1    What shall we do, Enobarbus?

2    Think, and die.

3    Is Antony or we in fault for this?

4    Antony only, that would make his will
5    Lord of his reason. What though you fled
6    From that great face of war, whose several ranges
7    Frighted each other? why should he follow?
8    The itch of his affection should not then
9    Have nick'd his captainship; at such a point,
10   When half to half the world opposed, he being
11   The meered question: 'twas a shame no less
12   Than was his loss, to course your flying flags,
13   And leave his navy gazing.

14   Prithee, peace.

15   Is that his answer?

16   Ay, my lord.

17   The queen shall then have courtesy, so she
18   Will yield us up.

19   He says so.

20   Let her know't.
21   To the boy Caesar send this grizzled head,
22   And he will fill thy wishes to the brim
23   With principalities.

24   That head, my lord?

25   To him again: tell him he wears the rose
26   Of youth upon him; from which the world should note
27   Something particular: his coin, ships, legions,
28   May be a coward's; whose ministers would prevail
29   Under the service of a child as soon
30   As i' the command of Caesar: I dare him therefore
31   To lay his gay comparisons apart,
32   And answer me declined, sword against sword,
33   Ourselves alone. I'll write it: follow me.

Aside
34    Yes, like enough, high-battled Caesar will
35   Unstate his happiness, and be staged to the show,
36   Against a sworder! I see men's judgments are
37   A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward
38   Do draw the inward quality after them,
39   To suffer all alike. That he should dream,
40   Knowing all measures, the full Caesar will
41   Answer his emptiness! Caesar, thou hast subdued
42   His judgment too.

43   A messenger from CAESAR.

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

Aside
47    Mine honesty and I begin to square.
48   The loyalty well held to fools does make
49   Our faith mere folly: yet he that can endure
50   To follow with allegiance a fall'n lord
51   Does conquer him that did his master conquer
52   And earns a place i' the story.

53   Caesar's will?

54   Hear it apart.

55   None but friends: say boldly.

56   So, haply, are they friends to Antony.

57   He needs as many, sir, as Caesar has;
58   Or needs not us. If Caesar please, our master
59   Will leap to be his friend: for us, you know,
60   Whose he is we are, and that is, Caesar's.

61   So.
62   Thus then, thou most renown'd: Caesar entreats,
63   Not to consider in what case thou stand'st,
64   Further than he is Caesar.

65   Go on: right royal.

66   He knows that you embrace not Antony
67   As you did love, but as you fear'd him.

68   O!

69   The scars upon your honour, therefore, he
70   Does pity, as constrained blemishes,
71   Not as deserved.

72   He is a god, and knows
73   What is most right: mine honour was not yielded,
74   But conquer'd merely.

Aside
75    To be sure of that,
76   I will ask Antony. Sir, sir, thou art so leaky,
77   That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for
78   Thy dearest quit thee.

79   Shall I say to Caesar
80   What you require of him? for he partly begs
81   To be desired to give. It much would please him,
82   That of his fortunes you should make a staff
83   To lean upon: but it would warm his spirits,
84   To hear from me you had left Antony,
85   And put yourself under his shrowd,
86   The universal landlord.

87   What's your name?

88   My name is Thyreus.

89   Most kind messenger,
90   Say to great Caesar this: in deputation
91   I kiss his conquering hand: tell him, I am prompt
92   To lay my crown at 's feet, and there to kneel:
93   Tell him from his all-obeying breath I hear
94   The doom of Egypt.

95   'Tis your noblest course.
96   Wisdom and fortune combating together,
97   If that the former dare but what it can,
98   No chance may shake it. Give me grace to lay
99   My duty on your hand.

100  Your Caesar's father oft,
101  When he hath mused of taking kingdoms in,
102  Bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place,
103  As it rain'd kisses.

104  Favours, by Jove that thunders!
105  What art thou, fellow?

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

Aside
109   You will be whipp'd.

110  Approach, there! Ah, you kite! Now, gods
111  and devils!
112  Authority melts from me: of late, when I cried 'Ho!'
113  Like boys unto a muss, kings would start forth,
114  And cry 'Your will?' Have you no ears? I am
115  Antony yet.
Enter Attendants
116  Take hence this Jack, and whip him.

Aside
117   'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp
118  Than with an old one dying.

119  Moon and stars!
120  Whip him. Were't twenty of the greatest tributaries
121  That do acknowledge Caesar, should I find them
122  So saucy with the hand of she here,--what's her name,
123  Since she was Cleopatra? Whip him, fellows,
124  Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face,
125  And whine aloud for mercy: take him hence.

