The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works

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The Arden Shakespeare Complete Works Page 47

by William Shakespeare


  Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know,

  My idleness doth hatch. How now, Enobarbus!

  135

  Enter ENOBARBUS.

  ENOBARBUS What’s your pleasure, sir?

  ANTONY I must with haste from hence.

  ENOBARBUS Why then we kill all our women. We see

  how mortal an unkindness is to them. If they suffer

  our departure, death’s the word.

  140

  ANTONY I must be gone.

  ENOBARBUS Under a compelling occasion let women

  die. It were pity to cast them away for nothing,

  though between them and a great cause they should be

  esteemed nothing. Cleopatra, catching but the least

  145

  noise of this, dies instantly. I have seen her die twenty

  times upon far poorer moment. I do think there is

  mettle in death which commits some loving act upon

  her, she hath such a celerity in dying.

  ANTONY She is cunning past man’s thought.

  150

  ENOBARBUS Alack, sir, no; her passions are made of

  nothing but the finest part of pure love. We cannot call

  her winds and waters sighs and tears; they are

  greater storms and tempests than almanacs can report.

  This cannot be cunning in her. If it be, she makes a

  155

  shower of rain as well as Jove.

  ANTONY Would I had never seen her!

  ENOBARBUS O, sir, you had then left unseen a wonderful

  piece of work, which not to have been blest withal

  would have discredited your travel.

  160

  ANTONY Fulvia is dead.

  ENOBARBUS Sir?

  ANTONY Fulvia is dead.

  ENOBARBUS Fulvia?

  ANTONY Dead.

  165

  ENOBARBUS Why, sir, give the gods a thankful sacrifice.

  When it pleaseth their deities to take the wife of a man

  from him, it shows to man the tailors of the earth;

  comforting therein, that when old robes are worn out,

  there are members to make new. If there were no more

  170

  women but Fulvia, then had you indeed a cut, and the

  case to be lamented. This grief is crowned with

  consolation: your old smock brings forth a new

  petticoat, and indeed the tears live in an onion that

  should water this sorrow.

  175

  ANTONY The business she hath broached in the state

  Cannot endure my absence.

  ENOBARBUS And the business you have broached here

  cannot be without you, especially that of Cleopatra’s,

  which wholly depends on your abode.

  180

  ANTONY No more light answers. Let our officers

  Have notice what we purpose. I shall break

  The cause of our expedience to the Queen

  And get her leave to part. For not alone

  The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches,

  185

  Do strongly speak to us, but the letters too

  Of many our contriving friends in Rome

  Petition us at home. Sextus Pompeius

  Hath given the dare to Caesar and commands

  The empire of the sea. Our slippery people,

  190

  Whose love is never linked to the deserver

  Till his deserts are past, begin to throw

  Pompey the Great and all his dignities

  Upon his son, who, high in name and power,

  Higher than both in blood and life, stands up

  195

  For the main soldier; whose quality going on,

  The sides o’th’ world may danger. Much is breeding

  Which, like the courser’s hair, hath yet but life

  And not a serpent’s poison. Say our pleasure,

  To such whose place is under us, requires

  200

  Our quick remove from hence.

  ENOBARBUS I shall do’t. Exeunt.

  1.3 Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, ALEXAS and IRAS.

  CLEOPATRA Where is he?

  CHARMIAN I did not see him since.

  CLEOPATRA [to Alexas]

  See where he is, who’s with him, what he does.

  I did not send you. If you find him sad,

  Say I am dancing; if in mirth, report

  5

  That I am sudden sick. Quick, and return.

  Exit Alexas.

  CHARMIAN

  Madam, methinks if you did love him dearly,

  You do not hold the method to enforce

  The like from him.

  CLEOPATRA What should I do I do not?

  CHARMIAN

  In each thing give him way; cross him in nothing.

  10

  CLEOPATRA

  Thou teachest like a fool: the way to lose him.

  CHARMIAN Tempt him not so too far; I wish, forbear.

  In time we hate that which we often fear.

  Enter ANTONY.

  But here comes Antony.

  CLEOPATRA I am sick and sullen.

  ANTONY I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose –

  15

  CLEOPATRA Help me away, dear Charmian! I shall fall!

  It cannot be thus long; the sides of nature

  Will not sustain it.

  ANTONY Now, my dearest queen –

  CLEOPATRA Pray you, stand farther from me!

  ANTONY What’s the matter?

  CLEOPATRA

  I know by that same eye there’s some good news.

  20

  What, says the married woman you may go?

  Would she had never given you leave to come!

  Let her not say ’tis I that keep you here.

  I have no power upon you; hers you are.

  ANTONY The gods best know –

  CLEOPATRA O, never was there queen

  25

  So mightily betrayed! Yet at the first

  I saw the treasons planted.

  ANTONY Cleopatra –

  CLEOPATRA

  Why should I think you can be mine and true –

  Though you in swearing shake the throned gods –

  Who have been false to Fulvia? Riotous madness,

  30

  To be entangled with those mouth-made vows

  Which break themselves in swearing!

