Act III
Scene I
A plain in Syria.
Enter Ventidius as it were in triumph, with Silius, and other Romans, Officers, and Soldiers; the dead body of Pacorus borne before him. | |
Ventidius |
Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck; and now
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Silius |
Noble Ventidius,
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Ventidius |
O Silius, Silius,
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Silius |
Thou hast, Ventidius, that
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Ventidius |
I’ll humbly signify what in his name,
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Silius | Where is he now? |
Ventidius |
He purposeth to Athens: whither, with what haste
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Scene II
Rome. An ante-chamber in Caesar’s house.
Enter Agrippa at one door, Enobarbas at another. | |
Agrippa | What, are the brothers parted? |
Enobarbas |
They have dispatch’d with Pompey, he is gone;
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Agrippa | ’Tis a noble Lepidus. |
Enobarbas | A very fine one: O, how he loves Caesar! |
Agrippa | Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony! |
Enobarbas | Caesar? Why, he’s the Jupiter of men. |
Agrippa | What’s Antony? The god of Jupiter. |
Enobarbas | Spake you of Caesar? How! the non-pareil! |
Agrippa | O Antony! O thou Arabian bird! |
Enobarbas | Would you praise Caesar, say “Caesar:” go no further. |
Agrippa | Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises. |
Enobarbas |
But he loves Caesar best; yet he loves Antony:
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Agrippa | Both he loves. |
Enobarbas |
They are his shards, and he their beetle. Trumpets within. So;
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Agrippa | Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell. |
Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus, and Octavia. | |
Antony | No further, sir. |
Caesar |
You take from me a great part of myself;
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Antony |
Make me not offended
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Caesar | I have said. |
Antony |
You shall not find,
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Caesar |
Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well:
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Octavia | My noble brother! |
Antony |
The April’s in her eyes: it is love’s spring,
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Octavia | Sir, look well to my husband’s house; and— |
Caesar | What, Octavia? |
Octavia | I’ll tell you in your ear. |
Antony |
Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can
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Enobarbas | Aside to Agrippa. Will Caesar weep? |
Agrippa | Aside to Enobarbas. He has a cloud in’s face. |
Enobarbas |
Aside to Agrippa. He were the worse for that, were he a horse;
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Agrippa |
Aside to Enobarbas. Why, Enobarbus,
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Enobarbas |
Aside to Agrippa. That year, indeed, he was troubled with a rheum;
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Caesar |
No, sweet Octavia,
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Antony |
Come, sir, come;
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Caesar | Adieu; be happy! |
Lepidus |
Let all the number of the stars give light
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Caesar | Farewell, farewell! Kisses Octavia. |
Antony | Farewell! Trumpets sound. Exeunt. |
Scene III
Alexandria. Cleopatra’s palace.
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas. | |
Cleopatra | Where is the fellow? |
Alexas | Half afeard to come. |
Cleopatra | Go to, go to. |
Enter the Messenger as before. | |
Come hither, sir. | |
Alexas |
Good majesty,
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Cleopatra |
That Herod’s head
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Messenger | Most gracious majesty— |
Cleopatra | Didst thou behold Octavia? |
Messenger | Ay, dread queen. |
Cleopatra | Where? |
Messenger |
Madam, in Rome;
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Cleopatra | Is she as tall as me? |
Messenger | She is not, madam. |
Cleopatra | Didst hear her speak? is she shrill-tongued or low? |
Messenger | Madam, I heard her speak; she is low-voiced. |
Cleopatra | That’s not so good: he cannot like her long. |
Charmian | Like her! O Isis! ’tis impossible. |
Cleopatra |
I think so, Charmian: dull of tongue, and dwarfish!
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Messenger |
She creeps:
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Cleopatra | Is this certain? |
Messenger | Or I have no observance. |
Charmian |
Three in Egypt
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Cleopatra |
He’s very knowing;
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Charmian | Excellent. |
Cleopatra | Guess at her years, I prithee. |
Messenger |
Madam,
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Cleopatra | Widow! Charmian, hark. |
Messenger | And I do think she’s thirty. |
Cleopatra | Bear’st thou her face in mind? is’t long or round? |
Messenger | Round even to faultiness. |
Cleopatra |
For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so.
