The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra

SCENE VI

Rome. CAESAR'S house

Enter CAESAR, AGRIPPA, and MAECENAS

  CAESAR. Contemning Rome, he has done all this and more    In Alexandria. Here's the manner of't:    I' th' market-place, on a tribunal silver'd,    Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold    Were publicly enthron'd; at the feet sat    Caesarion, whom they call my father's son,    And all the unlawful issue that their lust    Since then hath made between them. Unto her    He gave the stablishment of Egypt; made her    Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,    Absolute queen.  MAECENAS. This in the public eye?  CAESAR. I' th' common show-place, where they exercise.    His sons he there proclaim'd the kings of kings:    Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia,    He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign'd    Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia. She    In th' habiliments of the goddess Isis    That day appear'd; and oft before gave audience,    As 'tis reported, so.  MAECENAS. Let Rome be thus    Inform'd.  AGRIPPA. Who, queasy with his insolence    Already, will their good thoughts call from him.  CAESAR. The people knows it, and have now receiv'd    His accusations.  AGRIPPA. Who does he accuse?  CAESAR. Caesar; and that, having in Sicily    Sextus Pompeius spoil'd, we had not rated him    His part o' th' isle. Then does he say he lent me    Some shipping, unrestor'd. Lastly, he frets    That Lepidus of the triumvirate    Should be depos'd; and, being, that we detain    All his revenue.  AGRIPPA. Sir, this should be answer'd.  CAESAR. 'Tis done already, and messenger gone.    I have told him Lepidus was grown too cruel,    That he his high authority abus'd,    And did deserve his change. For what I have conquer'd    I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia    And other of his conquer'd kingdoms,    Demand the like.  MAECENAS. He'll never yield to that.  CAESAR. Nor must not then be yielded to in this.

Enter OCTAVIA, with her train

  OCTAVIA. Hail, Caesar, and my lord! hail, most dear Caesar!  CAESAR. That ever I should call thee cast-away!  OCTAVIA. You have not call'd me so, nor have you cause.  CAESAR. Why have you stol'n upon us thus? You come not    Like Caesar's sister. The wife of Antony    Should have an army for an usher, and    The neighs of horse to tell of her approach    Long ere she did appear. The trees by th' way    Should have borne men, and expectation fainted,    Longing for what it had not. Nay, the dust    Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,    Rais'd by your populous troops. But you are come    A market-maid to Rome, and have prevented    The ostentation of our love, which left unshown    Is often left unlov'd. We should have met you    By sea and land, supplying every stage    With an augmented greeting.  OCTAVIA. Good my lord,    To come thus was I not constrain'd, but did it    On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,    Hearing that you prepar'd for war, acquainted    My grieved ear withal; whereon I begg'd    His pardon for return.  CAESAR. Which soon he granted,    Being an obstruct 'tween his lust and him.  OCTAVIA. Do not say so, my lord.  CAESAR. I have eyes upon him,    And his affairs come to me on the wind.    Where is he now?  OCTAVIA. My lord, in Athens.  CAESAR. No, my most wronged sister: Cleopatra    Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire    Up to a whore, who now are levying    The kings o' th' earth for war. He hath assembled    Bocchus, the king of Libya; Archelaus    Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, king    Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas;    King Manchus of Arabia; King of Pont;    Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, king    Of Comagene; Polemon and Amyntas,    The kings of Mede and Lycaonia, with    More larger list of sceptres.  OCTAVIA. Ay me most wretched,    That have my heart parted betwixt two friends,    That does afflict each other!  CAESAR. Welcome hither.    Your letters did withhold our breaking forth,    Till we perceiv'd both how you were wrong led    And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart;    Be you not troubled with the time, which drives    O'er your content these strong necessities,    But let determin'd things to destiny    Hold unbewail'd their way. Welcome to Rome;    Nothing more dear to me. You are abus'd    Beyond the mark of thought, and the high gods,    To do you justice, make their ministers    Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort,    And ever welcome to us.  AGRIPPA. Welcome, lady.  MAECENAS. Welcome, dear madam.    Each heart in Rome does love and pity you;    Only th' adulterous Antony, most large    In his abominations, turns you off,    And gives his potent regiment to a trull    That noises it against us.  OCTAVIA. Is it so, sir?  CAESAR. Most certain. Sister, welcome. Pray you    Be ever known to patience. My dear'st sister! Exeunt

