The Oxford Shakespeare: The Complete Works
Page 323
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.
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.
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.
AGRIPPA
Royal wench!
She made great Caesar lay his sword to bed.
He ploughed her, and she cropped.
ENOBARBUS
I saw her once
Hop forty paces through the public street,
And having lost her breath, she spoke and panted,
That she did make defect perfection,
And breathless, pour breath forth.
MAECENAS
Now Antony
Must leave her utterly.
ENOBARBUS
Never. He will not.
Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety. Other women cloy
The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry
Where most she satisfies. For vilest things
Become themselves in her, that the holy priests
Bless her when she is riggish.
MAECENAS
If beauty, wisdom, modesty can settle
The heart of Antony, Octavia is
A blessed lottery to him.
AGRIPPA
Let us go.
Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest
Whilst you abide here.
ENOBARBUS Humbly, sir, I thank you.
Exeunt
2.3 Enter Antony and Caesar; Octavia between them
ANTONY
The world and my great office will sometimes
Divide me from your bosom.
OCTAVIA
All which time, Before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers
To them for you.
ANTONY
Good night, sir. My Octavia, Read not my blemishes in the world’s report.
I have not kept my square, but that to come
Shall all be done by th’ rule. Good night, dear lady.
Good night, sir.
CAESAR Good night.
Exeunt Caesar and Octavia
Enter Soothsayer
ANTONY
Now, sirrah. You do wish yourself in Egypt?
SOOTHSAYER
Would I had never come from thence, nor you
Gone thither.
ANTONY If you can, your reason?
SOOTHSAYER
I see it in my motion, have it not in my tongue.
But yet hie you to Egypt again.
ANTONY
Say to me
Whose fortunes shall rise higher: Caesar’s or mine?
SOOTHSAYER
Caesar’s. Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side.
Thy daemon, that thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,
Where Caesar’s is not. But near him thy angel
Becomes afeard, as being o’erpowered. Therefore
Make space enough between you.
ANTONY Speak this no more.
SOOTHSAYER
To none but thee; no more but when to thee.
If thou dost play with him at any game
Thou art sure to lose; and of that natural luck
He beats thee ‘gainst the odds. Thy lustre thickens
When he shines by. I say again, thy spirit
Is all afraid to govern thee near him;
But he away, ’tis noble.
ANTONY
Get thee gone.
Say to Ventidius I would speak with him.
Exit Soothsayer
He shall to Parthia; be it art or hap,
He hath spoken true. The very dice obey him,
And in our sports my better cunning faints
Under his chance. If we draw lots, he speeds.
His cocks do win the battle still of mine
When it is all to nought, and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhooped, at odds. I will to Egypt;
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
I’th’ East my pleasure lies.
Enter Ventidius
O, come, Ventidius.
You must to Parthia, your commission’s ready.
Follow me, and receive’t.
Exeunt
2.4 Enter Lepidus, Maecenas, and Agrippa
LEPIDUS
Trouble yourselves no further. Pray you, hasten
Your generals after.
AGRIPPA
Sir, Mark Antony
Will e’en but kiss Octavia, and we’ll follow.
LEPIDUS
Till I shall see you in your soldier’s dress,
Which will become you both, farewell.
MAECENAS
We shall, As I conceive the journey, be at the Mount
Before you, Lepidus.
LEPIDUS
Your way is shorter.
My purposes do draw me much about.
You’ll win two days upon me.
MAECENAS and AGRIPPA
Sir, good success.
LEPIDUS Farewell.
Exeunt Maecenas and Agrippa at one door, Lepidus at another
2.5 Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas
CLEOPATRA
Give me some music—music, moody food
Of us that trade in love.
CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS The music, ho!
Enter Mardian, the eunuch
CLEOPATRA
Let it alone. Let’s to billiards. Come, Charmian.
CHARMIAN
My arm is sore. Best play with Mardian.
CLEOPATRA
As well a woman with an eunuch played
As with a woman. Come, you’ll play with me, sir?
MARDIAN As well as I can, madam.
CLEOPATRA
And when good will is showed, though’t come too
short
The actor may plead pardon. I’ll none now.
Give me mine angle. We’ll to th’ river. There,
My music playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finned fishes. My bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws, and as I draw them up
I’ll think them every one an Antony,
And say ‘Ah ha, you’re caught!’
CHARMIAN
’Twas merry when
You wagered on your angling, when your diver
Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he
With fervency drew up.
CLEOPATRA
That time—O times!—
I laughed him out of patience, and that night
I laughed him into patience, and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed,
Then put my tires and mantles on him whilst
I wore his sword Philippan.
Enter a Messenger
O, from Italy.
Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
That long time have been barren.
MESSENGER
Madam, madam!
CLEOPATRA
Antonio’s dead. If thou say so, villain,
Thou kill’st thy mistress; but well and free,
If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here
My bluest veins to kiss—a hand that kings
Have lipped, and trembled kissing.
MESSENGER
First, madam, he is well.
CLEOPATRA
Why, there’s more gold. But, sirrah, mark: we use
To say the dead are well. Bring it to that,
The gold I give thee will I melt and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.
MESSENGER Good madam, hear me.
CLEOPATRA Well, go to, I will.
But there’s no goodness in thy face. If Antony
Be free and healthful, so tart a favour
To trumpet such good tidings! If not well,
Thou shouldst come like a Fury crowned with snakes,
Not like a formal man.
MESSENGER
Will’t please you hear me?
CLEOPATRA
I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak’st.
