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

  you have been a great thief by sea.

  MENAS And you by land.

  ENOBARBUS There I deny my land service. But give me your

  hand, Menas. If our eyes had authority,

  They shake hands

  here they might take121 two thieves kissing.

  MENAS All men's faces are true122, whatsome'er their hands

  are.

  ENOBARBUS But there is never a fair woman has a true124 face.

  MENAS No slander. They steal hearts.

  ENOBARBUS We came hither to fight with you.

  MENAS For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking.

  Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune.

  ENOBARBUS If he do, sure he cannot weep't back again.

  MENAS You've said130, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony

  here. Pray you, is he married to Cleopatra?

  ENOBARBUS Caesar's sister is called Octavia.

  MENAS True, sir, she was the wife of Caius Marcellus.

  ENOBARBUS But she is now the wife of Marcus Antonius.

  MENAS Pray ye, sir?135

  ENOBARBUS 'Tis true.

  MENAS Then is Caesar and he forever knit together.

  ENOBARBUS If I were bound to divine138 of this unity, I would not

  prophesy so.

  MENAS I think the policy of that purpose made more in140 the

  marriage than the love of the parties.

  ENOBARBUS I think so too. But you shall find, the band142 that

  seems to tie their friendship together will be the very

  strangler of their amity: Octavia is of a holy, cold and still144

  conversation145.

  MENAS Who would not have his wife so?

  ENOBARBUS Not he that himself is not so, which is Mark

  Antony. He will to his Egyptian dish148 again: then shall the

  sighs of Octavia blow the fire up149 in Caesar, and -- as I said

  before -- that which is the strength of their amity shall

  prove the immediate author151 of their variance. Antony will

  use his affection where it is152. He married but his occasion

  here.

  MENAS And thus it may be. Come, sir, will you aboard? I

  have a health155 for you.

  ENOBARBUS I shall take it, sir: we have used our throats in

  Egypt.

  MENAS Come, let's away.

  Exeunt

  [Act 2 Scene 7]

  running scene 8

  Location: on board Pompey's galley, off Misena (Misenum) in southern Italy

  * * *

  Music plays. Enter two or three Servants with a banquet

  FIRST SERVANT Here they'll be, man. Some o'their plants1 are ill-rooted

  already: the least wind i'th'world will blow them

  down.

  SECOND SERVANT Lepidus is high-coloured4.

  FIRST SERVANT They have made him drink alms-drink5.

  SECOND SERVANT As they pinch one another by the disposition6,

  he cries out 'No more', reconciles them to his entreaty, and

  himself to th'drink.

  FIRST SERVANT But it raises the greater war between him and his

  discretion10.

  SECOND SERVANT Why, this it is to have a name in great men's

  fellowship11: I had as lief12 have a reed that will do me no service

  as a partisan13 I could not heave.

  FIRST SERVANT To be called into a huge sphere and not to be

  seen to move in't, are the holes where eyes should be, which

  pitifully16 disaster the cheeks14.

  A sennet sounded. Enter Caesar, Antony, Pompey, Lepidus, Agrippa, Maecenas, Enobarbus, Menas, with other Captains [and a Boy Singer]

  ANTONY Thus do they, sir: they take17 the flow o'th'Nile

  By certain scales18 i'th'pyramid. They know,

  By th'height, the lowness, or the mean19, if dearth

  Or foison20 follow. The higher Nilus swells,

  The more it promises. As it ebbs, the seedsman

  Upon the slime and ooze22 scatters his grain,

  And shortly comes to harvest.

  LEPIDUS You've strange serpents there?

  ANTONY Ay, Lepidus.

  LEPIDUS Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by

  the operation of your sun: so is your crocodile26.

  ANTONY They are so.

  POMPEY Sit, and some wine! A health to

  They sit and drink

  Lepidus!

  LEPIDUS I am not so well as I should be, but I'll ne'er out31.

  ENOBARBUS Not till you have slept.--I fear me you'll be

  Aside

  in33 till then.

  LEPIDUS Nay, certainly, I have heard the Ptolemies34' pyramises

  are very goodly things: without contradiction, I have heard

  that.

