William Shakespeare

“ Iras falls and dies.]
Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall?
If thou and nature can so gently part,
The stroke of death is as a lover’s pinch,
Which hurts and is desired. Dost thou lie still?
If thus thou vanishest, thou tell’st the world
It is not worth leave-taking.
CHARMIAN.
Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain, that I may say
The gods themselves do weep!
CLEOPATRA.
This proves me base.
If she first meet the curled Antony,
He’ll make demand of her, and spend that kiss
Which is my heaven to have.—Come, thou mortal wretch,
[To an asp, which she applies to her breast.] ”

“ CLEOPATRA. Call all his noble captains to my lord.
ANTONY. Do so; we'll speak to them: and to-night I'll force The wine peep through their scars.—Come on, my queen; There's sap in't yet. The next time I do fight I'll make death love me; for I will contend Even with his pestilent scythe.
[Exeunt all but ENOBARBUS.]
ENOBARBUS. Now he'll outstare the lightning. To be furious Is to be frighted out of fear; and in that mood The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still A diminution in our captain's brain Restores his heart: when valour preys on reason, It eats the sword it fights with. ”

“ EROS. Briefly, sir.
CLEOPATRA. Is not this buckled well?
ANTONY. Rarely, rarely; He that unbuckles this, till we do please To daff't for our repose, shall hear a storm.— Thou fumblest, Eros, and my queen's a squire More tight at this than thou: despatch.—O love, That thou couldst see my wars to-day, and knew'st The royal occupation! Thou shouldst see A workman in't.—
[Enter an Officer, armed.]
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't with delight. ”

“ CAESAR. The power of Caesar, and
His power unto Octavia.
ANTONY. May I never
To this good purpose, that so fairly shows,
Dream of impediment! Let me have thy hand.
Further this act of grace; and from this hour
The heart of brothers govern in our loves
And sway our great designs!
CAESAR. There is my hand.
A sister I bequeath you, whom no brother
Did ever love so dearly. Let her live
To join our kingdoms and our hearts; and never
Fly off our loves again!
LEPIDUS. Happily, amen!
ANTONY. I did not think to draw my sword 'gainst Pompey ”

“ ANTONY. I have heard it, Pompey,
And am well studied for a liberal thanks
Which I do owe you.
POMPEY. Let me have your hand.
I did not think, sir, to have met you here.
ANTONY. The beds i' th' East are soft; and thanks to you,
That call'd me timelier than my purpose hither;
For I have gained by't.
CAESAR. Since I saw you last
There is a change upon you.
POMPEY. Well, I know not
What counts harsh fortune casts upon my face;
But in my bosom shall she never come
To make my heart her vassal.
LEPIDUS. Well met here.
POMPEY. I hope so, Lepidus. Thus we are agreed. ”

“ SOOTHSAYER. Your fortunes are alike.
IRAS. But how, but how? give me particulars.
SOOTHSAYER. I have said.
IRAS. Am I not an inch of fortune better than she?
CHARMIAN. Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better than I, where would you choose it?
IRAS. Not in my husband's nose.
CHARMIAN. Our worser thoughts heavens mend!—Alexas,—come, his fortune! his fortune!—O, let him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee! And let her die too, and give him a worse! and let worse follow worse, till the worst of all follow him laughing to his grave, fiftyfold a cuckold! ”

“ MENAS.
All men’s faces are true, whatsome’er their hands are.
ENOBARBUS.
But there is never a fair woman has a true face.
MENAS.
No slander. They steal hearts.
ENOBARBUS.
We came hither to fight with you.
MENAS.
For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking. Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune.
ENOBARBUS.
If he do, sure he cannot weep ’t back again.
MENAS.
You have said, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony here. Pray you, is he married to Cleopatra?
ENOBARBUS.
Caesar’s sister is called Octavia.
MENAS.
True, sir. She was the wife of Caius Marcellus. ”

“ CLEOPATRA'S palace Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO
PHILO. Nay, but this dotage of our general's
O'erflows the measure. Those his goodly eyes,
That o'er the files and musters of the war
Have glow'd like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,
The office and devotion of their view
Upon a tawny front. His captain's heart,
Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst
The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper,
And is become the bellows and the fan
To cool a gipsy's lust.
Flourish. Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, her LADIES, the train,
with eunuchs fanning her
Look where they come! ”

“ I made these wars for Egypt; and the queen,— Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine; Which, whilst it was mine, had annex'd unto't A million moe, now lost,—she, Eros, has Pack'd cards with Caesar, and false-play'd my glory Unto an enemy's triumph.— Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us Ourselves to end ourselves.—
[Enter MARDIAN.]
O, thy vile lady! She has robb'd me of my sword.
MARDIAN. No, Antony; My mistress lov'd thee, and her fortunes mingled With thine entirely.
ANTONY. Hence, saucy eunuch; peace! She hath betray'd me, and shall die the death. ”

“ ANTONY.
Dead, then?
MARDIAN.
Dead.
ANTONY.
Unarm, Eros. The long day’s task is done,
And we must sleep.—That thou depart’st hence safe
Does pay thy labour richly. Go.
[Exit Mardian.]
Off, pluck off!
The sevenfold shield of Ajax cannot keep
The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my sides!
Heart, once be stronger than thy continent;
Crack thy frail case! Apace, Eros, apace!
No more a soldier. Bruised pieces, go;
You have been nobly borne. From me awhile.
[Exit Eros.]
I will o’ertake thee, Cleopatra, and
Weep for my pardon. So it must be, for now
All length is torture. ”

“ Caesar 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.
SILIUS. Thou hast, Ventidius, that Without the which a soldier and his sword Grants scarce distinction. ”

“ Nay, ’tis most certain, Iras. Saucy lictors
Will catch at us like strumpets, and scald rhymers
Ballad us out o’ tune. The quick comedians
Extemporally will stage us and present
Our Alexandrian revels; Antony
Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see
Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness
I’ th’ posture of a whore.
IRAS.
O the good gods!
CLEOPATRA.
Nay, that’s certain.
IRAS.
I’ll never see’t, for I am sure mine nails
Are stronger than mine eyes.
CLEOPATRA.
Why, that’s the way
To fool their preparation and to conquer
Their most absurd intents.
Enter Charmian. ”

“ O! from Italy!— Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears, That long time have been barren.
MESSENGER. Madam, madam,—
CLEOPATRA. Antony's dead!— If thou say so, villain, thou kill'st thy mistress; But well and free, If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here My bluest veins to kiss,—a hand that kings Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing.
MESSENGER. First, madam, he's well.
CLEOPATRA. Why, there's more gold. But, sirrah, mark, we use To say the dead are well: bring it to that, The gold I give thee will I melt and pour Down thy ill-uttering throat. ”