  ANTONY Most sweet queen –

  CLEOPATRA

  Nay, pray you seek no colour for your going,

  But bid farewell and go. When you sued staying,

  Then was the time for words; no going then.

  35

  Eternity was in our lips and eyes,

  Bliss in our brows’ bent; none our parts so poor

  But was a race of heaven. They are so still,

  Or thou, the greatest soldier of the world,

  Art turned the greatest liar.

  ANTONY How now, lady?

  40

  CLEOPATRA

  I would I had thy inches! Thou shouldst know

  There were a heart in Egypt!

  ANTONY Hear me, queen.

  The strong necessity of time commands

  Our services awhile, but my full heart

  Remains in use with you. Our Italy

  45

  Shines o’er with civil swords; Sextus Pompeius

  Makes his approaches to the port of Rome;

  Equality of two domestic powers

  Breed scrupulous faction; the hated, grown to

  strength,

  Are newly grown to love; the condemned Pompey,

  50

  Rich in his father’s honour, creeps apace

  Into the hearts of such as have not thrived

  Upon the present state, whose numbers threaten;

  And quietness, grown sick of rest, would purge

  By an
y desperate change. My more particular,

  55

  And that which most with you should safe my going,

  Is Fulvia’s death.

  CLEOPATRA

  Though age from folly could not give me freedom,

  It does from childishness. Can Fulvia die?

  ANTONY She’s dead, my queen. [Gives her the letters.]

  60

  Look here, and at thy sovereign leisure read

  The garboils she awaked. At the last, best,

  See when and where she died.

  CLEOPATRA O most false love!

  Where be the sacred vials thou shouldst fill

  With sorrowful water? Now I see, I see,

  65

  In Fulvia’s death how mine received shall be.

  ANTONY Quarrel no more, but be prepared to know

  The purposes I bear; which are, or cease,

  As you shall give th’advice. By the fire

  That quickens Nilus’ slime, I go from hence

  70

  Thy soldier, servant, making peace or war

  As thou affects.

  CLEOPATRA Cut my lace, Charmian, come!

  But let it be; I am quickly ill and well –

  So Antony loves.

  ANTONY My precious queen, forbear,

  And give true evidence to his love, which stands

  75

  An honourable trial.

  CLEOPATRA So Fulvia told me.

  I prithee, turn aside and weep for her,

  Then bid adieu to me, and say the tears

  Belong to Egypt. Good now, play one scene

  Of excellent dissembling, and let it look

  80

  Like perfect honour.

  ANTONY You’ll heat my blood. No more.

  CLEOPATRA You can do better yet, but this is meetly.

  ANTONY Now by my sword –

  CLEOPATRA And target. Still he mends,

  But this is not the best. Look, prithee, Charmian,

  How this Herculean Roman does become

  85

  The carriage of his chafe.

  ANTONY I’ll leave you, lady.

  CLEOPATRA Courteous lord, one word:

  Sir, you and I must part, but that’s not it;

  Sir, you and I have loved, but there’s not it;

  90

  That you know well. Something it is I would –

  Oh, my oblivion is a very Antony,

  And I am all forgotten!

  ANTONY But that your royalty

  Holds idleness your subject, I should take you

  For idleness itself.

  CLEOPATRA ’Tis sweating labour

  95

  To bear such idleness so near the heart

  As Cleopatra this. But, sir, forgive me,

  Since my becomings kill me when they do not

  Eye well to you. Your honour calls you hence;

  Therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly,

  100

  And all the gods go with you! Upon your sword

  Sit laurel victory, and smooth success

  Be strewed before your feet!

  ANTONY Let us go. Come.

  Our separation so abides and flies

  That thou, residing here, goes yet with me,

  105

  And I, hence fleeting, here remain with thee.

  Away! Exeunt.

  1.4 Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR reading a letter, LEPIDUS and their train.

  CAESAR You may see, Lepidus, and henceforth know,

  It is not Caesar’s natural vice to hate

  Our great competitor. From Alexandria

  This is the news: he fishes, drinks, and wastes

  The lamps of night in revel; is not more manlike

  5

  Than Cleopatra, nor the Queen of Ptolemy

  More womanly than he; hardly gave audience, or

  Vouchsafed to think he had partners. You shall find

  there

  A man who is the abstract of all faults

  That all men follow.

  LEPIDUS I must not think there are

  10

  Evils enough to darken all his goodness.

  His faults, in him, seem as the spots of heaven,

  More fiery by night’s blackness; hereditary

  Rather than purchased; what he cannot change

  Than what he chooses.

  15

  CAESAR You are too indulgent. Let’s grant it is not

  Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy,

  To give a kingdom for a mirth, to sit

  And keep the turn of tippling with a slave,

  To reel the streets at noon, and stand the buffet

  20

  With knaves that smells of sweat. Say this becomes

 

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