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SCENE XII. CAESAR’S camp in Egypt.

Оглавление

[Enter CAESAR, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, with others.]

CAESAR.

Let him appear that’s come from Antony.—

Know you him?

DOLABELLA.

Caesar, ‘tis his schoolmaster:

An argument that he is pluck’d, when hither

He sends so poor a pinion of his wing,

Which had superfluous kings for messengers

Not many moons gone by.

[Enter EUPHRONIUS.]

CAESAR.

Approach, and speak.

EUPHRONIUS.

Such as I am, I come from Antony:

I was of late as petty to his ends

As is the morn-dew on the myrtle leaf

To his grand sea.

CAESAR.

Be’t so: declare thine office.

EUPHRONIUS.

Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and

Requires to live in Egypt: which not granted,

He lessens his requests; and to thee sues

To let him breathe 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 Ptolemies for her heirs,

Now hazarded to thy grace.

CAESAR.

For Antony,

I have no ears to his request. The queen

Of audience nor desire shall fail; so she

From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,

Or take his life there: this if she perform,

She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.

EUPHRONIUS.

Fortune pursue thee!

CAESAR.

Bring him through the bands.

[Exit EUPHRONIUS.]

[To THYREUS.] To try thy eloquence, now ‘tis time. Despatch;

From Antony win Cleopatra. Promise,

And in our name, what she requires; add more,

From thine invention, offers: women are not

In their best fortunes strong; but want will perjure

The ne’er-touch’d vestal: try thy cunning, Thyreus;

Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we

Will answer as a law.

THYREUS.

Caesar, I go.

CAESAR.

Observe how Antony becomes his flaw,

And what thou think’st his very action speaks

In every power that moves.

THYREUS.

Caesar, I shall.

[Exeunt.]


Antony and Cleopatra (The Unabridged Play) + The Classic Biography

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