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Antony and Cleopatra: Act III, Scene 6

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Antony and Cleopatra
Act III, Scene 6

Rome. Octavius Caesar’s house.

Frontpiece to the Temple Shakespeare edition of Antony and Cleopatra

Frontpiece to the Temple Shakespeare edition of Antony and Cleopatra

1899

  1. Enter Agrippa, Maecenas, and Caesar.

Caesar

1 - 11
  1. Contemning Rome, he has done all this and more
  2. In Alexandria. Here’s the manner of’t:
  3. I’ th’ market-place, on a tribunal silver’d,
  4. Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold
  5. Were publicly enthron’d. At the feet sat
  6. Caesarion, whom they call my father’s son,
  7. And all the unlawful issue that their lust
  8. Since then hath made between them. Unto her
  9. He gave the stablishment of Egypt, made her
  10. Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,
  11. Absolute queen.

Maecenas

12
  1.                 This in the public eye?

Caesar

13 - 20
  1. I’ th’ common show-place, where they exercise.
  2. His sons he there proclaim’d the kings of kings:
  3. Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia
  4. He gave to Alexander; to Ptolomy he assign’d
  5. Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia. She
  6. In th’ abiliments of the goddess Isis
  7. That day appear’d; and oft before gave audience,
  8. As ’tis reported, so.

Maecenas

21 - 22
  1.                       Let Rome be thus
  2. Inform’d.

Agrippa

23 - 24
  1.           Who, queasy with his insolence
  2. Already, will their good thoughts call from him.

Caesar

25 - 26
  1. The people knows it, and have now receiv’d
  2. His accusations.

Agrippa

27
  1.                  Who does he accuse?

Caesar

28 - 34
  1. Caesar, and that having in Sicily
  2. Sextus Pompeius spoil’d, we had not rated him
  3. His part o’ th’ isle. Then does he say he lent me
  4. Some shipping unrestor’d. Lastly, he frets
  5. That Lepidus of the triumpherate
  6. Should be depos’d; and being, that we detain
  7. All his revenue.

Agrippa

35
  1.                  Sir, this should be answer’d.

Caesar

36 - 42
  1. ’Tis done already, and the messenger gone.
  2. I have told him Lepidus was grown too cruel,
  3. That he his high authority abus’d,
  4. And did deserve his change. For what I have conquer’d,
  5. I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia
  6. And other of his conquer’d kingdoms, I
  7. Demand the like.

Maecenas

43
  1.                  He’ll never yield to that.

Caesar

44
  1. Nor must not then be yielded to in this.
  1. Enter Octavia with her Train.

Octavia

45
  1. Hail, Caesar, and my lord! Hail, most dear Caesar!

Caesar

46
  1. That ever I should call thee castaway!

Octavia

47
  1. You have not call’d me so, nor have you cause.

Caesar

48 - 61
  1. Why have you stol’n upon us thus? You come not
  2. Like Caesar’s sister. The wife of Antony
  3. Should have an army for an usher, and
  4. The neighs of horse to tell of her approach,
  5. Long ere she did appear; the trees by th’ way
  6. Should have borne men, and expectation fainted,
  7. Longing for what it had not; nay, the dust
  8. Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,
  9. Rais’d by your populous troops. But you are come
  10. A market-maid to Rome, and have prevented
  11. The ostentation of our love, which, left unshown,
  12. Is often left unlov’d. We should have met you
  13. By sea and land, supplying every stage
  14. With an augmented greeting.

Octavia

62 - 67
  1.                             Good my lord,
  2. To come thus was I not constrain’d, but did it
  3. On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,
  4. Hearing that you prepar’d for war, acquainted
  5. My grieved ear withal; whereon I begg’d
  6. His pardon for return.

Caesar

68 - 69
  1.                        Which soon he granted,
  2. Being an abstract ’tween his lust and him.

Octavia

70
  1. Do not say so, my lord.

Caesar

71 - 73
  1.                         I have eyes upon him,
  2. And his affairs come to me on the wind.
  3. Where is he now?

Octavia

74
  1.                  My lord, in Athens.

Caesar

75 - 86
  1. No, my most wronged sister, Cleopatra
  2. Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire
  3. Up to a whore, who now are levying
  4. The kings o’ th’ earth for war. He hath assembled
  5. Bocchus, the King of Libya; Archelaus
  6. Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, King
  7. Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas;
  8. King Manchus of Arabia; King of Pont;
  9. Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, King
  10. Of Comagena; Polemon and Amyntas,
  11. The Kings of Mede and Lycaonia,
  12. With a more larger list of sceptres.

Octavia

87 - 89
  1.                                      Ay me, most wretched,
  2. That have my heart parted betwixt two friends
  3. That does afflict each other!

Caesar

90 - 102
  1.                               Welcome hither!
  2. Your letters did withhold our breaking forth,
  3. Till we perceiv’d both how you were wrong led
  4. And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart,
  5. Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
  6. O’er your content these strong necessities,
  7. But let determin’d things to destiny
  8. Hold unbewail’d their way. Welcome to Rome,
  9. Nothing more dear to me. You are abus’d
  10. Beyond the mark of thought; and the high gods,
  11. To do you justice, makes his ministers
  12. Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort,
  13. And ever welcome to us.

Agrippa

103
  1.                         Welcome, lady.

Maecenas

104 - 109
  1. Welcome, dear madam,
  2. Each heart in Rome does love and pity you;
  3. Only th’ adulterous Antony, most large
  4. In his abominations, turns you off,
  5. And gives his potent regiment to a trull
  6. That noises it against us.

Octavia

110
  1.                            Is it so, sir?

Caesar

111 - 112
  1. Most certain. Sister, welcome. Pray you
  2. Be ever known to patience. My dear’st sister!
  1. Exeunt.
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