Yet if thou say Antony lives, is well,
Or friends with Caesar, or not captive to him,
I’ll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail
Rich pearls upon thee.
MESSENGER
Madam, he’s well.
CLEOPATRA
Well said.
MESSENGER
And friends with Caesar.
CLEOPATRA Thou’rt an honest man.
MESSENGER
Caesar and he are greater friends than ever.
CLEOPATRA
Make thee a fortune from me.
MESSENGER
But yet, madam—
CLEOPATRA
I do not like ‘But yet’; it does allay
The good precedence. Fie upon ‘But yet’.
‘But yet’ is as a jailer to bring forth
Some monstrous malefactor. Prithee, friend,
Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,
The good and bad together. He’s friends with Caesar,
In state of health, thou sayst; and, thou sayst, free.
MESSENGER
Free, madam? No, I made no such report.
He’s bound unto Octavia.
CLEOPATRA
For what good turn?
MESSENGER
For the best turn i’th’ bed.
CLEOPATRA
I am pale, Charmian.
MESSENGER
Madam, he’s married to Octavia.
CLEOPATRA
The most infectious pestilence upon thee!
She strikes him down
MESSENGER
Good madam, patience!
CLEOPATRA
What say you?
She strikes him
Hence, horrible villain, or I’ll spurn thine eyes
Like balls before me. I’ll unhair thy head,
She hales him up and down
Thou shalt be whipped with wire and stewed in brine,
Smarting in ling’ring pickle.
MESSENGER
Gracious madam,
I that do bring the news made not the match.
CLEOPATRA
Say ’tis not so, a province I will give thee,
And make thy fortunes proud. The blow thou hadst
Shall make thy peace for moving me to rage,
And I will boot thee with what gift beside
Thy modesty can beg.
MESSENGER
He’s married, madam.
CLEOPATRA
Rogue, thou hast lived too long.
She draws a knife
MESSENGER
Nay then, I’ll run.
What mean you, madam? I have made no fault. Exit
CHARMIAN
Good madam, keep yourself within yourself.
The man is innocent.
CLEOPATRA
Some innocents ’scape not the thunderbolt.
Melt Egypt into Nile, and kindly creatures
Turn all to serpents! Call the slave again.
Though I am mad I will not bite him. Call!
CHARMIAN
He is afeard to come.
CLEOPATRA
I will not hurt him.
⌈Exit Charmian⌉
These hands do lack nobility that they strike
A meaner than myself, since I myself
Have given myself the cause.
Enter the Messenger again ⌈With Charmian⌉ Come hither, sir.
Though it be honest, it is never good
To bring bad news. Give to a gracious message
An host of tongues, but let ill tidings tell
Themselves when they be felt.
MESSENGER I have done my duty.
CLEOPATRA Is he married?
I cannot hate thee worser than I do
If thou again say ‘Yes’.
MESSENGER
He’s married, madam.
CLEOPATRA
The gods confound thee! Dost thou hold there still?
MESSENGER
Should I lie, madam?
CLEOPATRA O, I would thou didst,
So half my Egypt were submerged and made
A cistern for scaled snakes. Go, get thee hence.
Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me
Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is married?
MESSENGER
I crave your highness’ pardon.
CLEOPATRA
He is married?
MESSENGER
Take no offence that I would not offend you.
To punish me for what you make me do
Seems much unequal. He’s married to Octavia.
CLEOPATRA
O that his fault should make a knave of thee,
That act not what thou‘rt sure of! Get thee hence.
&nb
sp; The merchandise which thou hast brought from Rome
Are all too dear for me. Lie they upon thy hand,
And be undone by ’em.
Exit Messenger
CHARMIAN Good your highness, patience.
CLEOPATRA
In praising Antony I have dispraised Caesar.
CHARMIAN Many times, madam.
CLEOPATRA
I am paid for’t now. Lead me from hence.
I faint. O Iras, Charmian—’tis no matter.
Go to the fellow, good Alexas, bid him
Report the feature of Octavia: her years,
Her inclination; let him not leave out
The colour of her hair. Bring me word quickly.
Exit Alexas
Let him for ever go—let him not, Charmian;
Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,
The other way’s a Mars. ⌈To Mardian⌉ Bid you Alexas
Bring me word how tall she is. Pity me, Charmian,
But do not speak to me. Lead me to my chamber.
Exeunt
2.6 Flourish. Enter Pompey and Menas at one door, with a drummer and a trumpeter; at another, Caesar, Lepidus, Antony, Enobarbus, Maecenas, Agrippa, with soldiers marching
POMPEY
Your hostages I have, so have you mine,
And we shall talk before we fight.
CAESAR
Most meet
That first we come to words, and therefore have we
Our written purposes before us sent,
Which if thou hast considered, let us know
If ’twill tie up thy discontented sword
And carry back to Sicily much tall youth
That else must perish here.
POMPEY
To you all three, The senators alone of this great world,
Chief factors for the gods: I do not know
Wherefore my father should revengers want,
Having a son and friends, since Julius Caesar,
Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghosted,
There saw you labouring for him. What was’t
That moved pale Cassius to conspire? And what
Made the all-honoured, honest Roman Brutus,
With the armed rest, courtiers of beauteous freedom,
To drench the Capitol but that they would
Have one man but a man? And that is it
Hath made me rig my navy, at whose burden
The angered ocean foams; with which I meant
To scourge th’ingratitude that despiteful Rome
Cast on my noble father.
CAESAR
Take your time.