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

  CLEOPATRA O, Charmian, I will never go from hence.

  CHARMIAN Be comforted, dear madam.

  CLEOPATRA No, I will not:

  All strange and terrible events are welcome,

  But comforts we despise. Our size of sorrow,

  Proportioned to our cause, must be as great

  As that which makes it.--

  Enter Diomedes

  Below

  How now? Is he dead?

  DIOMEDES His death's upon him, but not dead.

  Look out o'th'other side your monument:

  His guard have brought him thither.

  Enter Antony and the Guard

  Below

  CLEOPATRA O sun,

  Burn the great sphere12 thou mov'st in! Darkling stand

  The varying shore o'th'world13! O Antony,

  Antony, Antony! Help, Charmian! Help, Iras, help!

  Help, friends below! Let's draw him hither.

  ANTONY Peace!

  Not Caesar's valour hath o'erthrown Antony,

  But Antony's hath triumphed on itself.

  CLEOPATRA So it should be, that none but Antony

  Should conquer Antony, but woe 'tis so!

  ANTONY I am dying, Egypt, dying: only

  I here importune22 death awhile until

  Of many thousand kisses the poor last

  I lay upon thy lips.

  CLEOPATRA I dare not, dear.

  Dear my lord, pardon: I dare not,

  Lest I be taken. Not th'imperious show27

  Of the full-fortuned Caesar ever shall

  Be brooched29 with me. If knife, drugs, serpents have

  Edge, sting, or operation30, I am safe:

  Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes

  And still conclusion32, shall acquire no honour

  Demuring33 upon me. But come, come, Antony.--

  Help me, my women.--We must draw thee up.--

  Assist, good friends.

  They begin lifting

  ANTONY O, quick, or I am gone.

  CLEOPATRA Here's sport indeed! How heavy weighs my lord!

  Our strength is all gone into heaviness38,

  That makes the weight. Had I great Juno39's power,

  The strong-winged Mercury40 should fetch thee up

  And set thee by Jove's side. Yet come a little:

  Wishers were ever fools42. O, come, come, come.

  They heave Antony aloft to Cleopatra

  And welcome, welcome! Die when thou hast lived43,

  Quicken44 with kissing: had my lips that power,

  Thus would I wear them out.

  Kisses him

  ALL A heavy46 sight!

  ANTONY I am dying, Egypt, dying.

  Give me some wine and let me speak a little.

  CLEOPATRA No, let me speak, and let me rail so high49

  That the false housewife50 Fortune break her wheel,

  Provoked by my offence51--

  ANTONY One word -- sweet queen --

  Of Caesar seek your honour with your safety. O!

  CLEOPATRA They do not go together54.

  ANTONY Gentle, hear me:

  None about Caesar trust but Proculeius56.

  CLEOPATRA My resolution and my hands I'll trust:

  None about Caesar.

  ANTONY The miserable change now at my end,

  Lament nor sorrow at, but please your thoughts

  In feeding them with those my former fortunes

  Wherein I lived, the greatest prince o'th'world,

  The noblest: and do now not basely die,

  Not cowardly put off my helmet to

  My countryman64. A Roman by a Roman65

  Valiantly vanquished. Now my spirit is going:

  I can no more.

  CLEOPATRA Noblest of men, woo't68 die?

  Hast thou no care of me? Shall I abide

  In this dull world, which in thy absence is

  No better than a sty71?--O, see, my women,

  The crown o'th'earth doth melt.--My lord?--

  Antony dies

  O, withered is the garland73 of the war,

  The soldier's pole74 is fall'n: young boys and girls

  Are level now with men: the odds is gone75

  And there is nothing left remarkable76

  Beneath the visiting77 moon.

  She faints

  CHARMIAN O, quietness, lady!

  IRAS She's dead too, our sovereign.

  CHARMIAN Lady!

  IRAS Madam!

  CHARMIAN O madam, madam, madam!

  IRAS Royal Egypt! Empress!

  Cleopatra stirs

  CHARMIAN Peace, peace, Iras!

