Open Source Shakespeare

Antony and Cleopatra

• To print this text, click here
• To save this text, go to your browser's File menu, then select Save As


       

Act III, Scene 2

Rome. An ante-chamber in OCTAVIUS CAESAR’s house.

       

[Enter AGRIPPA at one door, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS] [p]at another]

  • Agrippa. What, are the brothers parted?
  • Domitius Enobarus. They have dispatch'd with Pompey, he is gone;
    The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps 1595
    To part from Rome; Caesar is sad; and Lepidus,
    Since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubled
    With the green sickness.
  • Agrippa. 'Tis a noble Lepidus.
  • Domitius Enobarus. A very fine one: O, how he loves Caesar! 1600
  • Agrippa. Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!
  • Domitius Enobarus. Caesar? Why, he's the Jupiter of men.
  • Agrippa. What's Antony? The god of Jupiter.
  • Domitius Enobarus. Spake you of Caesar? How! the non-pareil!
  • Agrippa. O Antony! O thou Arabian bird! 1605
  • Domitius Enobarus. Would you praise Caesar, say 'Caesar:' go no further.
  • Agrippa. Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.
  • Domitius Enobarus. But he loves Caesar best; yet he loves Antony:
    Ho! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards,
    poets, cannot 1610
    Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number, ho!
    His love to Antony. But as for Caesar,
    Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.
  • Agrippa. Both he loves.
  • Domitius Enobarus. They are his shards, and he their beetle. 1615
    [Trumpets within]
    So;
    This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa.
  • Agrippa. Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell.

[Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MARK ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA]

  • Antony. No further, sir.
  • Octavius. You take from me a great part of myself;
    Use me well in 't. Sister, prove such a wife
    As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest band
    Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony, 1625
    Let not the piece of virtue, which is set
    Betwixt us as the cement of our love,
    To keep it builded, be the ram to batter
    The fortress of it; for better might we
    Have loved without this mean, if on both parts 1630
    This be not cherish'd.
  • Antony. Make me not offended
    In your distrust.
  • Octavius. I have said.
  • Antony. You shall not find, 1635
    Though you be therein curious, the least cause
    For what you seem to fear: so, the gods keep you,
    And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!
    We will here part.
  • Octavius. Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well: 1640
    The elements be kind to thee, and make
    Thy spirits all of comfort! fare thee well.
  • Octavia. My noble brother!
  • Antony. The April 's in her eyes: it is love's spring,
    And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful. 1645
  • Octavia. Sir, look well to my husband's house; and—
  • Octavius. What, Octavia?
  • Octavia. I'll tell you in your ear.
  • Antony. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can
    Her heart inform her tongue,—the swan's 1650
    down-feather,
    That stands upon the swell at full of tide,
    And neither way inclines.
  • Domitius Enobarus. [Aside to AGRIPPA] Will Caesar weep?
  • Agrippa. [Aside to DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS] He has a cloud in 's face. 1655
  • Domitius Enobarus. [Aside to AGRIPPA] He were the worse for that,
    were he a horse;
    So is he, being a man.
  • Agrippa. [Aside to DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS] Why, Enobarbus,
    When Antony found Julius Caesar dead, 1660
    He cried almost to roaring; and he wept
    When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.
  • Domitius Enobarus. [Aside to AGRIPPA] That year, indeed, he was
    troubled with a rheum;
    What willingly he did confound he wail'd, 1665
    Believe't, till I wept too.
  • Octavius. No, sweet Octavia,
    You shall hear from me still; the time shall not
    Out-go my thinking on you.
  • Antony. Come, sir, come; 1670
    I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love:
    Look, here I have you; thus I let you go,
    And give you to the gods.
  • Octavius. Adieu; be happy!
  • Lepidus. Let all the number of the stars give light 1675
    To thy fair way!
  • Octavius. Farewell, farewell!

[Kisses OCTAVIA]

  • Antony. Farewell!

[Trumpets sound. Exeunt]