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Messenger |
Brown, madam: and her forehead
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Cleopatra |
There’s gold for thee.
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Charmian | A proper man. |
Cleopatra |
Indeed, he is so: I repent me much
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Charmian | Nothing, madam. |
Cleopatra | The man hath seen some majesty, and should know. |
Charmian |
Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend,
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Cleopatra |
I have one thing more to ask him yet, good Charmian:
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Charmian | I warrant you, madam. Exeunt. |
Scene IV
Athens. A room in Antony’s house.
Enter Antony and Octavia. | |
Antony |
Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that—
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Octavia |
O my good lord,
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Antony |
Gentle Octavia,
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Octavia |
Thanks to my lord.
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Antony |
When it appears to you where this begins,
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Scene V
The same. Another room.
Enter Enobarbas and Eros, meeting. | |
Enobarbas | How now, friend Eros! |
Eros | There’s strange news come, sir. |
Enobarbas | What, man? |
Eros | Caesar and Lepidus have made wars upon Pompey. |
Enobarbas | This is old: what is the success? |
Eros | Caesar, having made use of him in the wars ’gainst Pompey, presently denied him rivality; would not let him partake in the glory of the action: and not resting here, accuses him of letters he had formerly wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal, seizes him: so the poor third is up, till death enlarge his confine. |
Enobarbas |
Then, world, thou hast a pair of chaps, no more;
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Eros |
He’s walking in the garden—thus; and spurns
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Enobarbas | Our great navy’s rigg’d. |
Eros |
For Italy and Caesar. More, Domitius;
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Enobarbas |
’Twill be naught:
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Eros | Come, sir. Exeunt. |
Scene VI
Rome. Caesar’s house.
Enter Caesar, Agrippa, and Mecaenas. | |
Caesar |
Contemning Rome, he has done all this, and more,
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Mecaenas | This in the public eye? |
Caesar |
I’ the common show-place, where they exercise.
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Mecaenas |
Let Rome be thus
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Agrippa |
Who, queasy with his insolence
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Caesar |
The people know it; and have now received
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Agrippa | Who does he accuse? |
Caesar |
Caesar: and that, having in Sicily
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Agrippa | Sir, this should be answer’d. |
Caesar |
’Tis done already, and the messenger gone.
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Mecaenas | He’ll never yield to that. |
Caesar | Nor must not then be yielded to in this. |
Enter Octavia with her train. | |
Octavia | Hail, Caesar, and my lord! hail, most dear Caesar! |
Caesar | That ever I should call thee cast-away! |
Octavia | You have not call’d me so, nor have you cause. |
Caesar |
Why have you stol’n upon us thus? You come not
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Octavia |
Good my lord,
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Caesar |
Which soon he granted,
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Octavia | Do not say so, my lord. |
Caesar |
I have eyes upon him,
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Octavia | My lord, in Athens. |
Caesar |
No, my most wronged sister; Cleopatra
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Octavia |
Ay me, most wretched,
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Caesar |
Welcome hither:
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Agrippa | Welcome, lady. |
Mecaenas |
Welcome, dear madam.
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Octavia | Is it so, sir? |
Caesar |
Most certain. Sister, welcome: pray you,
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Scene VII
Near Actium. Antony’s camp.
Enter Cleopatra and Enobarbas. | |
Cleopatra | I will be even with thee, doubt it not. |
Enobarbas | But why, why, why? |
Cleopatra |
Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,
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Enobarbas | Well, is it, is it? |
Cleopatra |
If not denounced against us, why should not we
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Enobarbas |
Aside. Well, I could reply:
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Cleopatra | What is’t you say? |
Enobarbas |
Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;
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Cleopatra |
Sink Rome, and their tongues rot
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Enobarbas |
Nay, I have done.
