William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (460 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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ANTONY
Ho, ho, ho,
Now the witch take me if I meant it thus!
Grace grow where those drops fall. My hearty friends,
You take me in too dolorous a sense;
For I spake to you for your comfort, did desire you
To burn this night with torches. Know, my hearts,
I hope well of tomorrow, and will lead you
Where rather I’ll expect victorious life
Than death and honour. Let’s to supper, come,
And drown consideration.
Exeunt
 
4.3
Enter
a company of
Soldiers
 
FIRST SOLDIER
Brother, good night. Tomorrow is the day.
SECOND SOLDIER
It will determine one way. Fare you well.
Heard you of nothing strange about the streets?
FIRST SOLDIER Nothing. What news?
SECOND SOLDIER
Belike ’tis but a rumour. Good night to you.
FIRST SOLDIER
Well, sir, good night.
Enter other Soldiers, meeting
them
 
SECOND SOLDIER
Soldiers, have careful watch.
THIRD SOLDIER
And you. Good night, good night.
They place themselves in every corner of the
stage
 
SECOND SOLDIER
Here we; an if tomorrow
Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope
Our landmen will stand up.
FIRST SOLDIER
’Tis a brave army,
And full of purpose.
Music of the hautboys is under the stage
 
SECOND SOLDIER
Peace, what noise?
FIRST SOLDIER
List, list!
SECOND SOLDIER
Hark!
FIRST SOLDIER Music i’th’ air.
THIRD SOLDIER
Under the earth.
FOURTH SOLDIER
It signs well, does it not?
THIRD SOLDIER
No.
FIRST SOLDIER Peace, I say!
What should this mean?
SECOND SOLDIER
’Tis the god Hercules, whom Antony loved,
Now leaves him.
FIRST SOLDIER Walk. Let’s see if other watchmen
Do hear what we do.
SECOND SOLDIER How now, masters?
ALL (speaking
together)
How now?
How now? Do you hear this?
FIRST SOLDIER
Ay. Is’t not strange?
THIRD SOLDIER
Do you hear, masters? Do you hear?
FIRST SOLDIER
Follow the noise so far as we have quarter.
Let’s see how it will give off.
ALL Content.
’Tis strange.
Exeunt
 
4.4
Enter Antony and Cleopatra, with Charmian and others
 
ANTONY
(calling)
Eros, mine armour, Eros!
CLEOPATRA
Sleep a little.
ANTONY
No, my chuck. Eros, come, mine armour, Eros!
Enter Eros with armour
 
Come, good fellow, put thine iron on.
If fortune be not ours today, it is
Because we brave her. Come.
CLEOPATRA
Nay, I’ll help, too.
What’s this for?
ANTONY
Ah, let be, let be! Thou art
The armourer of my heart. False, false! This, this!
CLEOPATRA
Sooth, la, I’ll help. Thus it must be.
She helps Antony to
arm
 
ANTONY
Well, well,
We shall thrive now. Seest thou, my good fellow?
Go put on thy defences.
EROS
Briefly, sir.
CLEOPATRA
Is not this buckled well?
ANTONY Rarely, rarely.
He that unbuckles this, till we do please
To doff’t for our repose, shall hear a storm.
Thou fumblest, Eros, and my queen’s a squire
More tight at this than thou. Dispatch. O love,
That thou couldst see my wars today, and knew’st
The royal occupation! Thou shouldst see
A workman in’t.
Enter an armed
Soldier
 
Good morrow to thee. Welcome.
Thou look’st like him that knows a warlike charge.
To business that we love we rise betime,
And go to’t with delight.
SOLDIER
A thousand, sir,
Early though’t be, have on their riveted trim,
And at the port expect you.
Shout within. Trumpets flourish. Enter ⌈Captains⌉ and Soldiers
 
CAPTAIN
The morn is fair. Good morrow, General.
SOLDIERS
Good morrow, General.
ANTONY
’Tis well blown, lads.
This morning, like the spirit of a youth
That means to be of note, begins betimes.
So, so. Come, give me that. This way. Well said.
Fare thee well, dame. Whate’er becomes of me,
This is a soldier’s kiss.
He kisses Cleopatra
 