  MENAS Pompey, a word.

  Aside to Pompey

  POMPEY Say in mine ear what is't.

  Aside to Menas

  MENAS Forsake39 thy seat, I do beseech thee,

  Aside to Pompey

  captain,

  And hear me speak a word.

  POMPEY Whispers in's ear Forbear me till anon41.--

  This wine for Lepidus!

  LEPIDUS What manner o'thing is your crocodile?

  ANTONY It is shaped, sir, like itself, and it is as broad as it hath

  breadth: it is just so high as it is, and moves with it own

  organs: it lives by that which nourisheth it, and the elements

  once out of it, it transmigrates45.

  LEPIDUS What colour is it of?

  ANTONY Of it48 own colour too.

  LEPIDUS 'Tis a strange serpent.

  ANTONY 'Tis so. And the tears50 of it are wet.

  CAESAR Will this description satisfy him?

  Menas whispers again

  ANTONY With the health that Pompey gives him,

  else53 he is a very epicure.

  Aside to Menas

  POMPEY Go hang, sir, hang! Tell me of that?

  Away!

  Do as I bid you.--Where's this cup I called for?

  MENAS If for the sake of merit56 thou wilt

  Aside to Pompey

  hear me,

  Rise from thy stool.

  POMPEY I think thou'rt mad. The matter?58

  Aside to Menas

  Pompey and Menas step aside and converse apart

  MENAS I have ever held my cap off59 to thy fortunes.

  POMPEY Thou hast served me with much faith60. What's

  else to say?--

  Be jolly, lords.

  To the others

  ANTONY These quicksands62, Lepidus,

  Keep off them, for you sink.

  MENAS Wilt thou be lord of all the world?

  POMPEY What say'st thou?

  MENAS Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? That's twice.

  POMPEY How should that be?

  MENAS But entertain68 it,

  And, though thou think me poor, I am the man

  Will give thee all the world.

  POMPEY Hast thou drunk well?

  MENAS No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup.

  Thou art, if thou dar'st be, the earthly Jove:

  Whate'er the ocean pales74 or sky inclips

  Is thine, if thou wilt ha't.

  POMPEY Show me which way.

  MENAS These three world-sharers, these competitors77,

  Are in thy vessel. Let me cut the cable78,

  And when we are put off79, fall to their throats:

  All there is thine.

  POMPEY Ah, this thou shouldst have done

  And not have spoke on't82. In me 'tis villainy:

  In thee't had been good service. Thou must know,

  'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour:

  Mine honour, it84. Repent that e'er thy tongue

  Hath so betrayed86 thine act: being done unknown,

  I should have found it a
fterwards well done,

  But must condemn it now. Desist88, and drink.

  Joins the others

  MENAS For this, I'll never follow thy palled89 fortunes

  Aside

  more:

  Who seeks and will not take when once 'tis offered,

  Shall never find it more91.

  POMPEY This health to Lepidus!

  They drink

  ANTONY Bear him ashore. I'll pledge93 it for him, Pompey.

  ENOBARBUS Here's to thee, Menas!

  MENAS Enobarbus, welcome!

  POMPEY Fill till the cup be hid96.

  Points to an Attendant who is carrying off Lepidus

  ENOBARBUS There's a strong fellow, Menas.

  MENAS Why?

  ENOBARBUS A99 bears the third part of the world, man: see'st

  not?

  MENAS The third part then he is drunk: would it were all,

  That it might go on wheels101!

  ENOBARBUS Drink thou: increase the reels102.

  MENAS Come.

  POMPEY This is not yet an Alexandrian feast.

  ANTONY It ripens towards it. Strike the vessels105, ho!

  Here's to Caesar!

  CAESAR I could well forbear't107.

  It's monstrous108 labour when I wash my brain

  And it grow fouler109.

  ANTONY Be a child o'th'time110.

  CAESAR 'Possess it', I'll make answer111.

  But I had rather fast from all112 four days

  Than drink so much in one.

  ENOBARBUS Ha, my brave114 emperor!

