William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (453 page)
Read William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Tags: #Drama, #Literary Criticism, #Shakespeare
BOOK: William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition
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AGRIPPA
Royal wench!
She made great Caesar lay his sword to bed.
He ploughed her, and she cropped.
He ploughed her, and she cropped.
ENOBARBUS
I saw her once
Hop forty paces through the public street,
And having lost her breath, she spoke and panted,
That she did make defect perfection,
And breathless, pour breath forth.
And having lost her breath, she spoke and panted,
That she did make defect perfection,
And breathless, pour breath forth.
MAECENAS
Now Antony
Must leave her utterly.
ENOBARBUS
Never. He will not.
Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale
Her infinite variety. Other women cloy
The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry
Where most she satisfies. For vilest things
Become themselves in her, that the holy priests
Bless her when she is riggish.
Her infinite variety. Other women cloy
The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry
Where most she satisfies. For vilest things
Become themselves in her, that the holy priests
Bless her when she is riggish.
MAECENAS
If beauty, wisdom, modesty can settle
The heart of Antony, Octavia is
A blessed lottery to him.
The heart of Antony, Octavia is
A blessed lottery to him.
AGRIPPA
Let us go.
Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest
Whilst you abide here.
Whilst you abide here.
ENOBARBUS Humbly, sir, I thank you.
Exeunt
Enter Antony and Caesar; Octavia between them
ANTONY
The world and my great office will sometimes
Divide me from your bosom.
Divide me from your bosom.
OCTAVIA
All which time, Before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers
To them for you.
To them for you.
ANTONY
Good night, sir. My Octavia, Read not my blemishes in the world’s report.
I have not kept my square, but that to come
Shall all be done by th’ rule. Good night, dear lady.
Good night, sir.
I have not kept my square, but that to come
Shall all be done by th’ rule. Good night, dear lady.
Good night, sir.
CAESAR Good night.
Exeunt Caesar and Octavia
Enter Soothsayer
ANTONY
Now, sirrah. You do wish yourself in Egypt?
SOOTHSAYER
Would I had never come from thence, nor you
Gone thither.
Gone thither.
ANTONY If you can, your reason?
SOOTHSAYER
I see it in my motion, have it not in my tongue.
But yet hie you to Egypt again.
But yet hie you to Egypt again.
ANTONY
Say to me
Whose fortunes shall rise higher: Caesar’s or mine?
SOOTHSAYER
Caesar’s. Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side.
Thy daemon, that thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,
Where Caesar’s is not. But near him thy angel
Becomes afeard, as being o’erpowered. Therefore
Make space enough between you.
Thy daemon, that thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,
Where Caesar’s is not. But near him thy angel
Becomes afeard, as being o’erpowered. Therefore
Make space enough between you.
ANTONY Speak this no more.
SOOTHSAYER
To none but thee; no more but when to thee.
If thou dost play with him at any game
Thou art sure to lose; and of that natural luck
He beats thee ‘gainst the odds. Thy lustre thickens
When he shines by. I say again, thy spirit
Is all afraid to govern thee near him;
But he away, ’tis noble.
If thou dost play with him at any game
Thou art sure to lose; and of that natural luck
He beats thee ‘gainst the odds. Thy lustre thickens
When he shines by. I say again, thy spirit
Is all afraid to govern thee near him;
But he away, ’tis noble.
ANTONY
Get thee gone.
Say to Ventidius I would speak with him.
Exit Soothsayer
He shall to Parthia; be it art or hap,
He hath spoken true. The very dice obey him,
And in our sports my better cunning faints
Under his chance. If we draw lots, he speeds.
His cocks do win the battle still of mine
When it is all to nought, and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhooped, at odds. I will to Egypt;
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
I’th’ East my pleasure lies.
He hath spoken true. The very dice obey him,
And in our sports my better cunning faints
Under his chance. If we draw lots, he speeds.
His cocks do win the battle still of mine
When it is all to nought, and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhooped, at odds. I will to Egypt;
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
I’th’ East my pleasure lies.
Enter Ventidius
O, come, Ventidius.
You must to Parthia, your commission’s ready.
