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Enter Antony and Canidius.

Is't not strange, Canidius,

That from Tarentum, and Brundusium,

He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea,

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We may the number of our ships behold,

[Exeunt.

Enter Canidius, marching with his Land Army one

And take in Toryne? You have heard on't, sweet? And so proceed accordingly.

Cleo. Celerity is never more admir'd,

Than by the negligent.

Ant.

A good rebuke,

Which might have well becom'd the best of men,

To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we

Will fight with him by sea.

Way over the Stage; and Taurus, the Lieutenant of Cæsar, the other Way. After their going in,

is heard the Noise of a Sea-fight.

Alarum. Re-enter Enobarbus.

Eno. Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no [longer:

Cleo.

By sea! What else?

The Antoniad, the Egyptian admiral,

For he dares us to't.

Can. Why will my lord do so?

Ant.

Eno. So hath my lord dar'd him to single fight. Can. Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia,

Where Cæsar fought with Pompey: But these offers, Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off; And so should you.

Eno.

Your ships are not well mann'd:

Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people
Ingross'd by swift impress; in Cæsar's fleet
Are those, that often have 'gainst Pompey fought:
Their ships are yare: yours, heavy. No disgrace

Shall fall you for refusing him at sea,

Being prepar'd for land.

Ant.

By sea, by sea.

Eno. Most worthy sir, you therein throw away

The absolute soldiership you have by land;
Distract your army, which doth most consist
Of war-mark'd footmen; leave unexecuted

Your own renowned knowledge; quite forego
The way which promises assurance: and
Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard,
From firm security.

Ant.

I'll fight at sea.

Cleo. I have sixty sails, Cæsar none better. Ant. Our overplus of shipping will we burn; And, with the rest full mann'd, from the head of Actium Beat the approaching Cæsar. But if we fail,

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With all their sixty, fly, and turn the rudder; To see't, mine eyes are blasted.

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Eno.

Alack, alack!

Enter Canidius.

Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath, And sinks most lamentably. Had our general Been what he knew himself, it had gone well: O, he has given example for our flight, Most grossly, by his own.

[night,

Indeed.
Eno. Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good

[Aside.

Can. Towards Peloponnesus are they fled. Scar. "Tis easy to't; and there I will attend

What further comes. Can.

To Cæsar will I render

My legions, and my horse; six kings already
Show me the way of yielding.
I'll yet follow

Eno.
The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason
Sits in the wind against me.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IX. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace. Enter Antony and Attendants,

Ant. Hark, the land bids me tread no more upon't,
It is asham'd to bear me!-Friends, come hither,
I am so lated in the world, that I

Have lost my way for ever:-I have a ship
Laden with gold; take that, divide it; fly,

And make your peace with Cæsar.

Att.

Fly! not we.

Ant. I have fled myself; and have instructed

cowards

To run, and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone;
I have myself resolv'd upon a course,
Which has no need of you; be gone:

My treasure's in the harbour, take it.-0,
I follow'd that

I blush to look upon:

My very hairs do mutiny; for the white
Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them

For fear and doting. Friends, be gone; you shall

Have letters from me to some friends, that will Sweep your way for you. Pray you, look not sad, Nor make replies of loathness: take the hint Which my despair proclaims; let that be left Which leaves itself: to the sea side straightway: I will possess you of that ship and treasure. Leave me, I pray, a little: 'pray you now:Nay, do so; for, indeed, I have lost command, Therefore I pray you:-I'll see you by and by.

[Sits down.

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Eros. Sir, sir,

Ant. Yes, my lord, yes; -He, at Philippi, kept

His sword even like a dancer; while I struck

The lean and wrinkled Cassins; and 'twas I,

That the mad Brutus ended he alone

Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had
In the brave squares of war: Yet now-No matter.
Cleo. Ah, stand by.

Eros. The queen, my lord, the queen.
Iras. Go to him, madam, speak to him;

He is unqualitied with very shame.

Cleo. Well then, Sustain me:-0!

Eros. Most noble sir, arise; the queen approaches;

Her head's declin'd, and death will seize her; but Your comfort makes the rescue.

Ant. I have offended reputation;

A most unnoble swerving.

Eros.

Sir, the queen.

