William Shakespeare: The Complete Works 2nd Edition (463 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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She falls
CHARMIAN O, quietness, lady!
IRAS She’s dead, too, our sovereign.
CHARMIAN
Lady!
IRAS Madam!
CHARMIAN
O, madam, madam, madam!
IRAS
Royal Egypt, Empress!
CHARMIAN
Peace, peace, Iras!
CLEOPATRA (recovering)
No more but e’en a woman, and commanded
By such poor passion as the maid that milks
And does the meanest chores. It were for me
To throw my sceptre at the injurious gods,
To tell them that this world did equal theirs
Till they had stol’n our jewel. All’s but naught.
Patience is sottish, and impatience does
Become a dog that’s mad. Then is it sin
To rush into the secret house of death
Ere death dare come to us? How do you, women?
What, what, good cheer! Why, how now, Charmian?
My noble girls! Ah, women, women! Look,
Our lamp is spent, it’s out. Good sirs, take heart;
We’ll bury him, and then what’s brave, what’s noble,
Let’s do it after the high Roman fashion,
And make death proud to take us. Come, away.
This case of that huge spirit now is cold.
Ah, women, women! Come. We have no friend
But resolution, and the briefest end.
By such poor passion as the maid that milks
And does the meanest chores. It were for me
To throw my sceptre at the injurious gods,
To tell them that this world did equal theirs
Till they had stol’n our jewel. All’s but naught.
Patience is sottish, and impatience does
Become a dog that’s mad. Then is it sin
To rush into the secret house of death
Ere death dare come to us? How do you, women?
What, what, good cheer! Why, how now, Charmian?
My noble girls! Ah, women, women! Look,
Our lamp is spent, it’s out. Good sirs, take heart;
We’ll bury him, and then what’s brave, what’s noble,
Let’s do it after the high Roman fashion,
And make death proud to take us. Come, away.
This case of that huge spirit now is cold.
Ah, women, women! Come. We have no friend
But resolution, and the briefest end.
Exeunt, those above bearing off Antony’s body
Enter Caesar with his council of war: Agrippa, Dolabella, Maecenas, Gallus, Proculeius
CAESAR
Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield.
Being so frustrate, tell him, he but mocks
The pauses that he makes.
Being so frustrate, tell him, he but mocks
The pauses that he makes.
DOLABELLA
Caesar, I shall.
Exit
Exit
Enter Decretas with the sword of Antony
CAESAR
Wherefore is that? And what art thou that dar’st
Appear thus to us?
Appear thus to us?
DECRETAS
I am called Decretas.
Mark Antony I served, who best was worthy
Best to be served. Whilst he stood up and spoke
He was my master, and I wore my life
To spend upon his haters. If thou please
To take me to thee, as I was to him
I’ll be to Caesar; if thou pleasest not,
I yield thee up my life.
Best to be served. Whilst he stood up and spoke
He was my master, and I wore my life
To spend upon his haters. If thou please
To take me to thee, as I was to him
I’ll be to Caesar; if thou pleasest not,
I yield thee up my life.
CAESAR
What is’t thou sayst?
DECRETAS
I say, O Caesar, Antony is dead.
CAESAR
The breaking of so great a thing should make
A greater crack. The rived world
Should have shook lions into civil streets,
And citizens to their dens. The death of Antony
Is not a single doom; in that name lay
A moiety of the world.
A greater crack. The rived world
Should have shook lions into civil streets,
And citizens to their dens. The death of Antony
Is not a single doom; in that name lay
A moiety of the world.
DECRETAS
He is dead, Caesar,
Not by a public minister of justice,
Nor by a hired knife; but that self hand
Which writ his honour in the acts it did
Hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it,
Splitted the heart. This is his sword;
I robbed his wound of it. Behold it stained
With his most noble blood.
Nor by a hired knife; but that self hand
Which writ his honour in the acts it did
Hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it,
Splitted the heart. This is his sword;
I robbed his wound of it. Behold it stained
With his most noble blood.
CAESAR
(weeping)
(weeping)
Look you, sad friends, The gods rebuke me; but it is a tidings
To wash the eyes of kings.
To wash the eyes of kings.
⌈AGRIPPA⌉
And strange it is
That nature must compel us to lament
Our most persisted deeds.
Our most persisted deeds.
MAECENAS
His taints and honours
Waged equal with him.
⌈AGRIPPA⌉
A rarer spirit never
Did steer humanity; but you gods will give us
Some faults to make us men. Caesar is touched.
Some faults to make us men. Caesar is touched.
MAECENAS
When such a spacious mirror’s set before him
He needs must see himself.
He needs must see himself.