Follow me, and receive’t.
You must to Parthia, your commission’s ready.
Follow me, and receive’t.
Exeunt
Enter Lepidus, Maecenas, and Agrippa
LEPIDUS
Trouble yourselves no further. Pray you, hasten
Your generals after.
Your generals after.
AGRIPPA
Sir, Mark Antony
Will e’en but kiss Octavia, and we’ll follow.
LEPIDUS
Till I shall see you in your soldier’s dress,
Which will become you both, farewell.
Which will become you both, farewell.
MAECENAS
We shall, As I conceive the journey, be at the Mount
Before you, Lepidus.
Before you, Lepidus.
LEPIDUS
Your way is shorter.
My purposes do draw me much about.
You’ll win two days upon me.
You’ll win two days upon me.
MAECENAS
and
AGRIPPA
and
AGRIPPA
Sir, good success.
LEPIDUS Farewell.
Exeunt Maecenas and Agrippa at one door, Lepidus at another
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas
CLEOPATRA
Give me some music—music, moody food
Of us that trade in love.
Of us that trade in love.
CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS The music, ho!
Enter Mardian, the eunuch
CLEOPATRA
Let it alone. Let’s to billiards. Come, Charmian.
CHARMIAN
My arm is sore. Best play with Mardian.
CLEOPATRA
As well a woman with an eunuch played
As with a woman. Come, you’ll play with me, sir?
MARDIAN As well as I can, madam.
As with a woman. Come, you’ll play with me, sir?
MARDIAN As well as I can, madam.
CLEOPATRA
And when good will is showed, though’t come too
short
The actor may plead pardon. I’ll none now.
Give me mine angle. We’ll to th’ river. There,
My music playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finned fishes. My bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws, and as I draw them up
I’ll think them every one an Antony,
And say ‘Ah ha, you’re caught!’
short
The actor may plead pardon. I’ll none now.
Give me mine angle. We’ll to th’ river. There,
My music playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finned fishes. My bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws, and as I draw them up
I’ll think them every one an Antony,
And say ‘Ah ha, you’re caught!’
CHARMIAN
’Twas merry when
You wagered on your angling, when your diver
Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he
With fervency drew up.
Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he
With fervency drew up.
CLEOPATRA
That time—O times!—
I laughed him out of patience, and that night
I laughed him into patience, and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed,
Then put my tires and mantles on him whilst
I wore his sword Philippan.
I laughed him into patience, and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed,
Then put my tires and mantles on him whilst
I wore his sword Philippan.
Enter a Messenger
O, from Italy.
Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
That long time have been barren.
Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
That long time have been barren.
MESSENGER
Madam, madam!
CLEOPATRA
Antonio’s dead. If thou say so, villain,
Thou kill’st thy mistress; but well and free,
If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here
My bluest veins to kiss—a hand that kings
Have lipped, and trembled kissing.
Thou kill’st thy mistress; but well and free,
If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here
My bluest veins to kiss—a hand that kings
Have lipped, and trembled kissing.
MESSENGER
First, madam, he is well.
CLEOPATRA
Why, there’s more gold. But, sirrah, mark: we use
To say the dead are well. Bring it to that,
The gold I give thee will I melt and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.
To say the dead are well. Bring it to that,
The gold I give thee will I melt and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.
MESSENGER Good madam, hear me.
CLEOPATRA Well, go to, I will.
But there’s no goodness in thy face. If Antony
Be free and healthful, so tart a favour
To trumpet such good tidings! If not well,
Thou shouldst come like a Fury crowned with snakes,
Not like a formal man.
Be free and healthful, so tart a favour
To trumpet such good tidings! If not well,
Thou shouldst come like a Fury crowned with snakes,
Not like a formal man.
MESSENGER
Will’t please you hear me?
CLEOPATRA
I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak’st.
Yet if thou say Antony lives, is well,
Or friends with Caesar, or not captive to him,
I’ll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail
Rich pearls upon thee.
Yet if thou say Antony lives, is well,
Or friends with Caesar, or not captive to him,
I’ll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail
Rich pearls upon thee.
MESSENGER
Madam, he’s well.
