The Plays of William Shakespeare

May make too great an act: For learn this, Silius;
Better leave undone, than by our deed acquire
Too high a fame, when him we serve's away.
Cæsar, and Antony, have ever won
More in their officer, than person: Sossius,
One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
For quick accumulation of renown,

Which he achiev'd by the minute, lost his favour.
Who does i'the wars more than his captain can,
Becomes his captain's captain: and ambition,
The soldier's virtue, rather makes choice of loss,
Than gain, which darkens him.

I could do more to do Antonius good,

But 'twould offend him ; and in his offence
Should my performance perish.

Sil.
Thou hast, Ventidius,
That without which a soldier, and his sword,
Grants scarce distinction. Thou wilt write to Antony?
Ven. I'll humbly signify what in his name,
That magical word of war, we have effected;
How, with his banners, and his well-paid ranks,'
The ne'er-yet-beaten hors of Parthia

We have jaded out o'the field.

Ven. He purposeth to Athens: whither with what haste

The weight we must convey with us will permit, We shall appear before him.-On, there; pass along.

[Exeunt. SCENE II-Rome. An Ante-Chamber in Cæsar's House. Enter Agrippa, and Enobarbus, meeting. Agr. What, are the brothers parted?

Eno. They have despatch'd with Pompey, he is gone;
The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps
To part from Rome; Cæsar is sad; and Lepidus,
Since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubled
With the green sickness.

Agr.
"Tis a noble Lepidus.
Eno. A very fine one: O, how he loves Cæsar!
Agr. Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony !
Eno. Caesar? Why, he's the Jupiter of men.
Agr. What's Antony? the god of Jupiter.
Eno. Spake you of Cæsar? How? the nonpareil !
Agr. O Antony! O thou Arabian bird!

Eno. Would you praise Cæsar, say,-Cæsar;-go no further.

Agr. Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.

Eno. But he loves Cesar best:-Yet he loves Antony:

Ho! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets, can

not

Think, speak, east, write, sing, number, ho, his love
To Antony. But as for Cæsar,

Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.
Agr.
Both he loves.
Eno. They are his shards, and he their beetle. So-
[Trumpets.

This is to horse.-Adieu, noble Agrippa.
Agr. Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell.
Enter Cæsar, Antony, Lepidus, and Octavia.
Ant. No further, sir.

Cæs. You take from me a great part of myself;
Use me well in it.-Sister, prove such a wife

As my thoughts make thee, and as my furthest band
Shall pass on thy approof.-Most noble Antony,
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

SCENE III-Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas.
Cleo. Where is the fellow?
Alex.
Half afeard to come.
Cleo. Go to, go to:-Come hither, sir.
Enter a Messenger.

Alex.
Good majesty,
Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you,
But when you are well pleas'd.
Cleo.
That Herod's head
I'll have: But how? when Antony is gone
Through whom I might command it.-Come thou near.
Mes. Most gracious majesty,-
Cleo.

Octavia?

Mes. Ay, dread queen.

Didst thou behold

Widow?-Charmian, bark.

Mes. And I do think, she's thirty.

Cleo. Bear'st thou her face in mind? Is it long, or
round?

Mes. Round even to faultiness.
Cleo.
For the most part too,
They are foolish that are so.-Her hair, what colour?
Mes. Brown, madam: And her forehead is as low
As she would wish it.

There is gold for thee.

Cleo.
Thou must not take my former sharpness ill :-
I will employ thee back again; I find thee
Most fit for business: Go, make thee ready;
Our letters are prepar'd.

Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady,
If this division chance, ne'er stood between,
Praying for both parts:

And the good gods will mock me presently,
When I shall pray, 0, bless my lord and husband:
Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud,

O, bless my brother! Husband win, win brother,
Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway
'Twixt these extremes at all.
Ant.
Gentle Octavia,
Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks
Best to preserve it: If I lose mine honour,

I lose myself: better I were not yours,
Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested,
Yourself shall go between us: The mean time, lady,
I'll raise the preparation of a war

Shall stain your brother; Make your soonest haste;
So your desires are yours.

Oct.
Thanks to my lord.
The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak,
Your reconciler! Wars 'twixt you twain would be
As if the world should cleave, and that slain men
Should solder up the rift.

Ant. When it appears to you where this begins,
Turn your displeasure that way; for our faults
Can never be so equal, that your love

Can equally move with them. Provide your going;
Choose your own company, and command what cost
Your heart has mind to.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V-The same. Another Room in the same.
Enter Enobarbus and Eros, meeting.
Eno. How now, friend Eros?

Eros. There's strange news come, sir.
Eno. What, man?

Eros. Cæsar and Lepidus have made wars upon
Pompey.

Eno. This is old; What is the success?

Eros. Cæsar, having made use of him in the wars [Exit Mes. 'gainst Pompey, presently denied hm rivality; would not let him partake in the glory of the action: and not resting here, accuses him of letters he had former ly wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal, seizes him: So the poor third is up, till death enlarge his confine.

