SCENE XII. Egypt. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp. Antony and Cleopatra  Shakespeare homepage  |  Antony and Cleopatra  | Act 3, Scene 12 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE XII. Egypt. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp. 

 Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, with others  OCTAVIUS 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 off his wing, 

 Which had superfluous kings for messengers 

 Not many moons gone by. 



 Enter EUPHRONIUS, ambassador from MARK ANTONY  OCTAVIUS 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. 

 OCTAVIUS 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. 

 OCTAVIUS 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! 

 OCTAVIUS CAESAR  Bring him through the bands. 



 Exit EUPHRONIUS 

 To THYREUS  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. 

 OCTAVIUS 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  Shakespeare homepage  |  Antony and Cleopatra  | Act 3, Scene 12 

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