PREV | MENU | NEXT

Antony and Cleopatra

Act 4, Scene 9

Enter a SENTRY and his company. ENOBARBUS follows	A SENTRY and his company enter, followed by ENOBARBUS.
SENTRY If we be not relieved within this hour, We must return to th’ court of guard. The night Is shiny, and they say we shall embattle By th’ second hour i’ th’ morn.	SENTRY If we aren’t relieved in an hour, we have to return to our barracks. The night is bright, and they say we’ll be forming for battle by two a.m.
FIRST WATCH This last day was a shrewd one to ’s.	FIRST WATCH That last day was a hard one for us.
ENOBARBUS O bear me witness, night—	ENOBARBUS Oh, listen to me, night—
SECOND WATCH What man is this?	SECOND WATCH Who is this?
FIRST WATCH Stand close and list him.	FIRST WATCH Stay hidden and listen.
ENOBARBUS Be witness to me, O thou blessèd moon, When men revolted shall upon record Bear hateful memory, poor Enobarbus did Before thy face repent.	ENOBARBUS Be my witness, oh you blessed moon. The men who revolted against Antony will be remembered scornfully in the history books. But poor Enobarbus repented.
SENTRY Enobarbus?	SENTRY That’s Enobarbus?
SECOND WATCH Peace! Hark further.	SECOND WATCH Quiet! Keep listening.
ENOBARBUS O sovereign mistress of true melancholy, The poisonous damp of night disponge upon me, That life, a very rebel to my will, May hang no longer on me. Throw my heart Against the flint and hardness of my fault, Which, being dried with grief, will break to powder And finish all foul thoughts. O Antony, Nobler than my revolt is infamous, Forgive me in thine own particular, But let the world rank me in register A master-leaver and a fugitive. O Antony! O Antony!	ENOBARBUS Oh, moon, you queen of sadness, drop poisonous dew on me so that my life, which continues against my wishes, will end. Take my heart and throw it against my hard, stony sin. My heart, which dried out with grief, will surely break apart into a powder, and that will be the end of my disgusting mind. Oh, Antony! You are more noble than my revolt is dishonorable. Forgive my crimes against you, but let history record me as a fugitive traitor. Oh, Antony! Oh, Antony!
He dies	He dies.
FIRST WATCH Let’s speak to him.	FIRST WATCH Let’s speak to him.
SENTRY Let’s hear him, for the things he speaks may concern Caesar.	SENTRY Let’s listen to him. He may say something concerning Caesar.
SECOND WATCH Let’s do so. But he sleeps.	SECOND WATCH Good idea. But he’s sleeping.
SENTRY Swoons rather, for so bad a prayer as his Was never yet for sleep.	SENTRY It looks more like he fainted. No one ever gave a prayer like that before going to sleep.
FIRST WATCH Go we to him.	FIRST WATCH Let’s go to him.
SECOND WATCH Awake, sir, awake. Speak to us.	SECOND WATCH Wake up, sir, wake up. Speak to us.
FIRST WATCH Hear you, sir?	FIRST WATCH Do you hear us, sir?
SENTRY The hand of death hath raught him.	SENTRY The hand of death has taken him.
Drums afar off	Drums are heard in the distance.
Hark, the drums Demurely wake the sleepers. Let us bear him To th’ court of guard. He is of note. Our hour Is fully out.	Listen. The drums softly wake the sleepers. Let’s carry him to the barracks. He’s an important person. Our hour is up.
SECOND WATCH Come on, then. He may recover yet.	SECOND WATCH Come on, then. He may recover yet.
Exeunt with the body	They exit, carrying ENOBARBUS’ body.