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Antony and Cleopatra - Act 3, scene 13
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Antony and Cleopatra - Act 3, scene 13Act 3, scene 13
⌜Scene 13⌝
Synopsis:
Antony has Thidias whipped for kissing Cleopatra’s hand, then makes plans to renew his battle with Caesar. Enobarbus decides to find a way to leave Antony.
Enter Cleopatra, Enobarbus, Charmian, and Iras.CLEOPATRA
2151 What shall we do, Enobarbus?
ENOBARBUS 2152 Think, and die.
CLEOPATRA
2153 Is Antony or we in fault for this?
ENOBARBUS
2154 Antony only, that would make his will
2155 5 Lord of his reason. What though you fled
2156 From that great face of war, whose several ranges
2157 Frighted each other? Why should he follow?
2158 The itch of his affection should not then
2159 Have nicked his captainship, at such a point,
2160 10 When half to half the world opposed, he being
2161 The merèd question. ’Twas a shame no less
2162 Than was his loss, to course your flying flags
2163 And leave his navy gazing.
CLEOPATRA 2164 Prithee, peace.
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165
Enter the Ambassador with Antony.ANTONY 2165 15Is that his answer?
AMBASSADOR 2166 Ay, my lord.
ANTONY
2167 The Queen shall then have courtesy, so she
2168 Will yield us up?
AMBASSADOR 2169 He says so.
ANTONY 2170 20 Let her know ’t.—
2171 To the boy Caesar send this grizzled head,
2172 And he will fill thy wishes to the brim
2173 With principalities.
CLEOPATRA 2174 That head, my lord?
ANTONY, ⌜to Ambassador⌝
2175 25 To him again. Tell him he wears the rose
2176 Of youth upon him, from which the world should
2177 note
2178 Something particular: his coin, ships, legions
2179 May be a coward’s, whose ministers would prevail
2180 30 Under the service of a child as soon
2181 As i’ th’ command of Caesar. I dare him therefore
2182 To lay his gay ⌜caparisons⌝ apart
2183 And answer me declined, sword against sword,
2184 Ourselves alone. I’ll write it. Follow me.
⌜Antony and Ambassador exit.⌝
ENOBARBUS, ⌜aside⌝
2185 35 Yes, like enough, high-battled Caesar will
2186 Unstate his happiness and be staged to th’ show
2187 Against a sworder! I see men’s judgments are
2188 A parcel of their fortunes, and things outward
2189 Do draw the inward quality after them
2190 40 To suffer all alike. That he should dream,
2191 Knowing all measures, the full Caesar will
2192 Answer his emptiness! Caesar, thou hast subdued
2193 His judgment too.
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Enter a Servant.SERVANT 2194 A messenger from Caesar.
CLEOPATRA
2195 45 What, no more ceremony? See, my women,
2196 Against the blown rose may they stop their nose
2197 That kneeled unto the buds.—Admit him, sir.
⌜Servant exits.⌝
ENOBARBUS, ⌜aside⌝
2198 Mine honesty and I begin to square.
2199 The loyalty well held to fools does make
2200 50 Our faith mere folly. Yet he that can endure
2201 To follow with allegiance a fall’n lord
2202 Does conquer him that did his master conquer,
2203 And earns a place i’ th’ story.
Enter Thidias.
CLEOPATRA 2204 Caesar’s will?
THIDIAS
2205 55 Hear it apart.
CLEOPATRA 2206 None but friends. Say boldly.
THIDIAS
2207 So haply are they friends to Antony.
ENOBARBUS
2208 He needs as many, sir, as Caesar has,
2209 Or needs not us. If Caesar please, our master
2210 60 Will leap to be his friend. For us, you know
2211 Whose he is we are, and that is Caesar’s.
THIDIAS 2212 So.—
2213 Thus then, thou most renowned: Caesar entreats
2214 Not to consider in what case thou stand’st
2215 65 Further than he is ⌜Caesar.⌝
CLEOPATRA 2216 Go on; right royal.
THIDIAS
2217 He knows that you embrace not Antony
2218 As you did love, but as you feared him.
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CLEOPATRA
2219
O!THIDIAS
2220 70 The scars upon your honor therefore he
2221 Does pity as constrainèd blemishes,
2222 Not as deserved.
CLEOPATRA 2223 He is a god and knows
2224 What is most right. Mine honor was not yielded,
2225 75 But conquered merely.
