The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Chapter 36

Enter a MESSENGER

Thy business?

MESSENGER. The news is true, my lord: he is descried;

Caesar has taken Toryne.

ANTONY. Can he be there in person? 'Tis impossible-

Strange that his power should be. Canidius,

Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,

And our twelve thousand horse. We'll to our ship.

Away, my Thetis!

Enter a SOLDIER

How now, worthy soldier?

SOLDIER. O noble Emperor, do not fight by sea;

Trust not to rotten planks. Do you misdoubt

This sword and these my wounds? Let th' Egyptians

And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we

Have us'd to conquer standing on the earth

And fighting foot to foot.

ANTONY. Well, well- away.

Exeunt ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, and ENOBARBUS

SOLDIER. By Hercules, I think I am i' th' right.

CANIDIUS. Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows

Not in the power on't. So our leader's led,

And we are women's men.

SOLDIER. You keep by land

The legions and the horse whole, do you not?

CANIDIUS. Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,

Publicola, and Caelius are for sea;

But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar's

Carries beyond belief.

SOLDIER. While he was yet in Rome,

His power went out in such distractions as

Beguil'd all spies.

CANIDIUS. Who's his lieutenant, hear you?

SOLDIER. They say one Taurus.

CANIDIUS. Well I know the man.

Enter a MESSENGER

MESSENGER. The Emperor calls Canidius.

CANIDIUS. With news the time's with labour and throes forth

Each minute some. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_8

SCENE VIII.

A plain near Actium

Enter CAESAR, with his army, marching

CAESAR. Taurus!

TAURUS. My lord?

CAESAR. Strike not by land; keep whole; provoke not battle

Till we have done at sea. Do not exceed

The prescript of this scroll. Our fortune lies

Upon this jump. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_9

SCENE IX.

Another part of the plain

Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS

ANTONY. Set we our squadrons on yon side o' th' hill,

In eye of Caesar's battle; from which place

We may the number of the ships behold,

And so proceed accordingly. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_10

SCENE X.

Another part of the plain

CANIDIUS marcheth with his land army one way

over the stage, and TAURUS, the Lieutenant of

CAESAR, the other way. After their going in is heard

the noise of a sea-fight

Alarum. Enter ENOBARBUS

ENOBARBUS. Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no longer.

Th' Antoniad, the Egyptian admiral,

With all their sixty, fly and turn the rudder.

To see't mine eyes are blasted.

Enter SCARUS

SCARUS. Gods and goddesses,

All the whole synod of them!

ENOBARBUS. What's thy passion?

SCARUS. The greater cantle of the world is lost

With very ignorance; we have kiss'd away

Kingdoms and provinces.

ENOBARBUS. How appears the fight?

SCARUS. On our side like the token'd pestilence,

Where death is sure. Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt-

Whom leprosy o'ertake!- i' th' midst o' th' fight,

When vantage like a pair of twins appear'd,

Both as the same, or rather ours the elder-

The breese upon her, like a cow in June-

Hoists sails and flies.

ENOBARBUS. That I beheld;

Mine eyes did sicken at the sight and could not

Endure a further view.

SCARUS. She once being loof'd,

The noble ruin of her magic, Antony,

Claps on his sea-wing, and, like a doting mallard,

Leaving the fight in height, flies after her.

I never saw an action of such shame;

Experience, manhood, honour, ne'er before

Did violate so itself.

ENOBARBUS. Alack, alack!

Enter CANIDIUS

CANIDIUS. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath,

And sinks most lamentably. Had our general

Been what he knew himself, it had gone well.

O, he has given example for our flight

Most grossly by his own!

ENOBARBUS. Ay, are you thereabouts?

Why then, good night indeed.

CANIDIUS. Toward Peloponnesus are they fled.

SCARUS. 'Tis easy to't; and there I will attend

What further comes.

CANIDIUS. To Caesar will I render

My legions and my horse; six kings already

Show me the way of yielding.

