SCENE I. Before Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp. Antony and Cleopatra  Shakespeare homepage  |  Antony and Cleopatra  | Act 4, Scene 1 

 Previous scene  |  Next scene  SCENE I. Before Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp. 

 Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, AGRIPPA, and MECAENAS, with his Army; OCTAVIUS CAESAR reading a letter  OCTAVIUS CAESAR  He calls me boy; and chides, as he had power 

 To beat me out of Egypt; my messenger 

 He hath whipp'd with rods; dares me to personal combat, 

 Caesar to Antony: let the old ruffian know 

 I have many other ways to die; meantime 

 Laugh at his challenge. 

 MECAENAS  Caesar must think, 

 When one so great begins to rage, he's hunted 

 Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now 

 Make boot of his distraction: never anger 

 Made good guard for itself. 

 OCTAVIUS CAESAR  Let our best heads 

 Know, that to-morrow the last of many battles 

 We mean to fight: within our files there are, 

 Of those that served Mark Antony but late, 

 Enough to fetch him in. See it done: 

 And feast the army; we have store to do't, 

 And they have earn'd the waste. Poor Antony! 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Antony and Cleopatra  | Act 4, Scene 1 

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