  To Antony

  Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals115

  And celebrate116 our drink?

  POMPEY Let's ha't, good soldier.

  ANTONY Come, let's all take hands

  Till that the conquering wine hath steeped our sense

  In soft and delicate Lethe120.

  ENOBARBUS All take hands:

  Make battery to122 our ears with the loud music,

  The while123 I'll place you, then the boy shall sing.

  The holding124 every man shall beat as loud

  As his strong sides can volley125.

  Music plays. Enobarbus places them hand in hand.

  BOY The Song

  Come, thou monarch of the vine,

  Sings

  Plumpy127 Bacchus with pink eyne!

  In thy fats129 our cares be drowned,

  With thy grapes our hairs be crowned.

  Cup us130 till the world go round,

  Cup us till the world go round!

  CAESAR What would you more? Pompey, goodnight.

  Good brother132,

  Let me request you off133: our graver business

  Frowns at this levity. Gentle lords, let's part:

  You see we have burnt our cheeks135. Strong Enobarb

  Is weaker than the wine, and mine own tongue

  Splits what it speaks: the wild disguise137 hath almost

  Anticked138 us all. What needs more words? Goodnight.

  Good Antony, your hand.

  POMPEY I'll try you140 on the shore.

  ANTONY And shall, sir. Give's your hand.

  POMPEY O, Antony,

  You have my father's house. But what143, we are friends?

  Come down into the boat.

  ENOBARBUS Take heed you fall not.--

  [Exeunt all but Enobarbus and Menas]

  Menas, I'll not on shore.

  MENAS No, to my cabin.

  These drums, these trumpets, flutes! What!147

  Let Neptune148 hear we bid a loud farewell

  To these great fellows. Sound and be hanged! Sound out!

  Sound a flourish, with drums

  ENOBARBUS Ho, says a150. There's my cap.

  Throws his cap in the air

  MENAS Ho! Noble captain, come.

  Exeunt

  [Act 3 Scene 1]

  running scene 9

  Location: Syria

  * * *

  Enter Ventidius as it were in triumph, the dead body of Pacorus borne before him, [with Silius and other Roman officers and soldiers]

  VENTIDIUS Now, darting Parthia1, art thou struck, and now

  Pleased fortune does of Marcus Crassus2' death

  Make me revenger. Bear the king's son's body

  Before our army: thy Pacorus4, Orodes,

  Pays this for Marcus Crassus.

  SILIUS Noble Ventidius,

  Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm,

  The fugitive Parthians follow8. Spur through Media,

  Mesopotamia9, and the shelters whither

  The routed fly. So thy grand captain Antony

  Shall set thee on triumphant11 chariots and

  Put garlands on thy head.

  VENTIDIUS O Silius, Silius,

  I have done enough. A lower place14, note well,

  May make too great an act15. For learn this, Silius:

  Better to leave undone, than by our deed

  Acquire too high a fame when him we serve's away.

  Caesar and Antony have ever won

  More in their officer than person18. Sossius,

  One of my place20 in Syria, his lieutenant,

  For quick accumulation of renown,

  Which he achieved by th'minute22, lost his favour.

  Who does i'th'wars more than his captain can,

  Becomes his captain's captain, and ambition --

  The soldier's virtue -- rather makes choice of25 loss,

  Than gain which darkens26 him.

  I could do more to do Antonius good,

  But 'twould offend him, and in his offence28

  Should my performance29 perish.

  SILIUS Thou hast, Ventidius, that

  Without the which a soldier and his sword

  Grants scarce distinction30. Thou wilt write to Antony?

  VENTIDIUS I'll humbly signify what in his name,

  That magical word of war, we have effected,

  How with his banners and his well-paid ranks

  The ne'er-yet-beaten horse36 of Parthia

  We have jaded37 out o'th'field.

  SILIUS Where is he now?

  VENTIDIUS He purposeth39 to Athens, whither, with what haste

  The weight40 we must convey with's will permit,

  We shall appear before him. On there, pass along!

