William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (451 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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You are too indulgent. Let’s grant it is not
Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy,
To give a kingdom for a mirth, to sit
And keep the turn of tippling with a slave,
To reel the streets at noon, and stand the buffet
With knaves that smells of sweat. Say this becomes
him—
As his composure must be rare indeed
Whom these things cannot blemish—yet must Antony
No way excuse his foils when we do bear
So great weight in his lightness. If he filled
His vacancy with his voluptuousness,
Full surfeits and the dryness of his bones
Call on him for’t. But to confound such time
That drums him from his sport, and speaks as loud
As his own state and ours—’tis to be chid
As we rate boys who, being mature in knowledge,
Pawn their experience to their present pleasure,
And so rebel to judgement.
Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy,
To give a kingdom for a mirth, to sit
And keep the turn of tippling with a slave,
To reel the streets at noon, and stand the buffet
With knaves that smells of sweat. Say this becomes
him—
As his composure must be rare indeed
Whom these things cannot blemish—yet must Antony
No way excuse his foils when we do bear
So great weight in his lightness. If he filled
His vacancy with his voluptuousness,
Full surfeits and the dryness of his bones
Call on him for’t. But to confound such time
That drums him from his sport, and speaks as loud
As his own state and ours—’tis to be chid
As we rate boys who, being mature in knowledge,
Pawn their experience to their present pleasure,
And so rebel to judgement.
Enter a Messenger
LEPIDUS
Here’s more news.
MESSENGER
Thy biddings have been done, and every hour,
Most noble Caesar, shalt thou have report
How ’tis abroad. Pompey is strong at sea,
And it appears he is beloved of those
That only have feared Caesar. To the ports
The discontents repair, and men’s reports
Give him much wronged.
Most noble Caesar, shalt thou have report
How ’tis abroad. Pompey is strong at sea,
And it appears he is beloved of those
That only have feared Caesar. To the ports
The discontents repair, and men’s reports
Give him much wronged.
⌈
Exit
⌉
CAESAR
I should have known no less. It hath been taught us from the primal state
That he which is was wished until he were,
And the ebbed man, ne‘er loved till ne’er worth love,
Comes deared by being lacked. This common body,
Like to a vagabond flag upon the stream,
Goes to, and back, lackeying the varying tide,
To rot itself with motion.
That he which is was wished until he were,
And the ebbed man, ne‘er loved till ne’er worth love,
Comes deared by being lacked. This common body,
Like to a vagabond flag upon the stream,
Goes to, and back, lackeying the varying tide,
To rot itself with motion.
⌈
Enter a second Messenger
⌉
SECOND MESSENGER
Caesar, I bring thee word Menecrates and Menas, famous pirates,
Makes the sea serve them, which they ear and wound
With keels of every kind. Many hot inroads
They make in Italy. The borders maritime
Lack blood to think on‘t, and flush youth revolt.
No vessel can peep forth but ’tis as soon
Taken as seen; for Pompey’s name strikes more
Than could his war resisted.
Makes the sea serve them, which they ear and wound
With keels of every kind. Many hot inroads
They make in Italy. The borders maritime
Lack blood to think on‘t, and flush youth revolt.
No vessel can peep forth but ’tis as soon
Taken as seen; for Pompey’s name strikes more
Than could his war resisted.
⌈
Exit
⌉
CAESAR
Antony,
Leave thy lascivious wassails. When thou once
Was beaten from Modena, where thou slew‘st
Hirtius and Pansa, consuls, at thy heel
Did famine follow, whom thou fought’st against—
Though daintily brought up—with patience more
Than savages could suffer. Thou didst drink
The stale of horses, and the gilded puddle
Which beasts would cough at. Thy palate then did
deign
The roughest berry on the rudest hedge.
Yea, like the stag when snow the pasture sheets,
The barks of trees thou browsed. 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 not.
Was beaten from Modena, where thou slew‘st
Hirtius and Pansa, consuls, at thy heel
Did famine follow, whom thou fought’st against—
Though daintily brought up—with patience more
Than savages could suffer. Thou didst drink
The stale of horses, and the gilded puddle
Which beasts would cough at. Thy palate then did
deign
The roughest berry on the rudest hedge.
Yea, like the stag when snow the pasture sheets,
The barks of trees thou browsed. 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 not.
LEPIDUS ’Tis pity of him.
CAESAR Let his shames quickly
Drive him to Rome. ‘Tis time we twain
Did show ourselves i’th’ field; and to that end
Assemble we immediate council. Pompey
Thrives in our idleness.
Did show ourselves i’th’ field; 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 able
To front this present time.
Both what by sea and land I can be able
To front this present time.
CAESAR Till which encounter
It is my business, too. Farewell.
LEPIDUS
Farewell, my lord. What you shall know meantime
Of stirs abroad I shall beseech you, sir,
To let me be partaker.
