Cleo.
Thyr. He knows, that you embrace not Antony
As you did love, but as you fear'd him.
Since she was Cleopatra ?) - Whip him, fellows,
Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face,
And whine aloud for mercy. Take him hence.
Thyr. Mark Antony,
Ant.
Tug him away being whipp'd,
Bring him again :- - This Jack of Cæsar's shall
Bear us an errand to him.
[Exeunt Attend. with THYREUS. You were half blasted ere I knew you: · Ha! Have I my pillow left unpress'd in Rome,
Thyr. The scars upon your honour, therefore, he Forborne the getting of a lawful race, Does pity, as constrained blemishes,
And by a gem of women, to be abus'd
By one that looks on feeders?
Ant. You have been a boggler ever: —
But when we in our viciousness grow hard,
(O misery on't!) the wise gods seel our eyes;
In our own filth drop our clear judgments; make us
Adore our errors; laugh at us, while we strut
To our confusion.
O, is it come to this?
Ant. I found you as a morsel, cold upon
Dead Cæsar's trencher: nay, you were a fragment
Of Cneius Pompey's; besides what hotter hours,
Unregister'd in vulgar fame, you have
Luxuriously pick'd out: - For, I am sure,
Though you can guess what temperance should be,
You know not what it is.
Cleo.
Ant. To let a fellow that will take rewards,
And say, God quit you! be familiar with
My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal,
And plighter of high hearts! - O, that I were
Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar
The horned herd! for I have savage cause;
And to proclaim it civilly, were like
A halter'd neck, which does the hangman thank
- Is he whipp'd?
For being yare about him.
Thou hast been whipp'd for following him : henceforth,
The white hand of a lady fever thee,
Shake thou to look on't. - Get thee back to Cæsar,
Tell him thy entertainment: Look, thou say,
He makes me angry with him: for he seems
Proud and disdainful; harping on what I am;
Not what he knew I was: He makes me angry;
And at this time most easy 'tis to do't;
When my good stars, that were my former guides,
Have empty left their orbs, and shot their fires
Into the abism of hell. If he mislike
My speech, and what is done; tell him, he has
Hipparchus, my enfranchis'd bondman, whom
He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,
As he shall like, to quit me: Urge it thou:
Hence, with thy stripes, begone. [Exit THYREUS.
Cleo. Have you done yet?
Alack, our terrene moon Is now eclips'd; and it portends alone
Ant. To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes With one that ties his points?
Ant. Cold-hearted toward me?
Ah, dear, if I be so,
From my
cold heart let heaven engender hail,
And poison it in the source; and the first stone
Drop in my neck as it determines, so
Dissolve my life! The next Cæsarion smite!
Till, by degrees, the memory of my womb,
Together with my brave Egyptians all,
By the discandying of this pelleted storm,
Lie graveless; till the flies and gnats of Nile
Have buried them for prey!
Ant.
I am satisfied.
Cæsar sits down in Alexandria; where
I will oppose his fate. Our force by land
Hath nobly held our sever'd navy too
Have knit again, and fleet, threat'ning most sealike
Where hast thou been, my heart?— Dost thou heat.
If from the field I shall return once more
To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood;
I and my sword will earn our chronicle;
There is hope in it yet.
Cleo.
That's my brave lord!
Ant. I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breath'd,
And fight maliciously: for when mine hours
Were nice and lucky, men did ransome lives
Of me for jests; but now, I'll set my teeth,
And send to darkness all that stop me. - Come,
Let's have one other gaudy night: call to me
All my sad captains, fill our bowls; once more
Let's mock the midnight bell.
I had thought, to have held it poor; but, since my
Cæsar to Antony: Let the old ruffian know, I have many other ways to die; mean time, Laugh at his challenge.
Mec. When one so great begins to rage, he's hunted Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now Make boot of his distraction: Never anger Made good guard for itself.
Cæs. Let our best heads Know, that to-morrow the last of many battles We mean to fight: :- Within our files there are Of those that serv'd Mark Antony but late, Enough to fetch him in. See it be done; And feast the army: we have store to do't, And they have earn'd the waste. Poor Antony!
SCENE II.-Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.
Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN,
IRAS, ALEXAS, and others.
Ant. He will not fight with me, Domitius.
Eno.
Ant. Why should he not?
Eno. He thinks, being twenty times of better fortune,
He is twenty men to one.
By sea and land I'll fight: or I will live,
Or bathe my dying honour in the blood
Shall make it live again. Woo't thou fight well?
Eno. I'll strike; and cry, Take all.
Ant.
Well said; come on. —
Call forth my household servants; let's to-night
Enter Servants.
Be bounteous at our meal.. - Give me thy hand,
Thou hast been rightly honest;-so hast thou ;-
And thou, - and thou, and thou:
serv'd me well,
Plant those that have revolted in the van,
That Antony may seem to spend his fury
Upon himself. [Ereunt CESAR and his Train.
Eno. Alexas did revolt; and went to Jewry,
On affairs of Antony; there did persuade
Great Herod to incline himself to Cæsar,
And leave his master Antony: for this pains,
Cesar hath hang'd him. Canidius, and the rest
That fell away, have entertainment, but
No honourable trust. I have done ill;
Of which I do accuse myself so sorely,
That I will joy no more.
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Mock me not, Enobarbus.
I tell you true: Best tha, you saf'd the bringer
Out of the host; I must attend mine office,
Or would have done't myself. Your emperor
Continues still a Jove.
[Exit Soldier.
Eno. I am alone the villain of the earth,
And feel I am so most. O Antony,
Thou mine of bounty, how would'st thou have paid
My better service, when my turpitude
Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart:
If swift thought break it not, a swifter mean
Shall outstrike thought: but thought will do't, I feel.
fight against thee! - No: I will go seek
Some ditch, wherein to die; the foul'st best fits
My latter part of life.
[Erit. SCENE VII.- Field of Battle between the Camps Alarum. Drums and trumpets. Enter AGRIPPA. and others.
Agr. Retire, we have engag'd ourselves too far. Cæsar himself has work, and our oppression Exceeds what we expected.
I will reward thee comfort, and ten-fold
I'll halt after. [Exeunt.
SCENE VIII. Under the Walls of Alexandria. Alarum. Enter ANTONY, marching; SCARUS, and Forces.
Ant. We have beat him to his camp; Run one before,
And let the queen know of our guests.-To-morrow,
Before the sun shall see us, we'll spill the blood
That has to-day escap'd. I thank you all;
For doughty-handed are you; and have fought
Not as you serv'd the cause, but as it had been
Each man's like mine; you have shown all Hectors.
Enter the city, clip your wives, your friends,
Tell them your feats; whilst they with joyful tears
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