Antony and Cleopatra (Arden Shakespeare: Third Series) Read online

  The honoured gashes whole11.--

  Enter Cleopatra

  Give me thy hand.

  To Scarrus

  To this great fairy12 I'll commend thy acts,

  Make her thanks bless thee.--

  O thou day13 o'th'world,

  To Cleopatra

  Chain mine armed neck14, leap thou, attire and all,

  Through proof of harness15 to my heart, and there

  Ride on the pants triumphing16!

  They embrace

  CLEOPATRA Lord of lords!

  O infinite virtue18, com'st thou smiling from

  The world's great snare uncaught?

  She offers Scarrus her hand

  ANTONY My nightingale,

  We have beat them to their beds. What, girl! Though grey

  Do something22 mingle with our younger brown, yet ha' we

  A brain that nourishes our nerves23 and can

  Get goal for goal of youth24. Behold this man:

  Commend25 unto his lips thy favouring hand.

  Kiss it, my warrior: he hath fought today

  As if a god in hate of mankind had

  Destroyed in such a shape28.

  CLEOPATRA I'll give thee, friend,

  An armour all of gold: it was a king's.

  ANTONY He has deserved it, were it carbuncled31

  Like holy Phoebus' car32. Give me thy hand:

  Through Alexandria make a jolly march,

  Bear our hacked targets34 like the men that owe them.

  Had our great palace the capacity

  To camp36 sup this host, we all would sup together

  And drink carouses37 to the next day's fate

  Which promises royal peril38. Trumpeters,

  With brazen39 din blast you the city's ear,

  Make mingle40 with rattling taborins,

  That heaven and earth may strike their sounds together41,

  Applauding our approach.

  Exeunt Trumpets sound

  [Act 4 Scene 9]

  running scene 26

  Location: Caesar's camp outside Alexandria

  * * *

  Enter a Sentry and his Company, Enobarbus follows

  SENTRY If we be not relieved within this hour,

  We must return to th'court of guard2: the night

  Is shiny3 and they say we shall embattle

  By th'second hour i'th'morn.

  FIRST WATCH This last day was a shrewd5 one to's.

  ENOBARBUS O, bear me witness, night--

  SECOND WATCH What man is this?

  FIRST WATCH Stand close8, and list him.

  They stand aside

  ENOBARBUS Be witness to me -- O thou blessed moon --

  When men revolted shall upon record

  Bear hateful memory10, poor Enobarbus did

  Before thy face repent!

  SENTRY Enobarbus?

  SECOND WATCH Peace! Hark further.

  ENOBARBUS O sovereign mistress of true melancholy15,

  The poisonous damp of night16 disponge upon me,

  That life, a very rebel to my will17,

  May hang no longer on me. Throw my heart

  Against the flint19 and hardness of my fault,

  Which, being dried with grief20, will break to powder

  And finish all foul thoughts. O Antony,

  Nobler than my revolt is infamous,

  Forgive me in thine own particular23,

  But let the world rank me in register24

  A master-leaver and a fugitive25.

  O Antony! O Antony!

  He sinks down and dies

  FIRST WATCH Let's speak to him.

  SENTRY Let's hear him, for the things he speaks

  May concern Caesar.

  SECOND WATCH Let's do so. But he sleeps.

  SENTRY Swoons31 rather, for so bad a prayer as his

  Was never yet for sleep.

  FIRST WATCH Go we to him.

  SECOND WATCH Awake, sir, awake! Speak to us!

  FIRST WATCH Hear you, sir?

  SENTRY The hand of death hath raught36 him.

  Drums afar off

  Hark! The drums demurely37 wake the sleepers.

  Let us bear him to th'court of guard:

  He is of note39: our hour is fully out.

  SECOND WATCH Come on, then,

  He may recover yet.

  Exeunt [with the body]

  [Act 4 Scene 10]

  running scene 27

  Location: the battlefield outside Alexandria

  * * *

  Enter Antony and Scarrus with their Army

  ANTONY Their preparation is today by sea,

  We please them not by land.