Of stirs abroad I shall beseech you, sir,
To let me be partaker.
CAESAR
Doubt not, sir. I knew it for my bond.
Exeunt
Enter
Cleopatra,
Charmian, Iras, and Mardian
CLEOPATRA Charmian!
CHARMIAN Madam?
CLEOPATRA
(yawning)
(yawning)
Ha, ha. Give me to drink mandragora.
CHARMIAN Why, madam?
CLEOPATRA
That I might sleep out this great gap of time
My Antony is away.
My Antony is away.
CHARMIAN
You think of him too much.
CLEOPATRA
O, ’tis treason!
CHARMIAN Madam, I trust not so.
CLEOPATRA
Thou, eunuch Mardian!
MARDIAN What’s your highness’ pleasure?
CLEOPATRA
Not now to hear thee sing. I take no pleasure
In aught an eunuch has. ’is well for thee
That, being unseminared, thy freer thoughts
May not fly forth of Egypt. Hast thou affections?
In aught an eunuch has. ’is well for thee
That, being unseminared, thy freer thoughts
May not fly forth of Egypt. Hast thou affections?
MARDIAN Yes, gracious madam.
CLEOPATRA Indeed?
MARDIAN
Not in deed, madam, for I can do nothing
But what indeed is honest to be done.
Yet have I fierce affections, and think
What Venus did with Mars.
But what indeed is honest to be done.
Yet have I fierce affections, and think
What Venus did with Mars.
CLEOPATRA
O, Charmian, Where think‘st thou he is now? Stands he or sits he?
Or does he walk? Or is he on his horse?
O happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony!
Do bravely, horse, for wot’st thou whom thou
mov’st?—
The demi-Atlas of this earth, the arm
And burgonet of men. He’s speaking now,
Or murmuring ‘Where’s my serpent of old Nile?’—
For so he calls me. Now I feed myself
With most delicious poison. Think on me,
That am with Phoebus’ amorous pinches black,
And wrinkled deep in time. Broad-fronted Caesar,
When thou wast here above the ground I was
A morsel for a monarch, and great Pompey
Would stand and make his eyes grow in my brow.
There would he anchor his aspect, and die
With looking on his life.
Or does he walk? Or is he on his horse?
O happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony!
Do bravely, horse, for wot’st thou whom thou
mov’st?—
The demi-Atlas of this earth, the arm
And burgonet of men. He’s speaking now,
Or murmuring ‘Where’s my serpent of old Nile?’—
For so he calls me. Now I feed myself
With most delicious poison. Think on me,
That am with Phoebus’ amorous pinches black,
And wrinkled deep in time. Broad-fronted Caesar,
When thou wast here above the ground I was
A morsel for a monarch, and great Pompey
Would stand and make his eyes grow in my brow.
There would he anchor his aspect, and die
With looking on his life.
Enter Alexas
ALEXAS Sovereign of Egypt, hail!
CLEOPATRA
How much unlike art thou Mark Antony!
Yet, coming from him, that great medicine hath
With his tinct gilded thee. How goes it
With my brave Mark Antony?
Yet, coming from him, that great medicine hath
With his tinct gilded thee. How goes it
With my brave Mark Antony?
ALEXAS
Last thing he did, dear Queen, He kissed—the last of many doubled kisses—
This orient pearl. His speech sticks in my heart.
This orient pearl. His speech sticks in my heart.
CLEOPATRA
Mine ear must pluck it thence.
ALEXAS
‘Good friend,’ quoth he, ‘Say the firm Roman to great Egypt sends
This treasure of an oyster; at whose foot,
To mend the petty present, I will piece
Her opulent throne with kingdoms. All the East,
Say thou, shall call her mistress.’ So he nodded,
And soberly did mount an arm-jaunced steed,
Who neighed so high that what I would have spoke
Was beastly dumbed by him.
This treasure of an oyster; at whose foot,
To mend the petty present, I will piece
Her opulent throne with kingdoms. All the East,
Say thou, shall call her mistress.’ So he nodded,
And soberly did mount an arm-jaunced steed,
Who neighed so high that what I would have spoke
Was beastly dumbed by him.
CLEOPATRA
What, was he sad or merry?
ALEXAS
Like to the time o’th’ year between the extremes
Of hot and cold, he was nor sad nor merry.
Of hot and cold, he was nor sad nor merry.
CLEOPATRA
O well divided disposition! Note him,
Note him, good Charmian, ‘tis the man; but note him.
He was not sad, for he would shine on those
That make their looks by his; he was not merry,
Which seemed to tell them his remembrance lay
In Egypt with his joy; but between both.
O heavenly mingle! Be’st thou sad or merry,
The violence of either thee becomes;
So does it no man else. Met’st thou my posts?
Note him, good Charmian, ‘tis the man; but note him.
