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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    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.

    Enter Ventidius as it were in triumph, the dead body of Paco-
    1495rus borne before him.
    Ven. Now darting Parthya art thou stroke, and now
    Pleas'd Fortune does of Marcus Crassus death
    Make me reuenger. Beare the Kings Sonnes body,
    Before our Army, thy Pacorus Orades,
    1500Paies this for Marcus Crassus.
    Romaine. Noble Ventidius,
    Whil'st yet with Parthian blood thy Sword is warme,
    The Fugitiue Parthians follow. Spurre through Media,
    Mesapotamia, and the shelters, whether
    1505The routed flie. So thy grand Captaine Anthony
    Shall set thee on triumphant Chariots, and
    Put Garlands on thy head.
    Ven. Oh Sillius, Sillius,
    I haue done enough. A lower place note well
    1510May make too great an act. For learne this Sillius,
    Better to leaue vndone, then by our deed
    Acquire too high a Fame, when him we serues away.
    Caesar and Anthony, haue euer wonne
    More in their officer, then person. Sossius
    1515One of my place in Syria, his Lieutenant,
    For quicke accumulation of renowne,
    Which he atchiu'd by'th'minute, lost his fauour.
    Who does i'th'Warres more then his Captaine can,
    Becomes his Captaines Captaine: and Ambition
    1520(The Souldiers vertue) rather makes choise of losse
    Then gaine, which darkens him.
    I could do more to do Anthonius good,
    But 'twould offend him. And in his offence,
    Should
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