William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (452 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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Not if the small come first.
LEPIDUS Your speech is passion.
But pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes
The noble Antony.
The noble Antony.
Enter at one door Antony and Ventidius
ENOBARBUS
And yonder Caesar.
Enter at another door Caesar, Maecenas, and Agrippa
ANTONY
(to Ventidius)
(to Ventidius)
If we compose well here, to Parthia.
Hark, Ventidius.
Hark, Ventidius.
CAESAR
I do not know,
Maecenas; ask Agrippa.
LEPIDUS
(to Caesar and Antony)
Noble friends,
(to Caesar and Antony)
Noble friends,
That which combined us was most great; and let not
A leaner action rend us. What’s amiss,
May it be gently heard. When we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Murder in healing wounds. Then, noble partners,
The rather for I earnestly beseech,
Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness grow to th’ matter.
A leaner action rend us. What’s amiss,
May it be gently heard. When we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Murder in healing wounds. Then, noble partners,
The rather for I earnestly beseech,
Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness grow to th’ matter.
ANTONY
’Tis spoken well.
Were we before our armies, and to fight,
I should do thus.
I should do thus.
⌈
Antony and Caesar embrace
.⌉ Flourish
CAESAR Welcome to Rome.
ANTONY Thank you.
CAESAR Sit.
ANTONY Sit, sir.
CAESAR Nay then.
They sit
ANTONY
I learn you take things ill which are not so,
Or being, concern you not.
Or being, concern you not.
CAESAR
I must be laughed at
If or for nothing or a little I
Should say myself offended, and with you
Chiefly i’th’ world; more laughed at that I should
Once name you derogately, when to sound your name
It not concerned me.
Should say myself offended, and with you
Chiefly i’th’ world; more laughed at that I should
Once name you derogately, when to sound your name
It not concerned me.
ANTONY
My being in Egypt, Caesar, what was’t to you?
CAESAR
No more than my residing here at Rome
Might be to you in Egypt. Yet if you there
Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt
Might be my question.
Might be to you in Egypt. Yet if you there
Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt
Might be my question.
ANTONY
How intend you ‘practised’?
CAESAR
You may be pleased to catch at mine intent
By what did here befall me. Your wife and brother
Made wars upon me, and their contestation
Was theme for you. You were the word of war.
By what did here befall me. Your wife and brother
Made wars upon me, and their contestation
Was theme for you. You were the word of war.
ANTONY
You do mistake the business. My brother never
Did urge me in his act. I did enquire it,
And have my learning from some true reports
That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather
Discredit my authority with yours,
And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your cause? Of this, my letters
Before did satisfy you. If you’ll patch a quarrel,
As matter whole you have to make it with,
It must not be with this.
Did urge me in his act. I did enquire it,
And have my learning from some true reports
That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather
Discredit my authority with yours,
And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your cause? Of this, my letters
Before did satisfy you. If you’ll patch a quarrel,
As matter whole you have to make it with,
It must not be with this.
CAESAR
You praise yourself
By laying defects of judgement to me, but
You patched up your excuses.
You patched up your excuses.
ANTONY
Not so, not so.
I know you could not lack, I am certain on’t,
Very necessity of this thought, that I,
Your partner in the cause ’gainst which he fought,
Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars
Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,
I would you had her spirit in such another.
The third o’th’ world is yours, which with a snaffle
You may pace easy, but not such a wife.
Very necessity of this thought, that I,
Your partner in the cause ’gainst which he fought,
Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars
Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,
I would you had her spirit in such another.
The third o’th’ world is yours, which with a snaffle
You may pace easy, but not such a wife.
ENOBARBUS Would we had all such wives, that the men might go to wars with the women.
ANTONY
So much uncurbable, her garboils, Caesar,
Made out of her impatience—which not wanted
Shrewdness of policy too—I grieving grant
Did you too much disquiet, for that you must
But say I could not help it.
Made out of her impatience—which not wanted
Shrewdness of policy too—I grieving grant
Did you too much disquiet, for that you must
But say I could not help it.
CAESAR
I wrote to you
When, rioting in Alexandria, you
Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Did gibe my missive out of audience.
Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Did gibe my missive out of audience.
ANTONY
Sir, he fell upon me ere admitted, then.
Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i’th’ morning; but next day
I told him of myself, which was as much
As to have asked him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our strife. If we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.
Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i’th’ morning; but next day
I told him of myself, which was as much
As to have asked him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our strife. If we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.
CAESAR
You have broken
The article of your oath, which you shall never
Have tongue to charge me with.
Have tongue to charge me with.