  SCARRUS For both3, my lord.

  ANTONY I would they'd fight i'th'fire or i'th'air4,

  We'd fight there too. But this it is: our foot5

  Upon the hills adjoining to the city

  Shall stay with us. Order for sea is given:

  They have put forth the haven8,

  Where their appointment9 we may best discover,

  And look on their endeavour.

  Exeunt

  [Act 4 Scene 11]

  running scene 27 continues

  Enter Caesar and his Army

  CAESAR But being charged1 we will be still by land,

  Which, as I take't, we shall2, for his best force

  Is forth to man his galleys. To the vales3,

  And hold our best advantage4.

  Exeunt

  [Act 4 Scene 12]

  running scene 27 continues

  Alarum afar off, as at a sea-fight. Enter Antony and Scarrus

  ANTONY Yet they are not joined1: where yond pine does stand,

  I shall discover all. I'll bring thee word

  Straight, how 'tis like to go.

  Exit

  SCARRUS Swallows have built

  In Cleopatra's sails their nests. The augurers5

  Say they know not, they cannot tell, look grimly,

  And dare not speak their knowledge. Antony

  Is valiant and dejected, and by starts8

  His fretted9 fortunes give him hope and fear

  Of what he has and has not.

  Enter Antony

  ANTONY All is lost:

  This foul Egyptian hath betrayed me:

  My fleet hath yielded to the foe, and yonder

  They cast their caps up, and carouse together

  Like friends long lost. Triple-turned whore!15 'Tis thou

  Hast sold me to this novice, and my heart

  Makes only wars on thee. Bid them all fly:

  For when I am revenged upon my charm18,

  I have done all. Bid them all fly. Be gone!

  [Exit Scarrus]

  O sun, thy uprise20 shall I see no more.

  Fortune and Antony part here, even here

  Do we shake hands. All come to this? The hearts

  That spanieled23 me at heels, to whom I gave

  Their wishes, do discandy24, melt their sweets

  On blossoming Caesar, and this pine25 is barked

  That overtopped them all. Betrayed I am.

  O this false soul of Egypt! This grave27 charm

  Whose eye becked28 forth my wars and called them home,

  Whose bosom was my crownet, my chief end29,

  Like a right gipsy30 hath at fast and loose

  Beguiled31 me to the very heart of loss.

  What, Eros, Eros!--

  Enter Cleopatra

  Ah, thou spell32! Avaunt!

  CLEOPATRA Why is my lord enraged against his love?

  ANTONY Vanish or I shall give thee thy deserving

  And blemish Caesar's triumph35. Let him take thee

  And hoist thee up to the shouting plebeians36.

  Follow his chariot like the greatest spot37

  Of all thy sex. Most monster-like, be shown38

  For39 poor'st diminutives, for dolts, and let

  Patient40 Octavia plough thy visage up

  Wi
th her prepared41 nails!

  Exit Cleopatra

  'Tis well thou'rt gone

  If it be well to live. But better 'twere

  Thou fell'st into43 my fury, for one death

  Might have prevented many. Eros, ho!

  The shirt of Nessus45 is upon me. Teach me,

  Alcides46, thou mine ancestor, thy rage:

  Let me lodge Lichas47 on the horns o'th'moon,

  And with those hands that grasped the heaviest club48

  Subdue my worthiest49 self. The witch shall die.

  To the young Roman boy she hath sold me, and I fall

  Under this plot. She dies for't. Eros, ho!

  Exit

  [Act 4 Scene 13]

  running scene 27 continues

  Location: Alexandria

  * * *

  Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, Mardian

  CLEOPATRA Help me, my women! O, he's more mad

  Than Telamon for his shield2: the boar of Thessaly

  Was never so embossed3.

  CHARMIAN To th'monument4!

  There lock yourself and send him word you are dead:

  The soul and body rive6 not more in parting

  Than greatness going off7.

  CLEOPATRA To th'monument!

  Mardian, go tell him I have slain myself:

  Say that the last I spoke was 'Antony',

  And word it -- prithee -- piteously. Hence, Mardian,

  And bring me how he takes my death. To th'monument!

