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  • Title: Anthony and Cleopatra (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editor: Randall Martin

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-433-2

    Copyright Randall Martin. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Randall Martin
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Anthony and Cleopatra (Folio 1, 1623)

    Musicke playes.
    Enter two or three Seruants with a Banket.
    13351 Heere they'l be man: some o'th'their Plants are ill
    rooted already, the least winde i'th'world wil blow them
    downe.
    2 Lepidus is high Conlord.
    1 They haue made him drinke Almes drinke.
    13402 As they pinch one another by the disposition, hee
    cries out, no more; reconciles them to his entreatie, and
    himselfe to'th'drinke.
    1 But it raises the greatet warre betweene him & his
    discretion.
    13452 Why this it is to haue a name in great mens Fel-
    lowship: I had as liue haue a Reede that will doe me no
    seruice, as a Partizan I could not heaue.
    1 To be call'd into a huge Sphere, and not to be seene
    to moue in't, are the holes where eyes should bee, which
    1350pittifully disaster the cheekes.
    A Sennet sounded.
    Enter Caesar, Anthony, Pompey, Lepidus, Agrippa, Mecenas,
    Enobarbus, Menes, with other Captaines.
    Ant. Thus do they Sir: they take the flow o'th'Nyle
    1355By certaine scales i'th' Pyramid: they know
    By'th'height, the lownesse, or the meane: If dearth
    Or Foizon follow. The higher Nilus swels,
    The more it promises: as it ebbes, the Seedsman
    Vpon the slime and Ooze scatters his graine,
    1360And shortly comes to Haruest.
    Lep. Y'haue strange Serpents there?
    Anth. I Lepidus.
    Lep. Your Serpent of Egypt, is bred now of your mud
    by the operation of your Sun: so is your Crocodile.
    1365Ant. They are so.
    Pom. Sit, and some Wine: A health to Lepidus.
    Lep. I am not so well as I should be:
    But Ile ne're out.
    Enob. Not till you haue slept: I feare me you'l bee in
    1370till then.
    Lep. Nay certainly, I haue heard the Ptolomies Pyra-
    misis are very goodly things: without contradiction I
    haue heard that.
    Menas. Pompey, a word.
    1375Pomp. Say in mine eare, what is't.
    Men. Forsake thy seate I do beseech thee Captaine,
    And heare me speake a word.
    Pom. Forbeare me till anon. Whispers in's Eare.
    This Wine for Lepidus.
    1380Lep. Whar manner o'thing is your Crocodile?
    Ant. It is shap'd sir like it selfe, and it is as broad as it
    hath bredth; It is iust so high as it is, and mooues with it
    owne organs. It liues by that which nourisheth it, and
    the Elements once out of it, it Transmigrates.
    1385Lep. What colour is it of?
    Ant. Of it owne colour too.
    Lep. 'Tis a strange Serpent.
    Ant. 'Tis so, and the teares of it are wet.
    Caes. Will this description satisfie him?
    1390Ant. With the Health that Pompey giues him, else he
    is a very Epicure.
    Pomp. Go hang sir, hang: tell me of that? Away:
    Do as I bid you. Where's this Cup I call'd for?
    Men. If for the sake of Merit thou wilt heare mee,
    Rise
    Anthony and Cleopatra. 351
    1395Rise from thy stoole.
    Pom. I thinke th'art mad: the matter?
    Men. I haue euer held my cap off to thy Fortunes.
    Pom. Thou hast seru'd me with much faith: what's
    else to say? Be iolly Lords.
    1400Anth. These Quicke-sands Lepidus,
    Keepe off, them for you sinke.
    Men. Wilt thou be Lord of all the world?
    Pom. What saist thou?
    Men. Wilt thou be Lord of the whole world?
    1405That's twice.
    Pom. How should that be?
    Men. But entertaine it, and though thou thinke me
