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Anthony and Cleopatra (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Randall Martin
Not Peer Reviewed
358
The Tragedie of
A halter'd necke, which do's the Hangman thanke,
For being yare about him. Is he whipt?
2310
Enter a Seruant with Thidias.
Ser. Soundly, my Lord.
Ant. Cried he? and begg'd a Pardon?
Ser. He did aske fauour.
Ant. If that thy Father liue, let him repent
2315Thou was't not made his daughter, and be thou sorrie
To follow Cæsar in his Triumph, since
Thou hast bin whipt. For following him, henceforth
The white hand of a Lady Feauer thee,
Shake thou to looke on't. Get thee backe to Cæsar,
2320Tell him thy entertainment: looke thou say
He makes me angry with him. For he seemes
Proud and disdainfull, harping on what I am,
Not what he knew I was. He makes me angry,
And at this time most easie 'tis to doo't:
2325When my good Starres, that were my former guides
Haue empty left their Orbes, and shot their Fires
Into th'Abisme of hell. If he mislike,
My speech, and what is done, tell him he has
Hiparchus, my enfranched Bondman, whom
2330He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,
As he shall like to quit me. Vrge it thou:
Hence with thy stripes, be gone.
Exit Thid.
Cleo. Haue you done yet?
Ant. Alacke our Terrene Moone is now Eclipst,
2335And it portends alone the fall of Anthony.
Cleo. I must stay his time?
Ant. To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes
With one that tyes his points.
Cleo. Not know me yet?
2340Ant. Cold-hearted toward me?
Cleo. Ah (Deere) if I be so,
From my cold heart let Heauen ingender haile,
And poyson it in the sourse, and the first stone
Drop in my necke: as it determines so
2345Dissolue my life, the next Cæsarian smile,
Till by degrees the memory of my wombe,
Together with my braue Egyptians all,
By the discandering of this pelleted storme,
Lye grauelesse, till the Flies and Gnats of Nyle
2350Haue buried them for prey.
Ant. I am satisfied:
Cæsar sets downe in Alexandria, where
I will oppose his Fate. Our force by Land,
Hath Nobly held, our seuer'd Nauie too
2355Haue knit againe, and Fleete, threatning most Sea-like.
Where hast thou bin my heart? Dost thou heare Lady?
If from the Field I shall returne once more
To kisse these Lips, I will appeare in Blood,
I, and my Sword, will earne our Chronicle,
2360There's hope in't yet.
Cleo. That's my braue Lord.
Ant. I will be trebble-sinewed, hearted, breath'd,
And fight maliciously: for when mine houres
Were nice and lucky, men did ransome liues
2365Of me for iests: But now, Ile set my teeth,
And send to darkenesse all that stop me. Come,
Let's haue one other gawdy night: Call to me
All my sad Captaines, fill our Bowles once more:
Let's mocke the midnight Bell.
2370Cleo. It is my Birth-day,
I had thought t'haue held it poore. But since my Lord
Is Anthony againe, I will be Cleopatra.
Ant. We will yet do well.

Cleo. Call all his Noble Captaines to my Lord.
2375Ant. Do so, wee'l speake to them,
And to night Ile force
The Wine peepe through their scarres.
Come on (my Queene)
There's sap in't yet. The next time I do fight
2380Ile make death loue me: for I will contend
Euen with his pestilent Sythe.
Exeunt.
Eno. Now hee'l out-stare the Lightning, to be furious
Is to be frighted out of feare, and in that moode
The Doue will pecke the Estridge; and I see still
2385A diminution in our Captaines braine,
Restores his heart; when valour prayes in reason,
It eates the Sword it fights with: I will seeke
Some way to leaue him.
Exeunt.

Enter Cæsar, Agrippa, & Mecenas with his Army,
2390Cæsar reading a Letter.

Cæs. He calles me Boy, and chides as he had power
To beate me out of Egypt. My Messenger
He hath whipt with Rods, dares me to personal Combat.
Cæsar to Anthony: let the old Russian know,
2395I haue many other wayes to dye: meane time
Laugh at his Challenge.
Mece. Cæsar must thinke,
When one so great begins to rage, hee's hunted
Euen to falling. Giue him no breath, but now
2400Make boote of his distraction: Neuer anger
Made good guard for it selfe.
Cæs. Let our best heads know,
That to morrow, the last of many Battailes
We meane to fight. Within our Files there are,
2405Of those that seru'd Marke Anthony but late,
Enough to fetch him in. See it done,
And Feast the Army, we haue store to doo't,
And they haue earn'd the waste. Poore Anthony.
Exeunt

Enter Anthony, Cleopatra, Enobarbus, Charmian,
2410Iras, Alexas, with others.

Ant. He will not fight with me, Domitian?
Eno. No?
Ant. Why should he not?
Eno. He thinks, being twenty times of better fortune,
2415He is twenty men to one.
Ant. To morrow Soldier,
By Sea and Land Ile fight: or I will liue,
Or bathe my dying Honor in the blood
Shall make it liue againe. Woo't thou fight well.
2420Eno. Ile strike, and cry, Take all.
Ant. Well said, come on:
Call forth my Houshold Seruants, lets to night
Enter 3 or 4 Seruitors.
Be bounteous at our Meale. Giue me thy hand,
2425Thou hast bin rightly honest, so hast thou,
Thou, and thou, and thou: you haue seru'd me well,
And Kings haue beene your fellowes.
Cleo. What meanes this?
Eno. 'Tis one of those odde tricks which sorow shoots
2430Out of the minde.
Ant. And thou art honest too:
I wish I could be made so many men,
And all of you clapt vp together, in
An Anthony: that I might do you seruice,
2435So good as you haue done.
Omnes.