網頁圖片
PDF
ePub 版

Cleo.

O, is 't come to this?

Ant. I found you as a morsel cold upon

Dead Cæsar's trencher; nay, you were a fragment Of Cneius Pompey's; besides what hotter hours, Unregister'd in vulgar fame, you have Luxuriously* pick'd out: for, I am sure,

I 20

Though you can guess what temperance should be, You know not what it is.

Cleo.

*Wantonly.

Wherefore is this?
Ant. To let a fellow that will take rewards
And say 'God quit you!' be familiar with
My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal
And plighter of high hearts! O, that I were
Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar

The horned herd! for I have savage cause;
And to proclaim it civilly, were like

A halter'd neck which does the hangman thank
For being yare* about him.

Re-enter Attendants with THYREUS.

Is he whipp'd?

First Att.

Soundly, my lord.

Ant.

First Att.

*Ready.

131

Cried he? and begg'd a' pardon? He did ask favour.

Ant. If that thy father live, let him repent Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou

sorry

To follow Cæsar in his triumph, since

Thou hast been whipp'd for following him: henceforth

The white hand of a lady fever thee,

140

Shake thou to look on 't. Get thee back to Cæsar,
Tell him thy entertainment: look, thou say
He makes me angry with him; for he seems
Proud and disdainful, harping on what I am,
Not what he knew I was: he makes me angry;
And at this time most easy 'tis to do 't,
When my good stars, that were my former guides,
Have empty left their orbs, and shot their fires
Into the abysm of hell. If he mislike
My speech and what is done, tell him he has
Hipparchus, my enfranched bondman, whom
He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture.

151

[Exit Thyreus.

As he shall like, to quit* me: urge it thou:
Hence with thy stripes, begone!
Have you done yet?

Cleo.
Ant.

*Requite.

Alack, our terrene* moon Is now eclipsed; and it portends alone *Earthly. The fall of Antony!

I must stay his time.

Cleo. Ant. To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes With one that ties his points?

Cleo.

Not know me yet?

Ant. Cold-hearted toward me?
Cleo.

Ah, dear, if I be so,

From my cold heart let heaven engender hail,
And poison it in the source; and the first stone
Drop in my neck: as it determines,* so *Dissolves.
Dissolve my life! The next Cæsarion smite! 162
Till by degrees the memory of my womb,
Together with my brave Egyptians all,

By the discandying of this pelleted storm,
Lie graveless, till the flies and gnats of Nile
Have buried them for prey!

Ant.
I am satisfied.
Cæsar sits down in Alexandria; where
I will oppose his fate. Our force by land
Hath nobly held; our sever'd navy too
Have knit again, and fleet,* threatening most sea-
like.

170

*Float.

Where hast thou been, my heart? Dost thou hear, lady?

If from the field I shall return once more

To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood;
I and my sword will earn our chronicle:
There's hope in 't yet.

Cleo. That's my brave lord!

180

Ant. I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breathed, And fight maliciously: for when mine hours Were nice and lucky, men did ransom lives Of me for jests; but now I'll set my teeth, And send to darkness all that stop me. Come, Let's have one other gaudy* night: call to me All my sad captains; fill our bowls once more; Let's mock the midnight bell. Cleo.

*Festive.

It is my birth-day:

I had thought to have held it poor; but, since my lord

Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra.

Ant. We will yet do well.

Cleo. Call all his noble captains to my lord. Ant. Do so, we'll speak to them; and to-night I'll force

The wine peep through their scars.

queen;

190

Come on, my

There's sap in 't yet. The next time I do fight, I'll make death love me; for I will contend Even with his pestilent scythe.

[Exeunt all but Enobarbus. Eno. Now he'll outstare the lightning. To be furious,

*Ostrich.

Is to be frighted out of fear; and in that mood
The dove will peck the estridge;* and I see still,
A diminution in our captain's brain
Restores his heart: when valour preys on reason,
It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek
Some way to leave him.

ACT IV.

200

[Exit.

SCENE I. Before Alexandria. Cæsar's camp. Enter CESAR, AGRIPPA, and MECENAS, with his Army; CÆSAR reading a letter.

Cæs. He calls me boy; and chides, as he had power

To beat me out of Egypt; my messenger

He hath whipp'd with rods; dares me to personal combat,

Cæsar to Antony: let the old ruffian know
I have many other ways to die; meantime
Laugh at his challenge.

Mec.

Cæsar must think,

When one so great begins to rage, he's huntea Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now Make boot of his distraction: never anger

Made good guard for itself.

Cæs.

Let our best heads IO

Know, that to-morrow the last of many battles
We mean to fight: within our files there are,
Of those that served Mark Antony but late,
Enough to fetch him in. See it done:
And feast the army; we have store to do 't,
And they have earn'd the waste. Poor Antony!
[Exeunt.
SCENE II. Alexandria. Cleopatra's palace.

Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, ENOBARBUS, CHAR-
MIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, with others.

Ant. He will not fight with me, Domitius.
Eno.

Ant. Why should he not?

Eno.

No.

He thinks, being twenty times of better

fortune,

He is twenty men to one.

Ant.

To-morrow, soldier,

By sea and land I'll fight: or I will live,

Or bathe my dying honour in the blood

Shall make it live again. Woo't thou fight well? Eno. I'll strike, and cry 'Take all.'

Ant.

Well said; come on. Call forth my household servants: let's to-night Be bounteous at our meal.

Enter three or four Servitors.

Give me thy hand,

ΙΟ

Thou hast been rightly honest;—so hast thou:Thou, and thou,-and thou:-you have served

me well,

And kings have been your fellows.

Cleo.

[Aside to Eno.] What means this?

Eno. [Aside to Cleo.] 'Tis one of those odd tricks which sorrow shoots

Out of the mind.

And thou art honest too.

Ant.
I wish I could be made so many men,
And all of you clapp'd up together in
An Antony, that I might do you service
So good as you have done.

All.

The gods forbid!

Ant. Well, my good fellows, wait on me tonight:

Scant not my cups; and make as much of me
As when mine empire was your fellow too,
And suffer'd my command.

20

Cleo. [Aside to Eno.] What does he mean? Eno. Aside to Cleo.] To make his followers

weep.

Ant. Tend me to-night;

May be it is the period of your duty:

Haply you shall not see me more; or if,

A mangled shadow: perchance to-morrow
You'll serve another master.

I look on you

30

As one that takes his leave. Mine honest friends,
I turn you not away; but, like a master
Married to your good service, stay till death:
Tend me to-night two hours, I ask no more,
And the gods yield* you for 't!

*Reward.

Eno. What mean you, sir, To give them this discomfort? Look, they weep; And I, an ass, am onion-eyed: for shame,

Transform us not to women.

Ant.

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

40

To burn this night with torches: know, my hearts, I hope well of to-morrow; and will lead you Where rather I'll expect victorious life

Than death and honour.

And drown consideration.

Let's to supper, come,

[Exeunt.

SCENE III. The same. Before the palace.
Enter two Soldiers to their guard.

First Sold. Brother, good night: to-morrow is the day.

Sec. Sold. It will determine one way: fare you well.

Heard you of nothing strange about the streets?

« 上一頁繼續 »