Antony and Cleopatra Act 5

Act V of Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information, or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org.

Act V.

Scene 1. Alexandria. Octavius Caesar's camp. Enter Octavius Caesar, Agrippa, Dolabella, Mechanus, Gallus, Proculeus, and others, his council of war.

Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield. Being so frustrate, tell him he mocks the pauses that he makes.

Caesar, I shall.

Exit.

Enter Dersetus with the sword of Mark Antony.

Wherefore is that? And what art thou that darest appear thus to us?

I am called Dersetus. Mark Antony I served, who best was worthy best to be served, Whilst he stood up and spoke, he was my master, and I wore my life to spend upon his haters. If thou please to take me to thee, as I was to him, I'll be to Caesar. If thou pleasest not, I yield thee up my life.

What is't thou say'st?

I say, O Caesar, Antony is dead.

The breaking of so great a thing should make a greater crack. The round world should have shook lions into civil streets, and citizens to their dens. The death of Antony is not a single doom. In the name lay a moiety of the world.

He is dead, Caesar. Not by a public minister of justice, nor by a hired knife, but that self-hand which writ his honour in the axe it did, hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it, splitted the heart. This is his sword. I robbed his wound of it. Behold, it's stained with his most noble blood.

Look you sad, friends. The gods rebuke me. But it is tidings to wash the eyes of kings.

And strange it is that nature must compel us to lament our most persisted deeds.

His taints and honors waged equal with him.

A rarer spirit never did steer humanity. But you gods will give us some fault to make us men. Caesar is touched.

When such a spacious mirror is set before him, he needs must see himself.

O Antony, I have followed thee to this, but we do lance diseases in our bodies. I must perforce have shown to thee such a declining day, or look on thine. We could not stall 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 war, the arm of mine own body, and the heart where mine his thoughts did kindle, that our stars, unreconcilable, should divide our equalness to this.

Hear me, good friends. but I will tell you at some meter season.

Enter an Egyptian.

The business of this man looks out of him. We'll hear him what he says. Whence are you?

A poor Egyptian yet. The queen, my mistress, confined in all she hath, her monument, of thy intense desires instruction, that she preparedly may frame herself to the way she's forced to.

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 live to be ungentle.

So the gods preserve thee.

Exit.

Come hither, Proculeus. 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 of her.

Caesar, I shall.

Exit.

Gallus, go you along.

Exit Gallus.

Where's Dolabella to second Proculeus?

Dolabella!

Let him alone, for I remember now how he's employed. He shall in time be ready. Go with me to my tent, where you shall see how hardly I was drawn to this war, how calm and gentle I proceeded still in all my writings. go with me and see what i can show in.

This scene two alexandria a room in the monument enter cleopatra carmian and iris.

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 pallets more the dug, the beggar's nurse, and Caesar's.

Entered the gates of the monument, Proculeus, Gallus, and soldiers.

Caesar sends greeting to the Queen of Egypt, and bids thee study on what fair demands thou meanst to have him grant thee.

What's thy name?

My name is Proculeus.

Antony did tell me of you, bade me trust you, but I do not greatly care to be deceived. 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 conquered egypt for my son he gives me so much of mine own as i will kneel to him with thanks be of.

Good cheer you're fallen 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 play in aid for kindness, where he for grace is kneeled to.

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 in the face.

This I'll report, dear lady. Have comfort, for I know your plight is pitied of him that caused it.

You see how easily she may be surprised.

Here Proculeus and two of the guard ascend the monument by a ladder placed against a window, and having descended, come behind Cleopatra. Some of the guard unbar and open the gates. To Proculeus and the guard.

Guard her till Caesar come.

Exit.

Royal Queen!

O Cleopatra!

Thou art taken queen quick quick good hands.

Drawing a dagger hold worthy lady hold.

Seizes and disarms her do.

Not yourself such wrong who are in this relieved but not betrayed.

Cleopatra what of death too that rids our dogs of languish.

Do not abuse my master's bounty by the undoing of yourself. Let the world see his nobleness well acted, which your death will never let come forth.

