Antony and Cleopatra
Act IV, Scene 4
Alexandria. Before Cleopatra’s palace.
Byam Shaw, 1901
- Enter Antony and Cleopatra, Charmian, with others.
Mark Antony
1- Eros, mine armor, Eros!
Cleopatra
2- Sleep a little.
Mark Antony
3 - 6- No, my chuck. Eros, come, mine armor, Eros!
- Enter Eros with armor.
- Come, good fellow, put thine iron on.
- If Fortune be not ours today, it is
- Because we brave her. Come.
Cleopatra
7 - 8- Nay, I’ll help too.
- What’s this for?
Mark Antony
9 - 10- Ah, let be, let be! Thou art
- The armorer of my heart. False, false; this, this.
Cleopatra
11- Sooth law, I’ll help. Thus it must be.
Mark Antony
12 - 14- Well, well,
- We shall thrive now. Seest thou, my good fellow?
- Go, put on thy defenses.
Eros
15- Briefly, sir.
Cleopatra
16- Is not this buckled well?
Mark Antony
17 - 28- Rarely, rarely:
- He that unbuckles this, till we do please
- To daff’t for our repose, shall hear a storm.
- Thou fumblest, Eros, and my queen’s a squire
- More tight at this than thou; dispatch. O love,
- That thou couldst see my wars today, and knew’st
- The royal occupation, thou shouldst see
- A workman in’t.
- Enter an armed Scarus.
- Good morrow to thee, welcome.
- Thou look’st like him that knows a warlike charge.
- To business that we love we rise betime,
- And go to’t with delight.
Scarus
29 - 31- A thousand, sir,
- Early though’t be, have on their riveted trim,
- And at the port expect you.
- Shout. Trumpets flourish.
- Enter Captain of Antony’s Army, Captains and Soldiers.
Captain of Antony’s Army
32- The morn is fair. Good morrow, general.
All Antony’s Soldiers
33- Good morrow, general.
Mark Antony
34 - 43- ’Tis well blown, lads.
- This morning, like the spirit of a youth
- That means to be of note, begins betimes.
- So, so; come give me that: this way—well said.
- Fare thee well, dame, what e’er becomes of me.
- This is a soldier’s kiss; rebukable
- And worthy shameful check it were, to stand
- On more mechanic compliment. I’ll leave thee
- Now like a man of steel. You that will fight,
- Follow me close, I’ll bring you to’t. Adieu.
- Exeunt Antony, Eros, Scarus, Captains, and Soldiers.
Charmian
44- Please you retire to your chamber?
Cleopatra
45 - 48- Lead me.
- He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might
- Determine this great war in single fight!
- Then, Antony—but now—Well, on.
- Exeunt.
Sooth law, I’ll help. Thus it must be.
Edwin Austin Abbey, 1909