SCENE VII

ANTONY'S camp near Actium

Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS

  CLEOPATRA. I will be even with thee, doubt it not.  ENOBARBUS. But why, why,  CLEOPATRA. Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,    And say'st it is not fit.  ENOBARBUS. Well, is it, is it?  CLEOPATRA. Is't not denounc'd against us? Why should not we    Be there in person?  ENOBARBUS. [Aside] Well, I could reply:    If we should serve with horse and mares together    The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear    A soldier and his horse.  CLEOPATRA. What is't you say?  ENOBARBUS. Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;    Take from his heart, take from his brain, from's time,    What should not then be spar'd. He is already    Traduc'd for levity; and 'tis said in Rome    That Photinus an eunuch and your maids    Manage this war.  CLEOPATRA. Sink Rome, and their tongues rot    That speak against us! A charge we bear i' th' war,    And, as the president of my kingdom, will    Appear there for a man. Speak not against it;    I will not stay behind.

Enter ANTONY and CANIDIUS

  ENOBARBUS. Nay, I have done.    Here comes the Emperor.  ANTONY. Is it not strange, Canidius,    That from Tarentum and Brundusium    He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea,    And take in Toryne? – You have heard on't, sweet?  CLEOPATRA. Celerity is never more admir'd    Than by the negligent.  ANTONY. A good rebuke,    Which might have well becom'd the best of men    To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we    Will fight with him by sea.  CLEOPATRA. By sea! What else?  CANIDIUS. Why will my lord do so?  ANTONY. For that he dares us to't.  ENOBARBUS. So hath my lord dar'd him to single fight.  CANIDIUS. Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia,    Where Caesar fought with Pompey. But these offers,    Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off;    And so should you.  ENOBARBUS. Your ships are not well mann'd;    Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people    Ingross'd by swift impress. In Caesar's fleet    Are those that often have 'gainst Pompey fought;    Their ships are yare; yours heavy. No disgrace    Shall fall you for refusing him at sea,    Being prepar'd for land.  ANTONY. By sea, by sea.  ENOBARBUS. Most worthy sir, you therein throw away    The absolute soldiership you have by land;    Distract your army, which doth most consist    Of war-mark'd footmen; leave unexecuted    Your own renowned knowledge; quite forgo    The way which promises assurance; and    Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard    From firm security.  ANTONY. I'll fight at sea.  CLEOPATRA. I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.  ANTONY. Our overplus of shipping will we burn,    And, with the rest full-mann'd, from th' head of Actium    Beat th' approaching Caesar. But if we fail,    We then can do't at land.

Enter a MESSENGER

    Thy business?  MESSENGER. The news is true, my lord: he is descried;    Caesar has taken Toryne.  ANTONY. Can he be there in person? 'Tis impossible-    Strange that his power should be. Canidius,    Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,    And our twelve thousand horse. We'll to our ship.    Away, my Thetis!

Enter a SOLDIER

    How now, worthy soldier?  SOLDIER. O noble Emperor, do not fight by sea;    Trust not to rotten planks. Do you misdoubt    This sword and these my wounds? Let th' Egyptians    And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we    Have us'd to conquer standing on the earth    And fighting foot to foot.  ANTONY. Well, well- away.                         Exeunt ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, and ENOBARBUS  SOLDIER. By Hercules, I think I am i' th' right.  CANIDIUS. Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows    Not in the power on't. So our leader's led,    And we are women's men.  SOLDIER. You keep by land    The legions and the horse whole, do you not?  CANIDIUS. Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,    Publicola, and Caelius are for sea;    But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar's    Carries beyond belief.  SOLDIER. While he was yet in Rome,    His power went out in such distractions as    Beguil'd all spies.  CANIDIUS. Who's his lieutenant, hear you?  SOLDIER. They say one Taurus.  CANIDIUS. Well I know the man.

