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Enter ANTONY and SCARUS |
ANTONY and SCARUS enter. |
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ANTONY
Yet they are not joined. Where yond pine does stand I shall discover all. I’ll bring thee word Straight how ’tis like to go. |
ANTONY
They still haven’t joined the battle. I’ll be able to see better from that pine tree over there. I’ll let you know right away how it’s going. |
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Exit |
He exits. |
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Alarum afar off, as at a sea fight |
Noises like a sea battle are heard in the distance. |
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SCARUS
Swallows have built In Cleopatra’s sails their nests. The auguries Say they know not, they cannot tell, look grimly, And dare not speak their knowledge. Antony Is valiant and dejected, and by starts His fretted fortunes give him hope and fear Of what he has and has not. |
SCARUS
Swallows have built nests in Cleopatra’s sails. The fortunetellers won’t say whether that’s a good sign or a bad one, but they don’t look happy. Antony is valiant and dejected. His mood changes by fits and starts; his checkered luck vacillates between hope and fear, winning and losing. |
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Enter ANTONY |
ANTONY enters. |
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ANTONY
All is lost! This foul Egyptian hath betrayèd me. My fleet hath yielded to the foe, and yonder They cast their caps up and carouse together Like friends long lost. Triple-turned whore! ’Tis thou Hast sold me to this novice, and my heart Makes only wars on thee. Bid them all fly, For when I am revenged upon my charm, I have done all. Bid them all fly. Begone! |
ANTONY
All is lost! This treacherous Egyptian has betrayed me. My fleet has surrendered to the enemy. You can see them over there throwing their hats up in the air and drinking together like long lost friends. Three-time traitor and whore! It’s you who have sold me to this youth, Caesar. Now my war is only with you. Tell the army to flee. Revenge on Cleopatra will be my last act. Order them to escape. Go! |
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Exit SCARUS |
SCARUS exits. |
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O sun, thy uprise shall I see no more. Fortune and Antony part here. Even here Do we shake hands. All come to this? The hearts That spanieled me at heels, to whom I gave Their wishes, do discandy, melt their sweets On blossoming Caesar, and this pine is barked That overtopped them all. Betrayed I am. Oh, this false soul of Egypt! This grave charm, Whose eye becked forth my wars and called them home, Whose bosom was my crownet, my chief end, Like a right gypsy hath at fast and loose Beguiled me to the very heart of loss. (calling out) What, Eros, Eros! |
Oh, sun, I will never see another one of your sunrises. Luck and Antony separate here and now. Here we’ll shake hands good-bye. Is it all come to this? The brave men who followed me like little dogs, whom I rewarded, have left me to follow Caesar. I’ve been stripped of everything, betrayed. Oh, that devious Egyptian spirit! Her charms launched my wars and called them back again. Pleasing her was my main goal, and she lured me to total defeat. (calling out) Where are you, Eros! Eros! |
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Enter CLEOPATRA |
CLEOPATRA enters. |
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Ah, thou spell! Avaunt! |
Ah, you sorceress! Be gone! |
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CLEOPATRA
Why is my lord enraged against his love? |
CLEOPATRA
Why is my lord enraged against his love? |
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ANTONY
Vanish, or I shall give thee thy deserving, And blemish Caesar’s triumph. Let him take thee And hoist thee up to the shouting plebeians! Follow his chariot, like the greatest spot Of all thy sex. Most monsterlike be shown For poor’st diminutives, for dolts, and let Patient Octavia plow thy visage up With her preparèd nails! |
ANTONY
Get out of my sight, or I’ll give you what you deserve and spoil Caesar’s victory. Let him hoist you up in front of the shouting crowds! Follow his chariot, like the greatest disgrace to your whole gender. Let them exhibit you to the public for meager coins, like a monstrosity. Then let Octavia dig up your face with her nails. |
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Exit CLEOPATRA |
CLEOPATRA exits. |
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’Tis well th’art gone, If it be well to live, but better ’twere Thou fell’st into my fury, for one death Might have prevented many.—Eros, ho!— The shirt of Nessus is upon me. Teach me, Alcides, thou mine ancestor, thy rage. Let me lodge Lichas on the horns o’ th’ moon, And with those hands that grasped the heaviest club Subdue my worthiest self. The witch shall die. To the young Roman boy she hath sold me, and I fall Under this plot. She dies for ’t.—Eros, ho! |
If you wish to live, you had better get out of here. But I think it would have been better if you’d let me kill you. One death would have prevented the deaths of many others.—Eros, ho!—I’m wearing the shirt of Nessus. Hercules, my ancestor, teach me how to feel your rage. I’ll toss Lichas to the moon and use my mighty hands to kill my better self. The witch shall die. She sold me to that young Roman boy and now I’m ruined. She’ll die for it.—Eros, ho! |
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Exit |
He exits. |