William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (457 page)
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Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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MAECENAS
He’ll never yield to that.
CAESAR
Nor must not then be yielded to in this.
Enter
Octavia
with her train
OCTAVIA
Hail, Caesar, and my lord; hail, most dear Caesar!
CAESAR
That ever I should call thee castaway!
OCTAVIA
You have not called me so, nor have you cause.
CAESAR
Why have you stol’n upon us thus? You come not
Like Caesar’s sister. The wife of Antony
Should have an army for an usher, and
The neighs of horse to tell of her approach
Long ere she did appear. The trees by th’ way
Should have borne men, and expectation fainted,
Longing for what it had not. Nay, the dust
Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,
Raised by your populous troops. But you are come
A market maid to Rome, and have prevented
The ostentation of our love; which, left unshown,
Is often left unloved. We should have met you
By sea and land, supplying every stage
With an augmented greeting.
Like Caesar’s sister. The wife of Antony
Should have an army for an usher, and
The neighs of horse to tell of her approach
Long ere she did appear. The trees by th’ way
Should have borne men, and expectation fainted,
Longing for what it had not. Nay, the dust
Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,
Raised by your populous troops. But you are come
A market maid to Rome, and have prevented
The ostentation of our love; which, left unshown,
Is often left unloved. We should have met you
By sea and land, supplying every stage
With an augmented greeting.
OCTAVIA
Good my lord,
To come thus was I not constrained, but did it
On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,
Hearing that you prepared for war, acquainted
My grieved ear withal, whereon I begged
His pardon for return.
On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,
Hearing that you prepared for war, acquainted
My grieved ear withal, whereon I begged
His pardon for return.
CAESAR Which soon he granted,
Being an obstruct ’tween his lust and him.
OCTAVIA
Do not say so, my lord.
CAESAR
I have eyes upon him,
And his affairs come to me on the wind.
Where is he now?
Where is he now?
OCTAVIA
My lord, in Athens.
CAESAR
No, my most wronged sister. Cleopatra
Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire
Up to a whore; who now are levying
The kings o’th’ earth for war. He hath assembled
Bocchus, the King of Libya; Archelaus
Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, King
Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian King Adallas;
King Malchus of Arabia; King of Pont;
Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, King
Of Comagene; Polemon and Amyntas,
The Kings of Mede and Lycaonia;
With a more larger list of sceptres.
Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire
Up to a whore; who now are levying
The kings o’th’ earth for war. He hath assembled
Bocchus, the King of Libya; Archelaus
Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, King
Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian King Adallas;
King Malchus of Arabia; King of Pont;
Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, King
Of Comagene; Polemon and Amyntas,
The Kings of Mede and Lycaonia;
With a more larger list of sceptres.
OCTAVIA
Ay me most wretched,
That have my heart parted betwixt two friends
That does afflict each other!
That does afflict each other!
CAESAR
Welcome hither.
Your letters did withhold our breaking forth
Till we perceived both how you were wrong led
And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart.
Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
O’er your content these strong necessities;
But let determined things to destiny
Hold unbewailed their way. Welcome to Rome;
Nothing more dear to me. You are abused
Beyond the mark of thought, and the high gods,
To do you justice, makes their ministers
Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort,
And ever welcome to us.
Till we perceived both how you were wrong led
And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart.
Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
O’er your content these strong necessities;
But let determined things to destiny
Hold unbewailed their way. Welcome to Rome;
Nothing more dear to me. You are abused
Beyond the mark of thought, and the high gods,
To do you justice, makes their ministers
Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort,
And ever welcome to us.
AGRIPPA
Welcome, lady.
MAECENAS Welcome, dear madam.
Each heart in Rome does love and pity you.
Only th’adulterous Antony, most large
In his abominations, turns you off,
And gives his potent regiment to a trull
That noises it against us.
Only th’adulterous Antony, most large
In his abominations, turns you off,
And gives his potent regiment to a trull
That noises it against us.
OCTAVIA
Is it so, sir?
CAESAR
Most certain. Sister, welcome. Pray you
Be ever known to patience. My dear’st sister!
Be ever known to patience. My dear’st sister!