Enter a MESSENGER

  MESSENGER. The Emperor calls Canidius.  CANIDIUS. With news the time's with labour and throes forth    Each minute some. Exeunt

SCENE VIII

A plain near Actium

Enter CAESAR, with his army, marching

  CAESAR. Taurus!  TAURUS. My lord?  CAESAR. Strike not by land; keep whole; provoke not battle    Till we have done at sea. Do not exceed    The prescript of this scroll. Our fortune lies    Upon this jump. Exeunt

SCENE IX

Another part of the plain

Enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS

  ANTONY. Set we our squadrons on yon side o' th' hill,    In eye of Caesar's battle; from which place    We may the number of the ships behold,    And so proceed accordingly. Exeunt

SCENE X

Another part of the plain

CANIDIUS marcheth with his land army one way over the stage, and TAURUS, the Lieutenant of CAESAR, the other way. After their going in is heard the noise of a sea-fight

Alarum. Enter ENOBARBUS

  ENOBARBUS. Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no longer.    Th' Antoniad, the Egyptian admiral,    With all their sixty, fly and turn the rudder.    To see't mine eyes are blasted.

Enter SCARUS

  SCARUS. Gods and goddesses,    All the whole synod of them!  ENOBARBUS. What's thy passion?  SCARUS. The greater cantle of the world is lost    With very ignorance; we have kiss'd away    Kingdoms and provinces.  ENOBARBUS. How appears the fight?  SCARUS. On our side like the token'd pestilence,    Where death is sure. Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt-    Whom leprosy o'ertake! – i' th' midst o' th' fight,    When vantage like a pair of twins appear'd,    Both as the same, or rather ours the elder-    The breese upon her, like a cow in June-    Hoists sails and flies.  ENOBARBUS. That I beheld;    Mine eyes did sicken at the sight and could not    Endure a further view.  SCARUS. She once being loof'd,    The noble ruin of her magic, Antony,    Claps on his sea-wing, and, like a doting mallard,    Leaving the fight in height, flies after her.    I never saw an action of such shame;    Experience, manhood, honour, ne'er before    Did violate so itself.  ENOBARBUS. Alack, alack!

Enter CANIDIUS

  CANIDIUS. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath,    And sinks most lamentably. Had our general    Been what he knew himself, it had gone well.    O, he has given example for our flight    Most grossly by his own!  ENOBARBUS. Ay, are you thereabouts?    Why then, good night indeed.  CANIDIUS. Toward Peloponnesus are they fled.  SCARUS. 'Tis easy to't; and there I will attend    What further comes.  CANIDIUS. To Caesar will I render    My legions and my horse; six kings already    Show me the way of yielding.  ENOBARBUS. I'll yet follow    The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason    Sits in the wind against me. Exeunt

SCENE XI

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA'S palace

Enter ANTONY With attendants

  ANTONY. Hark! the land bids me tread no more upon't;    It is asham'd to bear me. Friends, come hither.    I am so lated in the world that I    Have lost my way for ever. I have a ship    Laden with gold; take that; divide it. Fly,    And make your peace with Caesar.  ALL. Fly? Not we!  ANTONY. I have fled myself, and have instructed cowards    To run and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone;    I have myself resolv'd upon a course    Which has no need of you; be gone.    My treasure's in the harbour, take it. O,    I follow'd that I blush to look upon.    My very hairs do mutiny; for the white    Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them    For fear and doting. Friends, be gone; you shall    Have letters from me to some friends that will    Sweep your way for you. Pray you look not sad,    Nor make replies of loathness; take the hint    Which my despair proclaims. Let that be left    Which leaves itself. To the sea-side straight way.    I will possess you of that ship and treasure.    Leave me, I pray, a little; pray you now;    Nay, do so, for indeed I have lost command;    Therefore I pray you. I'll see you by and by. [Sits down]Enter CLEOPATRA, led by CHARMIAN and IRAS, EROS following  EROS. Nay, gentle madam, to him! Comfort him.  IRAS. Do, most dear Queen.  CHARMIAN. Do? Why, what else?  CLEOPATRA. Let me sit down. O Juno!  ANTONY. No, no, no, no, no.  EROS. See you here, sir?  ANTONY. O, fie, fie, fie!  CHARMIAN. Madam!  IRAS. Madam, O good Empress!  EROS. Sir, sir!  ANTONY. Yes, my lord, yes. He at Philippi kept    His sword e'en like a dancer, while I struck    The lean and wrinkled Cassius; and 'twas I    That the mad Brutus ended; he alone    Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had    In the brave squares of war. Yet now- no matter.  CLEOPATRA. Ah, stand by!  EROS. The Queen, my lord, the Queen!  IRAS. Go to him, madam, speak to him.    He is unqualitied with very shame.  CLEOPATRA. Well then, sustain me. O! EROS. Most noble sir, arise; the Queen approaches.    Her head's declin'd, and death will seize her but    Your comfort makes the rescue.  ANTONY. I have offended reputation-    A most unnoble swerving.  EROS. Sir, the Queen.  ANTONY. O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See    How I convey my shame out of thine eyes    By looking back what I have left behind    'Stroy'd in dishonour.  CLEOPATRA. O my lord, my lord,    Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought    You would have followed.  ANTONY. Egypt, thou knew'st too well    My heart was to thy rudder tied by th' strings,    And thou shouldst tow me after. O'er my spirit    Thy full supremacy thou knew'st, and that    Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods    Command me.  CLEOPATRA. O, my pardon!  ANTONY. Now I must    To the young man send humble treaties, dodge    And palter in the shifts of lowness, who    With half the bulk o' th' world play'd as I pleas'd,    Making and marring fortunes. You did know    How much you were my conqueror, and that    My sword, made weak by my affection, would    Obey it on all cause.  CLEOPATRA. Pardon, pardon!  ANTONY. Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates    All that is won and lost. Give me a kiss;    Even this repays me.    We sent our schoolmaster; is 'a come back?    Love, I am full of lead. Some wine,    Within there, and our viands! Fortune knows    We scorn her most when most she offers blows. Exeunt

