William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (456 page)
Read William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well.
The elements be kind to thee, and make
Thy spirits all of comfort. Fare thee well.
The elements be kind to thee, and make
Thy spirits all of comfort. Fare thee well.
OCTAVIA (
weeping
) My noble brother!
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.
And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful.
OCTAVIA
Sir, look well to my husband’s house, and—
CAESAR
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’-down
feather,
That stands upon the swell at full of tide,
And neither way inclines.
Her heart inform her tongue—the swan’-down
feather,
That stands upon the swell at full of tide,
And neither way inclines.
ENOBARBUS (
aside to Agrippa)
Will Caesar weep?
aside to Agrippa)
Will Caesar weep?
AGRIPPA (
aside to Enobarbus
) He has a cloud in’s face.
aside to Enobarbus
) He has a cloud in’s face.
ENOBARBUS (
aside to Agrippa)
aside to Agrippa)
He were the worse for that were he a horse;
So is he, being a man.
So is he, being a man.
AGRIPPA (
aside to Enobarbus
) Why, Enobarbus,
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.
He cried almost to roaring, and he wept
When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.
ENOBARBUS (
aside to Agrippa)
aside to Agrippa)
That year indeed he was troubled with a rheum.
What willingly he did confound he wailed,
Believe’, till I wept too.
What willingly he did confound he wailed,
Believe’, till I wept too.
CAESAR
No, sweet Octavia
,
You shall hear from me still. The time shall not
Outgo my thinking on you.
Outgo 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.
Look, here I have you (
embracing Caesar
); thus I let
you go,
And give you to the gods.
CAESAR
Adieu, be happy.
LEPIDUS
Let all the number of the stars give light
To thy fair way.
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
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian
,
Iras,
and
Alexas
CLEOPATRA
Where is the fellow?
ALEXAS
Half afeard to come.
CLEOPATRA
Go
to,
go
to.
to,
go
to.
Enter the Messenger as beforeCome hither, sir.
ALEXAS
Good majesty,
Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you
But when you are well pleased.
But when you are well pleased.
CLEOPATRA
That Herod’s head
I’ll have; but how, when Antony is gone,
Through whom I might command it?
(
To the Messenger
)
Through whom I might command it?
(
To the Messenger
)
Come thou near.
MESSENGER
Most gracious majesty!
CLEOPATRA
Didst thou behold
Octavia?
MESSENGER Ay, dread Queen.
CLEOPATRA
Where?
MESSENGER
Madam, in Rome.
I looked her in the face, and saw her led
Between her brother and Mark Antony.
Between her brother and Mark Antony.
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, ’is impossible!
CLEOPATRA
I think so, Charmian. Dull of tongue, and dwarfish.
What majesty is in her gait? Remember
If e‘er thou looked’st on majesty.
What majesty is in her gait? Remember
If e‘er thou looked’st on majesty.
MESSENGER
She creeps.
Her motion and her station are as one.
She shows a body rather than a life,
A statue than a breather.
She shows a body rather than a life,
A statue than a breather.
CLEOPATRA
Is this certain?
MESSENGER
Or I have no observance.
CHARMIAN
Three in Egypt
Cannot make better note.
CLEOPATRA
He’s very knowing,
I do perceive’t. There’s nothing in her yet.
The fellow has good judgement.
The fellow has good judgement.
CHARMIAN
Excellent.
CLEOPATRA (
to the Messenger
)
to the Messenger
)
Guess at her years, I prithee.
MESSENGER
Madam,
She was a widow—
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.
Her hair—what colour?
Her hair—what colour?
MESSENGER
Brown, madam; and her forehead
As low as she would wish it.
CLEOPATRA (
giving money
)
giving money
)
There’s gold for thee.
Thou must not take my former sharpness ill.
I will employ thee back again. I find thee
Most fit for business. Go, make thee ready.
Our letters are prepared.
I will employ thee back again. I find thee
Most fit for business. Go, make thee ready.
Our letters are prepared.
Exit Messenger
CHARMIAN
A proper man.
CLEOPATRA
Indeed he is so. I repent me much
That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him,
This creature’s no such thing.
That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him,
This creature’s no such thing.
CHARMIAN
Nothing, madam.
CLEOPATRA
The man hath seen some majesty, and should know.
CHARMIAN
Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend,
And serving you so long!
And serving you so long!
CLEOPATRA
I have one thing more to ask him yet, good
Charmian.
But ’tis no matter. Thou shalt bring him to me
Where I will write. All may be well enough.
Charmian.
But ’tis no matter. Thou shalt bring him to me
Where I will write. All may be well enough.
CHARMIAN I warrant you, madam.
Exeunt
Enter Antony and Octavia
ANTONY
Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,
That were excusable, that and thousands more
Of semblable import; but he hath waged
New wars ‘gainst Pompey, made his will and read it
To public ear, spoke scantly of me;
When perforce he could not
But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly
He vented them, most narrow measure lent me.
When the best hint was given him, he not took’t,
Or did it from his teeth.
That were excusable, that and thousands more
Of semblable import; but he hath waged
New wars ‘gainst Pompey, made his will and read it
To public ear, spoke scantly of me;
When perforce he could not
But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly
He vented them, most narrow measure lent me.
When the best hint was given him, he not took’t,
Or did it from his teeth.
OCTAVIA
O my good lord,
Believe not all, or if you must believe,
Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady,
If this division chance, ne’er stood between,
Praying for both parts.