Ant. O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See, How I convey my shame out of thine eyes, By looking back on what I have left behind, 'Stroy'd in dishonour.

Cleo.

O my lord, my lord!

Forgive my fearful sails; I little thought, You would have follow'd.

Ant.

Egypt, thou knew'st too well,

My heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings,
And thou shouldst tow me after: O'er my spirit

Thy full supremacy thou knew'st; and that

Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods

Command me.

Cleo.

Ant.

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To the young man send humble treaties, dodge

And palter in the shifts of lowness; who

With half the bulk o'the world play'd as I pleas'd,

Making, and marring fortunes. You did know,

How much you were my conqueror; and that
My sword, made weak by my affection, would

Obey it on all cause.

Cleo.

O pardon, pardon.

Ant. Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates All that is won and lost; Give me a kiss; Even this repays me. We sent our schoolmaster, Is he come back?-Love, I am full of lead:Some wine, within there, and our viands:-Fortune knows,

We scorn her most, when most she offers blows. [Exeunt,

SCENE X. Cæsar's Camp, in Egypt. Enter Cæsar, Dolabella, Thyreus, and others. Cæs. Let him appear that's come from Antony.Know you him? Cæsar, 'tis his schoolmaster:

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To let him breathe between the heavens and earth,
A private man in Athens: This for him.
Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness;
Submits her to thy might; and of thee craves
The circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs,
Now hazarded to thy grace.

Cæs.

For Antony,
I have no ears to his request. The queen
Of audience, nor desire, shall fail; so she
From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,
Or take his life there: This if she perform,
She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.
Eup. Fortune pursue thee!

Cæs.

Bring him through the bands. [Exit Euphronius.

To try thy eloquence, now 'tis time: Despatch;
From Antony win Cleopatra: promise, [To Thyreus.
And in our name, what she requires; add more,
From thine invention, offers: women are not,

In their best fortunes, strong; but want will perjure
The ne'er-touch'd vestal: Try thy cunning, Thyreus;
Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we
Will answer as a law.

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Cleo. Is Antony, or we, in fault for this? Eno. Antony only, that would make his will Lord of his reason. What although you fled From that great face of war, whose several ranges Frighted each other? why should he follow ? The itch of his affection should not then

Have nick'd his captainship; at such a point,
When half to half the world oppos'd, he being
The mered question : on: 'Twas a shame no less
Than was his loss, to course your flying flags,

And leave his navy gazing.
Cleo.

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Ant. To him again; Tell him, he wears the rose

Of youth upon him; from which the world should note
Something particular: his coin, ships, legions,
May be a coward's; whose ministers would prevail
Under the service of a child, as soon

As i'the command of Cæsar I dare him therefore
To lay his gay comparisons apart,
And answer me declin'd, sword against sword,
Ourselves alone. I'll write it; follow ine.

[Exeunt Antony and Euphronius.

Eno. Yes, like enough, high-battled Cæsar will Unstate his happiness, and be stag'd to the show, Against a sworder. I see, men's judgments are A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward Do draw the inward quality after them, To suffer all alike. That he should dream, Knowing all measures, the full Cæsar will Answer his emptiness!-Cæsar, thou hast subdu'd His judgment too.

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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 For being yare about him. Is he whipp'd?

Re-enter Attendants, with Thyreus.

1 Att. Soundly, my lord. Ant.

Cry'd he? and begg'd he pardon?

1 Att. He did ask favour.
Ant. If that thy father live, let him repent

since

Thou wast not made his daught and be thou sorry
To follow Cæsar in his his triumph, sing
Thou hast been whipp'd for following him: hence-
The white hand of a lady fever thee,
[forth,
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 abysm 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, be gone. [Exit Thyreus.

Cleo. Have you done yet?

Ant.

Alack, our terrene moon

Is now eclips'd; and it portends alone The fall of Antony!

Cleo.

I must stay his time.

Ant. To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes

With one that ties his points ?

Cleo.

Not know me yet?

Ant. Cold-hearted toward me? Cleo.

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 1
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.

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Ant. I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breath'd,

And fight maliciously for when mine hours
Were nice and lucky, men did ransom 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, till cur bowls; once more
Let's mock the midnight bell.

Cleo.

