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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    364The Tragedie of
    The Souldiers pole is falne: young Boyes and Gyrles
    Are leuell now with men: The oddes is gone,
    And there is nothing left remarkeable
    3080Beneath the visiting Moone.
    Char. Oh quietnesse, Lady.
    Iras. She's dead too, our Soueraigne.
    Char. Lady.
    Iras. Madam.
    3085Char. Oh Madam, Madam, Madam.
    Iras. Royall Egypt: Empresse.
    Char. Peace, peace, Iras.
    Cleo. No more but in a Woman, and commanded
    By such poore passion, as the Maid that Milkes,
    3090And doe's the meanest chares. It were for me,
    To throw my Scepter at the iniurious Gods,
    To tell them that this World did equall theyrs,
    Till they had stolne our Iewell. All's but naught:
    Patience is sottish, and impatience does
    3095Become a Dogge that's mad: Then is it sinne,
    To rush into the secret house of death,
    Ere death dare come to vs. How do you Women?
    What, what good cheere? Why how now Charmian?
    My Noble Gyrles? Ah Women, women! Looke
    3100Our Lampe is spent, it's out. Good sirs, take heart,
    Wee'l bury him: And then, what's braue, what's Noble,
    Let's doo't after the high Roman fashion,
    And make death proud to take vs. Come, away,
    This case of that huge Spirit now is cold.
    3105Ah Women, Women! Come, we haue no Friend
    But Resolution, and the breefest end.
    Exeunt, bearing of Anthonies body.

    Enter Caesar, Agrippa, Dollabella, Menas, with
    his Counsell of Warre.

    3110Caesar. Go to him Dollabella, bid him yeeld,
    Being so frustrate, tell him,
    He mockes the pawses that he makes.
    Dol. Caesar, I shall.
    Enter Decretas with the sword of Anthony.
    3115Caes. Wherefore is that? And what art thou that dar'st
    Appeare thus to vs?
    Dec. I am call'd Decretas,
    Marke Anthony I seru'd, who best was worthie
    Best to be seru'd: whil'st he stood vp, and spoke
    3120He was my Master, and I wore my life
    To spend vpon his haters. If thou please
    To take me to thee, as I was to him,
    Ile be to Caesar: if yu pleasest not, I yeild thee vp my life.
    Caesar. What is't thou say'st?
    3125Dec. I say (Oh Caesar) Anthony is dead.
    Caesar. The breaking of so great a thing, should make
    A greater cracke. The round World
    Should haue shooke Lyons into ciuill streets,
    And Cittizens to their dennes. The death of Anthony
    3130Is not a single doome, in the name lay
    A moity of the world.
    Dec. He is dead Caesar,
    Not by a publike minister of Iustice,
    Nor by a hyred Knife, but that selfe-hand
    3135Which writ his Honor in the Acts it did,
    Hath with the Courage which the heart did lend it,
    Splitted the heart. This is his Sword,
    I robb'd his wound of it: behold it stain'd
    With his most Noble blood.
    3140Caes. Looke you sad Friends,

    The Gods rebuke me, but it is Tydings
    To wash the eyes of Kings.
    Dol. And strange it is,
    That Nature must compell vs to lament
    3145Our most persisted deeds.
    Mec. His taints and Honours, wag'd equal with him.
    Dola. A Rarer spirit neuer
    Did steere humanity: but you Gods will giue vs
    Some faults to make vs men. Caesar is touch'd.
    3150Mec. When such a spacious Mirror's set before him,
    He needes must see him selfe.
    Caesar. Oh Anthony,
    I haue followed thee to this, but we do launch
    Diseases in our Bodies. I must perforce
    3155Haue shewne to thee such a declining day,
    Or looke on thine: we could not stall together,
    In the whole world. But yet let me lament
    With teares as Soueraigne as the blood of hearts,
    That thou my Brother, my Competitor,
    3160In top of all designe; my Mate in Empire,
    Friend and Companion in the front of Warre,
    The Arme of mine owne Body, and the Heart
    Where mine his thoughts did kindle; that our Starres
    Vnreconciliable, should diuide our equalnesse to this.
    3165Heare me good Friends,
    But I will tell you at some meeter Season,
    The businesse of this man lookes out of him,
    Wee'l heare him what he sayes.
    Enter an AEgyptian.
    3170Whence are you?
    AEgyp. A poore Egyptian yet, the Queen my mistris
    Confin'd in all, she has her Monument
    Of thy intents, desires, instruction,
    That she preparedly may frame her selfe
    3175To'th'way shee's forc'd too.
    Caesar. Bid her haue good heart,
    She soone shall know of vs, by some of ours,
    How honourable, and how kindely Wee
    Determine for her. For Caesar cannot leaue to be vngentle
    3180AEgypt. So the Gods preserue thee. Exit.
    Caes. Come hither Proculeius. Go and say
    We purpose her no shame: giue her what comforts
    The quality of her passion shall require;
    Least in her greatnesse, by some mortall stroke
    3185She do defeate vs. For her life in Rome,
    Would be eternall in our Triumph: Go,
    And with your speediest bring vs what she sayes,
    And how you finde of her.
    Pro. Caesar I shall. Exit Proculeius.
    3190Caes. Gallus, go you along: where's Dolabella, to se-
    cond Proculeius?
    All. Dolabella.
    Caes. Let him alone: for I remember now
    How hee's imployd: he shall in time be ready.
    3195Go with me to my Tent, where you shall see
    How hardly I was drawne into this Warre,
    How calme and gentle I proceeded still
    In all my Writings. Go with me, and see
    What I can shew in this. Exeunt.

    3200Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Mardian.

    Cleo. My desolation does begin to make
    A better life: Tis paltry to be Caesar:
    Not being Fortune, hee's but Fortunes knaue,
    A minister of her will: and it is great
    To
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