Antony and Cleopatra William Shakespeare (easy readers TXT) 📖

of Octavia, her years,
Her inclination, let him not leave out
The colour of her hair: bring me word quickly. Exit Alexas.
Let him for ever go:⁠—let him not⁠—Charmian,
Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,
The other way’s a Mars. Bid you Alexas To Mardian.
Bring me word how tall she is. Pity me, Charmian,
But do not speak to me. Lead me to my chamber. Exeunt. Scene VI

Near Misenum.

Flourish. Enter Pompey and Menas at one side, with drum and trumpet: at another, Caesar, Antony, Lepidus, Enobarbas, Mecaenas, with Soldiers marching. Pompey

Your hostages I have, so have you mine;
And we shall talk before we fight.

Caesar

Most meet
That first we come to words; and therefore have we
Our written purposes before us sent;
Which, if thou hast consider’d, let us know
If ’twill tie up thy discontented sword,
And carry back to Sicily much tall youth
That else must perish here.

Pompey

To you all three,
The senators alone of this great world,
Chief factors for the gods, I do not know
Wherefore my father should revengers want,
Having a son and friends; since Julius Caesar,
Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghosted,
There saw you labouring for him. What was’t
That moved pale Cassius to conspire; and what
Made the all-honour’d, honest Roman, Brutus,
With the arm’d rest, courtiers and beauteous freedom,
To drench the Capitol; but that they would
Have one man but a man? And that is it
Hath made me rig my navy; at whose burthen
The anger’d ocean foams; with which I meant
To scourge the ingratitude that despiteful Rome
Cast on my noble father.

Caesar Take your time. Antony

Thou canst not fear us, Pompey, with thy sails;
We’ll speak with thee at sea: at land, thou know’st
How much we do o’er-count thee.

Pompey

At land, indeed,
Thou dost o’er-count me of my father’s house:
But, since the cuckoo builds not for himself,
Remain in’t as thou mayst.

Lepidus

Be pleased to tell us⁠—
For this is from the present⁠—how you take
The offers we have sent you.

Caesar There’s the point. Antony

Which do not be entreated to, but weigh
What it is worth embraced.

Caesar

And what may follow,
To try a larger fortune.

Pompey

You have made me offer
Of Sicily, Sardinia; and I must
Rid all the sea of pirates; then, to send
Measures of wheat to Rome; this ’greed upon,
To part with unhack’d edges, and bear back
Our targes undinted.

Caesar
Antony
Lepidus That’s our offer. Pompey

Know, then,
I came before you here a man prepared
To take this offer: but Mark Antony
Put me to some impatience: though I lose
The praise of it by telling, you must know,
When Caesar and your brother were at blows,
Your mother came to Sicily and did find
Her welcome friendly.

Antony

I have heard it, Pompey;
And am well studied for a liberal thanks
Which I do owe you.

Pompey

Let me have your hand:
I did not think, sir, to have met you here.

Antony

The beds i’ the east are soft; and thanks to you,
That call’d me timelier than my purpose hither;
For I have gain’d by’t.

Caesar

Since I saw you last,
There is a change upon you.

Pompey

Well, I know not
What counts harsh fortune casts upon my face;
But in my bosom shall she never come,
To make my heart her vassal.

Lepidus Well met here. Pompey

I hope so, Lepidus. Thus we are agreed:
I crave our composition may be written,
And seal’d between us.

Caesar That’s the next to do. Pompey

We’ll feast each other ere we part; and let’s
Draw lots who shall begin.

Antony That will I, Pompey. Pompey

No, Antony, take the lot: but, first
Or last, your fine Egyptian cookery
Shall have the fame. I have heard that Julius Caesar
Grew fat with feasting there.

Antony You have heard much. Pompey I have fair meanings, sir. Antony And fair words to them. Pompey

Then so much have I heard:
And I have heard, Apollodorus carried⁠—

Enobarbas No more of that: he did so. Pompey What, I pray you? Enobarbas A certain queen to Caesar in a mattress. Pompey I know thee now: how farest thou, soldier? Enobarbas

Well;
And well am like to do; for, I perceive,
Four feasts are toward.

Pompey

Let me shake thy hand;
I never hated thee: I have seen thee fight,
When I have envied thy behaviour.

Enobarbas

Sir,
I never loved you much; but I ha’ praised ye,
When you have well deserved ten times as much
As I have said you did.

Pompey

Enjoy thy plainness,
It nothing ill becomes thee.
Aboard my galley I invite you all:
Will you lead, lords?

Caesar
Antony
Lepidus Show us the way, sir. Pompey Come. Exeunt all but Menas and Enobarbus. Menas Aside. Thy father, Pompey, would ne’er have made this treaty.⁠—You and I have known, sir. Enobarbas At sea, I think. Menas We have, sir. Enobarbas You have done well by water. Menas And you by land. Enobarbas I will praise any man that will praise me; though it cannot be denied what I have done by land. Menas Nor what I have done by water. Enobarbas Yes, something you can deny for your own safety: you have been a great thief by sea. Menas And you by land. Enobarbas There I deny my land service. But give me your hand, Menas: if our eyes had authority, here they might take two thieves kissing. Menas All men’s faces are true, whatsome’er their hands are. Enobarbas But there is never a fair woman has a true face. Menas No slander; they steal hearts. Enobarbas We came hither to fight with you. Menas For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking. Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune. Enobarbas If he do, sure, he cannot weep’t back again. Menas You’ve said, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony here: pray you, is he married to Cleopatra? Enobarbas Caesar’s sister is called Octavia. Menas True, sir; she was the wife of Caius Marcellus. Enobarbas But she is now the wife of Marcus Antonius. Menas Pray ye, sir? Enobarbas ’Tis true. Menas Then is Caesar and he for ever knit together. Enobarbas If I were bound to divine of this unity, I would not prophesy so. Menas I think the policy of that purpose made more in the marriage than the love of the parties. Enobarbas I think so