Rebukable
And worthy shameful check it were to stand
On more mechanic compliment. I’ll leave thee
Now like a man of steel. You that will fight,
Follow me close. I’ll bring you to’t. Adieu.
Exeunt all but Cleopatra and Charmian
 
CHARMIAN
Please you retire to your chamber?
CLEOPATRA
Lead me.
He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might
Determine this great war in single fight!
Then, Antony—but now! Well, on.
Exeunt
 
4.5
Trumpets sound. Enter Antony and Eros, meeting a Soldier
 
SOLDIER
The gods make this a happy day to Antony!
ANTONY
Would thou and those thy scars had once prevailed
To make me fight at land!
SOLDIER
Hadst thou done so, The kings that have revolted, and the soldier
That has this morning left thee, would have still
Followed thy heels.
ANTONY
Who’s gone this morning?
SOLDIER
Who? One ever near thee. Call for Enobarbus,
He shall not hear thee, or from Caesar’s camp
Say ‘I am none of thine’.
ANTONY
What sayest thou?
SOLDIER
Sir, he is with Caesar.
EROS (
to Antony)
Sir, his chests and treasure
He has not with him.
ANTONY
Is he gone?
SOLDIER
Most certain.
ANTONY
Go, Eros, send his treasure after. Do it.
Detain no jot, I charge thee. Write to him—
I will subscribe—gentle adieus and greetings.
Say that I wish he never find more cause 15
To change a master. O, my fortunes have
Corrupted honest men! Dispatch. Enobarbus!
Exeunt
 
4.6
Flourish. Enter Agrippa, Caesar, witih Enobarbus and Dolabella
 
CAESAR
Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight.
Our will is Antony be took alive.
Make it so known.
AGRIPPA
Caesar, I shall.
Exit
 
CAESAR
The time of universal peace is near.
Prove this a prosp’rous day, the three-nooked world
Shall bear the olive freely.
Enter a Messenger
 
MESSENGER
Antony
Is come into the field.
CAESAR
Go charge Agrippa
Plant those that have revolted in the van,
That Antony may seem to spend his fury
Upon himself. 10
Exeunt Messenger

at one door

, Caesar and Dolabella

at another

 
ENOBARBUS
Alexas did revolt, and went to Jewry on
Affairs of Antony; there did dissuade
Great Herod to incline himself to Caesar
And leave his master, Antony. For this pains,
Caesar hath hanged him. Camidius and the rest 15
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.
Enter a Soldier of Caesar’s
 
SOLDIER
Enobarbus, Antony
Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with
His bounty overplus. The messenger
Came on my guard, and at thy tent is now
Unloading of his mules.
ENOBARBUS I give it you.
SOLDIER
Mock not, Enobarbus,
I tell you true. Best you safed the bringer
Out of the host. I must attend mine office,
Or would have done’t myself. Your Emperor
Continues still a Jove.
Exit
 
ENOBARBUS
I am alone the villain of the earth,
And feel I am so most. O Antony,
Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paid
My better service, when my turpitude
Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart.
If swift thought break it not, a swifter mean
Shall outstrike thought; but thought will do‘t, I feel.
I fight against thee? No, I will go seek
Some ditch wherein to die. The foul’st best fits
My latter part of life.
Exit
 
4.7
Alarum. Enter Agrippa

with drummers and trumpeters

 
AGRIPPA
Retire! We have engaged our selves too far.
Caesar himself has work, and our oppression
Exceeds what we expected.
Exeunt
 
4.8
Alarums. Enter Antony, and Scarus wounded
 
SCARUS
O my brave Emperor, this is fought indeed!
Had we done so at first, we had droven them home
With clouts about their heads.
ANTONY
Thou bleed’st apace.
SCARUS
I had a wound here that was like a T,
But now ’tis made an H.
Retreat sounded far off
 
ANTONY
They do retire.
SCARUS
We’ll beat ’em into bench-holes. I have yet
Room for six scotches more.
Enter Eros
 
EROS
They are beaten, sir, and our advantage serves
For a fair victory.
SCARUS
Let us score their backs
And snatch ‘em up as we take hares, behind.
’Tis sport to maul a runner.

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