Exeunt
Enter Cleopatra and Enobarbus
CLEOPATRA
I will be even with thee, doubt it not.
ENOBARBUS But why, why, why?
CLEOPATRA
Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,
And sayst it is not fit.
And sayst it is not fit.
ENOBARBUS
Well, is it, is it?
CLEOPATRA
Is’t not denounced against us? Why should not we
Be there in person?
Be there in person?
ENOBARBUS ⌈
aside
⌉ Well, I could reply
aside
⌉ Well, I could reply
If we should serve with horse and mares together,
The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear
A soldier and his horse.
The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear
A soldier and his horse.
CLEOPATRA
What is’t you say?
ENOBARBUS
Your presence needs must puzzle Antony,
Take from his heart, take from his brain, from’s time
What should not then be spared. He is already
Traduced for levity; and ’tis said in Rome
That Photinus, an eunuch, and your maids
Manage this war.
Take from his heart, take from his brain, from’s time
What should not then be spared. He is already
Traduced for levity; and ’tis said in Rome
That Photinus, an eunuch, and your maids
Manage this war.
CLEOPATRA
Sink Rome, and their tongues rot
That speak against us! A charge we bear i’th’ war,
And as the president of my kingdom will
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it.
I will not stay behind.
And as the president of my kingdom will
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it.
I will not stay behind.
Enter Antony and Camidius
ENOBARBUS
Nay, I have done.
Here comes the Emperor.
ANTONY
Is it not strange, Camidius,
That from Tarentum and Brundisium
He could so quickly cut the Ionian Sea
And take in Toryne?—You have heard on’t, sweet?
He could so quickly cut the Ionian Sea
And take in Toryne?—You have heard on’t, sweet?
CLEOPATRA
Celerity is never more admired
Than by the negligent.
Than by the negligent.
ANTONY
A good rebuke,
Which might have well becomed the best of men
To taunt at slackness. Camidius, we
Will fight with him by sea.
To taunt at slackness. Camidius, we
Will fight with him by sea.
CLEOPATRA
By sea—what else?
CAMIDIUS
Why will my lord do so?
ANTONY
For that he dares us to’t.
ENOBARBUS
So hath my lord dared him to single fight.
CAMIDIUS
Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia,
Where Caesar fought with Pompey. But these offers
Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off,
And so should you.
Where Caesar fought with Pompey. But these offers
Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off,
And so should you.
ENOBARBUS
Your ships are not well manned, Your mariners are muleters, reapers, people 35
Engrossed by swift impress. In Caesar’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 prepared for land.
Engrossed by swift impress. In Caesar’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 prepared for land.
ANTONY
By sea, by sea.
ENOBARBUS
Most worthy sir, you therein throw away
The absolute soldiership you have by land;
Distract your army, which doth most consist
Of war-marked footmen; leave unexecuted
Your own renowned knowledge; quite forgo
The way which promises assurance, and
Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard
From firm security.
The absolute soldiership you have by land;
Distract your army, which doth most consist
Of war-marked footmen; leave unexecuted
Your own renowned knowledge; quite forgo
The way which promises assurance, and
Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard
From firm security.
ANTONY
I’ll fight at sea.
CLEOPATRA
I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.
ANTONY
Our overplus of shipping will we burn,
And with the rest full-manned, from th‘head of
Actium
Beat th’approaching Caesar. But if we fail,
We then can do’t at land.
And with the rest full-manned, from th‘head of
Actium
Beat th’approaching Caesar. But if we fail,
We then can do’t at land.
Enter
a Messenger
Thy business?
MESSENGER
The news is true, my lord. He is descried. Caesar has taken Toryne.
ANTONY
Can he be there in person? ’Tis impossible;
Strange that his power should be. Camidius,
Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,
And our twelve thousand horse. We’ll to our ship.
Away, my Thetis!
Strange that his power should be. Camidius,
Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,
And our twelve thousand horse. We’ll to our ship.
Away, my Thetis!
Enter a SoldierHow now, worthy soldier?
SOLDIER
O noble Emperor, do not fight by sea.
