SCENE IX.
The palace in Alexandria.
Enter Antony, with Eros, and other attendants.
Ant.
Hark, the land bids me tread no more upon't,
It is asham'd to bear me!—Friends, come hither;
I am so1 note
lated in the world, that I
Have lost my way for ever:—I have a ship
-- 226 --
Laden with gold; take that, divide it; fly,
And make your peace with Cæsar.
Omnes.
Fly! not we.
Ant.
I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards
To run, and shew 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.—O,
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 lothness: 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, 2 note
I have lost command,
Therefore I pray you:—I'll see you by and by.
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,—
-- 227 --
Ant.
Yes, my lord, yes;—3 note
He, at Philippi, kept
His sword even like a dancer; while I struck
The lean and wrinkled Cassius; 4 note
and 'twas I,
That the mad Brutus ended: 5 note
he alone
-- 228 --
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 unquality'd with very shame.
Cleo.
Well then,—Sustain me:—O!
Eros.
Most noble sir, arise; the queen approaches;
Her head's declin'd, and 6 note
death will seize her; but
Your comfort makes the rescue.
Ant.
I have offended reputation;
A most unnoble swerving.
Eros.
Sir, the queen.
Ant.
O, whither hast thou led me, Ægypt? See,
7 noteHow I convey my shame out of thine eyes,
By looking back on what I have left behind
'Stroy'd in dishonour.
Cleo.
O my lord, my lord!
Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought,
You would have follow'd.
Ant.
Ægypt, thou knew'st too well,
My heart was to thy rudder 8 note
ty'd by the strings,
-- 229 --
And thou should'st tow me after: O'er my spirit
Thy full supremacy thou knew'st; and that
Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods
Command me.
Cleo.
O, my pardon.
Ant.
Now I must
To the young man send humble treaties, dodge
And palter in the shifts of lowness; who
With half the bulk o' the world play'd as I pleas'd,
Making, and marring fortunes. You did know,
How much you were my conqueror; and that
My sword, made weak by my affection, would
Obey it on all cause.
Cleo.
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 school-master,
Is he come back?—Love, I am full of lead:—
Some wine, there, and our viands:—Fortune knows,
We scorn her most, when most she offers blows.
[Exeunt.
Samuel Johnson [1778], The plays of William Shakspeare. In ten volumes. With the corrections and illustrations of various commentators; to which are added notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens. The second edition, Revised and Augmented (Printed for C. Bathurst [and] W. Strahan [etc.], London) [word count] [S10901].
