Know that tomorrow the last of many battles
We mean to fight. Within our files there are,
Of those that served Mark Antony but late,
Enough to fetch him in. See it done,
15
And feast the army. We have store to do’t
And they have earned the waste. Poor Antony!
Exeunt.
4.2 Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS with others.
ANTONY He will not fight with me, Domitius?
ENOBARBUS No.
ANTONY Why should he not?
ENOBARBUS
He thinks, being twenty times of better fortune,
He is twenty men to one.
ANTONY Tomorrow, soldier,
By sea and land I’ll fight. Or I will live,
5
Or bathe my dying honour in the blood
Shall make it live again. Woo’t thou fight well?
ENOBARBUS I’ll strike, and cry ‘Take all!’
ANTONY Well said! Come on!
Call forth my household servants. Exit Alexas.
Let’s tonight
Be bounteous at our meal.
Enter three or four servitors.
Give me thy hand.
10
Thou hast been rightly honest; so hast thou,
Thou, and thou, and thou. You have served me well
And kings have been your fellows.
CLEOPATRA [aside to Enobarbus] What means this?
ENOBARBUS [aside to Cleopatra]
’Tis one of those odd tricks which sorrow shoots
Out of the mind.
ANTONY And thou art honest too.
15
I wish I could be made so many men,
And all of you clapped up together in
An Antony, that I might do you service
So good as you have done.
ALL THE SERVANTS The gods forbid!
ANTONY Well, my good fellows, wait on me tonight;
20
Scant not my cups, and make as much of me
As when mine empire was your fellow too
And suffered my command.
CLEOPATRA [aside to Enobarbus] What does he mean?
ENOBARBUS [aside to Cleopatra]
To make his followers weep.
ANTONY Tend me tonight.
May be it is the period of your duty.
25
Haply you shall not see me more, or if,
A mangled shadow. Perchance tomorrow
You’ll serve another master. I look on you
As one that takes his leave. Mine honest friends,
I turn you not away, but, like a master
30
Married to your good service, stay till death.
Tend me tonight two hours – I ask no more –
And the gods yield you for’t!
ENOBARBUS What mean you, sir,
To give them this discomfort? Look, they weep,
And I, an ass, am onion-eyed. For shame!
35
Transform us not to women!
ANTONY Ho, ho, ho!
Now the witch take me if I meant it thus!
Grace grow where those drops fall! My hearty
friends,
You take me in too dolorous a sense,
For I spake to you for your comfort, did desire you
40
To burn this night with torches. Know, my hearts,
I hope well of tomorrow, and will lead you
Where rather I’ll expect victorious life
Than death and honour. Let’s to supper, come,
And drown consideration. Exeunt.
45
4.3 Enter through one door, First Soldier and his Company, through the other door, Second Soldier.
1 SOLDIER Brother, good night. Tomorrow is the day.
2 SOLDIER It will determine one way. Fare you well.
Heard you of nothing strange about the streets?
1 SOLDIER Nothing. What news?
2 SOLDIER Belike ’tis but a rumour. Good night to you.
5
1 SOLDIER Well sir, good night.
Other Soldiers enter and join Second Soldier.
2 SOLDIER Soldiers, have careful watch.
3 SOLDIER And you. Good night, good night.
[They place themselves in every corner of the stage.]
2 SOLDIER Here we. And if tomorrow
Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope
10
Our landmen will stand up.
1 SOLDIER ’Tis a brave army and full of purpose –
[Music of the hautboys is under the stage.]
2 SOLDIER Peace! What noise?
1 SOLDIER List, list!
2 SOLDIER Hark!
15
1 SOLDIER Music i’th’ air.
3 SOLDIER Under the earth.
4 SOLDIER It signs well, does it not?
3 SOLDIER No.
1 SOLDIER Peace, I say! What should this mean?
20
2 SOLDIER ’Tis the god Hercules whom Antony loved
Now leaves him.
1 SOLDIER Walk. Let’s see if other watchmen
Do hear what we do.
2 SOLDIER How now, masters? [Speak together.]
ALL How now? How now? Do you hear this?
25
1 SOLDIER Ay. Is’t not strange?
3 SOLDIER Do you hear, masters? Do you hear?
1 SOLDIER Follow the noise so far as we have quarter.
Let’s see how it will give off.
ALL Content. ’Tis strange.
Exeunt.
4.4 Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA with CHARMIAN and others.
ANTONY Eros! Mine armour, Eros!
CLEOPATRA Sleep a little.
ANTONY
No, my chuck. Eros! Come, mine armour, Eros!
Enter EROS with armour.
Come, good fellow, put thine iron on.
If fortune be not ours today, it is
Because we brave her. Come!
CLEOPATRA Nay, I’ll help too.
5
What’s this for?
