按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
together In the whole world。 But yet let me lament； With tears as
sovereign as the blood of hearts； That thou； my brother； my competitor In
top of all design； my mate in empire； Friend and companion in the front of
89
… Page 90…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
war； The arm of mine own body； and the heart Where mine his thoughts
did kindle… that our stars； Unreconciliable； should divide Our equalness to
this。 Hear me； good friends…
Enter an EGYPTIAN
But I will tell you at some meeter season。 The business of this man
looks out of him； We'll hear him what he says。 Whence are you？
EGYPTIAN。 A poor Egyptian； yet the Queen； my mistress； Confin'd in all
she has； her monument； Of thy intents desires instruction； That she
preparedly may frame herself To th' way she's forc'd to。 CAESAR。 Bid her
have good heart。 She soon shall know of us； by some of ours； How
honourable and how kindly we Determine for her； for Caesar cannot learn
To be ungentle。 EGYPTIAN。 So the gods preserve thee！ Exit CAESAR。
Come hither； Proculeius。 Go and say We purpose her no shame。 Give her
what comforts The quality of her passion shall require； Lest； in her
greatness； by some mortal stroke She do defeat us； for her life in Rome
Would be eternal in our triumph。 Go； And with your speediest bring us
what she says； And how you find her。 PROCULEIUS。 Caesar； I shall。 Exit
CAESAR。 Gallus； go you along。 Exit GALLUS Where's Dolabella； to
second Proculeius？ ALL。 Dolabella！ CAESAR。 Let him alone； for I
remember now How he's employ'd； he shall in time be ready。 Go with me
to my tent； where you shall see How hardly I was drawn into this war；
How calm and gentle I proceeded still In all my writings。 Go with me； and
see What I can show in this。 Exeunt
90
… Page 91…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
SCENE II。 Alexandria。 The monument
Enter CLEOPATRA； CHARMIAN； IRAS； and MARDIAN
CLEOPATRA。 My desolation does begin to make A better life。 'Tis
paltry to be Caesar： Not being Fortune； he's but Fortune's knave； A
minister of her will； and it is great To do that thing that ends all other
deeds； Which shackles accidents and bolts up change； Which sleeps； and
never palates more the dug； The beggar's nurse and Caesar's。
Enter； to the gates of the monument； PROCULEIUS； GALLUS； and
soldiers
PROCULEIUS。 Caesar sends greetings to the Queen of Egypt； And
bids thee study on what fair demands Thou mean'st to have him grant thee。
CLEOPATRA。 What's thy name？ PROCULEIUS。 My name is Proculeius。
CLEOPATRA。 Antony Did tell me of you； bade me trust you； but I do not
greatly care to be deceiv'd； That have no use for trusting。 If your master
Would have a queen his beggar； you must tell him That majesty； to keep
decorum； must No less beg than a kingdom。 If he please To give me
conquer'd Egypt for my son； He gives me so much of mine own as I Will
kneel to him with thanks。 PROCULEIUS。 Be of good cheer； Y'are fall'n
into a princely hand； fear nothing。 Make your full reference freely to my
lord； Who is so full of grace that it flows over On all that need。 Let me
report to him Your sweet dependency； and you shall find A conqueror that
will pray in aid for kindness Where he for grace is kneel'd to。
CLEOPATRA。 Pray you tell him I am his fortune's vassal and I send him
The greatness he has got。 I hourly learn A doctrine of obedience； and
would gladly Look him i' th' face。 PROCULEIUS。 This I'll report； dear
lady。 Have comfort； for I know your plight is pitied Of him that caus'd it。
GALLUS。 You see how easily she may be surpris'd。
Here PROCULEIUS and two of the guard ascend the monument by a
ladder placed against a window； and come behind CLEOPATRA。 Some of
the guard unbar and open the gates
Guard her till Caesar come。 Exit IRAS。 Royal Queen！ CHARMIAN。
