The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra

ACT IV. SCENE I

CAESAR'S camp before Alexandria

Enter CAESAR, AGRIPPA, and MAECENAS, with his army; CAESAR reading a letter  CAESAR. He calls me boy, and chides as he had power    To beat me out of Egypt. My messenger    He hath whipt with rods; dares me to personal combat,    Caesar to Antony. Let the old ruffian know    I have many other ways to die, meantime    Laugh at his challenge.  MAECENAS. Caesar must think    When one so great begins to rage, he's hunted    Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now    Make boot of his distraction. Never anger    Made good guard for itself.  CAESAR. Let our best heads    Know that to-morrow the last of many battles    We mean to fight. Within our files there are    Of those that serv'd 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, CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, with others  ANTONY. He will not fight with me, Domitius?  ENOBARBUS. No.  ANTONY. Why should he not?  ENOBARBUS. He thinks, being twenty times of better fortune,    He is twenty men to one.  ANTONY. 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?  ENOBARBUS. I'll strike, and cry 'Take all.'  ANTONY. 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,    Thou has been rightly honest. So hast thou;    Thou, and thou, and thou. You have serv'd me well,    And kings have been your fellows.  CLEOPATRA. [Aside to ENOBARBUS] What means this?  ENOBARBUS. [Aside to CLEOPATRA] 'Tis one of those odd trickswhich      sorrow shoots    Out of the mind.  ANTONY. And thou art honest too.    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.  SERVANT. The gods forbid!  ANTONY. Well, my good fellows, wait on me to-night.    Scant not my cups, and make as much of me    As when mine empire was your fellow too,    And suffer'd my command.  CLEOPATRA. [Aside to ENOBARBUS] What does he mean?    ENOBARBUS. [Aside to CLEOPATRA] To make his followers weep.  ANTONY. 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    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!  ENOBARBUS. What mean you, sir,    To give them this discomfort? Look, they weep;    And I, an ass, am onion-ey'd. For shame!    Transform us not to women.  ANTONY. 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    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. Let's to supper, come,    And drown consideration. Exeunt

SCENE III

Alexandria. Before CLEOPATRA's palace

Enter a company of soldiers

  FIRST SOLDIER. Brother, good night. To-morrow is the day.  SECOND SOLDIER. It will determine one way. Fare you well.    Heard you of nothing strange about the streets?  FIRST SOLDIER. Nothing. What news?  SECOND SOLDIER. Belike 'tis but a rumour. Good night to you.  FIRST SOLDIER. Well, sir, good night.                                      [They meet other soldiers]  SECOND SOLDIER. Soldiers, have careful watch.  FIRST SOLDIER. And you. Good night, good night.                [The two companies separate and place themselves                                   in every corner of the stage]  SECOND SOLDIER. Here we. And if to-morrow    Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope    Our landmen will stand up.  THIRD SOLDIER. 'Tis a brave army,    And full of purpose.                      [Music of the hautboys is under the stage]  SECOND SOLDIER. Peace, what noise?  THIRD SOLDIER. List, list!  SECOND SOLDIER. Hark!  THIRD SOLDIER. Music i' th' air.  FOURTH SOLDIER. Under the earth.  THIRD SOLDIER. It signs well, does it not?  FOURTH SOLDIER. No.  THIRD SOLDIER. Peace, I say!    What should this mean?  SECOND SOLDIER. 'Tis the god Hercules, whom Antony lov'd,    Now leaves him.  THIRD SOLDIER. Walk; let's see if other watchmen    Do hear what we do.  SECOND SOLDIER. How now, masters!  SOLDIERS. [Speaking together] How now!    How now! Do you hear this?  FIRST SOLDIER. Ay; is't not strange?  THIRD SOLDIER. Do you hear, masters? Do you hear?  FIRST SOLDIER. Follow the noise so far as we have quarter;    Let's see how it will give off.  SOLDIERS. Content. 'Tis strange. Exeunt

SCENE IV

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace

Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, with others  ANTONY. Eros! mine armour, Eros!  CLEOPATRA. Sleep a little.  ANTONY. No, my chuck. Eros! Come, mine armour, Eros!