ANTONY Ah, let be, let be! Thou art
The armourer of my heart. False, false! This, this!
CLEOPATRA Sooth, la, I’ll help. Thus it must be.
ANTONY Well, well!
We shall thrive now. Seest thou, my good fellow?
Go put on thy defences.
EROS Briefly, sir.
10
CLEOPATRA Is not this buckled well?
ANTONY Rarely, rarely!
He that unbuckles this, till we do please
To doff ’t for our repose, shall hear a storm.
Thou fumblest, Eros, and my queen’s a squire
More tight at this than thou. Dispatch. O love,
15
That thou couldst see my wars today and knew’st
The royal occupation, thou shouldst see
A workman in’t.
Enter an armed Soldier.
Good morrow to thee! Welcome!
Thou look’st like him that knows a warlike charge.
To business that we love we rise betime
20
And go to’t with delight.
SOLDIER A thousand, sir,
Early though’t be, have on their riveted trim
And at the port expect you.
[Shout. Trumpets flourish.]
Enter Captains and Soldiers.
CAPTAIN The morn is fair. Good morrow, General!
ALL THE SOLDIERS Good morrow, General!
ANTONY ’Tis well blown, lads!
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This morning, like the spirit of a youth
That means to be of note, begins betimes.
[to Cleopatra] So, so. Come, give me that. This way.
Well said.
Fare thee well, dame. Whate’er becomes of me,
This is a soldier’s kiss. [Kisses her.] Rebukable
30
>
And worthy shameful check it were, to stand
On more mechanic compliment. I’ll leave thee
Now like a man of steel. – You that will fight,
Follow me close, I’ll bring you to’t. Adieu.
Exeunt all but Cleopatra and Charmian
CHARMIAN Please you retire to your chamber?
CLEOPATRA Lead me.
35
He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might
Determine this great war in single fight!
Then Antony – but now –. Well, on. Exeunt.
4.5 Trumpets sound. Enter ANTONY and EROS, a Soldier meeting them.
SOLDIER The gods make this a happy day to Antony!
ANTONY
Would thou and those thy scars had once prevailed
To make me fight at land!
SOLDIER Hadst thou done so,
The kings that have revolted and the soldier
That has this morning left thee would have still
5
Followed thy heels.
ANTONY Who’s gone this morning?
SOLDIER Who?
One ever near thee. Call for Enobarbus,
He shall not hear thee, or from Caesar’s camp
Say ‘I am none of thine.’
ANTONY What sayest thou?
SOLDIER Sir,
He is with Caesar.
EROS Sir, his chests and treasure
10
He has not with him.
ANTONY Is he gone?
SOLDIER Most certain.
ANTONY Go, Eros, send his treasure after. Do it.
Detain no jot, I charge thee. Write to him –
I will subscribe – gentle adieus and greetings.
Say that I wish he never find more cause
15
To change a master. O, my fortunes have
Corrupted honest men! Dispatch. – Enobarbus!
Exeunt.
4.6 Flourish. Enter AGRIPPA, CAESAR, with ENOBARBUS and DOLABELLA.
CAESAR Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight.
Our will is Antony be took alive.
Make it so known.
AGRIPPA Caesar, I shall. Exit.
CAESAR The time of universal peace is near.
5
Prove this a prosp’rous day, the three-nooked world
Shall bear the olive freely.
Enter a Messenger.
MESSENGER Antony
Is come into the field.
CAESAR Go charge Agrippa
Plant those that have revolted in the van
That Antony may seem to spend his fury
10
Upon himself. Exeunt all but Enobarbus.
ENOBARBUS Alexas did revolt and went to Jewry on
Affairs of Antony; there did dissuade
Great Herod to incline himself to Caesar
And leave his master Antony. For this pains
15
Caesar hath hanged 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.
20
Enter a Soldier of Caesar’s.
SOLDIER Enobarbus, Antony
Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with
His bounty overplus. The messenger
Came on my guard, and at thy tent is now
Unloading of his mules.
ENOBARBUS I give it you.
25
SOLDIER Mock not, Enobarbus.
I tell you true. Best you safed the bringer
Out of the host. I must attend mine office
Or would have done’t myself. Your emperor
Continues still a Jove. Exit.
30
ENOBARBUS I am alone the villain of the earth,
And feel I am so most. O Antony,
Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paid
My better service, when my turpitude
Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart.
35
If swift thought break it not, a swifter mean
Shall outstrike thought, but thought will do’t, I feel.
I fight against thee? No, I will go seek
Some ditch wherein to die; the foul’st best fits
My latter part of life. Exit.
40
4.7 Alarum. Drums and trumpets. Enter AGRIPPA and others.
AGRIPPA Retire! We have engaged ourselves too far.
The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 57