Where art thou, death? Come hither, come, come, come, and take a queen, were they many babes and beggars. O, temperance, lady! 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 pinioned at your master's court, nor once be chastised with the sober eye of dull Octavia.

Shall they hoist me up and show me to the shouting violetry of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt be gentle graven to me. Rather on Nihilus' mud lay me stark naked, and let the water-flies blow me into abhorring. Rather make my country's high pyramids my gibbet, and hang me up in chains.

You do extend these thoughts of horror further than you shall find cause in Caesar.

Enter Dolabella.

Proculeus, what thou hast done thy master Caesar knows, and he hath sent for thee, for the queen. I'll take her to my guard.

So, Dolabella, it shall content me best. Be gentle to her.

To Cleopatra.

To Caesar I will speak what ye shall please, if you'll employ me to him.

Say I would die.

Exuant Proculeus and soldiers.

Most noble empress, you have heard of me?

I cannot tell.

Assuredly you know me.

No matter, sir, what I have heard or known. You laugh when boys or women tell their dreams. Is it not your trick?

I understand not, madam.

I dreamed there was an emperor, Antony. Oh, such another sleep, that I might see but such another man.

If it might please ye.

His face was as the heaven's. and therein stuck a sun and moon which kept their course and lighted the little O, the earth.

Most sovereign creature!

His legs bestrewed the ocean. His reared arm crested the world. His voice was propertied, as all the tombs fears, 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 it, and autumn t'was that grew the more by reaping. His delights were dolphin-like.

They showed his back above the element they lived in. In his livery walked crowns and crownets. Realms and islands were as plates. dropped from his pocket.

Cleopatra!

Think you there was, or might be, such a man as this I dreamed of?

Gentle madam, no.

You lie, up to the hearing of the gods. But if there be, or ever were, one such, it's past the size of dreaming. Nature wants stuff to vie strange forms with fancy. Yet to imagine an Antony were nature's peace against fancy, condemning shadows quite.

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 pursued success, but I do feel, by the rebound of yours, a grief that smites my very heart at root.

I thank you, sir. Know you what Caesar means to do with me?

I am loath to tell you what I would you knew.

Nay, pray you, sir.

Though he be honourable.

He'll lead me then in triumph.

Madam, he will. I know it.

Flourish, and shout within.

Make way there, Octavius Caesar!

Enter Octavius Caesar, Gallus, Proculeus, Mechanus, Seleucus, and others of his train.

Which is the queen of Egypt?

It is the Emperor, madam.

Cleopatra kneels.

Arise.

You shall not kneel. I pray you, rise.

Arise, Egypt.

Sir, the gods will have it thus. My master and my lord I must obey.

Take to you no hard thoughts. The record of what injuries you did us, though written in our flesh, we shall remember as things but done by chance.

Soul, sir, of the world— I cannot project mine own cause so well to make it clear. But do confess I have been laden with like frailties which before have often shamed our sex.

Cleopatra, no, we will extenuate rather than enforce. If you apply yourself to our intents, which towards you are most gentle, you shall find a benefit in this change. But if you seek to lay on me a cruelty, by taking Antony's course— You shall bereave yourself of my good purposes, and put your children to that destruction which I'll guard them from, if thereon you rely. I'll take my leave.

And may through all the world, tis yours, and we your scutcheons and your signs of conquest, shall hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.

You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.

This is the brief. Of money, plate, and jewels I am possessed of. Tis exactly valued. Not petty things admitted. Where's Seleucus?

Here, madame.

This is my treasurer. Let him speak, my lord, upon his peril, that I have reserved to myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.

Madame, I had rather seal my lips than to my peril to speak that which is not.

What have I kept back?

Enough to purchase what you have made known.

Nay blush not cleopatra i approve your wisdom in the deed.

See caesar oh behold how pomp is followed mine will now be yours and should we shift estates yours would be mine the ingratitude of this lucius does even make me wild o slave of no more trust than love that's hired what goest thou back thou shalt go back i warrant thee but i'll catch thine eyes though they had wings slave soulless villain dog o raleigh base.

Good queen let us entreat you.