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Enter Antony and Canidius. | |
Antony |
Is it not strange, Canidius,
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Cleopatra |
Celerity is never more admired
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Antony |
A good rebuke,
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Cleopatra | By sea! what else? |
Canidius | Why will my lord do so? |
Antony | For that he dares us to’t. |
Enobarbas | So hath my lord dared him to single fight. |
Canidius |
Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia,
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Enobarbas |
Your ships are not well mann’d;
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Antony | By sea, by sea. |
Enobarbas |
Most worthy sir, you therein throw away
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Antony | I’ll fight at sea. |
Cleopatra | I have sixty sails, Caesar none better. |
Antony |
Our overplus of shipping will we burn;
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Enter a Messenger. | |
Thy business? | |
Messenger |
The news is true, my lord; he is descried;
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Antony |
Can he be there in person? ’tis impossible;
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Enter a Soldier. | |
How now, worthy soldier? | |
Soldier |
O noble emperor, do not fight by sea;
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Antony | Well, well; away! Exeunt Antony, Cleopatra, and Enobarbas. |
Soldier | By Hercules, I think I am i’ the right. |
Canidius |
Soldier, thou art: but his whole action grows
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Soldier |
You keep by land
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Canidius |
Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
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Soldier |
While he was yet in Rome,
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Canidius | Who’s his lieutenant, hear you? |
Soldier | They say, one Taurus. |
Canidius | Well I know the man. |
Enter a Messenger. | |
Messenger | The emperor calls Canidius. |
Canidius |
With news the time’s with labour, and throes forth,
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Scene VIII
A plain near Actium.
Enter Caesar, and Taurus, with his army, marching. | |
Caesar | Taurus! |
Taurus | My lord? |
Caesar |
Strike not by land; keep whole: provoke not battle,
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Scene IX
Another part of the plain.
Enter Antony and Enobarbas. | |
Antony |
Set we our squadrons on yond side o’ the hill,
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Scene X
Another part of the plain.
Canidius marcheth with his land army one way over the stage; and Taurus, the lieutenant of Caesar, the other way. After their going in, is heard the noise of a sea-fight. | |
Alarum. Enter Enobarbas. | |
Enobarbas |
Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no longer:
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Enter Scarus. | |
Scarus |
Gods and goddesses,
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Enobarbas | What’s thy passion! |
Scarus |
The greater cantle of the world is lost
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Enobarbas | How appears the fight? |
Scarus |
On our side like the token’d pestilence,
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Enobarbas |
That I beheld:
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Scarus |
She once being loof’d,
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Enobarbas | Alack, alack! |
Enter Canidius. | |
Canidius |
Our fortune on the sea is out of breath,
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Enobarbas |
Ay, are you thereabouts?
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Canidius | Toward Peloponnesus are they fled. |
Scarus |
’Tis easy to’t; and there I will attend
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Canidius |
To Caesar will I render
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Enobarbas |
I’ll yet follow
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Scene XI
Alexandria. Cleopatra’s palace.
Enter Antony with Attendants. | |
Antony |
Hark! the land bids me tread no more upon’t;
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All | Fly! not we. |
Antony |
I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards
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Enter Cleopatra led by Charmian and Iras; Eros following. | |
Eros | Nay, gentle madam, to him, comfort him. |
Iras | Do, most dear queen. |
Charmian | Do! why: what else? |
Cleopatra | Let me sit down. O Juno! |
Antony | No, no, no, no, no. |
Eros | See you here, sir? |
Antony | O fie, fie, fie! |
Charmian | Madam! |
Iras | Madam, O good empress! |
Eros | Sir, sir— |
Antony |
Yes, my lord, yes; he at Philippi kept
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Cleopatra | Ah, stand by. |
Eros | The queen, my lord, the queen. |
Iras |
Go to him, madam, speak to him:
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Cleopatra | Well then, sustain him: O! |
Eros |
Most noble sir, arise; the queen approaches:
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Antony |
I have offended reputation,
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Eros | Sir, the queen. |
Antony |
O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See,
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Cleopatra |
O my lord, my lord,
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Antony |
Egypt, thou knew’st too well
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Cleopatra | O, my pardon! |
Antony |
Now I must
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Cleopatra | Pardon, pardon! |
Antony |
Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates
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Scene XII
Egypt. Caesar’s camp.
Enter Caesar, Dolabella, Thyreus, with others. | |
Caesar |
Let him appear that’s come from Antony.