Char.
A proper man.
Cleo. Indeed, he is so: I repent me much,
That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him,
This creature's no such thing.

Char.

O, nothing, madam.

Cleo. The man hath seen some majesty, and should know.

Char. Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend,

And serving you so long!

Eno. Then, world, thou hast a pair of chaps, no more; And throw between them all the food thou hast, They'll grind the one the other. Where's Antony? Eros. He's walking in the garden-thus; and spurt The rush that lies before him: cries, Fool, Lepidus!

Cleo. I have one thing more to ask him yet, good And threats the throat of that his officer,

Charmian :

SCENE IV.-Athens. A Room in Antony's House.
Enter Antony and Octavia.

Ant. Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,-
That were excusable, that, and thousands more
Of semblable import,-but he hath wag'd

New wars 'gainst Pompey; made his will, and read it
To public ear;

Spoke scantly of me: when perforce he could not
But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly

He vented them; most narrow measure lent me :
en the best hint was given him, he not took't,
it from his teeth.

From all,
O my good lord,
Eno. Ha, m; or, if you must believe,

That murder'd Pompey.

Eno.

Our great navy's rigged. Eros. For Italy, and Caesar. More, Domitius; My lord desires you presently: my news

I might have told hereafter.

Eno.

"Twill be naught:
But let it be.-Bring me to Antony.
Eros.

Come, sir.
[Exeunt.

SCENE VI-Rome. A Room in Casar's House.
Enter Cæsar, Agrippa, and Mecenas.
Cæs. Conterning Rome, he has done all this: And

more;

In Alexandria, here's the manner of it,-
I'the market-place, on a tribunal silver'd,
Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold
Were publicly enthron'd: at the feet, sat
Cæsarion, whom they call my father's son;

And all the unlawful issue, that their lust
Since then hath made between them. Unto her
He gave the 'stablishment of Egypt; made ber
Of Lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,
Absolute queen.

Mec.

This in the public eye?

Cas. No, my most wronged sister; Cleopatra Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire Up to a whore; who now are levying

The kings o'the earth for war: He hath assembled

Caes. I'the common show-place, where they exercise. || Bocchus, the king of Lybia; Archelaus,

His sons he there proclaim'd, The kings of kings:

Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia,

He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign'd
Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia: She

In the habiliments of the goddess Isis

That day appear'd; and oft before gave audience,
As 'tis reported, so.

Like Cæsar's sister: The wife of Antony
Should have an army for an usher, and
The neighs of horse to tell of her approach,
Long ere she did appear; the trees by the way
Should have borne men; and expectation fainted,
Longing for what it had not: nay, the dust
Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,
Rais'd by your populous troops: But you are come
A market-maid to Rome; and have prevented
The ostent of our love, which, left unshown
¡ Is often left unlov'd: we should have met you
By sea, and land; supplying every stage
With an augmented greeting.
Oct.

Good my lord,

To come thus was I not constrain'd, but did it
On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,
Hearing that you prepar'd for war, acquainted
My grieved ear withal; whereon, I begg'd
His pardon for return.

Cas.
Which soon he granted,
Being an obstruct 'tween his lust and him.

Oct. Do not say so, my lord.
Cas.

Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, king

Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas;
King Malchus of Arabia; king of Pont;
Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, king
Of Comagene; Polemon and Amintas,
The kings of Mede, and Lycaonia, with a
More larger list of sceptres.

Oct.
Ah me, most wretched,
That have my heart parted betwixt two friends,
That do afflict each other!

Cæs.
Welcome hither:
Your letters did withhold our breaking forth;
Till we perceiv'd, both how you were wrong led,
And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart:
Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
O'er your content these strong necessities;
But let determin'd things to destiny
Hold unbewail'd their way. Welcome to Rome:
Nothing more dear to me. You are abus'd
Beyond the mark of thought: and the high gods,
To do you justice, make them ministers

Of us, and those that love you. Best of comfort;
And ever welcome to us.

What should not then be spar'd. He is already
Traduc'd for levity; and 'tis said in Rome,
That Photinus an eunuch, and your maids,
Manage this war.

Cleo.
Sink Rome; and their tongues rot,
That speak against us! A charge we bear i'the war,
And, as the president of my kingdom, will
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it;

I have eyes upon him, I will not stay behind.
And his affairs come to me on the wind.
Eno.

Nay, I have done:

Ant.

For he dares us to t. Eno. So hath my lord dar'd him to single fight. Can. Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia, Where Cæsar fought with Pompey: But these offers, Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off; And so should you.

Eno. Your ships are not well-mann'd: Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people Ingross'd by swift impress: In Cæsar's fleet Are those, that often have 'gainst Pompey fought: Their ships are yare; yours, heavy. No disgrace Shall fall you for refusing him at sea, Being prepar'd for land.

Ant.

By sea, by sea.

We then can do't at land.-Thy business?
Mes. The news is true, my lord; he is descried;
Cæsar has taken Toryne.