  CLEOPATRA No more, but e'en85 a woman, and commanded

  By such poor passion86 as the maid that milks

  And does the meanest chares87. It were for me

  To throw my sceptre88 at the injurious gods

  To tell them that this world did equal theirs

  Till they had stol'n our jewel. All's but naught:

  Patience issottish91, and impatience does

  Become a dog that's mad: then is it sin

  To rush into the secret house of death

  Ere death dare come to us? How do you, women?

  What, what, good cheer! Why, how now, Charmian?

  My noble girls? Ah, women, women! Look,

  Our lamp97 is spent, it's out.--Good sirs, take heart,

  We'll bury him, and then, what's brave98, what's noble,

  Let's do't after the high Roman fashion

  And make death proud to take us. Come, away.

  This case of that huge spirit now is cold.

  Ah, women, women! Come, we have no friend

  But resolution and the briefest end103.

  Exeunt, bearing of Antony's body

  [Act 5 Scene 1]

  running scene 29

  Location: Caesar's camp outside Alexandria

  * * *

  Enter Caesar, Agrippa, Dolabella, Maecenas, [Gallus, Proculeius], with his Council of War

  CAESAR Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield.

  Being so frustrate2, tell him he mocks

  The pauses3 that he makes.

  DOLABELLA Caesar, I shall.

  [Exit]

  Enter Dercetus with the sword of Antony

  CAESAR Wherefore is that? And what art thou that dar'st

  Appear thus6 to us?

  DERCETUS I am called Dercetus:

  Mark Antony I served, who best was worthy

  Best to be served: whilst he stood up and spoke

  He was my master, and I wore my life

  To spend upon his haters10. 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.

  CAESAR What is't thou say'st?

  DERCETUS I say -- O Caesar -- Antony is dead.

  CAESAR The breaking17 of so great a thing should make

  A greater crack18. The round world

  Should have shook lions into civil19 streets

  And citizens to their dens20. The death of Antony

  Is not a single doom21: in the name lay

  A moiety22 of the world.

  DERCETUS He is dead, Caesar,

  Not by a public minister of justice,

  Nor by a hired knife, but that self25 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 robbed his wound of it. Behold it stained

  With his most noble blood.

  Shows sword

  CAESAR Look you, sad friends.

  Points to the sword

  The gods rebuke me, but it is tidings

  To wash the eyes of kings.

  AGRIPPA And strange it is

  That nature must compel us to lament

  Our most persisted36 deeds.

  MAECENAS His taints and hono
urs waged equal with37 him.

  AGRIPPA A rarer spirit never

  Did steer humanity39: but you gods will give us

  Some faults to make us men. Caesar is touched.

  MAECENAS When such a spacious mirror's set before him,

  He needs must see himself.

  CAESAR O Antony,

  I have followed thee to this, but we do launch44

  Diseases in our bodies. I must perforce

  Have shown46 to thee such a declining day

  Or look on thine: we could not stall47 together

  In the whole world. But yet let me lament,

  With tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts49

  That thou my brother, my competitor50

  In top of all design51, my mate in empire,

  Friend and companion in the front52 of war,

  The arm of mine own body, and the heart

  Where mine his thoughts did kindle53, that our stars,

  Unreconciliable54, should divide

  Our equalness to this55.--Hear me, good friends --

  But I will tell you at some meeter season57:

  The business of this man looks out of him58:

  We'll hear him what he says.--

  Enter an Egyptian

  Whence are you?

  EGYPTIAN A poor Egyptian yet60, the queen my mistress,

  Confined in all she has, her monument,

  Of thy intents62 desires instruction,

  That she preparedly may frame herself63

  To th'way she's forced to.

  CAESAR Bid her have good heart.

  She soon shall know of us, by some of ours66,

  How honourable and how kindly we

  Determine for her. For Caesar cannot lean68

  To be ungentle69.

  EGYPTIAN So the gods preserve thee!

