Ant. I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards To run, and show their shoulders.-Friends, be gone,; Which has no need of you; be gone: Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them I will possess you of that ship and treasure. [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, fye. 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 38, 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 Ant. I have offended reputation; A most unnoble swerving. Eros. Sir, the queen. Ant. O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See, How I convey my shame out of thine eyes By looking back on what I have left behind 'Stroy'd in dishonour. My heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings, And thou should'st tow me after: O'er my spirit Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods Cleo. Ant. O, my pardon. Now I must To the young man send humble treaties, dodge Cleo. O pardon, pardon. 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 CESAR, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, and Others. Cas. Let him appear that's come from Antony.— Know you him? Dol. Cæsar, 'tis his schoolmaster: Cæs. Enter Ambassador from Antony. Approach, and speak. Amb. Such as I am, I come from Antony: I was of late as petty to his ends, As is the morn-dew on the myrtle leaf To his grand sea 39. Cæs. Be it so; Declare thine office. Amb. Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and Requires to live in Egypt: which not granted, He lessens his requests; and to thee sues To let him breathe between the heavens and earth, Cœs. Cæs. Bring him through the bands. [Exit Ambassador. To try thy eloquence, now 'tis time: Despatch; Cas. Observe how Antony becomes his flaw; And what thou think'st his very action speaks In every power that moves. Cleo. Is Antony, or we, in fault for this? Eno. Antony only, that would make his will Lord of his reason. What although you fled From that great face of war, whose several ranges Frighted each other? why should he follow? |