Enter EROS with armour

    Come, good fellow, put mine iron on.    If fortune be not ours to-day, it is    Because we brave her. Come.  CLEOPATRA. Nay, I'll help too.    What's this for?  ANTONY. Ah, let be, let be! Thou art    The armourer of my heart. False, false; this, this.  CLEOPATRA. Sooth, la, I'll help. Thus it must be.  ANTONY. Well, well;    We shall thrive now. Seest thou, my good fellow?    Go put on thy defences.  EROS. Briefly, sir.  CLEOPATRA. Is not this buckled well?  ANTONY. Rarely, rarely!    He that unbuckles this, till we do please    To daff't for our repose, shall hear a storm.    Thou fumblest, Eros, and my queen's a squire    More tight at this than thou. Dispatch. O love,    That thou couldst see my wars to-day, and knew'st    The royal occupation! Thou shouldst see    A workman in't.

Enter an armed SOLDIER

    Good-morrow to thee. Welcome.    Thou look'st like him that knows a warlike charge.    To business that we love we rise betime,    And go to't with delight.  SOLDIER. A thousand, sir,    Early though't be, have on their riveted trim,    And at the port expect you.                            [Shout. Flourish of trumpets within]

Enter CAPTAINS and soldiers

  CAPTAIN. The morn is fair. Good morrow, General.  ALL. Good morrow, General.  ANTONY. 'Tis well blown, lads.    This morning, like the spirit of a youth    That means to be of note, begins betimes.    So, so. Come, give me that. This way. Well said.    Fare thee well, dame, whate'er becomes of me.    This is a soldier's kiss. Rebukeable,    And worthy shameful check it were, to stand    On more mechanic compliment; I'll leave thee    Now like a man of steel. You that will fight,    Follow me close; I'll bring you to't. Adieu.                      Exeunt ANTONY, EROS, CAPTAINS and soldiers  CHARMIAN. Please you retire to your chamber?  CLEOPATRA. Lead me.    He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might    Determine this great war in single fight!    Then, Antony- but now. Well, on. Exeunt

SCENE V

Alexandria. ANTONY'S camp

Trumpets sound. Enter ANTONY and EROS, a SOLDIER meeting them  SOLDIER. The gods make this a happy day to Antony!  ANTONY. Would thou and those thy scars had once prevail'd    To make me fight at land!  SOLDIER. Hadst thou done so,    The kings that have revolted, and the soldier    That has this morning left thee, would have still    Followed thy heels.  ANTONY. Who's gone this morning?  SOLDIER. Who?    One ever near thee. Call for Enobarbus,    He shall not hear thee; or from Caesar's camp    Say 'I am none of thine.'  ANTONY. What say'st thou?  SOLDIER. Sir,    He is with Caesar.  EROS. Sir, his chests and treasure    He has not with him.  ANTONY. Is he gone?  SOLDIER. Most certain.  ANTONY. Go, Eros, send his treasure after; do it;    Detain no jot, I charge thee. Write to him-    I will subscribe- gentle adieus and greetings;    Say that I wish he never find more cause    To change a master. O, my fortunes have    Corrupted honest men! Dispatch. Enobarbus! Exeunt

SCENE VI

Alexandria. CAESAR'S camp

Flourish. Enter AGRIPPA, CAESAR, With DOLABELLA and ENOBARBUS  CAESAR. Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight.    Our will is Antony be took alive;    Make it so known.  AGRIPPA. Caesar, I shall. Exit  CAESAR. The time of universal peace is near.    Prove this a prosp'rous day, the three-nook'd world    Shall bear the olive freely.