LEPIDUS Soft, Caesar.
ANTONY No, Lepidus, let him speak.
The honour is sacred which he talks on now,
Supposing that I lacked it. But on, Caesar:
The article of my oath—
Supposing that I lacked it. But on, Caesar:
The article of my oath—
CAESAR
To lend me arms and aid when I required them,
The which you both denied.
The which you both denied.
ANTONY
Neglected, rather,
And then when poisoned hours had bound me up
From mine own knowledge. As nearly as I may
I’ll play the penitent to you, but mine honesty
Shall not make poor my greatness, nor my power
Work without it. Truth is that Fulvia,
To have me out of Egypt, made wars here,
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
So far ask pardon as befits mine honour
To stoop in such a case.
From mine own knowledge. As nearly as I may
I’ll play the penitent to you, but mine honesty
Shall not make poor my greatness, nor my power
Work without it. Truth is that Fulvia,
To have me out of Egypt, made wars here,
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
So far ask pardon as befits mine honour
To stoop in such a case.
LEPIDUS
’Tis noble spoken.
MAECENAS
If it might please you to enforce no further
The griefs between ye; to forget them quite
Were to remember that the present need
Speaks to atone you.
The griefs between ye; to forget them quite
Were to remember that the present need
Speaks to atone you.
LEPIDUS
Worthily spoken, Maecenas.
ENOBARBUS Or if you borrow one another’s love for the instant, you may, when you hear no more words of Pompey, return it again. You shall have time to wrangle in when you have nothing else to do.
ANTONY
Thou art a soldier only. Speak no more.
ENOBARBUS That truth should be silent I had almost forgot.
ANTONY
You wrong this presence, therefore speak no more. ENOBARBUS Go to, then; your considerate stone.
CAESAR
I do not much dislike the matter, but
The manner of his speech, for’t cannot be
We shall remain in friendship, our conditions
So diff‘ring in their acts. Yet if I knew
What hoop should hold us staunch, from edge to edge
O’th’ world I would pursue it.
The manner of his speech, for’t cannot be
We shall remain in friendship, our conditions
So diff‘ring in their acts. Yet if I knew
What hoop should hold us staunch, from edge to edge
O’th’ world I would pursue it.
AGRIPPA Give me leave, Caesar.
CAESAR Speak, Agrippa.
AGRIPPA
Thou hast a sister by the mother’s side,
Admired Octavia. Great Mark Antony
Is now a widower.
Admired Octavia. Great Mark Antony
Is now a widower.
CAESAR
Say not so, Agrippa.
If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof
Were well deserved of rashness.
Were well deserved of rashness.
ANTONY
I am not married, Caesar. Let me hear
Agrippa further speak.
Agrippa further speak.
AGRIPPA
To hold you in perpetual amity,
To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts
With an unslipping knot, take Antony
Octavia to his wife; whose beauty claims
No worse a husband than the best of men;
Whose virtue and whose general graces speak
That which none else can utter. By this marriage
All little jealousies which now seem great,
And all great fears which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing. Truths would be tales
Where now half-tales be truths. Her love to both
Would each to other and all loves to both
Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke,
For ’tis a studied, not a present thought,
By duty ruminated.
To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts
With an unslipping knot, take Antony
Octavia to his wife; whose beauty claims
No worse a husband than the best of men;
Whose virtue and whose general graces speak
That which none else can utter. By this marriage
All little jealousies which now seem great,
And all great fears which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing. Truths would be tales
Where now half-tales be truths. Her love to both
Would each to other and all loves to both
Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke,
For ’tis a studied, not a present thought,
By duty ruminated.
ANTONY
Will Caesar speak?
CAESAR
Not till he hears how Antony is touched
With what is spoke already.
With what is spoke already.
ANTONY What power is in Agrippa,
If I would say ‘Agrippa, be it so’,
To make this good?
To make this good?
CAESAR
The power of Caesar,
And his power unto Octavia.
ANTONY
May I never
To this good purpose, that so fairly shows,
Dream of impediment! Let me have thy hand.
Further this act of grace, and from this hour
The heart of brothers govern in our loves
And sway our great designs.
Dream of impediment! Let me have thy hand.
Further this act of grace, and from this hour
The heart of brothers govern in our loves
And sway our great designs.
CAESAR
There’s my hand.
Antony and Caesar clasp hands
A sister I bequeath you whom no brother
Did ever love so dearly. Let her live
To join our kingdoms and our hearts; and never
Fly off our loves again.
Did ever love so dearly. Let her live
To join our kingdoms and our hearts; and never
Fly off our loves again.