  Exit

  CAESAR Come hither, Proculeius. Go and say

  We purpose72 her no shame: give her what comforts

  The quality of her passion73 shall require,

  Lest, in her greatness, by some mortal stroke

  She do defeat us. For her life in Rome

  Would be eternal in our triumph75. Go,

  And with your speediest77 bring us what she says

  And how you find of her78.

  PROCULEIUS Caesar, I shall.

  Exit Proculeius

  CAESAR Gallus, go you along.--[Exit Gallus]

  Where's Dolabella

  To second Proculeius?

  ALL Dolabella!

  CAESAR Let him alone, for I remember now

  How he's employed: he shall in time be ready.

  Go with me to my tent, where you shall see

  How hardly86 I was drawn into this war,

  How calm and gentle I proceeded still87

  In all my writings88. Go with me and see

  What I can show in this.

  Exeunt

  [Act 5 Scene 2]

  running scene 30

  Location: inside Cleopatra's monument, Alexandria

  * * *

  Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras and Mardian

  CLEOPATRA My desolation1 does begin to make

  A better life2: 'tis paltry to be Caesar:

  Not being Fortune, he's but Fortune's knave3,

  A minister of her will: and it is great

  To do that thing5 that ends all other deeds,

  Which shackles accidents and bolts up change6,

  Which sleeps, and never palates7 more the dung,

  The beggar's nurse and Caesar's8.

  Enter Proculeius

  PROCULEIUS Caesar sends greeting to the Queen of Egypt,

  And bids thee study on10 what fair demands

  Thou mean'st11 to have him grant thee.

  CLEOPATRA What's thy name?

  PROCULEIUS My name is Proculeius.

  CLEOPATRA Antony

  Did tell me of you, bade me trust you, but

  I do not greatly care to be deceived

  That have no use for trusting16. If your master

  Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him

  That majesty, to keep decorum, must

  No less beg than a kingdom: if he please

  To give me conquered Egypt for my son,

  He gives me so much of mine own as I

  Will kneel to him with thanks.

  PROCULEIUS Be of good cheer:

  You're fall'n into a princely hand, fear nothing.

  Make your full reference26 freely to my lord,

  Who is so full of grace27 that it flows over

  On all that need. Let me report to him

  Your sweet dependency29, and you shall find

  A conqueror that will pray in aid30 for kindness

  Where he for grace is kneeled to.

  CLEOPATRA Pray you, tell him

  I am his fortune's vassal33 and I send him

  The greatness he has got. I hourly learn

  A doctrine35 of obedience, and would gladly

  Look him i'th'face.

  PROCULEIUS This I'll report, dear lady.

  Have comfort, for I know your plight is pitied

  Of him that caused it.--

  [Enter Gallus and Roman Soldiers]

  You see how easily she may be surprised40:

  To the Soldiers

  Guard her till Caesar come.

  [Exit Gallus and Soldiers]

  IRAS Royal queen!

  CHARMIAN O Cleopatra, thou art taken, queen!

  CLEOPATRA Quick, quick, good hands!

  Draws a dagger

  PROCULEIUS Hold, worthy lady, hold!

  Disarms her

  Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this

  Relieved47, but not betrayed.

  CLEOPATRA What, of death too,

  That rids our dogs of anguish?

  PROCULEIUS Cleopatra,

  Do not abuse my master's bounty by

  Th'undoing of yourself: let the world see

  His nobleness well acted, which your death

  Will never let come forth54.

  CLEOPATRA Where art thou, death?

  Come hither, come! Come, come, and take a queen

  Worthy many babes and beggars!

  PROCULEIUS O, temperance, lady!

  CLEOPATRA Sir, I will eat no meat59, I'll not drink, sir:

  If idle talk will once be necessary60,

  I'll not sleep neither. This mortal house61 I'll ruin,

  Do Caesar what he can. Know, sir, that I

  Will not wait pinioned63 at your master's court,

  Nor once be chastised with the sober eye

  Of dull Octavia. Shall they hoist me up

  And show me to the shouting varletry66

  Of censuring67 Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt.