Enter A MESSENGER

  MESSENGER. Antony    Is come into the field.  CAESAR. Go charge Agrippa    Plant those that have revolted in the vant,    That Antony may seem to spend his fury    Upon himself. Exeunt all but ENOBARBUS  ENOBARBUS. Alexas did revolt and went to Jewry on    Affairs of Antony; there did dissuade    Great Herod to incline himself to Caesar    And leave his master Antony. For this pains    Casaer hath hang'd him. Canidius and the rest    That fell away have entertainment, but    No honourable trust. I have done ill,    Of which I do accuse myself so sorely    That I will joy no more.

Enter a SOLDIER of CAESAR'S

  SOLDIER. Enobarbus, Antony    Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with    His bounty overplus. The messenger    Came on my guard, and at thy tent is now    Unloading of his mules.  ENOBARBUS. I give it you.  SOLDIER. Mock not, Enobarbus.    I tell you true. Best you saf'd the bringer    Out of the host. I must attend mine office,    Or would have done't myself. Your emperor    Continues still a Jove. Exit  ENOBARBUS. I am alone the villain of the earth,    And feel I am so most. O Antony,    Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paid    My better service, when my turpitude    Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart.    If swift thought break it not, a swifter mean    Shall outstrike thought; but thought will do't, I feel.    I fight against thee? No! I will go seek    Some ditch wherein to die; the foul'st best fits    My latter part of life. Exit

SCENE VII

Field of battle between the camps

Alarum. Drums and trumpets. Enter AGRIPPA and others  AGRIPPA. Retire. We have engag'd ourselves too far.    Caesar himself has work, and our oppression    Exceeds what we expected. Exeunt

Alarums. Enter ANTONY, and SCARUS wounded

  SCARUS. O my brave Emperor, this is fought indeed!    Had we done so at first, we had droven them home    With clouts about their heads.  ANTONY. Thou bleed'st apace.  SCARUS. I had a wound here that was like a T,    But now 'tis made an H.  ANTONY. They do retire.  SCARUS. We'll beat'em into bench-holes. I have yet    Room for six scotches more.

Enter EROS

  EROS. They are beaten, sir, and our advantage serves    For a fair victory.  SCARUS. Let us score their backs    And snatch 'em up, as we take hares, behind.    'Tis sport to maul a runner.  ANTONY. I will reward thee    Once for thy sprightly comfort, and tenfold    For thy good valour. Come thee on.    SCARUS. I'll halt after. Exeunt

SCENE VIII

Under the walls of Alexandria

Alarum. Enter ANTONY, again in a march; SCARUS with others  ANTONY. We have beat him to his camp. Run one before    And let the Queen know of our gests. To-morrow,    Before the sun shall see's, we'll spill the blood    That has to-day escap'd. I thank you all;    For doughty-handed are you, and have fought    Not as you serv'd the cause, but as't had been    Each man's like mine; you have shown all Hectors.    Enter the city, clip your wives, your friends,    Tell them your feats; whilst they with joyful tears    Wash the congealment from your wounds and kiss    The honour'd gashes whole.

Enter CLEOPATRA, attended

    [To SCARUS] Give me thy hand-    To this great fairy I'll commend thy acts,    Make her thanks bless thee. O thou day o' th' world,    Chain mine arm'd neck. Leap thou, attire and all,    Through proof of harness to my heart, and there    Ride on the pants triumphing.  CLEOPATRA. Lord of lords!    O infinite virtue, com'st thou smiling from    The world's great snare uncaught?  ANTONY. Mine nightingale,    We have beat them to their beds. What, girl! though grey    Do something mingle with our younger brown, yet ha' we    A brain that nourishes our nerves, and can    Get goal for goal of youth. Behold this man;    Commend unto his lips thy favouring hand-    Kiss it, my warrior- he hath fought to-day    As if a god in hate of mankind had    Destroyed in such a shape.  CLEOPATRA. I'll give thee, friend,    An armour all of gold; it was a king's.  ANTONY. He has deserv'd it, were it carbuncled    Like holy Phoebus' car. Give me thy hand.    Through Alexandria make a jolly march;    Bear our hack'd targets like the men that owe them.    Had our great palace the capacity    To camp this host, we all would sup together,    And drink carouses to the next day's fate,    Which promises royal peril. Trumpeters,    With brazen din blast you the city's ear;    Make mingle with our rattling tabourines,    That heaven and earth may strike their sounds together    Applauding our approach. Exeunt

