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Anthony and Cleopatra (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Randall Martin
Not Peer Reviewed
Enter Agrippa at one doore, Enobarbus at another.
Agri. What are the Brothers parted?
1540Eno. They haue dispatcht with Pompey, he is gone,
The other three are Sealing. Octauia weepes
To part from Rome: Cæsar is sad, and Lepidus
Since Pompey's feast, as Menas saies, is troubled
With the Greene-Sicknesse.
1545Agri. 'Tis a Noble Lepidus.
Eno. A very fine one: oh, how he loues Cæsar.
Agri. Nay but how deerely he adores Mark Anthony.
Eno. Cæsar? why he's the Iupiter of men.
Ant. What's Anthony, the God of Iupiter?
1550Eno. Spake you of Cæsar? How, the non-pareill?
Agri. Oh Anthony, oh thou Arabian Bird!
Eno. Would you praise Cæsar, say Caesar go no further.
Agr. Indeed he plied them both with excellent praises.
Eno. But he loues Cæsar best, yet he loues Anthony:
1555Hoo, Hearts, Tongues, Figure,
Scribes, Bards, Poets, cannot
Thinke speake, cast, write, sing, number: hoo,
His loue to Anthony. But as for Cæsar,
Kneele downe, kneele downe, and wonder.
1560Agri. Both he loues.
Eno. They are his Shards, and he their Beetle, so:
This is to horse: Adieu, Noble Agrippa.
Agri. Good Fortune worthy Souldier, and farewell.
Enter Cæsar, Anthony, Lepidus, and Octauia.
1565Antho. No further Sir.
Cæsar. You take from me a great part of my selfe:
Vse me well in't. Sister, proue such a wife
As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest Band
Shall passe on thy approofe: most Noble Anthony,
1570Let not the peece of Vertue which is set
Betwixt vs, as the Cyment of our loue
To keepe it builded, be the Ramme to batter
The Fortresse of it: for better might we
Haue lou'd without this meane, if on bothparts
1575This be not cherisht.
Ant. Make me not offended, in your distrust.
Cæsar. I haue said.
Ant. You shall not finde,
Though you be therein curious, the lest cause
1580For what you seeme to feare, so the Gods keepe you,
And make the hearts of Romaines serue your ends:
We will heere part.
Cæsar. Farewell my deerest Sister, fare thee well,
The Elements be kind to thee, and make
1585Thy spirits all of comfort: fare thee well.
Octa. My Noble Brother.
Anth. The Aprill's in her eyes, it is Loues spring,
And these the showers to bring it on: be cheerfull.
Octa. Sir, looke well to my Husbands house: and
1590Cæsar. What Octauia?
Octa. Ile tell you in your eare.
Ant. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can
Her heart informe her tougue.
The Swannes downe feather
1595That stands vpon the Swell at the full of Tide:
And neither way inclines.
Eno. Will Cæsar weepe?
Agr. He ha's a cloud in's face.
Eno. He were the worse for that were he a Horse, so is
1600he being a man.
Agri. Why Enobarbus:
When Anthony found Iulius Cæsar dead,
He cried almost to roaring: And he wept,
When at Phillippi he found Brutus slaine.
1605Eno. That yearindeed, he was trobled with a rheume,
What willingly he did confound, he wail'd,
Beleeu't till I weepe too.
Cæsar. No sweet Octauia,
You shall heare from me still: the time shall not
1610Out-go my thinking on you.
Ant. Come Sir, come,
Ile wrastle with you in my strength of loue,
Looke heere I haue you, thus I let you go,
And giue you to the Gods.
1615Cæsar. Adieu, be happy.
Lep. Let all the number of the Starres giue light
To thy faire way.
Cæsar. Farewell, farewell.
Kisses Octauia.
Ant. Farewell.
Trumpets sound. Exeunt.