SCENE XII

CAESAR'S camp in Egypt

Enter CAESAR, AGRIPPA, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, with others

  CAESAR. Let him appear that's come from Antony.    Know you him?  DOLABELLA. Caesar, 'tis his schoolmaster:    An argument that he is pluck'd, when hither    He sends so poor a pinion of his wing,    Which had superfluous kings for messengers    Not many moons gone by.

Enter EUPHRONIUS, Ambassador from ANTONY

  CAESAR. Approach, and speak.  EUPHRONIUS. 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.  CAESAR. Be't so. Declare thine office.  EUPHRONIUS. 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.  CAESAR. 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.  EUPHRONIUS. Fortune pursue thee!  CAESAR. 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    The ne'er-touch'd vestal. Try thy cunning, Thyreus;    Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we    Will answer as a law.  THYREUS. Caesar, I go.  CAESAR. Observe how Antony becomes his flaw,    And what thou think'st his very action speaks    In every power that moves.  THYREUS. Caesar, I shall. Exeunt

SCENE XIII

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA'S palace

Enter CLEOPATRA, ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, and IRAS

  CLEOPATRA. What shall we do, Enobarbus?  ENOBARBUS. Think, and die.  CLEOPATRA. Is Antony or we in fault for this?  ENOBARBUS. 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    Have nick'd his captainship, at such a point,    When half to half the world oppos'd, he being    The mered question. 'Twas a shame no less    Than was his loss, to course your flying flags    And leave his navy gazing.  CLEOPATRA. Prithee, peace.

Enter EUPHRONIUS, the Ambassador; with ANTONY

  ANTONY. Is that his answer?  EUPHRONIUS. Ay, my lord.  ANTONY. The Queen shall then have courtesy, so she    Will yield us up.  EUPHRONIUS. He says so.  ANTONY. Let her know't.    To the boy Caesar send this grizzled head,    And he will fill thy wishes to the brim    With principalities.  CLEOPATRA. That head, my lord?  ANTONY. 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' th' command of Caesar. I dare him therefore    To lay his gay comparisons apart,    And answer me declin'd, sword against sword,    Ourselves alone. I'll write it. Follow me.Exeunt ANTONY and EUPHRONIUS  EUPHRONIUS. [Aside] Yes, like enough high-battled Caesar will    Unstate his happiness, and be stag'd to th' show    Against a sworder! I see men's judgments 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 Caesar will    Answer his emptiness! Caesar, thou hast subdu'd    His judgment too.

Enter a SERVANT

  SERVANT. A messenger from Caesar.  CLEOPATRA. 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. Exit SERVANT  ENOBARBUS. [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    Does conquer him that did his master conquer,    And earns a place i' th' story.

