Who tells me true, though in his tale lie death,
I hear him as he flattered97.
MESSENGER Labienus99 —
This is stiff100 news — hath with his Parthian force
Extended101 Asia: from Euphrates
His conquering banner shook, from Syria
To Lydia103 and to Ionia, whilst—
ANTONY Antony, thou wouldst104 say.
MESSENGER O, my lord!
ANTONY Speak to me home106, mince not the general tongue,
Name Cleopatra as she is called in Rome,
Rail thou in Fulvia’s phrase108, and taunt my faults
With such full licence as both truth and malice
Have power to utter. O, then we bring forth weeds
When our quick111 minds lie still, and our ills told us
Is as our earing. Fare thee well awhile.
MESSENGER At your noble pleasure. Exit Messenger
Enter another Messenger
ANTONY From Sicyon114 how the news? Speak there.
SECOND MESSENGER The man from Sicyon—
ANTONY Is there such an one?
SECOND MESSENGER He stays upon your will117.
ANTONY Let him appear.—
[Exit Second Messenger]
These strong Egyptian fetters I must break,
Or lose myself in dotage.—
Enter another Messenger with a letter
What120 are you?
THIRD MESSENGER Fulvia thy wife is dead.
ANTONY Where died she?
THIRD MESSENGER In Sicyon.
Her length of sickness, with what else more serious
Importeth125 thee to know, this bears. Gives him the letter
ANTONY Forbear me126.—[Exit Third Messenger]
There’s a great spirit gone. Thus did I desire it:
What our contempts doth often hurl from us
We wish it ours again128. The present pleasure,
By revolution low’ring130, does become
The opposite of itself. She’s good, being gone.
The hand could132 pluck her back that shoved her on.
I must from this enchanting133 queen break off:
Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know,
My idleness135 doth hatch.—
Enter Enobarbus
How now, 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
mortal139 an unkindness is to them: if they suffer our
departure, death’s the word.
ANTONY I must be gone.
ENOBARBUS Under a compelling occasion, let women die142. 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 noise145 of this, dies instantly:
I have seen her die twenty times upon far poorer moment146. I
do think there is mettle147 in death which commits some loving
act upon her, she hath such a celerity148 in dying.
ANTONY She is cunning149 past man’s thought.
ENOBARBUS Alack, sir, no: her passions are made of nothing
but the finest part151 of pure love. We cannot call her winds and
waters sighs and tears: they are greater storms and tempests than
almanacs153 can report. This cannot be cunning in her; if
it be, she makes a shower of rain as well as Jove154.
ANTONY Would155 I had never seen her.
ENOBARBUS O sir, you had then left unseen a wonderful piece of
work156, which not to have been blest withal157 would have
discredited your travel158.
ANTONY Fulvia is dead.
ENOBARBUS Sir?
ANTONY Fulvia is dead.
ENOBARBUS Fulvia?
ANTONY Dead.
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 earth166: comforting therein,
that when old robes are worn out, there are members167 to
make new. If there were no more women but Fulvia, then
had you indeed a cut169, and the case to be lamented. This grief
is crowned170 with consolation: your old smock brings forth a
new petticoat171, and indeed the tears live in an onion that
should water this sorrow.
ANTONY The business she hath broachèd in the state
Cannot endure my absence.
ENOBARBUS And the business175 you have broached here cannot
be without you, especially that of Cleopatra’s, which wholly
depends on your abode177.
ANTONY No more light178 answers. Let our officers
Have notice what we purpose. I shall break
The cause of our expedience180 to the queen,
And get her leave to part181. For not alone
The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches182,
Do strongly speak to us, but the letters too
Of many our contriving184 friends in Rome
Petition us at home185. Sextus Pompeius
Hath given the dare to186 Caesar and commands
The empire of the sea. Our slippery187 people,
Whose love is never linked to the deserver
Till his deserts are past, begin to throw189
Pompey the Great190 and all his dignities
Upon his son, who, high191 in name and power,
Higher than both in blood and life192, stands up
For the main193 soldier, whose quality going on,
The sides o’th’world may danger194. Much is breeding
Which, like the courser’s hair, hath yet but life
And not a serpent’s poison195. Say our pleasure,
To such whose place is under us, requires
Our quick remove198 from hence196.
ENOBARBUS I shall do’t.