O caesar what a wounding shame is this that thou vouchsafing here to visit me doing the honour of thy lordliness to one so meek that mine own servant should parcel the sum of my disgraces by addition of his envy say good caesar that i some lady trifles have reserved immoment toys things of such dignity as we greet modern friends withal, and say some nobler token I have kept apart for Livia and Octavia to induce their mediation, must I be unfolded with one that I have bred?

The gods, it smites me beneath the fall I have.

To sell you, kiss.

Pray thee, go hence, or I shall show the cinders of my spirits through the ashes of my chance. Wirt thou a man, thou wouldst have mercy on me.

Forbear, Seleucus.

Exit Seleucus.

Be it known that we, the greatest, are misthought for things that others do, and when we fall, we answer others' merits in our name, are therefore to be pitied.

Cleopatra, not what you have reserved, nor what acknowledged, put we the role of conquest. Still be it yours, bestow it at your pleasure, and believe Caesar's no merchant to make prize with you of things that merchants sold. Therefore be cheered. Make not your thoughts your prisons. No, dear queen, for we intend so to dispose you, as yourself shall give us counsel. Feed and sleep. Our care and pity is so much upon you, that we remain your friend.

And so adieu.

My master and my lord.

Not so. Adieu.

Flourish. Exuant Octavius Caesar and his train.

He words me, girls, he words me. That I should not be noble to myself. But hark thee, Carmion.

Whispers Carmion.

Finish, good lady, the bright day is done, And we are for the dark.

Hie thee again, I have spoke already, And it is provided. Go put it to the haste.

Madam, I will.

We enter Dolabella.

Where is the queen?

Behold, sir.

Exit. Dolabella.

Madam, as thereto sworn by your command, Which my love makes religion to obey— I tell you this. Caesar through Syria intends his journey, and within three days you with your children will he send before. Make your best use of this. I have performed your pleasure and my promise.

Dolabella, I shall remain your debtor.

I your servant. Adieu, good queen. I must attend on Caesar.

Farewell and thanks.

Exit Dolabella.

Now, Iris, what thinkest thou? Thou an Egyptian puppet shalt be shown in Rome as well as I. Mechanic slaves with greasy aprons, rules, and hammers shall uplift us to the view, and their thick breaths, rank of gross diet, shall be enclouded and forced to drink their vapour.

The gods forbid!

Nay, tis most certain, Iris. Saucy lictors will catch at us like strumpets, and scald rhymers ballad us out of tune. The quick comedians extemporally will stage us, and present our Alexandrian revels. Antony shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see some squeaking Cleopatra boy, my greatness in the posture of a whore.

All the good gods!

Nay, that's certain.

I'll never see it, for I am sure my nails are stronger than mine eyes.

Why, that's the way to fool their preparation, and to conquer their most absurd intents.

Re-enter Carmion.

Now, Carmion. Show me my women like a queen. Go fetch my best attires. I am again for Sidness, to meet Mark Antony. Sirrah, Iris, go. Now, noble Camion, we'll dispatch indeed. And when thou hast done this chair, I'll give thee leave to play till doomsday. Bring our crown and all. Wherefore's this noise?

Exit, Iris. A noise within. Enter a guardsman.

Here is a rural fellow that will not be denied your highness' presence. He brings you figs.

Let him come in.

Exit guardsman.

What poor instrument may do a noble deed? He brings me liberty. My resolution's placed, and I have nothing of woman in me. Now from head to foot I am marble, constant. Now the fleeting moon, no planet is of mine.

Re-enter guardsman with clown bringing in a basket.

This is the man.

Avoid and leave him.

Exit guardsman.

Hast thou the pretty worm of Nihilus there, that kills and pains not?

Truly I have him, but I would not be the party that should desire you to touch him, for his biting is immortal. Those that do die of it do seldom or never recover.

Rememberest thou any that have died on it?

Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterday, a very honest woman, but something given to lie, as a woman should not do, but in the way of honesty, how she died of the biting of it, what pain she felt. Truly she makes a very good report of the worm, but he that will believe all that they say shall never be saved by half that they do. But this is most fallible.

The worm's an odd worm.

Get thee hence.

Farewell.

I wish you all joy of the worm.

Setting down his basket.

Farewell.

You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind.