Ant. Can he be there in person? 'tis impossible;
Strange, that his power should be.-Canidius,
Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land.
And our twelve thousand horse:-We'll to our ship:
Enter a Soldier.

Away, my Thetis !-How now, worthy soldier?
Sol. O noble emperor, do not fight by sea;
Trust not to rotten planks: Do you misdoubt

This sword, and these my wounds? Let the Egyptians,
And the Phoenicians, go a ducking; we
Have us'd to conquer, standing on the earth,
And fighting foot to foot.

Ant.

Well, well, away.
[Exeunt Antony, Cleopatra, and Enobarbus.
Sol. By Hercules, I think, I am i'the right.
Can. Soldier, thou art: but his whole action grows
Not in the power on't: So our leader's led,
And we are women's men.

Sol.
You keep by land
The legions and the horse whole, do you not?

Can. Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,

Publicola, and Cælius, are for sea:

But we keep whole by land. This speed of Cæsar's

Each minute some.

[Exeunt.

SCENE VIII-A Plain near Actium. Enter Cæsar Taurus, Officers, and others.

Enter Canidius, marching with his land army one way over the stage: and Taurus, the lieutenant of Cesar, the other way. After their going in, is heard the noise of a Sew-fight. Alarum. Re-enter Enobarbus. Ene. Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no

longer:

The Antoniad, the Egyptian admiral,
With all their sixty, fly, and turn the rudder;
To see't, mine eyes are blasted.

Scar.

Enter Scarus.

Gods, and goddesses,

All the whole synod of them!

Eno.

What's thy passion? Scar. The greater cantle of the world is lost With very ignorance; we have kiss'd away Kingdoms and provinces.

Eno. How appears the fight? Scar. On our side like the token'd pestilence, Where death is sure. Yon' ribald-rid nag of Egypt, Whom leprosy o'ertake! i'the midst of the fight,When vantage like a pair of twins appear'd, Both as the same, or rather ours the elder,The brize upon her, like a cow in June, Hoists sails, and flies.

Eno.

That I beheld: mine eyes Did sicken at the sight on't, and could not Endure a further view.

Scar.

She once being loof'd,

The noble ruin of her magie, Antony,

Claps on his sea-wing, and like a doating mallard,
Leaving the fight in height, flies after her:
I never saw an action of such shame;
Experience, manhood, honour, ne'er before
Did violate so itself.
Eno.

Alack, alack! Enter Canidius,

Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath,
And sinks most lamentably. Had our general
Been what he knew himself, it had gone well!
O, he has given example for our flight,
Most grossly, by his own.

Eng. Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good night

Ant. I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards

To run, and show their shoulders.-Friends, be gone;
I have myself resolv'd upon a course,
Which has no need of you; be gone:

My treasure's in the harbour, take it.-0,
I follow'd that I blush to look upon:
My very hairs do mutiny; for the white
Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them
For fear and doating.-Friends, be gone; you shall
Have letters from me to some friends, that will
Sweep your way for you. Pray you, look not sad,
Nor make replies of loathness: take the hint
Which my despair proclaims; let that be left
Which leaves itself: To the sea-side straightway:
I will possess you of that ship and treasure.
Leave me, I pray, a little: 'pray you now :-
Nay, do so; for, indeed, I have lost command,
Therefore I pray you:-I'll see you by and by.
[Sits down.
Enter Eros, and Cleopatra led by Charmian and Iras.
Eros. Nay, gentle madam, to him :-Comfort him.
Iras. Do, most dear queen.

Char. Do! why, what else?

Cleo. Let me sit down. O Juno!

Ant. No, no, no, no, no.

Eros. See you here, sir?

Ant. O fye, fye, fyẹ.

Char. Madam,

Iras. Madam; O good empress !—

Eros. Sir, sir,

Ant. Yes, my lord, yes ;-He, at Philippi, kept His sword even like a dancer; while I struck The lean and wrinkled Cassius; and 'twas I, That the mad Brutus ended: he alone

Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had

In the brave squares of war: Yet now-No matter. Cleo. Ah, stand by.

Eros. The queen, my lord, the queen.

Iras. Go to him, madam, speak to him;

He is unqualitied with very shame.

Cleo. Well then,-Sustain me :-O!

Eros. Most noble sir, arise; the queen approaches; Her head's declin'd, and death will seize her; but Your comfort makes the rescue

Ant. I have offended reputation;

A most unnoble swerving.

Ant. Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates All that is won and lost: Give me a kiss; Even this repays me.-We sent our schoolmaster, Is he come back?-Love, I am full of lead :Some wine, within there, and our viands :-Fortune knows,

We scorn her most, when most she offers blows.

[Exeunt. SCENE X-Cæsar's Camp, in Egypt. Enter Cæsar, Dolabella, Thyreus, and others.

Cas. Let him appear that's come from Antony.
Know you him?
Dol.

Cæsar, 'tis his schoolmaster:
An argument that he is pluck'd, when hither
He sends so poor a pinion of his wing,
Which had superfluous kings for messengers,
Not many moons gone by.

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The Plays of William Shakespeare, Volume 1