  Exeunt

  [Act 3 Scene 2]

  running scene 10

  Location: Rome

  * * *

  Enter Agrippa at one door, Enobarbus at another

  AGRIPPA What, are the brothers1 parted?

  ENOBARBUS They have dispatched2 with Pompey, he is gone.

  The other three3 are sealing. Octavia weeps

  To part from Rome, Caesar is sad, and Lepidus

  Since Pompey's feast as Menas says, is troubled

  With the green sickness6.

  AGRIPPA 'Tis a noble Lepidus.

  ENOBARBUS A very fine8 one: O, how he loves Caesar!

  AGRIPPA Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!

  ENOBARBUS Caesar? Why, he's the Jupiter of men.

  AGRIPPA What's Antony? The god of Jupiter!

  ENOBARBUS Spake you of Caesar? How, the non-pareil12!

  AGRIPPA O Antony! O thou Arabian bird13!

  ENOBARBUS Would you praise Caesar, say 'Caesar': go

  no further.

  AGRIPPA Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.

  ENOBARBUS But he loves Caesar best, yet he loves Antony:

  Ho! Hearts, tongues, figures17, scribes, bards, poets, cannot

  Think, speak, cast18, write, sing, number, ho,

  His love to Antony. But as for Caesar,

  Kneel down, kneel down and wonder!

  AGRIPPA Both he loves.

  ENOBARBUS They are his shards22 and he their

  Trumpet within

  beetle. So:

  This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa.

  AGRIPPA Good fortune, worthy
soldier, and farewell.

  Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus and Octavia

  ANTONY No further25, sir.

  CAESAR You take from me a great part of myself:

  Use me well in't27. Sister, prove such a wife

  As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest bond28

  Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,

  Let not the piece30 of virtue which is set

  Betwixt31 us as the cement of our love

  To keep it builded, be the ram to batter

  The fortress of it: for better might we

  Have loved without this mean34, if on both parts

  This be not cherished.

  ANTONY Make me not offended in36 your distrust.

  CAESAR I have said37.

  ANTONY You shall not find,

  Though you be therein curious39, the least cause

  For what you seem to fear. So the gods keep40 you,

  And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends.

  We will here part.

  CAESAR Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well.

  The elements44 be kind to thee, and make

  Thy spirits all of comfort. Fare thee well.

  OCTAVIA My noble brother!

  Weeps

  ANTONY The April's in her eyes: it is love's spring

  And these the showers to bring it on47. Be cheerful.

  OCTAVIA Sir, look well to my husband's house49, and--

  CAESAR What, Octavia?

  OCTAVIA I'll tell you in your ear.

  Whispers to Caesar

  ANTONY Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can

  Her heart inform her tongue -- the swan's-down feather,

  That stands upon the swell at full of tide,

  And neither way inclines53.

  ENOBARBUS Will Caesar weep?

  Enobarbus and Agrippa speak aside

  AGRIPPA He has a cloud57 in's face.

  ENOBARBUS He were the worse for that were he a horse,

  So is he, being a man.

  AGRIPPA Why, Enobarbus,

  When Antony found Julius Caesar dead,

  He cried almost to roaring, and he wept

  When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.

  ENOBARBUS That year, indeed, he was troubled with a rheum64;

  What willingly he did confound65 he wailed,

  Believe't, till I wept too.

  CAESAR No, sweet Octavia,

  You shall hear from me still68: the time shall not

  Outgo69 my thinking on you.

  ANTONY Come, sir, come:

  I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love.

  Look, here I have you, thus I let you go,

  Embraces him

  And give you to the gods.

  CAESAR Adieu. Be happy!

  LEPIDUS Let all the number of the stars give light

  To thy fair way.

  CAESAR Farewell, farewell!

  Kisses Octavia

  ANTONY Farewell!

  Trumpets sound. Exeunt

  [Act 3 Scene 3]

  running scene 11

  Location: Alexandria

  * * *

  Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras and Alexas

  CLEOPATRA Where is the fellow1?

  ALEXAS Half afeard to come.

  CLEOPATRA Go to, go to.--Come hither, sir.

  Enter the Messenger as before