Aye, aye.

Farewell.

Look you, the worm is not to be trusted but in the keeping of wise people, for indeed there is no goodness in worms.

Take thou no care it shall be heeded.

Very good give it nothing i pray you for it is not worth the feeding will it eat me you must not think i am so simple but i know the devil himself will not eat a woman i know that a woman is a dish for the gods if the devil dress her not but truly these same whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women for in every ten that they make the devils mar five.

Well get thee gone farewell.

Yes forsooth i wish you joy o.

The worm exit re-enter iris with a robe crown c.

Give me my robe put on my crown I have immortal longings in me. Now no more the juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip. Yeah, yeah, good Iris, quick. Methinks I hear Antony call. I see him rouse himself to praise my noble act. I hear him mock the luck of Caesar, which the gods give men to excuse thereafter wrath. Husband, I come. Now to that name my courage prove my title. I am fire and air, my other elements I give to baser life. So have you done? Come, then, and take the last warmth of my lips. Farewell, kind Carmion. Iris, long farewell.

Kisses them. Iris falls and dies.

Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall? If thou in nature can so gently part, The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch, Which hurts and is desired. Dost thou lie still? If thus thou vanishest, thou tellest the world it is not worth leave-taking.

Dissolve, thick cloud and rain, that I may say the gods themselves do weep.

This proves me base. If she first meet the curled Antony, he'll make demand of her, and spend that kiss which is my heaven to have. Come, thou mortal wretch.

To an asp which she applies to her breast.

With thy sharp teeth. This not-intrinsicative life at once untie. Poor, venomous fool, be angry and dispatch. O, couldst thou speak, that I might hear thee call, Great Caesar, ass unpoliced. O, eastern star! Peace, peace, dost thou not see my baby at my breast, That sucks the nurse asleep? O, break! O, break!

As sweet as balm, as soft as air, As gentle. O, Antony! Nay, I will take thee to.

Applying another asp to her arm.

What should I say?

Dies.

In this vile world. So fare thee well. Now boast thee death. In thy possession lies, alas, unparalleled. Downy windows, close. And golden Phoebus never be beheld of eyes again so royal. Your crown's awry.

I'll mend it.

And then play.

Enter the guard rushing in.

Where is the queen?

Speak softly. Wake her not.

Caesar hath sent.

Too slow a messenger.

Applies an asp.

O come apace. Dispatch. I partly feel thee.

Approach.

Ho! All's not well. Caesar's beguiled.

There's Dolabella.

Sent from Caesar. Call him.

What work is here? Charmian. Is this well done?

It is well done and fitting for a princess descended of so many royal kings.

Ah soldier dies re-enter dolabella.

How goes it here all dead caesar thy thoughts touch their effects in this thyself art coming to see performed the dreaded act which thou so soughtest to hinder.

Within away there away for caesar Re-enter Octavius Caesar and all his train, marching.

O sir, you are too sure an augurer. That you did fear is done.

Bravest at the last, she levelled at our purposes, and being royal took her own way. The manner of their deaths, I do not see them bleed.

Who was last with them?

A simple countryman that brought her figs. This was his basket.

Poisoned then.

O Caesar, this charmian lived, but now she stood and spake. I found her trimming up the diadem on her dead mistress. Tremblingly she stood, and not a sudden dropped.

O noble weakness! If they had swallowed poison, it would appear by external swelling. But she looks like sleep, as she would catch another Antony in her strong toil of grace.

Here, on her breast, there is a vent of blood and something blown. The like is on her arm.

This is an aspic's trail, and these fig-leaves have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves upon the caves of Nile.

Most probable that so she died, for her physician tells me she hath pursued conclusions infinite of easy ways to die. Take up her bed, and bear her women from the monument. She shall be buried by her Antony. No grave upon the earth shall clip in it a pair so famous. High events as these strike those that make them, and their story is no less in pity than his glory which brought them to be lamented. Our army shall in solemn show attend this funeral, and then to Rome. Come, Dolabella, see high order in this great solemnity.

EXUENT END OF ACT V End of Antonine Cleopatra by William Shakespeare

Antony and Cleopatra Act 5

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