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Anthony and Cleopatra (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Randall Martin
Not Peer Reviewed
346
The Tragedie of
It must not be with this.
745Cæs. You praise your selfe, by laying defects of iudge-
ment to me: but you patcht vp your excuses.
Anth. Not so, not so:
I know you could not lacke, I am certaine on't,
Very necessity of this thought, that I
750Your Partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,
Could not with gracefull eyes attend those Warres
Which fronted mine owne peace. As for my wife,
I would you had her spirit, in such another,
The third oth'world is yours, which with a Snaffle,
755You may pace easie, but not such a wife.
Enobar. Would we had all such wiues, that the men
might go to Warres with the women.
Anth. So much vncurbable, her Garboiles (Cæsar)
Made out of her impatience: which not wanted
760Shrodenesse of policie to: I greeuing grant,
Did you too much disquiet, for that you must,
But say I could not helpe it.
Cæsar. I wrote to you, when rioting in Alexandria you
Did pocket vp my Letters: and with taunts
765Did gibe my Misiue out of audience.
Ant. Sir, he fell vpon me, ere admitted, then:
Three Kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i'th'morning: but next day
I told him of my selfe, which was as much
770As to haue askt him pardon. Let this Fellow
Be nothing of our strife: if we contend
Out of our question wipe him.
Cæsar. You haue broken the Article of your oath,
which you shall neuer haue tongue to charge me with.
775Lep. Soft Cæsar.
Ant. No Lepidus, let him speake,
The Honour is Sacred which he talks on now,
Supposing that I lackt it: but on Cæsar,
The Article of my oath.
780Cæsar. To lend me Armes, and aide when I requir'd
them, the which you both denied.
Anth. Neglected rather:
And then when poysoned houres had bound me vp
From mine owne knowledge, as neerely as I may,
785Ile play the penitent to you. But mine honesty,
Shall not make poore my greatnesse, nor my power
Worke without it. Truth is, that Fuluia,
To haue me out of Egypt, made Warres heere,
For which my selfe, the ignorant motiue, do
790So farre aske pardon, as befits mine Honour
To stoope in such a case.
Lep. 'Tis Noble spoken.
Mece. If it might please you, to enforce no further
The griefes betweene ye: to forget them quite,
795Were to remember: that the present neede,
Speakes to attone you.
Lep. Worthily spoken Mecenas.
Enobar. Or if you borrow one anothers Loue for the
instant, you may when you heare no more words of
800Pompey returne it againe: you shall haue time to wrangle
in, when you haue nothing else to do.
Anth. Thou art a Souldier, onely speake no more.
Enob. That trueth should be silent, I had almost for-
got.
805Anth. You wrong this presence, therefore speake no
more.
Enob. Go too then: your Considerate stone.
Cæsar. I do not much dislike the matter, but
The manner of his speech: for't cannot be,

810We shall remaine in friendship, our conditions
So diffring in their acts. Yet if I knew,
What Hoope should hold vs staunch from edge to edge
Ath'world: I would persue it.
Agri. Giue me leaue Cæsar.
815Cæsar. Speake Agrippa.
Agri. Thou hast a Sister by the Mothers side, admir'd
Octauia: Great Mark Anthony is now a widdower.
Cæsar. Say not, say Agrippa; if Cleopater heard you, your
proofe were well deserued of rashnesse.
820Anth. I am not marryed Cæsar: let me heere Agrippa
further speake.
Agri. To hold you in perpetuall amitie,
To make you Brothers, and to knit your hearts
With an vn-slipping knot, take Anthony,
825Octauia to his wife: whose beauty claimes
No worse a husband then the best of men: whose
Vertue, and whose generall graces, speake
That which none else can vtter. By this marriage,
All little Ielousies which now seeme great,
830And all great feares, which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing. Truth's would be tales,
Where now halfe tales be truth's: her loue to both,
Would each to other, and all loues to both
Draw after her. Pardon what I haue spoke,
835For 'tis a studied not a present thought,
By duty ruminated.
Anth. Will Cæsar speake?
Cæsar. Not till he heares how Anthony is toucht,
With what is spoke already.
840Anth. What power is in Agrippa,
If I would say Agrippa, be it so,
To make this good?
Cæsar. The power of Cæsar,
And his power, vnto Octauia.
845Anth. May I neuer
(To this good purpose, that so fairely shewes)
Dreame of impediment: let me haue thy hand
Further this act of Grace: and from this houre,
The heart of Brothers gouerne in our Loues,
850And sway our great Designes.
Cæsar. There's my hand:
A Sister I bequeath you, whom no Brother
Did euer loue so deerely. Let her liue
To ioyne our kingdomes, and our hearts, and neuer
855Flie off our Loues againe.
Lepi. Happily, Amen.
Ant. I did not think to draw my Sword 'gainst Pompey,
For he hath laid strange courtesies, and great
Of late vpon me. I must thanke him onely,
860Least my remembrance, suffer ill report:
At heele of that, defie him.
Lepi. Time cals vpon's,
Of vs must Pompey presently be sought,
Or else he seekes out vs.
865Anth. Where lies he?
Cæsar. About the Mount-Mesena.
Anth. What is his strength by land?
Cæsar. Great, and encreasing:
But by Sea he is an absolute Master.
870Anth. So is the Fame,
Would we had spoke together. Hast we for it.
Yet ere we put our selues in Armes, dispatch we
The businesse we haue talkt of.
Cæsar. With most gladnesse,
875And do inuite you to my Sisters view,
Whe-