SCENE IX

CAESAR'S camp

Enter a CENTURION and his company; ENOBARBUS follows

  CENTURION. If we be not reliev'd within this hour,    We must return to th' court of guard. The night    Is shiny, and they say we shall embattle    By th' second hour i' th' morn.  FIRST WATCH. This last day was    A shrewd one to's.  ENOBARBUS. O, bear me witness, night-  SECOND WATCH. What man is this?  FIRST WATCH. Stand close and list him.  ENOBARBUS. Be witness to me, O thou blessed moon,    When men revolted shall upon record    Bear hateful memory, poor Enobarbus did    Before thy face repent!  CENTURION. Enobarbus?  SECOND WATCH. Peace!    Hark further.  ENOBARBUS. O sovereign mistress of true melancholy,    The poisonous damp of night disponge upon me,    That life, a very rebel to my will,    May hang no longer on me. Throw my heart    Against the flint and hardness of my fault,    Which, being dried with grief, will break to powder,    And finish all foul thoughts. O Antony,    Nobler than my revolt is infamous,    Forgive me in thine own particular,    But let the world rank me in register    A master-leaver and a fugitive!    O Antony! O Antony! [Dies]  FIRST WATCH. Let's speak to him.  CENTURION. Let's hear him, for the things he speaks    May concern Caesar.  SECOND WATCH. Let's do so. But he sleeps.  CENTURION. Swoons rather; for so bad a prayer as his    Was never yet for sleep.  FIRST WATCH. Go we to him.  SECOND WATCH. Awake, sir, awake; speak to us.  FIRST WATCH. Hear you, sir?  CENTURION. The hand of death hath raught him.    [Drums afar off] Hark! the drums    Demurely wake the sleepers. Let us bear him    To th' court of guard; he is of note. Our hour    Is fully out.  SECOND WATCH. Come on, then;    He may recover yet. Exeunt with the body

SCENE X

Between the two camps

Enter ANTONY and SCARUS, with their army

  ANTONY. Their preparation is to-day by sea;    We please them not by land.  SCARUS. For both, my lord.  ANTONY. I would they'd fight i' th' fire or i' th' air;    We'd fight there too. But this it is, our foot    Upon the hills adjoining to the city    Shall stay with us- Order for sea is given;    They have put forth the haven-    Where their appointment we may best discover    And look on their endeavour. Exeunt

SCENE XI

Between the camps

Enter CAESAR and his army

  CAESAR. But being charg'd, we will be still by land,    Which, as I take't, we shall; for his best force    Is forth to man his galleys. To the vales,    And hold our best advantage. Exeunt

SCENE XII

A hill near Alexandria

Enter ANTONY and SCARUS

  ANTONY. Yet they are not join'd. Where yond pine does stand    I shall discover all. I'll bring thee word    Straight how 'tis like to go. Exit  SCARUS. Swallows have built    In Cleopatra's sails their nests. The augurers    Say they know not, they cannot tell; look grimly,    And dare not speak their knowledge. Antony    Is valiant and dejected; and by starts    His fretted fortunes give him hope and fear    Of what he has and has not.                            [Alarum afar off, as at a sea-fight]