LEPIDUS
Happily, amen.
ANTONY
I did not think to draw my sword ’gainst Pompey,
For he hath laid strange courtesies and great
Of late upon me. I must thank him only,
Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;
At heel of that, defy him.
For he hath laid strange courtesies and great
Of late upon me. I must thank him only,
Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;
At heel of that, defy him.
LEPIDUS Time calls upon’s.
Of us must Pompey presently be sought,
Or else he seeks out us.
Or else he seeks out us.
ANTONY
Where lies he?
CAESAR
About the Mount Misena.
ANTONY
What is his strength By land?
CAESAR
Great and increasing, but by sea
He is an absolute master.
ANTONY So is the fame.
Would we had spoke together. Haste we for it;
Yet ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we
The business we have talked of.
Yet ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we
The business we have talked of.
CAESAR
With most gladness, And do invite you to my sister’s view,
Whither straight I’ll lead you.
Whither straight I’ll lead you.
ANTONY
Let us, Lepidus,
Not lack your company.
LEPIDUS
Noble Antony,
Not sickness should detain me.
Flourish. Exeunt all but Enobarbus, Agrippa, and Maecenas
MAECENAS (to Enobarbus) Welcome from Egypt, sir.
ENOBARBUS Half the heart of Caesar, worthy Maecenas!
My honourable friend, Agrippa!
AGRIPPA Good Enobarbus!
MAECENAS We have cause to be glad that matters are so well digested. You stayed well by’t in Egypt.
ENOBARBUS Ay, sir, we did sleep day out of countenance, and made the night light with drinking.
MAECENAS Eight wild boars roasted whole at a breakfast and but twelve persons there—is this true?
ENOBARBUS This was but as a fly by an eagle. We had much more monstrous matter of feast, which worthily deserved noting.
MAECENAS She’s a most triumphant lady, if report be square to her.
ENOBARBUS When she first met Mark Antony, she pursed up his heart upon the river of Cydnus.
AGRiPPA There she appeared indeed, or my reporter devised well for her.
ENOBARBUS I will tell you.
The barge she sat in, like a burnished throne
Burned on the water. The poop was beaten gold;
Purple the sails, and so perfumed that
The winds were love-sick with them. The oars were
silver,
Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made
The water which they beat to follow faster,
As amorous of their strokes. For her own person,
It beggared all description. She did lie
In her pavilion—cloth of gold, of tissue—
O’er-picturing that Venus where we see
The fancy outwork nature. On each side her
Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids,
With divers-coloured fans whose wind did seem
To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,
And what they undid did.
Burned on the water. The poop was beaten gold;
Purple the sails, and so perfumed that
The winds were love-sick with them. The oars were
silver,
Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made
The water which they beat to follow faster,
As amorous of their strokes. For her own person,
It beggared all description. She did lie
In her pavilion—cloth of gold, of tissue—
O’er-picturing that Venus where we see
The fancy outwork nature. On each side her
Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids,
With divers-coloured fans whose wind did seem
To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,
And what they undid did.
AGRIPPA O, rare for Antony!
ENOBARBUS
Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides,
So many mermaids, tended her i‘th’ eyes,
And made their bends adornings. At the helm
A seeming mermaid steers. The silken tackle
Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands
That yarely frame the office. From the barge
A strange invisible perfume hits the sense
Of the adjacent wharfs. The city cast
Her people out upon her, and Antony,
Enthroned i’th’ market-place, did sit alone,
Whistling to th’air, which but for vacancy
Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,
And made a gap in nature.
So many mermaids, tended her i‘th’ eyes,
And made their bends adornings. At the helm
A seeming mermaid steers. The silken tackle
Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands
That yarely frame the office. From the barge
A strange invisible perfume hits the sense
Of the adjacent wharfs. The city cast
Her people out upon her, and Antony,
Enthroned i’th’ market-place, did sit alone,
Whistling to th’air, which but for vacancy
Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,
And made a gap in nature.
AGRIPPA Rare Egyptian!
ENOBARBUS
Upon her landing Antony sent to her,
Invited her to supper. She replied
It should be better he became her guest,
Which she entreated. Our courteous Antony,
Whom ne‘er the word of ‘No’ woman heard speak,
Being barbered ten times o’er, goes to the feast,
And for his ordinary pays his heart
For what his eyes eat only.
Invited her to supper. She replied
It should be better he became her guest,
Which she entreated. Our courteous Antony,
Whom ne‘er the word of ‘No’ woman heard speak,
Being barbered ten times o’er, goes to the feast,
And for his ordinary pays his heart
For what his eyes eat only.
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