He was not sad, for he would shine on those
That make their looks by his; he was not merry,
Which seemed to tell them his remembrance lay
In Egypt with his joy; but between both.
O heavenly mingle! Be’st thou sad or merry,
The violence of either thee becomes;
So does it no man else. Met’st thou my posts?
ALEXAS
Ay, madam, twenty several messengers.
Why do you send so thick?
Why do you send so thick?
CLEOPATRA
Who’s born that day
When I forget to send to Antony
Shall die a beggar. Ink and paper, Charmian! I
Welcome, my good Alexas. Did I, Charmian,
Ever love Caesar so?
Shall die a beggar. Ink and paper, Charmian! I
Welcome, my good Alexas. Did I, Charmian,
Ever love Caesar so?
CHARMIAN
O
, that brave Caesar!
, that brave Caesar!
CLEOPATRA
Be choked with such another emphasis!
Say ‘the brave Antony’.
Say ‘the brave Antony’.
CHARMIAN
The valiant Caesar.
CLEOPATRA
By Isis, I will give thee bloody teeth
If thou with Caesar paragon again
My man of men.
If thou with Caesar paragon again
My man of men.
CHARMIAN
By your most gracious pardon, I sing but after you.
CLEOPATRA
My salad days, When I was green in judgement, cold in blood,
To say as I said then. But come, away,
Get me ink and paper.
He shall have every day a several greeting,
Or I’ll unpeople Egypt.
To say as I said then. But come, away,
Get me ink and paper.
He shall have every day a several greeting,
Or I’ll unpeople Egypt.
Exeunt
Enter Pompey, Menecrates, and Menas, in warlike manner
POMPEY
If the great gods be just, they shall assist
The deeds of justest men.
⌈MENECRATES⌉ Know, worthy Pompey,
That what they do delay they not deny.
The deeds of justest men.
⌈MENECRATES⌉ Know, worthy Pompey,
That what they do delay they not deny.
POMPEY
Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays
The thing we sue for.
The thing we sue for.
⌈MENECRATES⌉
We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good; so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.
Deny us for our good; so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.
POMPEY
I shall do well.
The people love me, and the sea is mine.
My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to th’ full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where
He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flattered; but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.
My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to th’ full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where
He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flattered; but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.
⌈MENAS⌉
Caesar and Lepidus
Are in the field; a mighty strength they carry.
POMPEY
Where have you this? ’Tis false.
⌈MENAS⌉
From Silvius, sir.
POMPEY
He dreams. I know they are in Rome together,
Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip.
Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both
Tie up the libertine, in a field of feasts
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour
Even till a Lethe’d dullness—
Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip.
Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both
Tie up the libertine, in a field of feasts
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour
Even till a Lethe’d dullness—
Enter Varrius
How now, Varrius?
VARRIUS
This is most certain that I shall deliver:
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
Expected. Since he went from Egypt, ’tis
A space for farther travel.
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
Expected. Since he went from Egypt, ’tis
A space for farther travel.
POMPEY
I could have given less matter
A better ear. Menas, I did not think
This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm
For such a petty war. His soldiership
Is twice the other twain. But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt’s widow pluck
The ne’er lust-wearied Antony.
This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm
For such a petty war. His soldiership
Is twice the other twain. But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt’s widow pluck
The ne’er lust-wearied Antony.
MENAS
I cannot hope
Caesar and Antony shall well greet together.
His wife that’s dead did trespasses to Caesar,
His brother warred upon him, although, I think,
Not moved by Antony.
His wife that’s dead did trespasses to Caesar,
His brother warred upon him, although, I think,
Not moved by Antony.
POMPEY
I know not, Menas,
How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
Were’t not that we stand up against them all,
’Twere pregnant they should square between
themselves,
For they have entertained cause enough
To draw their swords. But how the fear of us
May cement their divisions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be’t as our gods will have’t; it only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
Were’t not that we stand up against them all,
’Twere pregnant they should square between
themselves,
For they have entertained cause enough
To draw their swords. But how the fear of us
May cement their divisions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be’t as our gods will have’t; it only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
Exeunt
Enter Enobarbus and Lepidus
LEPIDUS
Good Enobarbus, ’tis a worthy deed,
And shall become you well, to entreat your captain
To soft and gentle speech.
And shall become you well, to entreat your captain
To soft and gentle speech.
ENOBARBUS
I shall entreat him To answer like himself. If Caesar move him,
Let Antony look over Caesar’s head
And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
Were I the wearer of Antonio’s beard
I would not shave’t today.
Let Antony look over Caesar’s head
And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
Were I the wearer of Antonio’s beard
I would not shave’t today.
LEPIDUS
’Tis not a time
For private stomaching.
ENOBARBUS
Every time
Serves for the matter that is then born in’t.
LEPIDUS
But small to greater matters must give way.
ENOBARBUS
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