SEARCH TEXTS  

Plays  +  Sonnets  +  Poems  +  Concordance  +  Advanced Search  +  About OSS

Antony and Cleopatra

print/save print/save view

---
       

Act IV, Scene 8

Under the walls of Alexandria.

       
---

[Alarum. Enter MARK ANTONY, in a march; SCARUS,] [p]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 escaped. I thank you all; 2785
    For doughty-handed are you, and have fought
    Not as you served 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 2790
    Wash the congealment from your wounds, and kiss
    The honour'd gashes whole.
    [To SCARUS]
    Give me thy hand
    [Enter CLEOPATRA, attended] 2795
    To this great fairy I'll commend thy acts,
    Make her thanks bless thee.
    [To CLEOPATRA]
    O thou day o' the world,
    Chain mine arm'd neck; leap thou, attire and all, 2800
    Through proof of harness to my heart, and there
    Ride on the pants triumphing!
  • Cleopatra. Lord of lords!
    O infinite virtue, comest thou smiling from
    The world's great snare uncaught? 2805
  • Antony. My 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 2810
    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
    Destroy'd in such a shape. 2815
  • Cleopatra. I'll give thee, friend,
    An armour all of gold; it was a king's.
  • Antony. He has deserved it, were it carbuncled
    Like holy Phoebus' car. Give me thy hand:
    Through Alexandria make a jolly march; 2820
    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, 2825
    With brazen din blast you the city's ear;
    Make mingle with rattling tabourines;
    That heaven and earth may strike their sounds together,
    Applauding our approach.

[Exeunt]