CAESAR
O Antony, I have followed thee to this. But we do lance
Diseases in our bodies. I must perforce
Have shown to thee such a declining day,
Or look on thine. We could not stall together
In the whole world. But yet let me lament,
With tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts,
That thou, my brother, my competitor
In top of all design, my mate in empire,
Friend and companion in the front of war,
The arm of mine own body, and the heart
Where mine his thoughts did kindle—that our stars,
Unreconciliable, should divide
Our equalness to this. Hear me, good friends—
Diseases in our bodies. I must perforce
Have shown to thee such a declining day,
Or look on thine. We could not stall together
In the whole world. But yet let me lament,
With tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts,
That thou, my brother, my competitor
In top of all design, my mate in empire,
Friend and companion in the front of war,
The arm of mine own body, and the heart
Where mine his thoughts did kindle—that our stars,
Unreconciliable, should divide
Our equalness to this. Hear me, good friends—
Enter an Egyptian
But I will tell you at some meeter season.
The business of this man looks out of him;
We’ll hear him what he says.—Whence are you?
The business of this man looks out of him;
We’ll hear him what he says.—Whence are you?
EGYPTIAN
A poor Egyptian, yet the Queen my mistress,
Confined in all she has, her monument,
Of thy intents desires instruction,
That she preparèdly may frame herself
To th’ way she’s forced to.
Confined in all she has, her monument,
Of thy intents desires instruction,
That she preparèdly may frame herself
To th’ way she’s forced to.
CAESAR
Bid her have good heart.
She soon shall know of us, by some of ours,
How honourable and how kindly we
Determine for her. For Caesar cannot live
To be ungentle.
How honourable and how kindly we
Determine for her. For Caesar cannot live
To be ungentle.
EGYPTIAN
So; the gods preserve thee!
Exit
Exit
CAESAR
Come hither, Proculeius. Go, and say
We purpose her no shame. Give her what comforts
The quality of her passion shall require,
Lest in her greatness, by some mortal stroke,
She do defeat us; for her life in Rome
Would be eternal in our triumph. Go,
And with your speediest bring us what she says
And how you find of her.
We purpose her no shame. Give her what comforts
The quality of her passion shall require,
Lest in her greatness, by some mortal stroke,
She do defeat us; for her life in Rome
Would be eternal in our triumph. Go,
And with your speediest bring us what she says
And how you find of her.
PROCULEIUS
Caesar, I shall.
Exit
Exit
CAESAR
Gallus, go you along.
Exit Gallus
Where’s Dolabella,
To second Proculeius?
ALL BUT CAESAR
Dolabella!
CAESAR
Let him alone; for I remember now
How he’s employed. He shall in time be ready.
Go with me to my tent, where you shall see
How hardly I was drawn into this war,
How calm and gentle I proceeded still
In all my writings. Go with me, and see
What I can show in this.
How he’s employed. He shall in time be ready.
Go with me to my tent, where you shall see
How hardly I was drawn into this war,
How calm and gentle I proceeded still
In all my writings. Go with me, and see
What I can show in this.
Exeunt
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Mardian
CLEOPATRA
My desolation does begin to make
A better life. ’Tis paltry to be Caesar.
Not being Fortune, he’s but Fortune’s knave,
A minister of her will. And it is great
To do that thing that ends all other deeds,
Which shackles accidents and bolts up change,
Which sleeps and never palates more the dung,
The beggar’s nurse, and Caesar’s.
A better life. ’Tis paltry to be Caesar.
Not being Fortune, he’s but Fortune’s knave,
A minister of her will. And it is great
To do that thing that ends all other deeds,
Which shackles accidents and bolts up change,
Which sleeps and never palates more the dung,
The beggar’s nurse, and Caesar’s.
Enter Proculeius
PROCULEIUS
Caesar sends greeting to the Queen of Egypt,
And bids thee study on what fair demands
Thou mean’st to have him grant thee.
And bids thee study on what fair demands
Thou mean’st to have him grant thee.
CLEOPATRA What’s thy name?
PROCULEIUS
My name is Proculeius.
CLEOPATRA
Antony
Did tell me of you, bade me trust you; but
I do not greatly care to be deceived,
That have no use for trusting. If your master
Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him
That majesty, to keep decorum, must
No less beg than a kingdom. If he please
To give me conquered Egypt for my son,
He gives me so much of mine own as I
Will kneel to him with thanks.
I do not greatly care to be deceived,
That have no use for trusting. If your master
Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him
That majesty, to keep decorum, must
No less beg than a kingdom. If he please
To give me conquered Egypt for my son,
He gives me so much of mine own as I
Will kneel to him with thanks.
PROCULEIUS
Be of good cheer.
You’re fall’n into a princely hand; fear nothing.
Make your full reference freely to my lord,
Who is so full of grace that it flows over
On all that need. Let me report to him
Your sweet dependency, and you shall find
A conqueror that will pray in aid for kindness,
Where he for grace is kneeled to.
Make your full reference freely to my lord,
Who is so full of grace that it flows over
On all that need. Let me report to him
Your sweet dependency, and you shall find
A conqueror that will pray in aid for kindness,
Where he for grace is kneeled to.