  Be gentle grave unto me! Rather on Nilus' mud

  Lay me stark naked, and let the water-flies

  Blow me into abhorring70! Rather make

  My country's high pyramids71 my gibbet

  And hang me up in chains!

  PROCULEIUS You do extend73

  These thoughts of horror further than you shall

  Find cause in Caesar.

  Enter Dolabella

  DOLABELLA Proculeius,

  What thou hast done thy master Caesar knows,

  And he hath sent for78 thee. For the queen,

  I'll take her to my guard.

  To Cleopatra

  PROCULEIUS So, Dolabella,

  It shall content me best: be gentle to her.--

  To Caesar I will speak what you shall please,

  If you'll employ me to him.

  Exit Proculeius [with Gallus and Soldiers]

  CLEOPATRA Say I would die.

  DOLABELLA Most noble empress, you have heard of me?

  CLEOPATRA I cannot tell.

  DOLABELLA Assuredly you know me.

  CLEOPATRA No matter, sir, what I have heard or known.

  You laugh when boys or women tell their dreams:

  Is't not your t
rick90?

  DOLABELLA I understand not, madam.

  CLEOPATRA I dreamt there was an Emperor Antony:

  O, such another sleep, that I might see

  But such another man!

  DOLABELLA If it might please ye--

  CLEOPATRA His face was as the heavens, and therein stuck96

  A sun and moon which kept their course and lighted

  The little98 o'th'earth.

  DOLABELLA Most sovereign creature--

  CLEOPATRA His legs bestrid100 the ocean, his reared arm

  Crested101 the world: his voice was propertied

  As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends102:

  But when he meant to quail103 and shake the orb,

  He was as rattling thunder. For104 his bounty,

  There was no winter in't: an autumn it was

  That grew the more by reaping. His delights

  Were dolphin-like: they showed his back above

  The element they lived in106. In his livery108

  Walked crowns and crownets109, realms and islands were

  As plates110 dropped from his pocket.

  DOLABELLA Cleopatra!

  CLEOPATRA Think you there was or might be such a man

  As this I dreamt of?

  DOLABELLA Gentle madam, no.

  CLEOPATRA You lie up to the hearing of the gods!

  But if there be nor ever were one such,

  It's past the size117 of dreaming. Nature wants stuff

  To vie strange forms with fancy: yet t'imagine

  An Antony were nature's piece gainst fancy,

  Condemning shadows quite118.

  DOLABELLA Hear me, good madam:

  Your loss is as yourself, great, and you bear it

  As answering to the weight123. Would I might never

  O'ertake pursued success: but I do feel,

  By the rebound of yours, a grief that smites

  My very heart at root.

  CLEOPATRA I thank you, sir.

  Know you what Caesar means to do with me?

  DOLABELLA I am loath129 to tell you what I would you knew.

  CLEOPATRA Nay, pray you, sir.

  DOLABELLA Though he be honourable--

  CLEOPATRA He'll lead me, then, in triumph.

  DOLABELLA Madam, he will, I know't.

  Flourish. Enter Proculeius, Caesar, Gallus, Maecenas and others of his train

  ALL Make way there! Caesar!

  CAESAR Which is the Queen of Egypt?

  DOLABELLA It is the emperor, madam.

  Cleopatra kneels

  CAESAR Arise, you shall not kneel:

  I pray you rise. Rise, Egypt.

  CLEOPATRA Sir, the gods

  Will have it thus. My master and my lord

  I must obey.

  She stands

  CAESAR Take to you no hard thoughts142.

  The record of what injuries you did us,

  Though written in our flesh144, we shall remember

  As things but done by chance.

  CLEOPATRA Sole sir146 o'th'world,

  I cannot project147 mine own cause so well

  To make it clear, but do confess I have

  Been laden with like frailties149 which before

  Have often shamed our sex.

  CAESAR Cleopatra, know,

  We will extenuate rather than enforce152:

  If you apply yourself to our intents153,

  Which towards you are most gentle, you shall find

  A benefit in this change: but if you seek

  To lay on me a cruelty156 by taking