126  Mark Antony!

127  Tug him away: being whipp'd,
128  Bring him again: this Jack of Caesar's shall
129  Bear us an errand to him.
Exeunt Attendants with THYREUS
130  You were half blasted ere I knew you: ha!
131  Have I my pillow left unpress'd in Rome,
132  Forborne the getting of a lawful race,
133  And by a gem of women, to be abused
134  By one that looks on feeders?

135  Good my lord,--

136  You have been a boggler ever:
137  But when we in our viciousness grow hard--
138  O misery on't!--the wise gods seel our eyes;
139  In our own filth drop our clear judgments; make us
140  Adore our errors; laugh at's, while we strut
141  To our confusion.

142  O, is't come to this?

143  I found you as a morsel cold upon
144  Dead Caesar's trencher; nay, you were a fragment
145  Of Cneius Pompey's; besides what hotter hours,
146  Unregister'd in vulgar fame, you have
147  Luxuriously pick'd out: for, I am sure,
148  Though you can guess what temperance should be,
149  You know not what it is.

150  Wherefore is this?

151  To let a fellow that will take rewards
152  And say 'God quit you!' be familiar with
153  My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal
154  And plighter of high hearts! O, that I were
155  Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar
156  The horned herd! for I have savage cause;
157  And to proclaim it civilly, were like
158  A halter'd neck which does the hangman thank
159  For being yare about him.
Re-enter Attendants with THYREUS
160  Is he whipp'd?

161  Soundly, my lord.

162  Cried he? and begg'd a' pardon?

163  He did ask favour.

164  If that thy father live, let him repent
165  Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou sorry
166  To follow Caesar in his triumph, since
167  Thou hast been whipp'd for following him: henceforth
168  The white hand of a lady fever thee,
169  Shake thou to look on 't. Get thee back to Caesar,
170  Tell him thy entertainment: look, thou say
171  He makes me angry with him; for he seems
172  Proud and disdainful, harping on what I am,
173  Not what he knew I was: he makes me angry;
174  And at this time most easy 'tis to do't,
175  When my good stars, that were my former guides,
176  Have empty left their orbs, and shot their fires
177  Into the abysm of hell. If he mislike
178  My speech and what is done, tell him he has
179  Hipparchus, my enfranched bondman, whom
180  He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,
181  As he shall like, to quit me: urge it thou:
182  Hence with thy stripes, begone!

183  Have you done yet?

184  Alack, our terrene moon
185  Is now eclipsed; and it portends alone
186  The fall of Antony!

187  I must stay his time.

188  To flatter Caesar, would you mingle eyes
189  With one that ties his points?

190  Not know me yet?

191  Cold-hearted toward me?

192  Ah, dear, if I be so,
193  From my cold heart let heaven engender hail,
194  And poison it in the source; and the first stone
195  Drop in my neck: as it determines, so
196  Dissolve my life! The next Caesarion smite!
197  Till by degrees the memory of my womb,
198  Together with my brave Egyptians all,
199  By the discandying of this pelleted storm,
200  Lie graveless, till the flies and gnats of Nile
201  Have buried them for prey!

202  I am satisfied.
203  Caesar sits down in Alexandria; where
204  I will oppose his fate. Our force by land
205  Hath nobly held; our sever'd navy too
206  Have knit again, and fleet, threatening most sea-like.
207  Where hast thou been, my heart? Dost thou hear, lady?
208  If from the field I shall return once more
209  To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood;
210  I and my sword will earn our chronicle:
211  There's hope in't yet.

212  That's my brave lord!

213  I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breathed,
214  And fight maliciously: for when mine hours
215  Were nice and lucky, men did ransom lives
216  Of me for jests; but now I'll set my teeth,
217  And send to darkness all that stop me. Come,
218  Let's have one other gaudy night: call to me
219  All my sad captains; fill our bowls once more;
220  Let's mock the midnight bell.

221  It is my birth-day:
222  I had thought to have held it poor: but, since my lord
223  Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra.

224  We will yet do well.

225  Call all his noble captains to my lord.

226  Do so, we'll speak to them; and to-night I'll force
227  The wine peep through their scars. Come on, my queen;
228  There's sap in't yet. The next time I do fight,
229  I'll make death love me; for I will contend
230  Even with his pestilent scythe.

231  Now he'll outstare the lightning. To be furious,
232  Is to be frighted out of fear; and in that mood
233  The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still,
234  A diminution in our captain's brain
235  Restores his heart: when valour preys on reason,
236  It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek
237  Some way to leave him.