  Exeunt

  [Act 4 Scene 14]

  running scene 27 continues

  * * *

  Enter Antony and Eros

  ANTONY Eros, thou yet behold'st me1?

  EROS Ay, noble lord.

  ANTONY Sometimes we see a cloud that's dragonish3,

  A vapour sometime like a bear or lion,

  A towered citadel, a pendent5 rock,

  A forked mountain, or blue promontory6

  With trees upon't that nod unto the world

  And mock8 our eyes with air. Thou hast seen these signs:

  They are black vesper's9 pageants.

  EROS Ay, my lord.

  ANTONY That which is now a horse, even with a thought11

  The rack12 dislimns and makes it indistinct

  As water is in water.

  EROS It does, my lord.

  ANTONY My good knave15 Eros, now thy captain is

  Even such a body: here I am Antony,

  Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave.

  I made these wars for Egypt18, and the queen --

  Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine,

  Which whilst it was mine had annexed unto't

  A million more, now lost -- she, Eros, has

  Packed22 cards with Caesar, and false-played my glory

  Unto an enemy's triumph23.

  Nay, weep not, gentle Eros, there is left us

  Ourselves to end ourselves.--

  Enter Mardian

  O, thy vile lady!

  She has robbed me of my sword26.

  MARDIAN No, Antony,

  My mistress loved thee and her fortunes mingled

  With thine entirely28.

  ANTONY Hence, saucy30 eunuch. Peace!

  She hath betrayed me and shall die the death.

  MARDIAN Death of one person can be paid but once,

  And that she has discharged33. What thou wouldst do

  Is done unto thy hand34: the last she spake

  Was 'Antony! Most noble Antony!'

  Then in the midst a tearing groan did break

  The name of Antony: it was divided

  Between her heart and lips37: she rendered38 life,

  Thy name so buried in her.

  ANTONY Dead, then?

  MARDIAN Dead.

  ANTONY Unarm, Eros: the long day's task is done

  And we must sleep.--That thou depart'st

  hence safe

  To Mardian

  Does pay thy labour richly43. Go.--

  Exit Mardian

  Off, pluck off!

  Eros unarms him

  The seven-fold shield of Ajax46 cannot keep

  The battery47 from my heart.--O, cleave, my sides!

  Heart, once be stronger than thy continent48,

  Crack thy frail case!--Apace49, Eros, apace!--

  No more a soldier: bruised pieces50, go.

  You have been nobly borne.--From51 me awhile.--

  Exit Eros

  I will o'ertake thee, Cleopatra, and

  Weep for my pardon.--So it must be, for now

  All length54 is torture: since the torch is out,

  Lie down and stray no further. Now all labour

  Mars what it does: yea, very force entangles

  Itself with strength56. Seal57 then, and all is done.--

  Eros!--I come, my queen.--Eros!--Stay58 for me:

  Where souls do couch on flowers59 we'll hand in hand

  And with our sprightly port60 make the ghosts gaze.

  Dido and her Aeneas61 shall want troops,

  And all the haunt be ours62.--Come, Eros, Eros!

  Enter Eros

  EROS What would63 my lord?

  ANTONY Since Cleopatra died,

  I have lived in such dishonour that the gods

  Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword

  Quartered the world and o'er green Neptune's back67

  With ships made cities68, condemn myself to lack

  The courage of a woman, less noble mind

  Than she which by her death our Caesar tells

  'I am conqueror of myself'. Thou art sworn, Eros,

  That when the exigent72 should come, which now

  Is come indeed, when I should see behind me

  Th'inevitable prosecution74 of

  Disgrace and horror, that on my command

  Thou then wouldst kill me. Do't: the time is come:

  Thou strikest not me, 'tis Caesar thou defeat'st.

  Put colour in thy cheek.

  EROS The gods withhold79 me!

  Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts80 --

  Though enemy81 -- lost aim, and could not?

