| ACT III SCENE XI | Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace. | |
| | Enter MARK ANTONY with Attendants | |
| MARK ANTONY | Hark! the land bids me tread no more upon't; | |
| | It is ashamed to bear me! Friends, come hither: | |
| | I am so lated in the world, that I | |
| | Have lost my way for ever: I have a ship | 5 |
| | Laden with gold; take that, divide it; fly, | |
| | And make your peace with Caesar. | |
| All | Fly! not we. | |
| MARK ANTONY | I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards | |
| | To run and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone; | 10 |
| | 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 follow'd that I blush to look upon: | |
| | My very hairs do mutiny; for the white | 15 |
| | Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them | |
| | For fear and doting. Friends, be gone: you shall | |
| | Have letters from me to some friends that will | |
| | Sweep your way for you. Pray you, look not sad, | |
| | Nor make replies of loathness: take the hint | 20 |
| | Which my despair proclaims; let that be left | |
| | Which leaves itself: to the sea-side straightway: | |
| | I will possess you of that ship and treasure. | |
| | Leave me, I pray, a little: pray you now: | |
| | Nay, do so; for, indeed, I have lost command, | 25 |
| | Therefore I pray you: I'll see you by and by. | |
| | Sits down | |
| | Enter CLEOPATRA led by CHARMIAN and IRAS; EROSfollowing | |
| EROS | Nay, gentle madam, to him, comfort him. | |
| IRAS | Do, most dear queen. | |
| CHARMIAN | Do! why: what else? | |
| CLEOPATRA | Let me sit down. O Juno! | 30 |
| MARK ANTONY | No, no, no, no, no. | |
| EROS | See you here, sir? | |
| MARK ANTONY | O fie, fie, fie! | |
| CHARMIAN | Madam! | |
| IRAS | Madam, O good empress! | 35 |
| EROS | Sir, sir,-- | |
| MARK ANTONY | Yes, my lord, yes; he at Philippi kept | |
| | His sword e'en like a dancer; while I struck | |
| | The lean and wrinkled Cassius; and 'twas I | |
| | That the mad Brutus ended: he alone | 40 |
| | Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practise had | |
| | In the brave squares of war: yet now--No matter. | |
| CLEOPATRA | Ah, stand by. | |
| EROS | The queen, my lord, the queen. | |
| IRAS | Go to him, madam, speak to him: | 45 |
| | He is unqualitied with very shame. | |
| CLEOPATRA | Well then, sustain him: O! | |
| EROS | Most noble sir, arise; the queen approaches: | |
| | Her head's declined, and death will seize her, but | |
| | Your comfort makes the rescue. | 50 |
| MARK ANTONY | I have offended reputation, | |
| | A most unnoble swerving. | |
| EROS | Sir, the queen. | |
| MARK ANTONY | O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See, | |
| | How I convey my shame out of thine eyes | 55 |
| | By looking back what I have left behind | |
| | 'Stroy'd in dishonour. | |
| CLEOPATRA | O my lord, my lord, | |
| | Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought | |
| | You would have follow'd. | 60 |
| MARK ANTONY | Egypt, thou knew'st too well | |
| | My heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings, | |
| | And thou shouldst tow me after: o'er my spirit | |
| | Thy full supremacy thou knew'st, and that | |
| | Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods | 65 |
| | Command me. | |
| CLEOPATRA | O, my pardon! | |
| MARK ANTONY | Now I must | |
| | To the young man send humble treaties, dodge | |
| | And palter in the shifts of lowness; who | 70 |
| | With half the bulk o' the world play'd as I pleased, | |
| | Making and marring fortunes. You did know | |
| | How much you were my conqueror; and that | |
| | My sword, made weak by my affection, would | |
| | Obey it on all cause. | 75 |
| CLEOPATRA | Pardon, pardon! | |
| MARK ANTONY | Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates | |
| | All that is won and lost: give me a kiss; | |
| | Even this repays me. We sent our schoolmaster; | |
| | Is he come back? Love, I am full of lead. | 80 |
| | Some wine, within there, and our viands! Fortune knows | |
| | We scorn her most when most she offers blows. | |
| | Exeunt | |
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