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Enter EUPHRONIUS, ambassador from Antony.
Cæs.
Approach, and speak.
Euph. Such as I am, I come from Antony:
I was of late as petty to his ends

As is the morn-dew on the myrtle-leaf
To his grand sea.

Cæs.

Be't so: declare thine office.

ΙΟ

Euph. Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and

Requires to live in Egypt: which not granted,
He lessens his requests; and to thee sues

To let him breathe between the heavens and earth,
A private man in Athens: this for him.

Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness;
Submits her to thy might; and of thee craves
The circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs,
Now hazarded to thy grace.

Cæs.

For Antony,
I have no ears to his request. The queen
Of audience nor desire shall fail, so she
From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,
Or take his life there: this if she perform,
She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.
Euph. Fortune pursue thee!

Cæs.

20

Bring him through the bands. [Exit Euphronius. [To Thyreus] To try thy eloquence, now 'tis time: dispatch;

From Antony win Cleopatra: promise,

And in our name, what she requires; add more,
From thine invention, offers: women are not

In their best fortunes strong; but want will perjure

30

The ne'er-touch'd vestal: try thy cunning, Thy

reus;

Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we
Will answer as a law.

Cæsar, I

go.

Thyr. Cæs. Observe how Antony becomes his flaw,* And what thou think'st his very action speaks In every power that moves. *Conforms to breach of fortune. Cæsar, I shall. [Exeunt.

Thyr.

SCENE XIII. Alexandria. Cleopatra's

palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, and IRAS.

Cleo. What shall we do, Enobarbus?

Eno.

Think, and die. Cleo. Is Antony or we in fault for this?

Eno. Antony only, that would make his will
Lord of his reason. What though you fled
From that great face of war, whose several
ranges

Frighted each other? why should he follow?
The itch of his affection should not then

ΙΟ

Have nick'd his captainship; at such a point,
When half to half the world opposed, he being
The fmeered question: 'twas a shame no less
Than was his loss, to course your flying flags,
And leave his navy gazing.
*Branded with folly.

Cleo.

Prithee, peace.

Enter ANTONY with EUPHRONIUS, the

Ambassador.

Ant. Is that his answer?

Euph. Ay, my lord.

Ant. The queen shall then have courtesy, so

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To the boy Cæsar send this grizzled head,
And he will fill thy wishes to the brim
With principalities.

Cleo.

That head, my lord?

19

Ant. To him again: tell him he wears the rose Of youth upon him; from which the world should note

Something particular: his coin, ships, legions, May be a coward's; whose ministers would prevail Under the service of a child as soon

As i' the command of Cæsar: I dare him therefore To lay his gay comparisons apart,

And answer me declined, sword against sword,
Ourselves alone. I'll write it: follow me.

29

[Exeunt Antony and Euphronius. Eno. [Aside] Yes, like enough, high-battled Cæsar will Unstate his happiness, and be staged to the show, Against a sworder! I see men's judgements are A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward Do draw the inward quality after them,

To suffer all alike. That he should dream, Knowing all measures, the full Cæsar will Answer his emptiness! Cæsar, thou hast subdued

His judgement too.

Att.

Enter an Attendant.

A messenger from Cæsar. Cleo. What, no more ceremony? See, my

women! Against the blown rose may they stop their nose That kneel'd unto the buds. Admit him, sir. 40 [Exit Attendant.

Eno. [Aside] Mine honesty and I begin to

square.

*

The loyalty well held to fools does make
Our faith mere folly: yet he that can endure
To follow with allegiance a fall'n lord

*Quarrel.

Does conquer him that did his master conquer,
And earns a place i' the story.

Cleo.

Enter THYREUS.

Cæsar's will?

Thyr. Hear it apart.

Cleo.

Eno.

None but friends: say boldly.

Thyr. So, haply, are they friends to Antony. He needs as many, sir, as Cæsar has; Or needs not us. If Cæsar please, our master 50 Will leap to be his friend: for us, you know Whose he is we are, and that is, Cæsar's.

Thyr.

So.

Thus then, thou most renown'd: Cæsar entreats, Not to consider in what case thou stand'st, Further than he is Cæsar.

Cleo.

Go on: right royal.

Thyr. He knows that you embrace not Antony As you did love, but as you fear'd him.

Cleo.

O!

Thyr. The scars upon your honour, therefore, he Does pity, as constrained blemishes,

Not as deserved.

Cleo.

He is a god, and knows

60

What is most right: mine honour was not yielded, But conquer'd merely.

Eno.

[Aside] To be sure of that,

I will ask Antony. Sir, sir, thou art so leaky,
That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for
Thy dearest quit thee.

[Exit.

Thyr. Shall I say to Cæsar What you require of him? for he partly begs To be desired to give. It much would please him, That of his fortunes you should make a staff To lean upon: but it would warm his spirits, To hear from me you had left Antony, +And put yourself under his shrowd, The universal landlord.

70

Cleo.
Thyr.
Cleo.

What's your name?

My name is Thyreus.

Most kind messenger,

Say to great Cæsar this: in deputation

I kiss his conquering hand: tell him, I am prompt
To lay my crown at 's feet, and there to kneel:
Tell him, from his all-obeying breath I hear
The doom of Egypt.

'Tis your noblest course.

Thyr.
Wisdom and fortune combating together,
If that the former dare but what it can,

No chance may shake it. Give me grace to lay
My duty on your hand.

Cleo.

Your Cæsar's father oft,

When he hath mused of taking kingdoms in,
Bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place,

As it rain'd kisses.

Ant.

Re-enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS.

Favours, by Jove that thunders!

What art thou, fellow?

80

Thyr.

One that but performs The bidding of the fullest man, and worthiest To have command obey'd.

89

Eno. [Aside] You will be whipp'd. Ant. Approach, there! Ah, you kite! Now, gods and devils! Authority melts from me: of late, when I cried 'Ho! Like boys unto a muss,* kings would start forth, And cry 'Your will?' Have you no ears? I am

Antony yet.

Enter Attendants.

*Scramble.

Take hence this Jack,† and whip him.

Eno. [Aside] 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp

Than with an old one dying.

Ant.

+Mean fellow.

Moon and stars!

Whip him. Were 't twenty of the greatest tributaries

That do acknowledge Cæsar, should I find them So saucy with the hand of she here,-what's her

name,

Since she was Cleopatra? Whip him, fellows,
Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face, 100
And whine aloud for mercy: take him hence.
Thyr. Mark Antony!

Ant.
Tug him away: being whipp'd,
Bring him again: this Jack of Cæsar's shall
Bear us an errand to him.

[Exeunt Attendants with Thyreus. You were half blasted ere I knew you: ha! Have I my pillow left unpress'd in Rome, Forborne the getting of a lawful race, And by a gem of women, to be abused By one that looks on feeders ?*

Cleo.

*Servants.

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Good my lord,— Ant. You have been a boggler ever: But when we in our viciousness grow hard— O misery on 't!-the wise gods seel* our eyes: In our own filth drop our clear judgements;

make us

Adore our errors; laugh at 's, while we strut
To our confusion.

*Close.

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