  ANTONY Eros,

  Wouldst thou be windowed83 in great Rome and see

  Thy master thus with pleached84 arms, bending down

  His corrigible85 neck, his face subdued

  To penetrative86 shame, whilst the wheeled seat

  Of fortunate Caesar, drawn before him, branded

  His baseness that ensued87?

  EROS I would not see't.

  ANTONY Come, then. For with a wound I must be cured.

  Draw that thy honest91 sword which thou hast worn

  Most useful for thy country.

  EROS O, sir, pardon me93!

  ANTONY When I did make thee free, swor'st thou not then

  To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once,

  Or thy precedent96 services are all

  But accidents unpurposed97. Draw, and come.

  EROS Turn from me then that noble countenance

  Wherein the worship99 of the whole world lies.

  ANTONY Lo thee!100

  Turns away from him

  EROS My sword is drawn.

  ANTONY Then let it do at once

  The thing why thou hast drawn it.

  EROS My dear master,

  My captain and my emperor, let me say,

  Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.

  ANTONY 'Tis said, man, and farewell.

  EROS Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?

  ANTONY Now, Eros.

  EROS Why, there then: thus I do escape the sorrow

  Of Antony's death.

  Kills himself

  ANTONY Thrice-nobler than myself!

  Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros, what

  I should and thou couldst not114. My queen and Eros

  Have by their brave instruction115 got upon me

  A nobleness in record116. But I wi
ll be

  A bridegroom in my death and run into't

  As to a lover's bed117. Come then,--and, Eros,

  Thy master dies thy scholar: to do thus

  I learned of thee.--How, not dead? Not dead?--

  The guard, ho! O, dispatch me121!

  Falls on his sword

  Enter a [Company of] Guard

  One of them Dercetus

  FIRST GUARD What's the noise?

  ANTONY I have done my work ill, friends: O, make an end

  Of what I have begun!

  SECOND GUARD The star is fall'n.

  FIRST GUARD And time is at his period126.

  ALL Alas, and woe!

  ANTONY Let him that loves me strike me dead.

  FIRST GUARD Not I.

  SECOND GUARD Nor I.

  THIRD GUARD Nor anyone.

  Exeunt [all the Guard but Dercetus]

  DERCETUS Thy death and fortunes bid thy

  followers fly.

  This sword but shown to Caesar with this tidings,

  Shall enter me with him134.

  Takes Antony's sword

  Enter Diomedes

  DIOMEDES Where's Antony?

  DERCETUS There, Diomed there!

  DIOMEDES Lives he? Wilt thou not answer, man?

  [Exit Dercetus with Antony's sword]

  ANTONY Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy

  sword, and give me

  Sufficing strokes for death139.

  DIOMEDES Most absolute140 lord,

  My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.

  ANTONY When did she send thee?

  DIOMEDES Now, my lord.

  ANTONY Where is she?

  DIOMEDES Locked in her monument. She had a prophesying

  fear

  Of what hath come to pass, for when she saw --

  Which never shall be found147 -- you did suspect

  She had disposed148 with Caesar, and that your rage

  Would not be purged, she sent you word she was dead:

  But, fearing since how it might work150, hath sent

  Me to proclaim the truth, and I am come,

  I dread, too late.

  ANTONY Too late, good Diomed. Call my guard, I prithee.

  DIOMEDES What, ho, the emperor's guard! The guard,

  what, ho!

  Come, your lord calls!

  Enter four or five of the Guard of Antony

  ANTONY Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides156:

  'Tis the last service that I shall command you.

  FIRST GUARD Woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wear

  All your true followers out158.

  ALL Most heavy160 day!

  ANTONY Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp161 fate

  To grace162 it with your sorrows. Bid that welcome

  Which comes to punish us, and we punish it,

  Seeming to bear it lightly. Take me up:

  I have led you oft, carry me now, good friends,

  And have my thanks for all.

  Exeunt, bearing Antony [and Eros]

  [Act 4 Scene 15]

  running scene 28

  Location: outside Cleopatra's monument, Alexandria

  * * *

  Enter Cleopatra and her maids aloft, with Charmian and Iras