Re-enter ANTONY

  ANTONY. All is lost!    This foul Egyptian hath betrayed me.    My fleet hath yielded to the foe, and yonder    They cast their caps up and carouse together    Like friends long lost. Triple-turn'd whore! 'tis thou    Hast sold me to this novice; and my heart    Makes only wars on thee. Bid them all fly;    For when I am reveng'd upon my charm,    I have done all. Bid them all fly; begone. Exit SCARUS    O sun, thy uprise shall I see no more!    Fortune and Antony part here; even here    Do we shake hands. All come to this? The hearts    That spaniel'd me at heels, to whom I gave    Their wishes, do discandy, melt their sweets    On blossoming Caesar; and this pine is bark'd    That overtopp'd them all. Betray'd I am.    O this false soul of Egypt! this grave charm-    Whose eye beck'd forth my wars and call'd them home,    Whose bosom was my crownet, my chief end-    Like a right gypsy hath at fast and loose    Beguil'd me to the very heart of loss.    What, Eros, Eros!

Enter CLEOPATRA

    Ah, thou spell! Avaunt!  CLEOPATRA. Why is my lord enrag'd against his love?  ANTONY. Vanish, or I shall give thee thy deserving    And blemish Caesar's triumph. Let him take thee    And hoist thee up to the shouting plebeians;    Follow his chariot, like the greatest spot    Of all thy sex; most monster-like, be shown    For poor'st diminutives, for doits, and let    Patient Octavia plough thy visage up    With her prepared nails. Exit CLEOPATRA    'Tis well th'art gone,    If it be well to live; but better 'twere    Thou fell'st into my fury, for one death    Might have prevented many. Eros, ho!    The shirt of Nessus is upon me; teach me,    Alcides, thou mine ancestor, thy rage;    Let me lodge Lichas on the horns o' th' moon,    And with those hands that grasp'd the heaviest club    Subdue my worthiest self. The witch shall die.    To the young Roman boy she hath sold me, and I fall    Under this plot. She dies for't. Eros, ho! Exit

SCENE XIII

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and MARDIAN

  CLEOPATRA. Help me, my women. O, he is more mad    Than Telamon for his shield; the boar of Thessaly    Was never so emboss'd.  CHARMIAN. To th'monument!    There lock yourself, and send him word you are dead.    The soul and body rive not more in parting    Than greatness going off.  CLEOPATRA. To th' monument!    Mardian, go tell him I have slain myself;    Say that the last I spoke was 'Antony'    And word it, prithee, piteously. Hence, Mardian,    And bring me how he takes my death. To th' monument!Exeunt

SCENE XIV

CLEOPATRA'S palace

Enter ANTONY and EROS

  ANTONY. Eros, thou yet behold'st me?  EROS. Ay, noble lord.  ANTONY. Sometime we see a cloud that's dragonish;    A vapour sometime like a bear or lion,    A tower'd citadel, a pendent rock,    A forked mountain, or blue promontory    With trees upon't that nod unto the world    And mock our eyes with air. Thou hast seen these signs;    They are black vesper's pageants.  EROS. Ay, my lord.  ANTONY. That which is now a horse, even with a thought    The rack dislimns, and makes it indistinct,    As water is in water.  EROS. It does, my lord.  ANTONY. My good knave Eros, now thy captain is    Even such a body. Here I am Antony;    Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave.    I made these wars for Egypt; and the Queen-    Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine,    Which, whilst it was mine, had annex'd unto't    A million moe, now lost- she, Eros, has    Pack'd cards with Caesar, and false-play'd my glory    Unto an enemy's triumph.    Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us    Ourselves to end ourselves.

