Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare (english novels to read txt) 📕

brothers parted?

ENOBARBUS.
They have despatch'd with Pompey; he is gone;
The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps
To part from Rome: Caesar is sad; and Lepidus,
Since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubled
With the green sickness.

AGRIPPA.
'Tis a noble Lepidus.

ENOBARBUS.
A very fine one: O, how he loves Caesar!

AGRIPPA.
Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!

ENOBARBUS.
Caesar? Why he's the Jupiter of men.

AGRIPPA.
What's Antony? The god of Jupiter.

ENOBARBUS.
Spake you of Caesar? How! the nonpareil!

AGRIPPA.
O, Antony! O thou Arabian bird!

ENOBARBUS.
Would you praise Caesar, say 'Caesar'--go no further.

AGRIPPA.
Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.

ENOBARBUS.
But he loves Caesar best;--yet he loves Antony:
Hoo! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets, cannot
Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number--hoo!--
His love to Antony. But as for Caesar,
Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.

AGRIPPA.
Both he loves.

ENOBARBUS.
They are his shards, and he their beetle.

[Trumpets within.]

So,--
This is to horse.--Adieu, noble Agrippa.

AGRIPPA.
Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell.

[Enter CAESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA.]

ANTONY.
No further, sir.

CAESAR.
You take from me a great part of myself;
Use me well in't.--Sister, prove such a wife
As my thoughts make thee, and as my furthest band
Shall pass on thy approof.--Most noble Antony,
Let not the piece of virtue which is set
Betwixt us as the cement of our love,
To keep it builded, be the ram to batter
The fortress of it; for better might we
Have lov'd without this mean if on both parts
This be not cherish'd.

ANTONY.
Make me not offended
In your distrust.

CAESAR.
I have said.

ANTONY.
You shall not find,
Though you be therein curious, the least cause
For what you seem to fear: so, the gods keep you,
And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!
We will here part.

CAESAR.
Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well:
The elements be kind to thee, and make
Thy spirits all of comfort! Fare thee well.

OCTAVIA.
My noble brother!--

ANTONY.
The April's in her eyes: it is love's spring,
And these the showers to bring it on.--Be cheerful.

OCTAVIA.
Sir, look well to my husband's house; and--

CAESAR.
What,
Octavia?

OCTAVIA.
I'll tell you in your ear.

ANTONY.
Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can
Her heart inform her tongue,--the swan's down feather,
That stands upon the swell at the full of tide,
And neither way inclines.

ENOBARBUS.
[Aside to AGRIPPA.] Will Caesar weep?

AGRIPPA.
[Aside to ENOBARBUS.] He has a cloud in's face.

ENOBARBUS.
[Aside to AGRIPPA.] He were the worse for that, were he a horse;
So is he, being a man.

AGRIPPA.
[Aside to ENOBARBUS.] Why, Enobarbus,
When Antony found Julius Caesar dead,
He cried almost to roaring; and he wept
When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.

ENOBARBUS.
[Aside to AGRIPPA.] That year, indeed, he was troubled with a
rheum;
What willingly he did confound he wail'd:
Believe't till I weep too.

CAESAR.
No, sweet Octavia,
You shall hear from me still; the time shall not
Out-go my thinking on you.

ANTONY.
Come, sir, come;
I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love:
Look, here I have you; thus I let you go,
And give you to the gods.

CAESAR.
Adieu; be happy!

LEPIDUS.
Let all the number of the stars give light
To thy fair way!

CAESAR.
Farewell, farewell!

[Kisses OCTAVIA.]

ANTONY.
Farewell!

[Trumpets sound within. Exeunt.]


SCENE III. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

[Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS.]

CLEOPATRA.
Where is the fellow?

ALEXAS.
Half afear'd to come.

CLEOPATRA.
Go to, go to.

[Enter a Messenger.]

Come hither, sir.

ALEXAS.
Good majesty,
Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you
But when you are well pleas'd.

CLEOPATRA.
That Herod's head
I'll have: but how? when Antony is gone,
Through whom I might command it?--Come thou near.

MESSENGER.
Most gracious majesty,--

CLEOPATRA.
Didst thou behold Octavia?

MESSENGER.
Ay, dread queen.

CLEOPATRA.
Where?

MESSENGER.
Madam, in Rome
I look'd her in the face, and saw her led
Between her brother and Mark Antony.

CLEOPATRA.
Is she as tall as me?

MESSENGER.
She is not, madam.

CLEOPATRA.
Didst hear her speak? is she shrill-tongu'd or low?

MESSENGER.
Madam, I heard her speak: she is low-voic'd.

CLEOPATRA.
That's not so good:--he cannot like her long.

CHARMIAN.
Like her! O Isis! 'tis impossible.

CLEOPATRA.
I think so, Charmian: dull of tongue and dwarfish!--
What majesty is in her gait? Remember,
If e'er thou look'dst on majesty.

MESSENGER.
She creeps,--
Her motion and her station are as one;
She shows a body rather than a life,
A statue than a breather.

CLEOPATRA.
Is this certain?

MESSENGER.
Or I have no observance.

CHARMIAN.
Three in Egypt
Cannot make better note.

CLEOPATRA.
He's very knowing;
I do perceive't:--there's nothing in her yet:--
The fellow has good judgment.

CHARMIAN.
Excellent.

CLEOPATRA.
Guess at her years, I pr'ythee.

MESSENGER.
Madam,
She was a widow.

CLEOPATRA.
Widow!--Charmian, hark!

MESSENGER.
And I do think she's thirty.

CLEOPATRA.
Bear'st thou her face in mind? is't long or round?

