Internet Shakespeare Editions

About this text

  • Title: Anthony and Cleopatra (Modern)
  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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 (Modern)

    [3.2]
    Enter Agrippa at one door, Enobarbus at another.
    Agrippa
    What, are the brothers parted?
    1540Enobarbus
    They have dispatched with Pompey: he is gone,
    The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps
    To part from Rome; Caesar is sad, and Lepidus
    Since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubled
    With the green-sickness.
    1545Agrippa
    'Tis a noble Lepidus.
    Enobarbus
    A very fine one. Oh, how he loves Caesar!
    Agrippa
    Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!
    Enobarbus
    Caesar? Why, he's the Jupiter of men.
    Agrippa
    What's Antony--the God of Jupiter?
    1550Enobarbus
    Spake you of Caesar? How, the nonpareil?
    Agrippa
    Oh Antony, oh thou Arabian bird!
    Enobarbus
    Would you praise Caesar? Say "Caesar," go no further.
    Agrippa
    Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.
    Enobarbus
    But he loves Caesar best; yet he loves Antony.
    1555Hoo! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets cannot
    Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number--hoo!--
    His love to Antony; but as for Caesar,
    Kneel down, kneel down and wonder.
    1560Agrippa
    Both he loves.
    Enobarbus
    They are his shards and he their beetle.
    [Trumpet within]
    So,
    This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa.
    Agrippa
    Good fortune, worthy soldier, and farewell.
    Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus, and Octavia.
    1565Antony
    No further, sir.
    Caesar
    You take from me a great part of myself;
    Use me well in't. Sister, prove such a wife
    As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest bond
    Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,
    1570Let not the piece of virtue which is set
    Betwixt us as the cement of our love
    To keep it builded, be the ram to batter
    The fortress of it; for better might we
    Have loved without this mean, if on both parts
    1575This be not cherished.
    Antony
    Make me not offended
    In your distrust.
    Caesar
    I have said.
    Antony
    You shall not find,
    Though you be therein curious, the least cause
    1580For what you seem to fear. So the gods keep you,
    And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends.
    We will here part.
    Caesar
    Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well.
    The elements be kind to thee, and make
    1585Thy spirits all of comfort. Fare thee well.
    Octavia
    [Weeping] My noble brother!
    Antony
    The April's in her eyes; it is love's spring,
    And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful.
    Octavia
    Sir, look well to my husband's house, and--
    1590Caesar
    What, Octavia?
    Octavia
    I'll tell you in your ear.
    [She whispers to Caesar.]
    Antony
    Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can
    Her heart inform her tongue--the swan's-down feather
    1595That stands upon the swell at the full of tide,
    And neither way inclines.
    Enobarbus
    [Aside to Agrippa] Will Caesar weep?
    Agrippa
    [Aside to Enobarbus] He has a cloud in's face.
    Enobarbus
    [Aside to Agrippa] He were the worse for that were he a horse,
    1600So is he being a man.
    Agrippa
    [Aside to Enobarbus] Why, Enobarbus,
    When Antony found Julius Caesar dead,
    He cried almost to roaring; and he wept
    When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.
    1605Enobarbus
    [Aside to Agrippa] That year, indeed, he was troubled with a rheum;
    What willingly he did confound, he wailed,
    Believe't, till I weep too.
    Caesar
    No, sweet Octavia,
    You shall hear from me still; the time shall not
    1610Out-go my thinking on you.
    Antony
    Come, sir, come,
    I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love.
    Look, here I have you [embracing Caesar]; thus I let you go,
    And give you to the gods.
    1615Caesar
    Adieu, be happy.
    Lepidus
    Let all the number of the stars give light
    To thy fair way.
    Caesar
    Farewell, farewell.
    [He] kisses Octavia.
    Antony
    Farewell.
    Trumpets sound.
    Exeunt [Antony, Octavia and Enobarbus at one door, Caesar, Lepidus and Agrippa at another door].