The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 29

SOOTHSAYER. Would I had never come from thence, nor you thither!

ANTONY. If you can- your reason.

SOOTHSAYER. I see it in my motion, have it not in my tongue; but yet hie you to Egypt again.

ANTONY. Say to me, Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Caesar's or mine?

SOOTHSAYER. Caesar's.

Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side.

Thy daemon, that thy spirit which keeps thee, is n.o.ble, courageous, high, unmatchable, Where Caesar's is not; but near him thy angel Becomes a fear, as being o'erpow'r'd. Therefore Make s.p.a.ce enough between you.

ANTONY. Speak this no more.

SOOTHSAYER. To none but thee; no more but when to thee.

If thou dost play with him at any game, Thou art sure to lose; and of that natural luck He beats thee 'gainst the odds. Thy l.u.s.tre thickens When he shines by. I say again, thy spirit Is all afraid to govern thee near him; But, he away, 'tis n.o.ble.

ANTONY. Get thee gone.

Say to Ventidius I would speak with him.

Exit SOOTHSAYER He shall to Parthia.- Be it art or hap, He hath spoken true. The very dice obey him; And in our sports my better cunning faints Under his chance. If we draw lots, he speeds; His c.o.c.ks do win the battle still of mine, When it is all to nought, and his quails ever Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt; And though I make this marriage for my peace, I' th' East my pleasure lies.

Enter VENTIDIUS

O, come, Ventidius, You must to Parthia. Your commission's ready; Follow me and receive't. Exeunt

SCENE IV.

Rome. A street

Enter LEPIDUS, MAECENAS, and AGRIPPA

LEPIDUS. Trouble yourselves no further. Pray you hasten Your generals after.

AGRIPPA. Sir, Mark Antony Will e'en but kiss Octavia, and we'll follow.

LEPIDUS. Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress, Which will become you both, farewell.

MAECENAS. We shall, As I conceive the journey, be at th' Mount Before you, Lepidus.

LEPIDUS. Your way is shorter; My purposes do draw me much about.

You'll win two days upon me.

BOTH. Sir, good success!

LEPIDUS. Farewell. Exeunt

SCENE V.

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA'S palace

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS

CLEOPATRA. Give me some music- music, moody food Of us that trade in love.

ALL. The music, ho!

Enter MARDIAN the eunuch

CLEOPATRA. Let it alone! Let's to billiards. Come, Charmian.

CHARMIAN. My arm is sore; best play with Mardian.

CLEOPATRA. As well a woman with an eunuch play'd As with a woman. Come, you'll play with me, sir?

MARDIAN. As well as I can, madam.

CLEOPATRA. And when good will is show'd, though't come too short, The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now.

Give me mine angle- we'll to th' river. There, My music playing far off, I will betray Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce Their slimy jaws; and as I draw them up I'll think them every one an Antony, And say 'Ah ha! Y'are caught.'

CHARMIAN. 'Twas merry when You wager'd on your angling; when your diver Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he With fervency drew up.

CLEOPATRA. That time? O times I laughed him out of patience; and that night I laugh'd him into patience; and next morn, Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed, Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst I wore his sword Philippan.

Enter a MESSENGER

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 is 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.

MESSENGER. Good madam, hear me.

CLEOPATRA. Well, go to, I will.

But there's no goodness in thy face. If Antony Be free and healthful- why so tart a favour To trumpet such good tidings? If not well, Thou shouldst come like a Fury crown'd with snakes, Not like a formal man.

MESSENGER. Will't please you hear me?

CLEOPATRA. I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak'st.

Yet, if thou say Antony lives, is well, Or friends with Caesar, or not captive to him, I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail Rich pearls upon thee.

MESSENGER. Madam, he's well.

CLEOPATRA. Well said.

MESSENGER. And friends with Caesar.

CLEOPATRA. Th'art an honest man.

MESSENGER. Caesar and he are greater friends than ever.

CLEOPATRA. Make thee a fortune from me.

MESSENGER. But yet, madam- CLEOPATRA. I do not like 'but yet.' It does allay The good precedence; fie upon 'but yet'!

'But yet' is as a gaoler to bring forth Some monstrous malefactor. Prithee, friend, Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear, The good and bad together. He's friends with Caesar; In state of health, thou say'st; and, thou say'st, free.

MESSENGER. Free, madam! No; I made no such report.

He's bound unto Octavia.

CLEOPATRA. For what good turn?

MESSENGER. For the best turn i' th' bed.

CLEOPATRA. I am pale, Charmian.

MESSENGER. Madam, he's married to Octavia.

CLEOPATRA. The most infectious pestilence upon thee!

[Strikes him down]

MESSENGER. Good madam, patience.

CLEOPATRA. What say you? Hence, [Strikes him]

Horrible villain! or I'll spurn thine eyes Like b.a.l.l.s before me; I'll unhair thy head; [She hales him up and down]

Thou shalt be whipp'd with wire and stew'd in brine, Smarting in ling'ring pickle.

MESSENGER. Gracious madam, I that do bring the news made not the match.

CLEOPATRA. Say 'tis not so, a province I will give thee, And make thy fortunes proud. The blow thou hadst Shall make thy peace for moving me to rage; And I will boot thee with what gift beside Thy modesty can beg.

MESSENGER. He's married, madam.

CLEOPATRA. Rogue, thou hast liv'd too long. [Draws a knife]

MESSENGER. Nay, then I'll run.

What mean you, madam? I have made no fault. Exit CHARMIAN. Good madam, keep yourself within yourself: The man is innocent.

CLEOPATRA. Some innocents scape not the thunderbolt.

Melt Egypt into Nile! and kindly creatures Turn all to serpents! Call the slave again.

Though I am mad, I will not bite him. Call!