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Antony and Cleopatra: Act I, Scene 3

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Antony and Cleopatra
Act I, Scene 3

Alexandria. Another room in Cleopatra’s palace.

In time we hate that which we often fear.

W. J. Rolfe, Paul Avril, 1891

  1. Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Alexas, and Iras.

Cleopatra

1
  1. Where is he?

Charmian

2
  1.              I did not see him since.

Cleopatra

3 - 6
  1. See where he is, who’s with him, what he does.
  2. I did not send you. If you find him sad,
  3. Say I am dancing; if in mirth, report
  4. That I am sudden sick. Quick, and return.
  1. Exit Alexas.

Charmian

7 - 9
  1. Madam, methinks if you did love him dearly,
  2. You do not hold the method to enforce
  3. The like from him.

Cleopatra

10
  1.                    What should I do, I do not?

Charmian

11
  1. In each thing give him way, cross him in nothing.

Cleopatra

12
  1. Thou teachest like a fool: the way to lose him.

Charmian

13 - 15
  1. Tempt him not so too far; I wish, forbear.
  2. In time we hate that which we often fear.
  3. Enter Antony.
  4. But here comes Antony.

Cleopatra

16
  1.                        I am sick and sullen.

Mark Antony

17
  1. I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose—

Cleopatra

18 - 20
  1. Help me away, dear Charmian, I shall fall.
  2. It cannot be thus long, the sides of nature
  3. Will not sustain it.

Mark Antony

21
  1.                      Now, my dearest queen—

Cleopatra

22
  1. Pray you stand farther from me.

Mark Antony

23
  1.                                 What’s the matter?

Cleopatra

24 - 28
  1. I know by that same eye there’s some good news.
  2. What, says the married woman you may go?
  3. Would she had never given you leave to come!
  4. Let her not say ’tis I that keep you here,
  5. I have no power upon you; hers you are.

Mark Antony

29
  1. The gods best know—

Cleopatra

30 - 32
  1.                     O, never was there queen
  2. So mightily betrayed! Yet at the first
  3. I saw the treasons planted.

Mark Antony

33
  1.                             Cleopatra—

Cleopatra

34 - 38
  1. Why should I think you can be mine, and true
  2. (Though you in swearing shake the throned gods),
  3. Who have been false to Fulvia? Riotous madness,
  4. To be entangled with those mouth-made vows,
  5. Which break themselves in swearing!

Mark Antony

39
  1.                                     Most sweet queen—

Cleopatra

40 - 47
  1. Nay, pray you seek no color for your going,
  2. But bid farewell, and go. When you sued staying,
  3. Then was the time for words; no going then;
  4. Eternity was in our lips and eyes,
  5. Bliss in our brows’ bent; none our parts so poor
  6. But was a race of heaven. They are so still,
  7. Or thou, the greatest soldier of the world,
  8. Art turn’d the greatest liar.

Mark Antony

48
  1.                               How now, lady?

Cleopatra

49 - 50
  1. I would I had thy inches, thou shouldst know
  2. There were a heart in Egypt.

Mark Antony

51 - 66
  1.                              Hear me, Queen:
  2. The strong necessity of time commands
  3. Our services awhile; but my full heart
  4. Remains in use with you. Our Italy
  5. Shines o’er with civil swords; Sextus Pompeius
  6. Makes his approaches to the port of Rome;
  7. Equality of two domestic powers
  8. Breed scrupulous faction; the hated, grown to strength,
  9. Are newly grown to love; the condemn’d Pompey,
  10. Rich in his father’s honor, creeps apace
  11. Into the hearts of such as have not thrived
  12. Upon the present state, whose numbers threaten,
  13. And quietness, grown sick of rest, would purge
  14. By any desperate change. My more particular,
  15. And that which most with you should safe my going,
  16. Is Fulvia’s death.
Cleopatra

Cleopatra

Thomas Francis Dicksee, 1876

Cleopatra

67 - 68
  1. Though age from folly could not give me freedom,
  2. It does from childishness. Can Fulvia die?

Mark Antony

69 - 72
  1. She’s dead, my queen.
  2. Look here, and at thy sovereign leisure read
  3. The garboils she awak’d: at the last, best,
  4. See when and where she died.

Cleopatra

73 - 76
  1.                              O most false love!
  2. Where be the sacred vials thou shouldst fill
  3. With sorrowful water? Now I see, I see,
  4. In Fulvia’s death, how mine receiv’d shall be.

Mark Antony

77 - 82
  1. Quarrel no more, but be prepar’d to know
  2. The purposes I bear; which are, or cease,
  3. As you shall give th’ advice. By the fire
  4. That quickens Nilus’ slime, I go from hence
  5. Thy soldier, servant, making peace or war
  6. As thou affects.

Cleopatra

83 - 85
  1.                  Cut my lace, Charmian, come!
  2. But let it be; I am quickly ill, and well,
  3. So Antony loves.

Mark Antony

86 - 88
  1.                  My precious queen, forbear,
  2. And give true evidence to his love, which stands
  3. An honorable trial.

Cleopatra

89 - 94
  1.                     So Fulvia told me.
  2. I prithee turn aside, and weep for her,
  3. Then bid adieu to me, and say the tears
  4. Belong to Egypt. Good now, play one scene
  5. Of excellent dissembling, and let it look
  6. Like perfect honor.

Mark Antony

95
  1.                     You’ll heat my blood; no more.

Cleopatra

96
  1. You can do better yet; but this is meetly.

Mark Antony

97
  1. Now, by my sword—

Cleopatra

98 - 101
  1.                   And target.—Still he mends.
  2. But this is not the best. Look, prithee, Charmian,
  3. How this Herculean Roman does become
  4. The carriage of his chafe.

Mark Antony

102
  1. I’ll leave you, lady.

Cleopatra

103 - 108
  1.                       Courteous lord, one word:
  2. Sir, you and I must part, but that’s not it;
  3. Sir, you and I have lov’d, but there’s not it;
  4. That you know well. Something it is I would—
  5. O, my oblivion is a very Antony,
  6. And I am all forgotten.

Mark Antony

109 - 111
  1.                         But that your royalty
  2. Holds idleness your subject, I should take you
  3. For idleness itself.

Cleopatra

112 - 120
  1.                      ’Tis sweating labor
  2. To bear such idleness so near the heart
  3. As Cleopatra this. But, sir, forgive me,
  4. Since my becomings kill me when they do not
  5. Eye well to you. Your honor calls you hence,
  6. Therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly,
  7. And all the gods go with you! Upon your sword
  8. Sit laurel victory, and smooth success
  9. Be strew’d before your feet!

Mark Antony

121 - 125
  1.                              Let us go. Come;
  2. Our separation so abides and flies,
  3. That thou residing here, goes yet with me;
  4. And I hence fleeting, here remain with thee.
  5. Away!
  1. Exeunt.
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