ENOBARBUS. I'll yet follow

The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason

Sits in the wind against me. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_11

SCENE XI.

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA'S palace

Enter ANTONY With attendants

ANTONY. Hark! the land bids me tread no more upon't;

It is asham'd to bear me. Friends, come hither.

I am so lated in the world that I

Have lost my way for ever. I have a ship

Laden with gold; take that; divide it. Fly,

And make your peace with Caesar.

ALL. Fly? Not we!

ANTONY. I have fled myself, and have instructed cowards

To run and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone;

I have myself resolv'd upon a course

Which has no need of you; be gone.

My treasure's in the harbour, take it. O,

I follow'd that I blush to look upon.

My very hairs do mutiny; for the white

Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them

For fear and doting. Friends, be gone; you shall

Have letters from me to some friends that will

Sweep your way for you. Pray you look not sad,

Nor make replies of loathness; take the hint

Which my despair proclaims. Let that be left

Which leaves itself. To the sea-side straight way.

I will possess you of that ship and treasure.

Leave me, I pray, a little; pray you now;

Nay, do so, for indeed I have lost command;

Therefore I pray you. I'll see you by and by. [Sits down]

Enter CLEOPATRA, led by CHARMIAN and IRAS,

EROS following

EROS. Nay, gentle madam, to him! Comfort him.

IRAS. Do, most dear Queen.

CHARMIAN. Do? Why, what else?

CLEOPATRA. Let me sit down. O Juno!

ANTONY. No, no, no, no, no.

EROS. See you here, sir?

ANTONY. O, fie, fie, fie!

CHARMIAN. Madam!

IRAS. Madam, O good Empress!

EROS. Sir, sir!

ANTONY. Yes, my lord, yes. He at Philippi kept

His sword e'en like a dancer, while I struck

The lean and wrinkled Cassius; and 'twas I

That the mad Brutus ended; he alone

Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had

In the brave squares of war. Yet now- no matter.

CLEOPATRA. Ah, stand by!

EROS. The Queen, my lord, the Queen!

IRAS. Go to him, madam, speak to him.

He is unqualitied with very shame.

CLEOPATRA. Well then, sustain me. O!

EROS. Most noble sir, arise; the Queen approaches.

Her head's declin'd, and death will seize her but

Your comfort makes the rescue.

ANTONY. I have offended reputation-

A most unnoble swerving.

EROS. Sir, the Queen.

ANTONY. O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See

How I convey my shame out of thine eyes

By looking back what I have left behind

'Stroy'd in dishonour.

CLEOPATRA. O my lord, my lord,

Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought

You would have followed.

ANTONY. Egypt, thou knew'st too well

My heart was to thy rudder tied by th' strings,

And thou shouldst tow me after. O'er my spirit

Thy full supremacy thou knew'st, and that

Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods

Command me.

CLEOPATRA. O, my pardon!

ANTONY. Now I must

To the young man send humble treaties, dodge

And palter in the shifts of lowness, who

With half the bulk o' th' world play'd as I pleas'd,

Making and marring fortunes. You did know

How much you were my conqueror, and that

My sword, made weak by my affection, would

Obey it on all cause.

CLEOPATRA. Pardon, pardon!

ANTONY. Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates

All that is won and lost. Give me a kiss;

Even this repays me.

We sent our schoolmaster; is 'a come back?

Love, I am full of lead. Some wine,

Within there, and our viands! Fortune knows

We scorn her most when most she offers blows. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_12

SCENE XII.

CAESAR'S camp in Egypt

Enter CAESAR, AGRIPPA, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, with others

CAESAR. Let him appear that's come from Antony.

Know you him?

DOLABELLA. Caesar, 'tis his schoolmaster:

An argument that he is pluck'd, when hither

He sends so poor a pinion of his wing,

Which had superfluous kings for messengers

Not many moons gone by.