CLEOPATRA
Pray you, tell him
I am his fortune’s vassal, and I send him
The greatness he has got. I hourly learn
A doctrine of obedience, and would gladly
Look him i’th’ face.
The greatness he has got. I hourly learn
A doctrine of obedience, and would gladly
Look him i’th’ face.
PROCULEIUS
This I’ll report, dear lady;
Have comfort, for I know your plight is pitied
Of him that caused it.
Of him that caused it.
⌈
Enter Roman soldiers from behind
⌉
PROCULEIUS
(to the soldiers)
(to the soldiers)
You see how easily she may be surprised.
Guard her till Caesar come.
Guard her till Caesar come.
IRAS
Royal Queen-
CHARMIAN
O Cleopatra, thou art taken, Queen!
CLEOPATRA
(drawing a dagger
)
(drawing a dagger
)
Quick, quick, good hands!
PROCULEIUS
(disarming Cleopatra)
(disarming Cleopatra)
Hold, worthy lady, hold!
Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this
Relieved but not betrayed.
Relieved but not betrayed.
CLEOPATRA
What, of death too,
That rids our dogs of languish?
PROCULEIUS
Cleopatra,
Do not abuse my master’s bounty by
Th’undoing of yourself. Let the world see
His nobleness well acted, which your death
Will never let come forth.
Th’undoing of yourself. Let the world see
His nobleness well acted, which your death
Will never let come forth.
CLEOPATRA
Where art thou, death?
Come hither, come. Come, come, and take a queen
Worth many babes and beggars.
Worth many babes and beggars.
PROCULEIUS
O temperance, lady!
CLEOPATRA
Sir, I will eat no meat. I’ll not drink, sir.
If idle talk will once be necessary,
I’ll not sleep, neither. This mortal house I’ll ruin,
Do Caesar what he can. Know, sir, that I
Will not wait pinioned at your master’s court,
Nor once be chastised with the sober eye
Of dull Octavia. Shall they hoist me up
And show me to the shouting varletry
Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt
Be gentle grave unto me; rather on Nilus’ mud
Lay me stark naked, and let the waterflies
Blow me into abhorring; rather make
My country’s high pyramides my gibbet,
And hang me up in chains.
If idle talk will once be necessary,
I’ll not sleep, neither. This mortal house I’ll ruin,
Do Caesar what he can. Know, sir, that I
Will not wait pinioned at your master’s court,
Nor once be chastised with the sober eye
Of dull Octavia. Shall they hoist me up
And show me to the shouting varletry
Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt
Be gentle grave unto me; rather on Nilus’ mud
Lay me stark naked, and let the waterflies
Blow me into abhorring; rather make
My country’s high pyramides my gibbet,
And hang me up in chains.
PROCULEIUS
You do extend
These thoughts of horror further than you shall
Find cause in Caesar.
Find cause in Caesar.
Enter Dolabella
DOLABELLA
Proculeius,
What thou hast done thy master Caesar knows,
And he hath sent for thee. For the Queen,
I’ll take her to my guard.
And he hath sent for thee. For the Queen,
I’ll take her to my guard.
PROCULEIUS
So, Dolabella,
It shall content me best. Be gentle to her.
(To Cleopatra) To Caesar I will speak what you shall
please,
If you’ll employ me to him.
(To Cleopatra) To Caesar I will speak what you shall
please,
If you’ll employ me to him.
CLEOPATRA
Say I would die.
Exit Proculeius
DOLABELLA
Most noble Empress, you have heard of me.
CLEOPATRA
I cannot tell.
DOLABELLA
Assuredly you know me.
CLEOPATRA
No matter, sir, what I have heard or known.
You laugh when boys or women tell their dreams;
Is’t not your trick?
You laugh when boys or women tell their dreams;
Is’t not your trick?
DOLABELLA
I understand not, madam.
CLEOPATRA
I dreamt there was an Emperor Antony.
O, such another sleep, that I might see
But such another man!
O, such another sleep, that I might see
But such another man!
DOLABELLA
If it might please ye—
CLEOPATRA
His face was as the heav‘ns, and therein stuck
A sun and moon, which kept their course and lighted
The little O o’th’ earth.
A sun and moon, which kept their course and lighted
The little O o’th’ earth.
DOLABELLA
Most sovereign creature—
CLEOPATRA
His legs bestrid the ocean; his reared arm
Crested the world. His voice was propertied
As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends;
But when he meant to quail and shake the orb,
He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty,
There was no winter in’t; an autumn ’twas,
That grew the more by reaping. His delights
Were dolphin-like; they showed his back above
The element they lived in. In his livery
Walked crowns and crownets. Realms and islands were
As plates dropped from his pocket.
Crested the world. His voice was propertied
As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends;
But when he meant to quail and shake the orb,
He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty,
There was no winter in’t; an autumn ’twas,
That grew the more by reaping. His delights
Were dolphin-like; they showed his back above
The element they lived in. In his livery
Walked crowns and crownets. Realms and islands were
As plates dropped from his pocket.
DOLABELLA
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