MESSENGER.
Round even to faultiness.

CLEOPATRA.
For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so.--
Her hair, what colour?

MESSENGER.
Brown, madam: and her forehead
As low as she would wish it.

CLEOPATRA.
There's gold for thee.
Thou must not take my former sharpness ill:--
I will employ thee back again; I find thee
Most fit for business:--go make thee ready;
Our letters are prepar'd.

[Exit Messenger.]

CHARMIAN.
A proper man.

CLEOPATRA.
Indeed, he is so: I repent me much
That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him,
This creature's no such thing.

CHARMIAN.
Nothing, madam.

CLEOPATRA.
The man hath seen some majesty, and should know.

CHARMIAN.
Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend,
And serving you so long!

CLEOPATRA.
I have one thing more to ask him yet, good Charmian:
But 'tis no matter; thou shalt bring him to me
Where I will write. All may be well enough.

CHARMIAN.
I warrant you, madam.

[Exeunt.]


SCENE IV. Athens. A Room in ANTONY'S House.

[Enter ANTONY and OCTAVIA.]

ANTONY.
Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,--
That were excusable, that and thousands more
Of semblable import--but he hath wag'd
New wars 'gainst Pompey; made his will, and read it
To public ear:
Spoke scandy of me: when perforce he could not
But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly
He vented them:most narrow measure lent me;
When the best hint was given him, he not took't,
Or did it from his teeth.

OCTAVIA.
O my good lord,
Believe not all; or if you must believe,
Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady,
If this division chance, ne'er stood between,
Praying for both parts:
Sure the good gods will mock me presently
When I shall pray 'O, bless my lord and husband!'
Undo that prayer by crying out as loud
'O, bless my brother!' Husband win, win brother,
Prays and destroys the prayer; no mid-way
'Twixt these extremes at all.

ANTONY.
Gentle Octavia,
Let your best love draw to that point which seeks
Best to preserve it: if I lose mine honour,
I lose myself: better I were not yours
Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested,
Yourself shall go between's: the meantime, lady,
I'll raise the preparation of a war
Shall stain your brother: make your soonest haste;
So your desires are yours.

OCTAVIA.
Thanks to my lord.
The Jove of power make me, most weak, most weak,
Your reconciler! Wars 'twixt you twain would be
As if the world should cleave, and that slain men
Should solder up the rift.

ANTONY.
When it appears to you where this begins,
Turn your displeasure that way; for our faults
Can never be so equal that your love
Can equally move with them. Provide your going;
Choose your own company, and command what cost
Your heart has mind to.

[Exeunt.]


SCENE V. Athens. Another Room in ANTONY'S House.

[Enter ENOBARBUS and EROS, meeting.]

ENOBARBUS.
How now, friend Eros!

EROS.
There's strange news come, sir.

ENOBARBUS.
What, man?

EROS.
Caesar and Lepidus have made wars upon Pompey.

ENOBARBUS.
This is old: what is the success?

EROS.
Caesar, having made use of him in the wars 'gainst Pompey,
presently denied him rivality; would not let him partake in the
glory of the action: and not resting here, accuses him of letters
he had formerly wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal, seizes him:
so the poor third is up, till death enlarge his confine.

ENOBARBUS.
Then, world, thou hast a pair of chaps, no more;
And throw between them all the food thou hast,
They'll grind the one the other. Where's Antony?

EROS.
He's walking in the garden--thus; and spurns
The rush that lies before him; cries 'Fool Lepidus!'
And threats the throat of that his officer
That murder'd Pompey.

ENOBARBUS.
Our great navy's rigg'd.

EROS.
For Italy and Caesar. More, Domitius;
My lord desires you presently: my news
I might have told hereafter.

ENOBARBUS.
'Twill be naught;
But let it be.--Bring me to Antony.

EROS.
Come, sir.

[Exeunt.]


SCENE VI. Rome. A Room in CAESAR'S House.

[Enter CAESAR, AGRIPPA, and MAECENAS.]

CAESAR.
Contemning Rome, he has done all this, and more,
In Alexandria. Here's the manner of't:--
I' the market-place, on a tribunal silver'd,
Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold
Were publicly enthron'd: at the feet sat
Caesarion, whom they call my father's son,
And all the unlawful issue that their lust
Since then hath made between them. Unto her
He gave the 'stablishment of Egypt; made her
Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,
Absolute queen.

MAECENAS.
This in the public eye?

CAESAR.
I' the common show-place, where they exercise.
His sons he there proclaim'd the kings of kings:
Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia,
He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign'd
Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia: she
In the habiliments of the goddess Isis
That day appear'd; and oft before gave audience,
As 'tis reported, so.

MAECENAS.
Let Rome be thus
Inform'd.

AGRIPPA.
Who, queasy with his insolence
Already, will their good thoughts call from him.

CAESAR.
The people knows it: and have now receiv'd
His accusations.

AGRIPPA.
Who does he accuse?

CAESAR.
Caesar: and that, having in Sicily
Sextus Pompeius spoil'd, we had not rated him
His part o' the isle: then does he say he lent me
Some shipping, unrestor'd: lastly, he frets
That Lepidus of the triumvirate
Should be depos'd; and, being, that we detain
All his revenue.

AGRIPPA.
Sir, this should be answer'd.

CAESAR.
'Tis done already, and messenger gone.
I have told him Lepidus was grown too cruel;
That he his high authority abus'd,
And did deserve his change: for what I have conquer'd
I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia
And other of his conquer'd kingdoms, I
Demand the like.

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 call'd me so, nor have you cause.

CAESAR.
Why have