Enter EUPHRONIUS, Ambassador from ANTONY

CAESAR. Approach, and speak.

EUPHRONIUS. Such as I am, I come from Antony.

I was of late as petty to his ends

As is the morn-dew on the myrtle leaf

To his grand sea.

CAESAR. Be't so. Declare thine office.

EUPHRONIUS. Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and

Requires to live in Egypt; which not granted,

He lessens his requests and to thee sues

To let him breathe between the heavens and earth,

A private man in Athens. This for him.

Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness,

Submits her to thy might, and of thee craves

The circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs,

Now hazarded to thy grace.

CAESAR. For Antony,

I have no ears to his request. The Queen

Of audience nor desire shall fail, so she

From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,

Or take his life there. This if she perform,

She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.

EUPHRONIUS. Fortune pursue thee!

CAESAR. Bring him through the bands. Exit EUPHRONIUS

[To THYREUS] To try thy eloquence, now 'tis time. Dispatch;

From Antony win Cleopatra. Promise,

And in our name, what she requires; add more,

From thine invention, offers. Women are not

In their best fortunes strong; but want will perjure

The ne'er-touch'd vestal. Try thy cunning, Thyreus;

Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we

Will answer as a law.

THYREUS. Caesar, I go.

CAESAR. Observe how Antony becomes his flaw,

And what thou think'st his very action speaks

In every power that moves.

THYREUS. Caesar, I shall. Exeunt

ACT_3|SC_13

SCENE XIII.

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA'S palace

Enter CLEOPATRA, ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, and IRAS

CLEOPATRA. What shall we do, Enobarbus?

ENOBARBUS. Think, and die.

CLEOPATRA. Is Antony or we in fault for this?

ENOBARBUS. Antony only, that would make his will

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,

When half to half the world oppos'd, he being

The mered question. 'Twas a shame no less

Than was his loss, to course your flying flags

And leave his navy gazing.

CLEOPATRA. Prithee, peace.

Enter EUPHRONIUS, the Ambassador; with ANTONY

ANTONY. Is that his answer?

EUPHRONIUS. Ay, my lord.

ANTONY. The Queen shall then have courtesy, so she

Will yield us up.

EUPHRONIUS. He says so.

ANTONY. 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?

ANTONY. 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

As i' th' command of Caesar. I dare him therefore

To lay his gay comparisons apart,

And answer me declin'd, sword against sword,

Ourselves alone. I'll write it. Follow me.

Exeunt ANTONY and EUPHRONIUS

EUPHRONIUS. [Aside] Yes, like enough high-battled Caesar will

Unstate his happiness, and be stag'd to th' 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,

Knowing all measures, the full Caesar will

Answer his emptiness! Caesar, thou hast subdu'd

His judgment too.

Enter a SERVANT

SERVANT. A messenger from Caesar.

CLEOPATRA. What, no more ceremony? See, my women!

Against the blown rose may they stop their nose

That kneel'd unto the buds. Admit him, sir. Exit SERVANT

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

To follow with allegiance a fall'n lord

Does conquer him that did his master conquer,

And earns a place i' th' story.

Enter THYREUS

CLEOPATRA. Caesar's will?

THYREUS. Hear it apart.

CLEOPATRA. None but friends: say boldly.

THYREUS. So, haply, are they friends to Antony.

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

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. 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

Does pity, as constrained blemishes,

Not as deserv'd.

CLEOPATRA. He is a god, and knows

What is most right. Mine honour was not yielded,

But conquer'd merely.

ENOBARBUS. [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

What you require of him? For he partly begs

To be desir'd 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,

And put yourself under his shroud,

The universal landlord.

CLEOPATRA. What's your name?

THYREUS. My name is Thyreus.

CLEOPATRA. Most kind messenger,

Say to great Caesar this: in deputation

I kiss his conquring 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. '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. Your Caesar's father oft,

When he hath mus'd of taking kingdoms in,

Bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place,

As it rain'd kisses.