O Cleopatra！ thou art taken； Queen！ CLEOPATRA。 Quick； quick； good
hands。 ＇Drawing a dagger＇ PROCULEIUS。 Hold； worthy lady； hold；
91
… Page 92…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
＇Disarms her＇ Do not yourself such wrong； who are in this Reliev'd； but
not betray'd。 CLEOPATRA。 What； of death too； That rids our dogs of
languish？ PROCULEIUS。 Cleopatra； Do not abuse my master's bounty by
Th' undoing of yourself。 Let the world see His nobleness well acted； which
your death Will never let come forth。 CLEOPATRA。 Where art thou； death？
Come hither； come！ Come； come； and take a queen Worth many babes and
beggars！ PROCULEIUS。 O； temperance； lady！ CLEOPATRA。 Sir； I will
eat no meat； I'll not drink； sir； If idle talk will once be necessary； I'll not
sleep neither。 This mortal house I'll ruin； Do Caesar what he can。 Know；
sir； that I Will not wait pinion'd at your master's court； Nor once be
chastis'd with the sober eye Of dull Octavia。 Shall they hoist me up； And
show me to the shouting varletry Of censuring Rome？ Rather a ditch in
Egypt Be gentle grave unto me！ Rather on Nilus' mud Lay me stark…nak'd；
and let the water…flies Blow me into abhorring！ Rather make My country's
high pyramides my gibbet； And hang me up in chains！ PROCULEIUS。
You do extend These thoughts of horror further than you shall Find cause
in Caesar。
Enter DOLABELLA
DOLABELLA。 Proculeius； What thou hast done thy master Caesar
knows； And he hath sent for thee。 For the Queen； I'll take her to my guard。
PROCULEIUS。 So； Dolabella； It shall content me best。 Be gentle to her。
＇To CLEOPATRA＇ To Caesar I will speak what you shall please； If you'll
employ me to him。 CLEOPATRA。 Say I would die。 Exeunt
PROCULEIUS and soldiers DOLABELLA。 Most noble Empress； you
have heard of me？ CLEOPATRA。 I cannot tell。 DOLABELLA。 Assuredly
you know me。 CLEOPATRA。 No matter； sir； what I have heard or known。
You laugh when boys or women tell their dreams； Is't not your trick？
DOLABELLA。 I understand not； madam。 CLEOPATRA。 I dreamt there
was an Emperor Antony… O； such another sleep； that I might see But such
another man！ DOLABELLA。 If it might please ye… CLEOPATRA。 His
face was as the heav'ns； and therein stuck A sun and moon； which kept
their course and lighted The little O； the earth。 DOLABELLA。 Most
sovereign creature… CLEOPATRA。 His legs bestrid the ocean； his rear'd
arm Crested the world。 His voice was propertied As all the tuned spheres；
92
… Page 93…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
and that to friends； But when he meant to quail and shake the orb； He was
as rattling thunder。 For his bounty； There was no winter in't； an autumn
'twas That grew the more by reaping。 His delights Were dolphin…like： they
show'd his back above The element they liv'd in。 In his livery Walk'd
crowns and crownets； realms and islands were As plates dropp'd from his
pocket。 DOLABELLA。 Cleopatra… CLEOPATRA。 Think you there was or
might be such a man As this I dreamt of？ DOLABELLA。 Gentle madam；
no。 CLEOPATRA。 You lie； up to the hearing of the gods。 But if there be
nor ever were one such； It's past the size of dreaming。 Nature wants stuff
To vie strange forms with fancy； yet t' imagine An Antony were nature's
piece 'gainst fancy； Condemning shadows quite。 DOLABELLA。 Hear me；
good madam。 Your loss is； as yourself； great； and you bear it As answering
to the weight。 Would I might never O'ertake pursu'd success； but I do feel；
By the rebound of yours； a grief that smites My very heart at root。
CLEOPATRA。 I thank you； sir。 Know you what Caesar means to do with
me？ DOLABELLA。 I am loath to tell you what I would you knew。
CLEOPATRA。 Nay； pray you； sir。 DOLABELLA。 Though he be
honourable… CLEOPATRA。 He'll lead me； then； in triumph？
DOLABELLA。 Madam； he will。 I know't。 ＇Flourish＇ ＇Within： 'Make way
there…Caesar！'＇
Enter CAESAR； GALLUS； PROCULEIUS；