Enter Antony, Cleopatra, Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, with others ANTONY         He will not fight with me, Domitius? ENOBARBUS  No. ANTONY                                 Why should he not? ENOBARBUS  He thinks, being twenty times of better fortune, He is twenty men to one. ANTONY                                 Tomorrow, soldier, By sea and land I’ll fight. Or I will live Or bathe my dying […]

CAESAR                                  Let our best heads Know that tomorrow the last of many battles We mean to fight. Within our files there are, Of those that served Mark Antony but late, Enough to fetch him in. See it done, And feast the army. We have store to do’t, And they have earned the waste. Poor Antony! […]

MAECENAS                            Caesar must think, When one so great begins to rage, he’s hunted Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now Make boot of his distraction. Never anger Made good guard for itself.              (4.1.6-10)   The loyal Maecenas picks up from Caesar with economy and efficiency; the sense is that Caesar runs not just […]

Enter Caesar with Agrippa, Maecenas, and his army, Caesar reading a letter   CAESAR          He calls me boy, and chides as he had power To beat me out of Egypt. My messenger He hath whipped with rods, dares me to personal combat, Caesar to Antony. Let the old ruffian know I have many other ways […]

ENOBARBUS  Now he’ll outstare the lightning. To be furious Is to be frighted out of fear, and in that mood The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still A diminution in our captain’s brain Restores his heart. When valour preys on reason, It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek Some […]

CLEOPATRA               It is my birthday. I had thought to’ve held it poor, but since my lord Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra. ANTONY                                 We will yet do well. CLEOPATRA   Call all his noble captains to my lord! ANTONY         Do so. We’ll speak to them, and tonight I’ll force The wine peep through their scars. […]

ANTONY         I will be treble-sinewed, hearted, breathed, And fight maliciously; for when mine hours Were nice and lucky, men did ransom lives Of me for jests; but now I’ll set my teeth, And send to darkness all that stop me. Come, Let’s have one other gaudy night. Call to me All my sad captains. Fill […]

ANTONY         Caesar sits down in Alexandria, where I will oppose his fate. Our force by land Hath nobly held; our severed navy too Have knit again, and fleet, threat’ning most sea-like. Where hast thou been, my heart? Dost thou hear, lady? If from the field I shall return once more To kiss these lips, I […]

CLEOPATRA              Ah, dear, if I be so, From my cold heart let heaven engender hail, And poison it in the source, and the first stone Drop in my neck: as it determines, so Dissolve my life! The next Caesarion smite, Till by degrees the memory of my womb, Together with my brave Egyptians all, By […]

CLEOPATRA  Have you done yet? ANTONY         Alack, our terrene moon Is now eclipsed, and it portends alone The fall of Antony. CLEOPATRA  [aside] I must stay his time. ANTONY         To flatter Caesar would you mingle eyes With one that ties his points? CLEOPATRA              Not know me yet? ANTONY         Cold-hearted toward me?     (3.13.154-160)   Are you finished, […]