Enter THYREUS

  CLEOPATRA. Caesar's will?  THYREUS. Hear it apart.  CLEOPATRA. None but friends: say boldly.  THYREUS. So, haply, are they friends to Antony.  ENOBARBUS. He needs as many, sir, as Caesar has,    Or needs not us. If Caesar please, our master    Will leap to be his friend. For us, you know    Whose he is we are, and that is Caesar's.  THYREUS. So.    Thus then, thou most renown'd: Caesar entreats    Not to consider in what case thou stand'st    Further than he is Caesar.  CLEOPATRA. Go on. Right royal!  THYREUS. He knows that you embrace not Antony    As you did love, but as you fear'd him.  CLEOPATRA. O!  THYREUS. The scars upon your honour, therefore, he    Does pity, as constrained blemishes,    Not as deserv'd.  CLEOPATRA. He is a god, and knows    What is most right. Mine honour was not yielded,    But conquer'd merely.  ENOBARBUS. [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  THYREUS. Shall I say to Caesar    What you require of him? For he partly begs    To be desir'd 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 shroud,    The universal landlord.  CLEOPATRA. What's your name?  THYREUS. My name is Thyreus.  CLEOPATRA. Most kind messenger,    Say to great Caesar this: in deputation    I kiss his conquring 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.  THYREUS. 'Tis your noblest course.    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.  CLEOPATRA. Your Caesar's father oft,    When he hath mus'd of taking kingdoms in,    Bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place,    As it rain'd kisses.

Re-enter ANTONY and ENOBARBUS

  ANTONY. Favours, by Jove that thunders!    What art thou, fellow?  THYREUS. One that but performs    The bidding of the fullest man, and worthiest    To have command obey'd.  ENOBARBUS. [Aside] You will be whipt.  ANTONY. 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 servants

    Take hence this Jack and whip him.  ENOBARBUS. 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp    Than with an old one dying.  ANTONY. Moon and stars!    Whip him. Were't twenty of the greatest tributaries    That do acknowledge Caesar, 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,    And whine aloud for mercy. Take him hence.  THYMUS. Mark Antony-  ANTONY. Tug him away. Being whipt,    Bring him again: the Jack of Caesar's shall    Bear us an errand to him. Exeunt servants 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 abus'd    By one that looks on feeders?  CLEOPATRA. Good my lord-  ANTONY. 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 judgments, make us    Adore our errors, laugh at's while we strut    To our confusion.  CLEOPATRA. O, is't come to this?  ANTONY. I found you as a morsel cold upon    Dead Caesar's trencher. Nay, you were a fragment    Of Cneius Pompey's, besides what hotter hours,    Unregist'red in vulgar fame, you have    Luxuriously pick'd out; for I am sure,    Though you can guess what temperance should be,    You know not what it is.  CLEOPATRA. Wherefore is this?  ANTONY. 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 a SERVANT with THYREUS

    Is he whipt?  SERVANT. Soundly, my lord.  ANTONY. Cried he? and begg'd 'a pardon?  SERVANT. He did ask favour.  ANTONY. If that thy father live, let him repent    Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou sorry    To follow Caesar in his triumph, since    Thou hast been whipt for following him. Henceforth    The white hand of a lady fever thee!    Shake thou to look on't. Get thee back to Caesar;    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 th' 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,    As he shall like, to quit me. Urge it thou.    Hence with thy stripes, be gone. Exit THYREUS  CLEOPATRA. Have you done yet?  ANTONY. Alack, our terrene moon    Is now eclips'd, and it portends alone    The fall of Antony.  CLEOPATRA. I must stay his time.  ANTONY. To flatter Caesar, would you mingle eyes    With one that ties his points?  CLEOPATRA. Not know me yet?  ANTONY. Cold-hearted toward me?  CLEOPATRA. 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    Dissolve my life! The next Caesarion smite!    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.  ANTONY. I am satisfied.    Caesar sits down in Alexandria, where    I will oppose his fate. Our force by land    Hath nobly held; our sever'd navy to    Have knit again, and fleet, threat'ning most sea-like.    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.  CLEOPATRA. That's my brave lord!  ANTONY. I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breath'd,    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.  CLEOPATRA. It is my birthday.    I had thought t'have held it poor; but since my lord    Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra.  ANTONY. We will yet do well.  CLEOPATRA. Call all his noble captains to my lord.  ANTONY. Do so, we'll speak to them; and to-night I'll force    The wine peep through their scars. Come on, my queen,    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  ENOBARBUS. Now he'll outstare the lightning. To be furious    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. Exit