The good gods will mock me presently,
When I shall pray ‘O, bless my lord and husband!’,
Undo that prayer by crying out as loud
‘O, bless my brother!’ Husband win, win brother
Prays and destroys the prayer; no midway
’Twixt these extremes at all.
Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady,
If this division chance, ne’er stood between,
Praying for both parts.
The good gods will mock me presently,
When I shall pray ‘O, bless my lord and husband!’,
Undo that prayer by crying out as loud
‘O, bless my brother!’ Husband win, win brother
Prays and destroys the prayer; no midway
’Twixt these extremes at all.
ANTONY
Gentle Octavia,
Let your best love draw to that point which seeks
Best to preserve it. If I lose mine honour,
I lose myself. Better I were not yours
Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested,
Yourself shall go between’s. The meantime, lady,
I’ll raise the preparation of a war
Shall stain your brother. Make your soonest haste;
So your desires are yours.
Best to preserve it. If I lose mine honour,
I lose myself. Better I were not yours
Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested,
Yourself shall go between’s. The meantime, lady,
I’ll raise the preparation of a war
Shall stain your brother. Make your soonest haste;
So your desires are yours.
OCTAVIA
Thanks to my lord.
The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak,
Your reconciler! Wars ’twixt you twain would be
As if the world should cleave, and that slain men
Should solder up the rift.
Your reconciler! Wars ’twixt you twain would be
As if the world should cleave, and that slain men
Should solder up the rift.
ANTONY
When it appears to you where this begins,
Turn your displeasure that way, for our faults
Can never be so equal that your love
Can equally move with them. Provide your going,
Choose your own company, and command what cost
Your heart has mind to.
Turn your displeasure that way, for our faults
Can never be so equal that your love
Can equally move with them. Provide your going,
Choose your own company, and command what cost
Your heart has mind to.
Exeunt
Enter Enobarbus and Eros, meeting
ENOBARBUS How now, friend Eros?
EROS There’s strange news come, sir.
ENOBARBUS What, man?
EROS Caesar and Lepidus have made wars upon Pompey. ENOBARBUS 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.
ENOBARBUS
Then, world, thou hast a pair of chops, no more,
And throw between them all the food thou hast,
They’ll grind the one the other. Where’s Antony?
And throw between them all the food thou hast,
They’ll grind the one the other. Where’s Antony?
EROS
He’s walking in the garden, thus, and spurns
The rush that lies before him, cries ‘Fool Lepidus!’
And threats the throat of that his officer
That murdered Pompey.
The rush that lies before him, cries ‘Fool Lepidus!’
And threats the throat of that his officer
That murdered Pompey.
ENOBARBUS
Our great navy’s rigged.
EROS
For Italy and Caesar. More, Domitius:
My lord desires you presently. My news
I might have told hereafter.
My lord desires you presently. My news
I might have told hereafter.
ENOBARBUS
’Twill be naught.
But let it be; bring me to Antony.
EROS
Come, sir. Exeunt
3.6Enter Agrippa, Maecenas, and Caesar
CAESAR
Contemning Rome, he has done all this and more
In Alexandria. Here’s the manner of’t:
I’th’ market place on a tribunal silvered,
Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold
Were publicly enthroned. At the feet sat
Caesarion, whom they call my father’s son,
And all the unlawful issue that their lust
Since then hath made between them. Unto her
He gave the stablishment of Egypt; made her
Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,
Absolute queen.
In Alexandria. Here’s the manner of’t:
I’th’ market place on a tribunal silvered,
Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold
Were publicly enthroned. At the feet sat
Caesarion, whom they call my father’s son,
And all the unlawful issue that their lust
Since then hath made between them. Unto her
He gave the stablishment of Egypt; made her
Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,
Absolute queen.
MAECENAS
This in the public eye?
CAESAR
I‘th’ common showplace, where they exercise.
His sons he there proclaimed the kings of kings;
Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia
He gave to Alexander. To Ptolemy he assigned
Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia. She
In th’habiliments of the goddess Isis
That day appeared, and oft before gave audience,
As ’tis reported, so.
His sons he there proclaimed the kings of kings;
Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia
He gave to Alexander. To Ptolemy he assigned
Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia. She
In th’habiliments of the goddess Isis
That day appeared, and oft before gave audience,
As ’tis reported, so.
MAECENAS
Let Rome be thus informed.
AGRIPPA
Who, queasy with his insolence already,
Will their good thoughts call from him.
Will their good thoughts call from him.
CAESAR
The people knows it,
And have now received his accusations.
AGRIPPA Who does he accuse?
CAESAR
Caesar, and that having in Sicily
Sextus Pompeius spoiled, we had not rated him
His part o’th’ isle. Then does he say he lent me
Some shipping, unrestored. Lastly, he frets
That Lepidus of the triumvirate
Should be deposed; and being, that we detain
All his revenue.
Sextus Pompeius spoiled, we had not rated him
His part o’th’ isle. Then does he say he lent me
Some shipping, unrestored. Lastly, he frets
That Lepidus of the triumvirate
Should be deposed; and being, that we detain
All his revenue.
AGRIPPA
Sir, this should be answered.
CAESAR
’Tis done already, and the messenger gone.
I have told him Lepidus was grown too cruel,
That he his high authority abused
And did deserve his change. For what I have
conquered,
I grant him part; but then in his Armenia,
And other of his conquered kingdoms,
I demand the like.
I have told him Lepidus was grown too cruel,
That he his high authority abused
And did deserve his change. For what I have
conquered,
I grant him part; but then in his Armenia,
And other of his conquered kingdoms,
I demand the like.
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