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Dolabella |
Caesar, ’tis his schoolmaster:
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Enter Euphronius, ambassador from Antony. | |
Caesar | Approach, and speak. |
Euphronius |
Such as I am, I come from Antony:
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Caesar | Be’t so: declare thine office. |
Euphronius |
Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and
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Caesar |
For Antony,
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Euphronius | Fortune pursue thee! |
Caesar |
Bring him through the bands. Exit Euphronius.
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Thyreus | Caesar, I go. |
Caesar |
Observe how Antony becomes his flaw,
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Thyreus | Caesar, I shall. Exeunt. |
Scene XIII
Alexandria. Cleopatra’s palace.
Enter Cleopatra, Enobarbas, Charmian, and Iras. | |
Cleopatra | What shall we do, Enobarbus? |
Enobarbas | Think, and die. |
Cleopatra | Is Antony or we in fault for this? |
Enobarbas |
Antony only, that would make his will
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Cleopatra | Prithee, peace. |
Enter Antony with Euphronius, the Ambassador. | |
Antony | Is that his answer? |
Euphronius | Ay, my lord. |
Antony |
The queen shall then have courtesy, so she
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Euphronius | He says so. |
Antony |
Let her know’t.
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Cleopatra | That head, my lord? |
Antony |
To him again: tell him he wears the rose
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Enobarbas |
Aside. Yes, like enough, high-battled Caesar will
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Enter an Attendant. | |
Attendant | A messenger from Caesar. |
Cleopatra |
What, no more ceremony? See, my women!
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Enobarbas |
Aside. Mine honesty and I begin to square.
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Enter Thyreus. | |
Cleopatra | Caesar’s will? |
Thyreus | Hear it apart. |
Cleopatra | None but friends: say boldly. |
Thyreus | So, haply, are they friends to Antony. |
Enobarbas |
He needs as many, sir, as Caesar has;
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Thyreus |
So.
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Cleopatra | Go on: right royal. |
Thyreus |
He knows that you embrace not Antony
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Cleopatra | O! |
Thyreus |
The scars upon your honour, therefore, he
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Cleopatra |
He is a god, and knows
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Enobarbas |
Aside. To be sure of that,
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Thyreus |
Shall I say to Caesar
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Cleopatra | What’s your name? |
Thyreus | My name is Thyreus. |
Cleopatra |
Most kind messenger,
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Thyreus |
’Tis your noblest course.
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Cleopatra |
Your Caesar’s father oft,
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Re-enter Antony and Enobarbas. | |
Antony |
Favours, by Jove that thunders!
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Thyreus |
One that but performs
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Enobarbas | Aside. You will be whipp’d. |
Antony |
Approach, there! Ah, you kite! Now, gods and devils!
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Enter Attendants. | |
Take hence this Jack, and whip him. | |
Enobarbas |
Aside. ’Tis better playing with a lion’s whelp
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Antony |
Moon and stars!
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Thyreus | Mark Antony! |
Antony |
Tug him away: being whipp’d,
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Cleopatra | Good my lord— |
Antony |
You have been a boggler ever:
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Cleopatra | O, is’t come to this? |
Antony |
I found you as a morsel cold upon
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Cleopatra | Wherefore is this? |
Antony |
To let a fellow that will take rewards
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Re-enter Attendants with Thyreus. | |
Is he whipp’d? | |
First Attendant | Soundly, my lord. |
Antony | Cried he? and begg’d a’ pardon? |
First Attendant | He did ask favour. |
Antony |
If that thy father live, let him repent
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Cleopatra | Have you done yet? |
Antony |
Alack, our terrene moon
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Cleopatra | I must stay his time. |
Antony |
To flatter Caesar, would you mingle eyes
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Cleopatra | Not know me yet? |
Antony | Cold-hearted toward me? |
Cleopatra |
Ah, dear, if I be so,
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Antony |
I am satisfied.
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Cleopatra | That’s my brave lord! |
Antony |
I will be treble-sinew’d, hearted, breathed,
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Cleopatra |
It is my birth-day:
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Antony | We will yet do well. |
Cleopatra | Call all his noble captains to my lord. |
Antony |
Do so, we’ll speak to them; and to-night I’ll force
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Enobarbas |
Now he’ll outstare the lightning. To be furious,
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