ENOBARBUS, ⌜aside⌝ 2226 To be sure of that,
2227 I will ask Antony. Sir, sir, thou art so leaky
2228 That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for
2229 Thy dearest quit thee.Enobarbus exits.
THIDIAS 2230 80 Shall I say to Caesar
2231 What you require of him? For he partly begs
2232 To be desired to give. It much would please him
2233 That of his fortunes you should make a staff
2234 To lean upon. But it would warm his spirits
2235 85 To hear from me you had left Antony
2236 And put yourself under his shroud,
2237 The universal landlord.
CLEOPATRA 2238 What’s your name?
THIDIAS
2239 My name is Thidias.
CLEOPATRA 2240 90 Most kind messenger,
2241 Say to great Caesar this in ⌜deputation:⌝
2242 I kiss his conqu’ring hand. Tell him I am prompt
2243 To lay my crown at ’s feet, and there to kneel.
2244 Tell him, from his all-obeying breath I hear
2245 95 The doom of Egypt.
THIDIAS 2246 ’Tis your noblest course.
2247 Wisdom and fortune combating together,
2248 If that the former dare but what it can,
2249 No chance may shake it. Give me grace to lay
2250 100 My duty on your hand.
⌜She gives him her hand to kiss.⌝
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171
CLEOPATRA
2251
Your Caesar’s father oft,2252 When he hath mused of taking kingdoms in,
2253 Bestowed his lips on that unworthy place
2254 As it rained kisses.
Enter Antony and Enobarbus.
ANTONY 2255 105 Favors? By Jove that thunders!
2256 What art thou, fellow?
THIDIAS 2257 One that but performs
2258 The bidding of the fullest man and worthiest
2259 To have command obeyed.
ENOBARBUS 2260 110 You will be whipped.
ANTONY, ⌜calling for Servants⌝
2261 Approach there!—Ah, you kite!—Now, gods and
2262 devils,
2263 Authority melts from me. Of late when I cried “Ho!”
2264 Like boys unto a muss kings would start forth
2265 115 And cry “Your will?” Have you no ears? I am
2266 Antony yet.
Enter ⌜Servants.⌝
2267 Take hence this jack and whip him.
ENOBARBUS, ⌜aside⌝
2268 ’Tis better playing with a lion’s whelp
2269 Than with an old one dying.
ANTONY 2270 120 Moon and stars!
2271 Whip him! Were ’t twenty of the greatest tributaries
2272 That do acknowledge Caesar, should I find them
2273 So saucy with the hand of she here—what’s her
2274 name
2275 125 Since she was Cleopatra? Whip him, fellows,
2276 Till like a boy you see him cringe his face
2277 And whine aloud for mercy. Take him hence.
THIDIAS
2278 Mark Antony—
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173
ANTONY
2279
Tug him away. Being whipped,2280 130 Bring him again. ⌜This⌝ jack of Caesar’s shall
2281 Bear us an errand to him.
⌜Servants⌝ exit with Thidias.
2282 ⌜To Cleopatra.⌝ You were half blasted ere I knew you.
2283 Ha!
2284 Have I my pillow left unpressed in Rome,
2285 135 Forborne the getting of a lawful race,
2286 And by a gem of women, to be abused
2287 By one that looks on feeders?
CLEOPATRA 2288 Good my lord—
ANTONY 2289 You have been a boggler ever.
2290 140 But when we in our viciousness grow hard—
2291 O, misery on ’t!—the wise gods seel our eyes,
2292 In our own filth drop our clear judgments, make us
2293 Adore our errors, laugh at ’s while we strut
2294 To our confusion.
CLEOPATRA 2295 145 O, is ’t come to this?
ANTONY
2296 I found you as a morsel cold upon
2297 Dead Caesar’s trencher; nay, you were a fragment
2298 Of Gneius Pompey’s, besides what hotter hours,
2299 Unregistered in vulgar fame, you have
2300 150 Luxuriously picked out. For I am sure,
2301 Though you can guess what temperance should be,
2302 You know not what it is.
CLEOPATRA 2303 Wherefore is this?
