employ'd: he shall in time be ready.
      Go with me to my tent; where you shall see
      How hardly I was drawn into this war;
      How calm and gentle I proceeded still
90    In all my writings: go with me, and see
      What I can show in this.
Exeunt
Return to top of page ... or ... Go to next scene