We have kissed away
        Kingdoms and provinces.

ENOBARBUS    How appears the fight?

SCARRUS    On our side, like the tokened pestilence12
        Where death is sure. Yon13 ribaudred nag of Egypt —
        Whom leprosy o’ertake14! — i’th’midst o’th’fight
        When vantage15 like a pair of twins appeared
        Both as the same16, or rather ours the elder,
        The breeze17 upon her, like a cow in June,
        Hoists sails and flies18.

ENOBARBUS    That I beheld:
        Mine eyes did sicken at the sight and could not
        Endure a further view.

SCARRUS    She once being loofed22,
        The noble ruin of her magic, Antony,
        Claps on his sea-wing24 and, like a doting mallard,
        Leaving the fight in25 height, flies after her.
        I never saw an action26 of such shame:
        Experience, manhood, honour, ne’er before
        Did violate so itself.

ENOBARBUS    Alack, alack!

Enter Canidius

CANIDIUS    Our fortune on the sea is out of breath
        And sinks most lamentably. Had our general
        Been what he knew himself32, it had gone well.
        O, he has given example for our flight
        Most grossly34 by his own!

ENOBARBUS    Ay, are you thereabouts35? Why, then, goodnight
        indeed.

CANIDIUS    Toward Peloponnesus36 are they fled.

SCARRUS    ’Tis easy to’t37, and there I will attend
        What further comes.

CANIDIUS    To Caesar will I render39
        My legions and my horse: six kings already
        Show me the way of yielding.

ENOBARBUS    I’ll yet follow
        The wounded chance43 of Antony, though my reason
        Sits in the wind against44 me.
[Exeunt separately]

[Act 3 Scene 11]                               
running scene 16

Location: unspecific   

Enter Antony with Attendants

ANTONY    Hark! The land bids me tread no more upon’t:
        It is ashamed to bear me. Friends, come hither.
        I am so lated3 in the world that I
        Have lost my way forever. I have a ship
        Laden with gold: take that, divide it: fly
        And make your peace with Caesar.

ALL    Fly? Not we.

ANTONY    I have fled myself and have instructed cowards
        To run and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone:
        I have myself resolved upon a course
        Which has no need of you. Be gone.
        My treasure’s in the harbour: take it. O,
        I followed that13 I blush to look upon.
        My very hairs do mutiny14, for the white
        Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them15
        For fear and doting. Friends, be gone. You shall
        Have letters from me to some friends that will
        Sweep your way18 for you. Pray you look not sad
        Nor make replies of loathness19: take the hint
        Which my despair20 proclaims. Let that be left
        Which leaves itself. To the seaside straightway:
        I will possess you22 of that ship and treasure.
        Leave me, I pray, a little23. Pray you now,
        Nay do so, for indeed I have lost command24:
        Therefore I pray you, I’ll see you by and by.

Sits down

[Exeunt Attendants]

Enter Cleopatra led by Charmian, [Iras] and Eros

EROS    Nay, gentle madam, to him, comfort him.

IRAS    Do, most dear queen.

CHARMIAN    Do? Why, what else?

CLEOPATRA    Let me sit down. O Juno29!

ANTONY    No, no, no, no, no!

EROS    See you here, sir?

ANTONY    O fie32, fie, fie!

CHARMIAN    Madam!

IRAS    Madam, O good empress!

EROS    Sir, sir—

ANTONY    Yes, my lord36, yes; he at Philippi kept
        His sword e’en like a dancer37 while I struck
        The lean and wrinkled Cassius, and ’twas I
        That the mad39 Brutus ended: he alone
        Dealt on lieutenantry40, and no practice had
        In the brave squares41 of war: yet now, no matter.

CLEOPATRA    Ah, stand by42.

EROS    The queen, my lord, the queen!

IRAS    Go to him, madam, speak to him:
        He’s unqualitied45 with very shame.

CLEOPATRA    Well then, sustain46 me. O!

EROS    Most noble sir, arise, the queen approaches.
        Her head’s declined48, and death will seize her, but
        Your comfort49 makes the rescue.

ANTONY    I have offended reputation50,
        A most unnoble swerving51.

EROS    Sir, the queen!

ANTONY    O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See
        How I convey my shame out of thine eyes
        By looking back what I have left behind
        ’Stroyed56 in dishonour54.

CLEOPATRA    O my lord, my lord,
        Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought
        You would have followed.

ANTONY    Egypt, thou knew’st too well
        My heart was to thy rudder tied by th’strings61
        And thou shouldst tow me after. O’er my spirit
        Thy full supremacy thou knew’st, and that
        Thy beck64 might from the bidding of the gods
        Command me.

CLEOPATRA    O, my pardon!

ANTONY    Now I must
        To the young man68 send humble treaties, dodge
        And palter69 in the shifts of lowness, who
        With half the bulk o’th’world played as I pleased,
        Making and marring fortunes. You did know
        How much you were my conqueror, and that
        My sword73, made weak by my affection, would
        Obey it on all cause74.

CLEOPATRA    Pardon, pardon!

ANTONY    Fall not a tear, I say. One of them rates76
        All that is won and lost. Give me a kiss:
They kiss

    Even this repays me.
        We sent our schoolmaster79: is a come back?
        Love, I am full of lead80. Some wine
        Within there and our viands81! Fortune knows
        We scorn her most when most she offers blows.
Exeunt

[Act 3 Scene 12]                               
running scene 17

Location: Caesar’s camp outside Alexandria   

Enter Caesar, Agrippa and [Thidias,] Dolabella with others

CAESAR    Let him appear that’s come from Antony.
        Know you him?

DOLABELLA    Caesar, ’tis his schoolmaster,
        An argument4 that he is plucked, when hither
        He sends so poor a pinion5 of his wing,
        Which6 had superfluous kings for messengers
        Not many moons gone by.

Enter Ambassador from Antony

CAESAR    Approach, and speak.

AMBASSADOR    Such as I am, I come from Antony:
        I was of late as petty10 to his ends
        As is the morn-dew on the myrtle leaf11
        To his grand sea12.

CAESAR    Be’t so. Declare thine office13.

AMBASSADOR    Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and
        Requires15 to live in Egypt, which not granted,
        He lessens his requests, and to thee sues16
        To let him breathe17 between the heavens and earth,
        A private man in Athens: this for him.
        Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness,
        Submits her to thy might, and of thee craves
        The circle of the Ptolemies21 for her heirs,
        Now hazarded to thy grace22.

CAESAR    For Antony,
        I have no ears to his request. The queen
        Of audience nor desire shall fail, so25 she
        From Egypt drive her all-disgracèd friend26
        Or take his life there. This if she perform,
        She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.

AMBASSADOR    Fortune pursue thee!

CAESAR    Bring30 him through the bands.—
        [Exit Ambassador, attended]

To Thidias

        To try thy eloquence now ’tis time. Dispatch31.
        From Antony win Cleopatra32. Promise,
        And in our name33, what she requires: add more,
        From thine invention, offers.