[Exeunt separately]
[Act 1 Scene 3]
running scene 1 continues
* * *
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Alexas and Iras
CLEOPATRA Where is he?
CHARMIAN I did not see him since2.
CLEOPATRA See where he is, who’s with him, what he
does.
To Alexas
I did not send you4: if you find him sad,
Say I am dancing, if in mirth, report
That I am sudden sick. Quick, and return.
[Exit Alexas]
CHARMIAN Madam, methinks if you did love him dearly,
You do not hold8 the method to enforce
The like9 from him.
CLEOPATRA What should I do I do not?
CHARMIAN In each thing give him way11: cross him in nothing.
CLEOPATRA Thou teachest like a fool, the way to lose him.
CHARMIAN Tempt13 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 sullen16.
ANTONY I am sorry to give breathing17 to my purpose—
CLEOPATRA Help me away, dear Charmian! I shall fall.
It cannot be thus long19: the sides of nature
Will not sustain it.
ANTONY Now, my dearest queen—
CLEOPATRA Pray you stand further from me22.
ANTONY What’s the matter?
CLEOPATRA I know by that same eye24 there’s some good news.
What, says the married woman25 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 q
ueen
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 thronèd gods —
Who have been false36 to Fulvia? Riotous madness,
To be entangled with those mouth-made37 vows
Which break themselves in swearing38!
ANTONY Most sweet queen—
CLEOPATRA Nay, pray you seek no colour40 for your going,
But bid farewell and go: when you sued staying41,
Then was the time for words: no going then.
Eternity was in our43 lips and eyes,
Bliss in our brows bent44: none our parts so poor
But was a race of heaven45. They are so still,
Or thou, the greatest soldier of the world,
Art turned the greatest liar.
ANTONY How now48, lady?
CLEOPATRA I would I had thy inches49: thou shouldst know
There were a heart50 in Egypt.
ANTONY Hear me, queen:
The strong necessity of time commands
Our services awhile, but my full heart
Remains in use54 with you. Our Italy
Shines o’er with civil swords55; Sextus Pompeius
Makes his approaches to the port56 of Rome.
Equality of two domestic powers
Breed scrupulous faction57: the hated, grown to strength,
Are newly grown to love58: the condemned Pompey,
Rich in his father’s honour, creeps apace60
Into the hearts of such as have not thrived
Upon the present state62, whose numbers threaten,
And quietness, grown sick of rest, would purge63
By any desperate change. My more particular64,
And that which most with you should safe65 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
Look here, and at thy sovereign leisure read
The garboils71 she awaked: at the last, best,
See when and where she died.
CLEOPATRA O most false love!
Where be the sacred vials74 thou shouldst fill
With sorrowful water? Now I see, I see,
In Fulvia’s death how mine received shall be.
ANTONY Quarrel no more, but be prepared to know77
The purposes I bear78, which are, or cease,
As you shall give th’advice79. By the fire
That quickens Nilus’ slime, I go from hence
Thy soldier, servant, making peace or war
As thou affects82.
CLEOPATRA Cut my lace83, Charmian, come!
But let it be84: I am quickly ill and well,
So Antony loves85.
ANTONY My precious queen, forbear86
And give true evidence87 to his love, which stands
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 Egypt92. Good now, play one scene
Of excellent dissembling93, and let it look
Like perfect honour.
ANTONY You’ll heat my blood95 no more!
CLEOPATRA You can do better yet, but this is meetly96.
ANTONY Now, by sword—
CLEOPATRA And target98. Still he mends,
But this is not the best. Look, prithee, Charmian,
How this Herculean100 Roman does become
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:
That you know well. Something it is I would:
O, my oblivion107 is a very Antony,
And I am all forgotten108.
ANTONY But109 that your royalty
Holds idleness your subject110, I should take you
For idleness itself.
CLEOPATRA ’Tis sweating labour112
To bear such idleness so near the heart
As Cleopatra this. But, sir, forgive me,
Since my becomings115 kill me when they do not
Eye116 well to you. Your honour calls you hence:
Therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly,
And all the gods go with you. Upon your sword
Sit laurel victory, and smooth success
Be strewed before your feet119.
ANTONY Let us go. Come:
Our separation so abides and flies
That thou, residing here, goes yet with me,
And I, hence fleeting, here remain with thee122.
Away!