ANTONY
2304 To let a fellow that will take rewards
2305 155 And say “God quit you!” be familiar with
2306 My playfellow, your hand, this kingly seal
2307 And plighter of high hearts! O, that I were
2308 Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar
2309 The hornèd herd! For I have savage cause,
2310 160 And to proclaim it civilly were like
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175
2311
A haltered neck which does the hangman thank2312 For being yare about him.
Enter a Servant with Thidias.
2313 Is he whipped?
SERVANT 2314 Soundly, my lord.
ANTONY 2315 165Cried he? And begged he pardon?
SERVANT 2316 He did ask favor.
ANTONY, ⌜to Thidias⌝
2317 If that thy father live, let him repent
2318 Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou sorry
2319 To follow Caesar in his triumph, since
2320 170 Thou hast been whipped for following him.
2321 Henceforth
2322 The white hand of a lady fever thee;
2323 Shake thou to look on ’t. Get thee back to Caesar.
2324 Tell him thy entertainment. Look thou say
2325 175 He makes me angry with him; for he seems
2326 Proud and disdainful, harping on what I am,
2327 Not what he knew I was. He makes me angry,
2328 And at this time most easy ’tis to do ’t,
2329 When my good stars that were my former guides
2330 180 Have empty left their orbs and shot their fires
2331 Into th’ abysm of hell. If he mislike
2332 My speech and what is done, tell him he has
2333 Hipparchus, my enfranchèd bondman, whom
2334 He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,
2335 185 As he shall like to quit me. Urge it thou.
2336 Hence with thy stripes, begone!Thidias exits.
CLEOPATRA 2337 Have you done yet?
ANTONY
2338 Alack, our terrene moon is now eclipsed,
2339 And it portends alone the fall of Antony.
CLEOPATRA 2340 190I must stay his time.
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ANTONY 2341 To flatter Caesar, would you mingle eyes
2342 With one that ties his points?
CLEOPATRA 2343 Not know me yet?
ANTONY
2344 Coldhearted toward me?
CLEOPATRA 2345 195 Ah, dear, if I be so,
2346 From my cold heart let heaven engender hail
2347 And poison it in the source, and the first stone
2348 Drop in my neck; as it determines, so
2349 Dissolve my life! The next Caesarion ⌜smite,⌝
2350 200 Till by degrees the memory of my womb,
2351 Together with my brave Egyptians all,
2352 By the discandying of this pelleted storm
2353 Lie graveless till the flies and gnats of Nile
2354 Have buried them for prey!
ANTONY 2355 205 I am satisfied.
2356 Caesar ⌜sits⌝ down in Alexandria, where
2357 I will oppose his fate. Our force by land
2358 Hath nobly held; our severed navy too
2359 Have knit again, and fleet, threatening most sealike.
2360 210 Where hast thou been, my heart? Dost thou hear,
2361 lady?
2362 If from the field I shall return once more
2363 To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood.
2364 I and my sword will earn our chronicle.
2365 215 There’s hope in ’t yet.
CLEOPATRA 2366 That’s my brave lord!
ANTONY
2367 I will be treble-sinewed, -hearted, -breathed,
2368 And fight maliciously; for when mine hours
2369 Were nice and lucky, men did ransom lives
2370 220 Of me for jests. But now I’ll set my teeth
2371 And send to darkness all that stop me. Come,
2372 Let’s have one other gaudy night. Call to me
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2373
All my sad captains. Fill our bowls once more.2374 Let’s mock the midnight bell.
CLEOPATRA 2375 225 It is my birthday.
2376 I had thought t’ have held it poor. But since my lord
2377 Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra.
ANTONY 2378 We will yet do well.
CLEOPATRA
2379 Call all his noble captains to my lord.
ANTONY
2380 230 Do so; we’ll speak to them, and tonight I’ll force
2381 The wine peep through their scars.—Come on, my
2382 queen,
2383 There’s sap in ’t yet. The next time I do fight
2384 I’ll make Death love me, for I will contend
2385 235 Even with his pestilent scythe.
⌜All but Enobarbus⌝ exit.
ENOBARBUS
2386 Now he’ll outstare the lightning. To be furious
2387 Is to be frighted out of fear, and in that mood
2388 The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still
2389 A diminution in our captain’s brain
2390 240 Restores his heart. When valor preys ⌜on⌝ reason,
2391 It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek
2392 Some way to leave him.
⌜He⌝ exits.