Trust not to rotten planks. Do you misdoubt
This sword and these my wounds? Let th’Egyptians
And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we
Have used to conquer standing on the earth,
And fighting foot to foot.
Trust not to rotten planks. Do you misdoubt
This sword and these my wounds? Let th’Egyptians
And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we
Have used to conquer standing on the earth,
And fighting foot to foot.
ANTONY
Well, well; away!
Exeunt Antony, Cleopatra, and Enobarbus
SOLDIER
By Hercules, I think I am i’th’ right.
CAMIDIUS
Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows
Not in the power on’t. So our leader’s led,
And we are women’s men.
Not in the power on’t. So our leader’s led,
And we are women’s men.
SOLDIER
You keep by land
The legions and the horse whole, do you not?
CAMIDIUS
Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
Publicola and Caelius are for sea,
But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar’s
Carries beyond belief.
Publicola and Caelius are for sea,
But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar’s
Carries beyond belief.
SOLDIER
While he was yet in Rome
His power went out in such distractions
As beguiled all spies.
As beguiled all spies.
CAMIDIUS
Who’s his lieutenant, hear you?
SOLDIER
They say, one Taurus.
CAMIDIUS
Well I know the man.
Enter
a Messenger
MESSENGER
The Emperor calls Camidius.
CAMIDIUS
With news the time’s in labour, and throws forth
Each minute some.
Each minute some.
Exeunt
Enter Caesar with his army, marching, and Taurus
CAESAR Taurus!
TAURUS My lord?
CAESAR
Strike not by land. Keep whole. Provoke not battle
Till we have done at sea. (Giving a scroll) Do not
exceed
Till we have done at sea. (Giving a scroll) Do not
exceed
The prescript of this scroll. Our fortune lies
Upon this jump.
Upon this jump.
Exit Caesar and his army at one door, Taurus at another
Enter Antony and Enobarbus
ANTONY
Set we our squadrons on yon side o’th’ hill
In eye of Caesar’s battle, from which place
We may the number of the ships behold,
And so proceed accordingly.
In eye of Caesar’s battle, from which place
We may the number of the ships behold,
And so proceed accordingly.
Exeunt
Camidius marcheth with his land army over the stage, and taurus, the lieutenant of caesar, with his
NOBARBUS
Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no longer.
Th
’Antoniad,
the Egyptian admiral,
With all their sixty, fly and turn the rudder.
To see’t mine eyes are blasted.
Th
’Antoniad,
the Egyptian admiral,
With all their sixty, fly and turn the rudder.
To see’t mine eyes are blasted.
Enter Scarus
SCARUS
Gods and goddesses—
All the whole synod of them!
ENOBARBUS
What’s thy passion?
SCARUS
The greater cantle of the world is lost
With very ignorance; we have kissed away
Kingdoms and provinces.
With very ignorance; we have kissed away
Kingdoms and provinces.
ENOBARBUS
How appears the fight?
SCARUS
On our side like the tokened pestilence,
Where death is sure. Yon riband-red nag of Egypt—
Whom leprosy o‘ertake!-i’th’ midst o’th’ fight—
When vantage like a pair of twins appeared,
Both as the same, or rather ours the elder—
The breese upon her, like a cow in June,
Hoists sails and flies.
Where death is sure. Yon riband-red nag of Egypt—
Whom leprosy o‘ertake!-i’th’ midst o’th’ fight—
When vantage like a pair of twins appeared,
Both as the same, or rather ours the elder—
The breese upon her, like a cow in June,
Hoists sails and flies.
ENOBARBUS
That I beheld.
Mine eyes did sicken at the sight, and could not
Endure a further view.
Endure a further view.
SCARUS
She once being luffed,
The noble ruin of her magic, Antony,
Claps on his sea-wing and, like a doting mallard,
Leaving the fight in height, flies after her.
I never saw an action of such shame.
Experience, manhood, honour, ne’er before
Did violate so itself.
Claps on his sea-wing and, like a doting mallard,
Leaving the fight in height, flies after her.
I never saw an action of such shame.
Experience, manhood, honour, ne’er before
Did violate so itself.
ENOBARBUS
Alack, alack!
Enter Camidius
CAMIDIUS
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.
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.
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