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Anthony and Cleopatra (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Randall Martin
Not Peer Reviewed
Anthony and Cleopatra.
353
The Fellow ha's good iudgement.
1655Char. Excellent.
Cleo. Guesse at her yeares, I prythee.
Mess. Madam, she was a widdow.
Cleo. Widdow? Charmian, hearke.
Mes. And I do thinke she's thirtie.
1660Cle. Bear'st thou her face in mind? is't long or round?
Mess. Round, euen to faultinesse.
Cleo. For the most part too, they are foolish that are
so. Her haire what colour?
Mess. Browne Madam: and her forehead
1665As low as she would wish it.
Cleo. There's Gold for thee,
Thou must not take my former sharpenesse ill,
I will employ thee backe againe: I finde thee
Most fit for businesse. Go, make thee ready,
1670Our Letters are prepar'd.
Char. A proper man.
Cleo. Indeed he is so: I repent me much
That so I harried him. Why me think's by him,
This Creature's no such thing.
1675Char. Nothing Madam.
Cleo. The man hath seene some Maiesty, and should
know.
Char. Hath he seene Maiestie? Isis else defend: and
seruing you so long.
1680Cleopa. I haue one thing more to aske him yet good
Charmian: but 'tis no matter, thou shalt bring him to me
where I will write; all may be well enough.
Char. I warrant you Madam.
Exeunt.
Enter Anthony and Octauia.
1685Ant. Nay, nay Octauia, not onely that,
That were excusable, that and thousands more
Of semblable import, but he hath wag'd
New Warres 'gainst Pompey. Made his will, and read it,
To publicke eare, spoke scantly of me,
1690When perforce he could not
But pay me tearmes of Honour: cold and sickly
He vented then most narrow measure:lent me,
When the best hint was giuen him: he not look't,
Or did it from his teeth.
1695Octaui. Oh my good Lord,
Beleeue not all, or if you must beleeue,
Stomacke not all. A more vnhappie Lady,
If this deuision chance, ne're stood betweene
Praying for both parts:
1700The good Gods wil mocke me presently,
When I shall pray:Oh blesse my Lord, and Husband,
Vndo that prayer, by crying out as loud,
Oh blesse my Brother. Husband winne, winne Brother,
Prayes, and distroyes the prayer, no midway
1705'Twixt these extreames at all.
Ant. Gentle Octauia,
Let your best loue draw to that point which seeks
Best to preserue it: if I loose mine Honour,
I loose my selfe: better I were not yours
1710Then your so branchlesse. But as you requested,
Your selfe shall go between's, the meane time Lady,
Ile raise the preparation of a Warre
Shall staine your Brother, make your soonest hast,
So your desires are yours.
1715Oct. Thanks to my Lord,
The Ioue of power make me most weake, most weake,
You reconciler: Warres 'twixt you twaine would be,
As if the world should cleaue, and that slaine men
Should soader vp the Rift.

1720Anth. When it appeeres to you where this begins,
Turne your displeasure that way, for our faults
Can neuer be so equall, that your loue
Can equally moue with them. Prouide your going,
Choose your owne company, and command what cost
1725Your heart he's mind too.
Exeunt.
Enter Enobarbus, and Eros.
Eno. How now Friend Eros?
Eros. Ther's strange Newes come Sir.
Eno. What man?
1730Ero. Cæsar & Lepidus haue made warres vpon Pompey.
Eno. This is old, what is the successe?
Eros. Cæsar hauing made vse of him in the warres
'gainst Pompey: presently denied him riuality, would not
let him partake in the glory of the action, and not resting
1735here, accuses him of Letters he had formerly wrote to
Pompey. Vpon his owne appeale seizes him, so the poore
third is vp, till death enlarge hisConfine.
Eno. Then would thou hadst a paire of chapsno more,
and throw betweene them all the food thou hast, they'le
1740grinde the other. Where's Anthony?
Eros. He's walking in the garden thus, and spurnes
The rush that lies before him. Cries Foole Lepidus,
And threats the throate of that his Officer,
That murdred Pompey.
1745Eno. Our great Nauies rig'd.
Eros. For Italy and Cæsar, more Domitius,
My Lord desires you presently: my Newes
I might haue told heareafter.
Eno.'Twillbe naught, but let it be:bring me to Anthony.
1750Eros. Come Sir,
Exeunt.
Enter Agrippa, Mecenas, and Cæsar.
Cæs. Contemning Rome he ha's done all this, & more
In Alexandria: heere's the manner of't:
I'th'Market-place on a Tribunall siluer'd,
1755Cleopatra and himselfe in Chaires of Gold
Were publikely enthron'd: at the feet, sat
Cæsarion whom they call my Fathers Sonne,
And all the vnlawfull issue, that their Lust
Since then hath made betweene them. Vnto her,
1760He gaue the stablishment of Egypt, made her
Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia, absolute Queene.
Mece. This in the publike eye?
Caesar. I'th'common shew place, where they exercise,
His Sonnes hither proclaimed the King of Kings,
1765Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia
He gaue to Alexander. To Ptolomy he assign'd,
Syria, Silicia, and Phœnetia: she
In th'abiliments of the Goddesse Isis
That day appeer'd, and oft before gaue audience,
1770As 'tis reported so.
Mece. Let Rome be thus inform'd.
Agri. Who queazie with his insolence already,
Will their good thoughts call from him.
Cæsar. The people knowes it,
1775And haue now receiu'd his accusations.
Agri. Who does he accuse?
Cæsar. Cæsar, and that hauing in Cicilie
Sextus Pompeius spoil'd, we had not rated him
His part o'th'Isle. Then does he say, he lent me
1780Some shipping vnrestor'd. Lastly, he frets
That Lepidus of the Triumpherate, should be depos'd,
And being that, we detaine all his Reuenue.
Agri. Sir, this should be answer'd.
Cæsar. 'Tis done already, and the Messenger gone:
1785I haue told him Lepidus was growne too cruell,
y y
That