SCENE XI. Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace. Antony and Cleopatra  Shakespeare homepage  |  Antony and Cleopatra  | Act 3, Scene 11 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  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 

 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; 

 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 

 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 

 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, 

 Therefore I pray you: I'll see you by and by. 



 Sits down 

 Enter CLEOPATRA led by CHARMIAN and IRAS; EROS following  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! 

 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! 

 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 

 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: 

 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. 

 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 

 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. 

 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 

 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 

 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. 

 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. 

 Some wine, within there, and our viands! Fortune knows 

 We scorn her most when most she offers blows. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Antony and Cleopatra  | Act 3, Scene 11 

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