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Anthony and Cleopatra (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Randall Martin
Not Peer Reviewed
344
The Tragedie of
To rot it selfe with motion.
Mes. Cæsar I bring thee word,
Menacrates and Menas famous Pyrates
Makes the Sea serue them, which they eare and wound
485With keeles of euery kinde. Many hot inrodes
They make in Italy, the Borders Maritime
Lacke blood to thinke on't, and flush youth reuolt,
No Vessell can peepe forth: but 'tis as soone
Taken as seene: for Pompeyes name strikes more
490Then could his Warre resisted
Cæsar. Anthony,
Leaue thy lasciuious Vassailes. When thou once
Was beaten from Medena, where thou slew'st
Hirsius, and Pausa Consuls, at thy heele
495Did Famine follow, whom thou fought'st against,
(Though daintily brought vp) with patience more
Then Sauages could suffer. Thou did'st drinke
The stale of Horses, and the gilded Puddle
Which Beasts would cough at. Thy pallat thẽ did daine
500The roughest Berry, on the rudest Hedge.
Yea, like the Stagge, when Snow the Pasture sheets,
The barkes of Trees thou brows'd. On the Alpes,
It is reported thou did'st eate strange flesh,
Which some did dye to looke on: And all this
505(It wounds thine Honor that I speake it now)
Was borne so like a Soldiour, that thy cheeke
So much as lank'd not.
Lep. 'Tis pitty of him.
Cæs. Let his shames quickely
510Driue him to Rome, 'tis time we twaine
Did shew our selues i'th' Field, and to that end
Assemble me immediate counsell, Pompey
Thriues in our Idlenesse.
Lep. To morrow Cæsar,
515I shall be furnisht to informe you rightly
Both what by Sea and Land I can be able
To front this present time.
Cæs. Til which encounter, it is my busines too. Farwell.
Lep. Farwell my Lord, what you shal know mean time
520Of stirres abroad, I shall beseech you Sir
To let me be partaker.
Cæsar. Doubt not sir, I knew it for my Bond.
Exeunt
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, & Mardian.
Cleo. Charmian.
525Char. Madam.
Cleo. Ha, ha, giue me to drinke Mandragora.
Char. Why Madam?
Cleo. That I might sleepe out this great gap of time:
My Anthony is away.
530Char. You thinke of him too much.
Cleo. O 'tis Treason.
Char. Madam, I trust not so.
Cleo. Thou, Eunuch Mardian?
Mar. What's your Highnesse pleasure?
535Cleo. Not now to heare thee sing. I take no pleasure
In ought an Eunuch ha's: Tis well for thee,
That being vnseminar'd, thy freer thoughts
May not flye forth of Egypt. Hast thou Affections?
Mar. Yes gracious Madam.
540Cleo. Indeed?
Mar. Not in deed Madam, for I can do nothing
But what in deede is honest to be done:
Yet haue I fierce Affections, and thinke
What Venus did with Mars.
545Cleo. Oh Charmion:
Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he, or sits he?

Or does he walke? Or is he on his Horse?
Oh happy horse to beare the weight of Anthony!
Do brauely Horse, for wot'st thou whom thou moou'st,
550The demy Atlas of this Earth, the Arme
And Burganet of men. Hee's speaking now,
Or murmuring, where's my Serpent of old Nyle,
(For so he cals me:) Now I feede my selfe
With most delicious poyson. Thinke on me
555That am with Phœbus amorous pinches blacke,
And wrinkled deepe in time. Broad-fronted Cæsar,
When thou was't heere aboue the ground, I was
A morsell for a Monarke: and great Pompey
Would stand and make his eyes grow in my brow,
560There would he anchor his Aspect, and dye
With looking on his life.

Enter Alexas from Cæsar.
Alex. Soueraigne of Egypt, haile.
Cleo. How much vnlike art thou Marke Anthony?
565Yet comming from him, that great Med'cine hath
With his Tinct gilded thee.
How goes it with my braue Marke Anthonie?
Alex. Last thing he did (deere Quene)
He kist the last of many doubled kisses
570This Orient Pearle. His speech stickes in my heart.
Cleo. Mine eare must plucke it thence.
Alex. Good Friend, quoth he:
Say the firme Roman to great Egypt sends
This treasure of an Oyster: at whose foote
575To mend the petty present, I will peece
Her opulent Throne, with Kingdomes. All the East,
(Say thou) shall call her Mistris. So he nodded,
And soberly did mount an Arme-gaunt Steede,
Who neigh'd so hye, that what I would haue spoke,
580Was beastly dumbe by him.
Cleo. What was he sad, or merry?
Alex. Like to the time o'th' yeare, between ye extremes
Of hot and cold, he was nor sad nor merrie.
Cleo. Oh well diuided disposition: Note him,
585Note him good Charmian, 'tis the man; but note him.
He was not sad, for he would shine on those
That make their lookes by his. He was not merrie,
Which seem'd to tell them, his remembrance lay
In Egypt with his ioy, but betweene both.
590Oh heauenly mingle! Bee'st thou sad, or merrie,
The violence of either thee becomes,
So do's it no mans else. Met'st thou my Posts?
Alex. I Madam, twenty seuerall Messengers.
Why do you send so thicke?
595Cleo. Who's borne that day, when I forget to send
to Anthonie, shall dye a Begger. Inke and paper Char-
mian. Welcome my good Alexas. Did I Charmian, e-
uer loue Cæsar so?
Char. Oh that braue Cæsar!
600Cleo. Be choak'd with such another Emphasis,
Say the braue Anthony.
Char. The valiant Cæsar.
Cleo. By Isis, I will giue thee bloody teeth,
If thou with Cæsar Paragonagaine:
605My man of men.
Char. By your most gracious pardon,
I sing but after you.
Cleo. My Sallad dayes,
When I was greene in iudgement, cold in blood,
610To say, as I saide then. But come, away,
Get me Inke and Paper,
Hee