    poore, I am the man will giue thee all the world.
    Pom. Hast thou drunke well.
    1410Men. No Pompey, I haue kept me from the cup,
    Thou art if thou dar'st be, the earthly Ioue:
    What ere the Ocean pales, or skie inclippes,
    Is thine, if thou wilt ha't.
    Pom. Shew me which way?
    1415Men. These three World-sharers, these Competitors
    Are in thy vessell. Let me cut the Cable,
    And when we are put off, fall to their throates:
    All there is thine.
    Pom. Ah, this thou shouldst haue done,
    1420And not haue spoke on't. In me 'tis villanie,
    In thee, 't had bin good seruice: thou must know,
    'Tis not my profit that does lead mine Honour:
    Mine Honour it, Repent that ere thy tongue,
    Hath so betraide thine acte. Being done vnknowne,
    1425I should haue found it afterwards well done,
    But must condemne it now: desist, and drinke.
    Men. For this, Ile neuer follow
    Thy paul'd Fortunes more,
    Who seekes and will not take, when once 'tis offer'd,
    1430Shall neuer finde it more.
    Pom. This health to Lepidus.
    Ant. Beare him ashore,
    Ile pledge it for him Pompey.
    Eno. Heere's to thee Menas.
    1435Men. Enobarbus, welcome.
    Pom. Fill till the cup be hid.
    Eno. There's a strong Fellow Menas.
    Men. Why?
    Eno. A beares the third part of the world man: seest
    1440not?
    Men. The third part, then he is drunk: would it were
    all, that it might go on wheeles.
    Eno. Drinke thou: encrease the Reeles.
    Men Come.
    1445Pom. This is not yet an Alexandrian Feast.
    Ant. It ripen's towards it: strike the Vessells hoa.
    Heere's to Caesar.
    Caesar. I could well forbear't, it's monstrous labour
    when I wash my braine, and it grow fouler.
    1450Ant. Be a Child o'th'time.
    Caesar. Possesse it, Ile make answer: but I had rather
    fast from all, foure dayes, then drinke so much in one.
    Enob. Ha my braue Emperour, shall we daunce now
    the Egyptian Backenals, and celebrate our drinke?
    1455Pom. Let's ha't good Souldier.
    Ant. Come, let's all take hands,
    Till that the conquering Wine hath steep't our sense,
    In soft and delicate Lethe.
    Eno. All take hands:
    1460Make battery to our eares with the loud Musicke,
    The while, Ile place you, then the Boy shall sing.
    The holding euery man shall beate as loud,
    As his strong sides can volly.
    Musicke Playes. Enobarbus places them hand in hand.
    1465The Song.
    Come thou Monarch of the Vine,
    Plumpie Bacchus, with pinke eyne:
    In thy Fattes our Cares be drown'd,
    With thy Grapes our haires be Crown'd.
    1470 Cup vs till the world go round,
    Cup vs till the world go round.
    Caesar. What would you more?
    Pompey goodnight. Good Brother
    Let me request you of our grauer businesse
    1475Frownes at this leuitie. Gentle Lords let's part,
    You see we haue burnt our cheekes. Strong Enobarbe
    Is weaker then the Wine, and mine owne tongue
    Spleet's what it speakes: the wilde disguise hath almost
    Antickt vs all. What needs more words? goodnight.
    1480Good Anthony your hand.
    Pom. Ile try you on the shore.
    Anth. And shall Sir, giues your hand.
    Pom. Oh Anthony, you haue my Father house.
    But what, we are Friends?
    1485Come downe into the Boate.
    Eno. Take heed you fall not Menas: Ile not on shore,
    No to my Cabin: these Drummes,
    These Trumpets, Flutes: what
    Let Neptune heare, we bid aloud farewell
    1490To these great Fellowes. Sound and be hang'd, sound out.
    Sound a Flourish with Drummes.
    Enor. Hoo saies a there's my Cap.
    Men. Hoa, Noble Captaine, come. Exeunt.
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