CLEOPATRA
Well said.
MESSENGER
And friends with Caesar.
CLEOPATRA Thou’rt an honest man.
MESSENGER
Caesar and he are greater friends than ever.
CLEOPATRA
Make thee a fortune from me.
MESSENGER
But yet, madam—
CLEOPATRA
I do not like ‘But yet’; it does allay
The good precedence. Fie upon ‘But yet’.
‘But yet’ is as a jailer to bring forth
Some monstrous malefactor. Prithee, friend,
Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,
The good and bad together. He’s friends with Caesar,
In state of health, thou sayst; and, thou sayst, free.
The good precedence. Fie upon ‘But yet’.
‘But yet’ is as a jailer to bring forth
Some monstrous malefactor. Prithee, friend,
Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,
The good and bad together. He’s friends with Caesar,
In state of health, thou sayst; and, thou sayst, free.
MESSENGER
Free, madam? No, I made no such report.
He’s bound unto Octavia.
He’s bound unto Octavia.
CLEOPATRA
For what good turn?
MESSENGER
For the best turn i’th’ bed.
CLEOPATRA
I am pale, Charmian.
MESSENGER
Madam, he’s married to Octavia.
CLEOPATRA
The most infectious pestilence upon thee!
She strikes him down
MESSENGER
Good madam, patience!
CLEOPATRA
What say you?
She strikes him
Hence, horrible villain, or I’ll spurn thine eyes
Like balls before me. I’ll unhair thy head,
Hence, horrible villain, or I’ll spurn thine eyes
Like balls before me. I’ll unhair thy head,
She hales him up and down
Thou shalt be whipped with wire and stewed in brine,
Smarting in ling’ring pickle.
Smarting in ling’ring pickle.
MESSENGER
Gracious madam,
I that do bring the news made not the match.
CLEOPATRA
Say ’tis not so, a province I will give thee,
And make thy fortunes proud. The blow thou hadst
Shall make thy peace for moving me to rage,
And I will boot thee with what gift beside
Thy modesty can beg.
And make thy fortunes proud. The blow thou hadst
Shall make thy peace for moving me to rage,
And I will boot thee with what gift beside
Thy modesty can beg.
MESSENGER
He’s married, madam.
CLEOPATRA
Rogue, thou hast lived too long.
She draws a knife
MESSENGER
Nay then, I’ll run.
What mean you, madam? I have made no fault.
Exit
Exit
CHARMIAN
Good madam, keep yourself within yourself.
The man is innocent.
The man is innocent.
CLEOPATRA
Some innocents ’scape not the thunderbolt.
Melt Egypt into Nile, and kindly creatures
Turn all to serpents! Call the slave again.
Though I am mad I will not bite him. Call!
Melt Egypt into Nile, and kindly creatures
Turn all to serpents! Call the slave again.
Though I am mad I will not bite him. Call!
CHARMIAN
He is afeard to come.
CLEOPATRA
I will not hurt him.
⌈
Exit Charmian
⌉
These hands do lack nobility that they strike
A meaner than myself, since I myself
Have given myself the cause.
A meaner than myself, since I myself
Have given myself the cause.
Enter the Messenger again ⌈With Charmian⌉
Come hither, sir.
Though it be honest, it is never good
To bring bad news. Give to a gracious message
An host of tongues, but let ill tidings tell
Themselves when they be felt.
To bring bad news. Give to a gracious message
An host of tongues, but let ill tidings tell
Themselves when they be felt.
MESSENGER I have done my duty.
CLEOPATRA Is he married?
I cannot hate thee worser than I do
If thou again say ‘Yes’.
If thou again say ‘Yes’.
MESSENGER
He’s married, madam.
CLEOPATRA
The gods confound thee! Dost thou hold there still?
MESSENGER
Should I lie, madam?
CLEOPATRA O, I would thou didst,
So half my Egypt were submerged and made
A cistern for scaled snakes. Go, get thee hence.
Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me
Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is married?
A cistern for scaled snakes. Go, get thee hence.
Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me
Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is married?
MESSENGER
I crave your highness’ pardon.
CLEOPATRA
He is married?
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