Exeunt
[Act 1 Scene 4]
running scene 2
Location: Rome, Italy
* * *
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 competitor3. From Alexandria
This is the news: he fishes, drinks and wastes
The lamps of night in revel. Is5 not more manlike
Than Cleopatra, nor the Queen of Ptolemy6
More womanly than he. Hardly gave audience7, or
Vouchsafed8 to think he had partners. You shall find there
A man who is th’abstract9 of all faults
That all men follow.
LEPIDUS I must not think there are
Evils enough to darken all his goodness:
His faults in him seem as the spots of heaven13,
More fiery by night’s blackness; hereditary
Rather than purchased15, what he cannot change,
Than what he chooses.
CAESAR You are too indulgent. Let’s grant it is not
Amiss to tumble18 on the bed of Ptolemy,
To give a kingdom for a mirth19, to sit
And keep the turn of tippling20 with a slave,
To reel21 the streets at noon, and stand the buffet
With knaves that smell of sweat: say this becomes him —
As23 his composure must be rare indeed
Whom these things cannot blemish — yet must Antony
No way excuse his foils25 when we do bear
So great weight in his lightness. If he filled
His vacancy27 with his voluptuousness,
Full surfeits28 and the dryness of his bones
Call on him for’t. But to confound29 such time
That drums30 him from his sport, and speaks as loud
As his own state and ours31, ’tis to be chid
As we rate32 boys, who, being mature in knowledge,
Pawn their experience to their present pleasure
And so rebel to34 judgement.
Enter a Messenger
LEPIDUS Here’s more news.
MESSENGER Thy biddings36 have been done, and every hour,
Most noble Caesar, shalt thou have report
How ’tis38 abroad. Pompey is strong at sea,
And it appears he is beloved of those
That only have feared40 Caesar: to the ports
The discontents41 repair, and men’s reports
Give him42 much wronged.
CAESAR I should have known no less.
It hath been taught us from the primal state44
That he which is was wished until he were45,
And the ebbed46 man, ne’er loved till ne’er worth love,
Comes deared47 by being lacked. This common body,
Like to a vagabond48 flag upon the stream,
Goes to and back, lackeying49 the
varying tide,
To rot itself with motion.
[Enter another Messenger]
SECOND MESSENGER Caesar, I bring thee word
Menecrates and Menas, famous52 pirates,
Make the sea serve them, which they ear53 and wound
With keels of every kind. Many hot inroads54
They make in Italy: the borders maritime55
Lack blood56 to think on’t, and flush youth revolt.
No vessel can peep forth but ’tis as soon
Taken58 as seen, for Pompey’s name strikes more
Than could his war resisted.
CAESAR Antony,
Leave thy lascivious wassails61. When thou once
Was beaten from Modena62, where thou slew’st
Hirtius and Pansa, consuls, at thy heel
Did famine follow, whom64 thou fought’st against —
Though daintily65 brought up — with patience more
Than savages could suffer. Thou didst drink
The stale67 of horses and the gilded puddle
Which beasts would cough at. Thy palate then did deign68
The roughest berry on the rudest69 hedge.
Yea, like the stag when snow the pasture sheets70,
The barks of trees thou browsèd71. On the Alps,
It is reported thou didst eat strange flesh
Which some did die to look on: and all this —
It wounds thine honour that I speak it now —
Was borne so like a soldier, that thy cheek
So much as lanked not76.
LEPIDUS ’Tis pity of77 him.
CAESAR Let his shames quickly
Drive him to Rome: ’tis time we twain79
Did show ourselves i’th’field80, and to that end
Assemble we immediate council. Pompey
Thrives in our idleness.
LEPIDUS Tomorrow, Caesar,
I shall be furnished to inform you rightly
Both what by sea and land I can be able85
To front86 this present time.
CAESAR Till which encounter,
It is my business too. Farewell.
LEPIDUS Farewell, my lord. What you shall know meantime
Of stirs90 abroad, I shall beseech you, sir,
To let me be partaker.
CAESAR Doubt not, sir,
I knew it for my bond93.
Exeunt
[Act 1 Scene 5]
running scene 3
Location: Alexandria
* * *
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras and Mardian
CLEOPATRA Charmian!
CHARMIAN Madam?
CLEOPATRA Ha, ha.
Yawns
Give me to drink mandragora4.
CHARMIAN Why, madam?
CLEOPATRA That I might sleep out this great gap of time
Antony and Cleopatra Page 4