SCENE IV.
Cleopatra's palace.
Enter Antony, and Cleopatra, with Charmian, and others.
Ant.
Eros! mine armour, Eros!
Cleo.
Sleep a little.
Ant.
No, my chuck.—Eros, come; mine armour, Eros!
Enter Eros, with armour.
Come, good fellow, put thine9 note
iron on:—
If fortune be not ours to-day, it is
Because we brave her.—Come.
Cleo.
1 noteNay, I'll help too.
Ant.
What's this for? Ah, let be, let be! thou art
The armourer of my heart:—False, false; this, this.
Cleo.
Sooth, la, I'll help: Thus it must be.
Ant.
Well, well;
We shall thrive now.—Seest thou, my good fellow?
Go, put on thy defences.
-- 251 --
Eros.
9 noteBriefly, sir.
Cleo.
Is not this buckled well?
Ant.
Rarely, rarely:
He that unbuckles this, 'till we do please
To doff it1 note
for our repose, shall hear a storm.—
Thou fumblest, Eros; and my queen's a squire
More tight at this, than thou: Dispatch.—O love,
That thou could'st see my wars to-day, and knew'st
The royal occupation! thou should'st see
Enter an Officer, armed.
A workman in't.—Good morrow to thee; welcome:
Thou look'st like him that knows a warlike charge:
To business that we love, we rise betime,
And go to it with delight.
Off.
A thousand, sir,
Early though it be, have on their rivetted trim, 9Q0964
And at the port expect you.
[Shout. Trumpets flourish.
Enter other Officers, and Soldiers.
Cap.
The morn is fair.—Good morrow, general2 note!
All.
Good morrow, general!
Ant.
'Tis well blown, lads.
This morning, like the spirit of a youth
That means to be of note, begins betimes.—
So, so; come, give me that: this way; well said.
Fare thee well, dame, whate'er becomes of me:
This is a soldier's kiss: rebukeable,
[Kisses her.
And worthy shameful check it were, to stand
On more mechanic compliment; I'll leave thee
-- 252 --
Now, like a man of steel.—You, that will fight,
Follow me close; I'll bring you to't.—Adieu.
[Exeunt Ant. Officers, &c.
Char.
Please you, retire to your chamber?
Cleo.
Lead me.
He goes forth gallantly. That he and Cæsar might
Determine this great war in single fight!
Then, Antony,—But now,—Well, on.
[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].