Antony and Cleopatra

others attending. Antony Eros! mine armour, Eros! Cleopatra Sleep a little. Antony No, my chuck. Eros, come; mine armour, Eros! Enter Eros with armour.

Come good fellow, put mine iron on:
If fortune be not ours to-day, it is
Because we brave her: come.

Cleopatra

Nay, I’ll help too.
What’s this for?

Antony

Ah, let be, let be! thou art
The armourer of my heart: false, false; this, this.

Cleopatra Sooth, la, I’ll help: thus it must be. Antony

Well, well;
We shall thrive now. Seest thou, my good fellow?
Go put on thy defences.

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: dispatch. 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 armed Soldier.

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.

Soldier

A thousand, sir,
Early though’t be, have on their riveted trim,
And at the port expect you. Shout. Trumpets flourish.

Enter Captains and Soldiers. Captain The morn is fair. Good morrow, general. All Good morrow, general. Antony

’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
Now, like a man of steel. You that will fight,
Follow me close; I’ll bring you to’t. Adieu. Exeunt Antony, Eros, Captains, and Soldiers.

Charmian Please you, retire to your chamber. Cleopatra

Lead me.
He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might
Determine this great war in single fight!
Then Antony⁠—but now⁠—Well, on. Exeunt.

Scene V

Alexandria. Antony’s camp.

	Trumpets sound. Enter Antony and Eros; a Soldier meeting them.
Soldier	The gods make this a happy day to Antony!
Antony	Would thou and those thy scars had once prevail’d To make me fight at land!
Soldier	Hadst thou done so, The kings that have revolted, and the soldier That has this morning left thee, would have still Follow’d thy heels.
Antony	Who’s gone this morning?
Soldier	Who! One ever near thee: call for Enobarbus, He shall not hear thee; or from Caesar’s camp Say “I am none of thine.”
Antony	What say’st thou?
Soldier	Sir, He is with Caesar.
Eros	Sir, his chests and treasure He has not with him.
Antony	Is he gone?
Soldier	Most certain.
Antony	Go, Eros, send his treasure after; do it; Detain no jot, I charge thee: write to him⁠— I will subscribe⁠—gentle adieus and greetings; Say that I wish he never find more cause To change a master. O, my fortunes have Corrupted honest men! Dispatch.⁠—Enobarbus! Exeunt.

Scene VI

Alexandria. Caesar’s camp.

	Flourish. Enter Caesar, Agrippa, with Enobarbas, and others.
Caesar	Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight: Our will is Antony be took alive; Make it so known.
Agrippa	Caesar, I shall. Exit.
Caesar	The time of universal peace is near: Prove this a prosperous day, the three-nook’d world Shall bear the olive freely.
	Enter a Messenger.
Messenger	Antony Is come into the field.
Caesar	Go charge Agrippa Plant those that have revolted in the van, That Antony may seem to spend his fury Upon himself. Exeunt all but Enobarbas.
Enobarbas	Alexas did revolt; and went to Jewry on Affairs of Antony; there did persuade Great Herod to incline himself to Caesar, And leave his master Antony: for this pains Caesar hath hang’d him. Canidius and the rest That fell away have entertainment, but No honourable trust. I have done ill; Of which I do accuse myself so sorely, That I will joy no more.
	Enter a Soldier of Caesar’s.
Soldier	Enobarbus, Antony Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with His bounty overplus: the messenger Came on my guard; and at thy tent is now Unloading of his mules.
Enobarbas	I give it you.
Soldier	Mock not, Enobarbus. I tell you true: best you safed the bringer Out of the host; I must attend mine office, Or would have done’t myself. Your emperor Continues still a Jove. Exit.
Enobarbas	I am alone the villain of the earth, And feel I am so most. O Antony, Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paid My better service, when my turpitude Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart: If swift thought break it not, a swifter mean Shall outstrike thought: but thought will do’t, I feel. I fight against thee! No: I will go seek Some ditch wherein to die; the foul’st best fits My latter part of life. Exit.

Scene VII

Field of battle between the camps.

	Alarum. Drums and trumpets. Enter Agrippa and others.
Agrippa	Retire, we have engaged ourselves too far: Caesar himself has work, and our oppression Exceeds what we expected. Exeunt.
	Alarums. Enter Antony, and Scarus wounded.
Scarus	O my brave emperor, this is fought indeed! Had we done so at first, we had droven them home With clouts about their heads.
Antony	Thou bleed’st apace.
Scarus	I had a wound here that was like a T, But now ’tis made an H.
Antony	They do retire.
Scarus	We’ll beat ’em into bench-holes: I have yet Room for six scotches more.
	Enter Eros.
Eros	They are beaten, sir; and our advantage serves For a fair victory.
Scarus	Let us score their backs, And snatch ’em up, as we take hares, behind: ’Tis sport to maul a runner.
Antony	I will reward thee Once for thy spritely comfort, and ten-fold For thy good valour. Come thee on.
Scarus	I’ll halt after. Exeunt.

Scene VIII

Under the walls of Alexandria.

	Alarum. Enter Antony, in a march; Scarus, with others.
Antony	We have beat him to his camp: run one before, And let the queen know of our gests. To-morrow, Before the sun shall see’s, we’ll spill the blood That has to-day escaped. I thank you all; For doughty-handed are you, and have fought Not as you served the cause, but