Enter MARDIAN

    O, thy vile lady!    She has robb'd me of my sword.  MARDIAN. No, Antony;    My mistress lov'd thee, and her fortunes mingled    With thine entirely.  ANTONY. Hence, saucy eunuch; peace!    She hath betray'd me, and shall die the death.  MARDIAN. Death of one person can be paid but once,    And that she has discharg'd. What thou wouldst do    Is done unto thy hand. The last she spake    Was 'Antony! most noble Antony!'    Then in the midst a tearing groan did break    The name of Antony; it was divided    Between her heart and lips. She rend'red life,    Thy name so buried in her.  ANTONY. Dead then?  MARDIAN. Dead.  ANTONY. Unarm, Eros; the long day's task is done,    And we must sleep. That thou depart'st hence safe    Does pay thy labour richly. Go. Exit MARDIAN    Off, pluck off!    The sevenfold shield of Ajax cannot keep    The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my sides!    Heart, once be stronger than thy continent,    Crack thy frail case. Apace, Eros, apace. -    No more a soldier. Bruised pieces, go;    You have been nobly borne. – From me awhile. Exit EROS    I will o'ertake thee, Cleopatra, and    Weep for my pardon. So it must be, for now    All length is torture. Since the torch is out,    Lie down, and stray no farther. Now all labour    Mars what it does; yea, very force entangles    Itself with strength. Seal then, and all is done.    Eros! – I come, my queen. – Eros! – Stay for me;    Where souls do couch on flowers, we'll hand in hand,    And with our sprightly port make the ghosts gaze.    Dido and her Aeneas shall want troops,    And all the haunt be ours. – Come, Eros, Eros!

Re-enter EROS

  EROS. What would my lord?  ANTONY. Since Cleopatra died,    I have liv'd in such dishonour that the gods    Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword    Quarter'd the world, and o'er green Neptune's back    With ships made cities, condemn myself to lack    The courage of a woman; less noble mind    Than she which by her death our Caesar tells    'I am conqueror of myself.' Thou art sworn, Eros,    That, when the exigent should come- which now    Is come indeed- when I should see behind me    Th' inevitable prosecution of    Disgrace and horror, that, on my command,    Thou then wouldst kill me. Do't; the time is come.    Thou strik'st not me; 'tis Caesar thou defeat'st.    Put colour in thy cheek.  EROS. The gods withhold me!    Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts,    Though enemy, lost aim and could not?  ANTONY. Eros,    Wouldst thou be window'd in great Rome and see    Thy master thus with pleach'd arms, bending down    His corrigible neck, his face subdu'd    To penetrative shame, whilst the wheel'd seat    Of fortunate Caesar, drawn before him, branded    His baseness that ensued?  EROS. I would not see't.  ANTONY. Come, then; for with a wound I must be cur'd.    Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn    Most useful for thy country.  EROS. O, sir, pardon me!  ANTONY. When I did make thee free, swor'st thou not then    To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once,    Or thy precedent services are all    But accidents unpurpos'd. Draw, and come.  EROS. Turn from me then that noble countenance,    Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.  ANTONY. Lo thee! [Turning from him]  EROS. My sword is drawn.  ANTONY. Then let it do at once    The thing why thou hast drawn it.  EROS. My dear master,    My captain and my emperor, let me say,    Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.  ANTONY. 'Tis said, man; and farewell.  EROS. Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?  ANTONY. Now, Eros.  EROS. Why, there then! Thus do I escape the sorrow    Of Antony's death. [Kills himself  ANTONY. Thrice nobler than myself!    Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros, what    I should, and thou couldst not. My queen and Eros    Have, by their brave instruction, got upon me    A nobleness in record. But I will be    A bridegroom in my death, and run into't    As to a lover's bed. Come, then; and, Eros,    Thy master dies thy scholar. To do thus                                          [Falling on his sword]    I learn'd of thee. How? not dead? not dead? -    The guard, ho! O, dispatch me!

Enter DERCETAS and a guard

  FIRST GUARD. What's the noise?  ANTONY. I have done my work ill, friends. O, make an end    Of what I have begun.  SECOND GUARD. The star is fall'n.  FIRST GUARD. And time is at his period.  ALL. Alas, and woe!  ANTONY. Let him that loves me, strike me dead.  FIRST GUARD. Not I.  SECOND GUARD. Nor I.  THIRD GUARD. Nor any one. Exeunt guard  DERCETAS. Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly.    This sword but shown to Caesar, with this tidings,    Shall enter me with him.

Enter DIOMEDES