Act III, Scene 13

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA’s palace.

[Enter CLEOPATRA, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, and IRAS]

• Cleopatra. What shall we do, Enobarbus?

• Domitius Enobarus. Think, and die. 2245

• Cleopatra. Is Antony or we in fault for this?

• Domitius Enobarus. 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? 2250
  The itch of his affection should not then
  Have nick'd his captainship; at such a point,
  When half to half the world opposed, he being
  The meered question: 'twas a shame no less
  Than was his loss, to course your flying flags, 2255
  And leave his navy gazing.

• Cleopatra. Prithee, peace.

[Enter MARK ANTONY with EUPHRONIUS, the Ambassador]

• Antony. Is that his answer?

• Euphronius. Ay, my lord. 2260

• 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, 2265
  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 2270
  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 Caesar: I dare him therefore
  To lay his gay comparisons apart, 2275
  And answer me declined, sword against sword,
  Ourselves alone. I'll write it: follow me.

[Exeunt MARK ANTONY and EUPHRONIUS]

• Domitius Enobarus. [Aside] Yes, like enough, high-battled Caesar will
  Unstate his happiness, and be staged to the show, 2280
  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 2285
  Answer his emptiness! Caesar, thou hast subdued
  His judgment too.

[Enter an Attendant]

• Attendant. A messenger from CAESAR.

• Cleopatra. What, no more ceremony? See, my women! 2290
  Against the blown rose may they stop their nose
  That kneel'd unto the buds. Admit him, sir.

[Exit Attendant]

• Domitius Enobarus. [Aside] Mine honesty and I begin to square.
  The loyalty well held to fools does make 2295
  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' the 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.

• Domitius Enobarus. He needs as many, sir, as Caesar has; 2305
  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, 2310
  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. 2315

• Cleopatra. O!

• Thyreus. The scars upon your honour, therefore, he
  Does pity, as constrained blemishes,
  Not as deserved.

• Cleopatra. He is a god, and knows 2320
  What is most right: mine honour was not yielded,
  But conquer'd merely.

• Domitius Enobarus. [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 2325
  Thy dearest quit thee.

[Exit]

• Thyreus. Shall I say to Caesar
  What you require of him? for he partly begs
  To be desired to give. It much would please him, 2330
  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. 2335

• Cleopatra. What's your name?

• Thyreus. My name is Thyreus.

• Cleopatra. Most kind messenger,
  Say to great Caesar this: in deputation
  I kiss his conquering hand: tell him, I am prompt 2340
  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, 2345
  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 mused of taking kingdoms in, 2350
  Bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place,
  As it rain'd kisses.

[Re-enter MARK ANTONY and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS]

• Antony. Favours, by Jove that thunders!
  What art thou, fellow? 2355

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

• Domitius Enobarus. [Aside] You will be whipp'd.

• Antony. Approach, there! Ah, you kite! Now, gods 2360
  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. 2365
  [Enter Attendants]
  Take hence this Jack, and whip him.

• Domitius Enobarus. [Aside] 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp
  Than with an old one dying.

• Antony. Moon and stars! 2370
  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, 2375
  And whine aloud for mercy: take him hence.

• Thyreus. Mark Antony!

• Antony. Tug him away: being whipp'd,
  Bring him again: this Jack of Caesar's shall
  Bear us an errand to him. 2380
  [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 2385
  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; 2390
  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 2395
  Dead Caesar's trencher; nay, you were a fragment
  Of Cneius Pompey's; besides what hotter hours,
  Unregister'd in vulgar fame, you have
  Luxuriously pick'd out: for, I am sure,
  Though you can guess what temperance should be, 2400
  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 2405
  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 2410
  For being yare about him.
  [Re-enter Attendants with THYREUS]
  Is he whipp'd?

• First Attendant. Soundly, my lord.

• Antony. Cried he? and begg'd a' pardon? 2415

• First Attendant. 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 whipp'd for following him: henceforth 2420
  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, 2425
  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 the abysm of hell. If he mislike 2430
  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, begone! 2435

[Exit THYREUS]

• Cleopatra. Have you done yet?

• Antony. Alack, our terrene moon
  Is now eclipsed; and it portends alone
  The fall of Antony! 2440

• 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? 2445

• 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! 2450
  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! 2455

• 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 too
  Have knit again, and fleet, threatening most sea-like. 2460
  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. 2465

• Cleopatra. That's my brave lord!

• Antony. I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breathed,
  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, 2470
  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 birth-day: 2475
  I had thought to 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 2480
  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 DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS]

• Domitius Enobarus. 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, 2490
  It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek
  Some way to leave him.

[Exit]