It is my birth-day;

I had thought, to have held it poor; but, since my lord Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra.

Ant. We'll yet do well.

Cleo. Call all his noble captains to my lord.

Ant. Do so, we'll speak to them; and to-night I'll [queen;

force

The wine peep through their scars. Come on, my
There's sap in't yet. The next time I do fight,
I'll make death love me; for I will contend
Even with his pestilent scythe.

[Exeunt Antony, Cleopatra, and Attendants.

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SCENE I. Cæsar's Camp at Alexandria.

Enter Cæsar, reading a Letter; Agrippa, Mecenas, and others.

Cæs. He calls me boy; and chides, as he had power To beat me out of Egypt: my messenger

He hath whipp'd with rods; dares me to personal

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2 Sold.

Soldiers,

Cæsar to Antony: Let the old ruffian know, [combat, Have careful watch.

I have many other ways to die; mean time,

Laugh at his challenge.

Mec.

Cæsar must think,

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 !

[Exeunt.

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Be bounteous at our meal. Give me thy hand,

Thou hast been rightly honest; -so hast thou;

3 Sold. And you: Good night, good night. [The first two place themselves at their Posts.

4 Sold. Here we: They take their Posts] and if

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4 Sold.

Does't not?

3 Sold.

1 Sold.

No.

Under the earth.

It signs well.

Peace, I say. What should this mean? 2 Sold. 'Tis the god Hercules, whom Antony lov'd, Now leaves him. 1 Sold.

Walk; let's see if other watchmen

Do hear what we do. [They advance to another Post.

2 Sold.

Sold.

How now, masters?

How now? do you hear this?

1 Sold.

How now?

[Several speaking together. Is't not strange?

Ay;

3 Sold. Do you hear, masters? do you hear? 1 Sold. Follow the noise so far as we have quarter; Let's see how't will give off.

Sold. [Several speaking] Content: "Tis strange. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV. The same. A Room in the Palace.

And thou, and thou, and thou: you have serv'd Enter Antony and Cleopatra; Charmian and others,

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Early though it be, have on their riveted trim,

Grace grow where those drops fall! My hearty friends, And at the port expect you.

You take me in too dolorous a sense:

[Shout. Trumpets. Flourish.

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Go, charge Agrippa

Is come into the field.

Cas.

Plant those that have revolted in the van,

That Antony may seem to spend his fury

Upon himself. [Exeunt Cæsar 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,
Cæsar 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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Eros. They are beaten, sir; and our advantage
For a fair victory.
[serves
Scar.

Let us score their backs,
And snatch 'em up, as we take hares, behind;
"Tis sport to maul a runner
Ant.
I will reward thee

Once for thy spritely comfort, and ten-fold
For thy good valour. Come thee on.
Scar.

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 shail 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 Wash the congealment from your wounds, and kiss The honour'd gashes whole. Give me thy hand; [To Scarus.

Enter Cleopatra, attended.

To this great fairy l'il commend thy acts,
Make her thanks bless thee. O thou day o'the world,
Chain my arm'd neck; leap thou, attire and all,
Through proof of harness to my heart, and there

Ride on the pants triumphing.

Cleo.

Lord of lords! O infinite virtue! com'st thou smiling from The world's great snare uncaught?

Ant.

My nightingale,

We have beat them to their beds. What, girl? though

gray

Do something mingle with our brown; yet have we
A brain that nourishes our nerves, and can
Get goal for goal of youth. Behold this man;
Commend unto his lips thy favouring hand;-
Kiss it, my warrior: He hath fought to-day,
As if a god, in hate of mankind, had

Destroy'd in such a shape.

Cleo.

I'll give thee, friend,

An armour all of gold; it was a king's.

Ant. He has deserv'd it, were it carbuncled Like holy Phoebus' car. Give me thy hand; Through Alexandria make a jolly march; Bear our hack'd targets like the men that owe them:

Had our great palace the capacity

To camp this host, we all would sup together;
And drink carouses to the next day's fate,
Which promises royal peril. Trumpeters,
With brazen din blast you the city's ear;
Make mingle with our rattling tabourines;
That heaven and earth may strike their sounds toge-
Applauding our approach.

[ther,

[Exeunt.

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