Antony and Cleopatra
Act IV, Scene 8
Under the walls of Alexandria.
Cleopatra
Pierre Olivier Joseph Coomans, 1877
- Alarum. Enter Antony again, in a march, Scarus, with others.
Mark Antony
1 - 18- We have beat him to his camp. Run one before,
- And let the Queen know of our gests. Tomorrow,
- Before the sun shall see ’s, we’ll spill the blood
- That has today escap’d. I thank you all,
- For doughty-handed are you, and have fought
- Not as you serv’d the cause, but as’t had been
- Each man’s like mine; you have shown all Hectors.
- Enter the city, clip your wives, your friends,
- Tell them your feats, whilst they with joyful tears
- Wash the congealment from your wounds, and kiss
- The honor’d gashes whole.
- Enter Cleopatra attended.
- To Scarus.
- Give me thy hand;
- To this great fairy I’ll commend thy acts,
- Make her thanks bless thee.
- To Cleopatra.
- O thou day o’ th’ world,
- Chain mine arm’d neck, leap thou, attire and all,
- Through proof of harness to my heart, and there
- Ride on the pants triumphing!
Cleopatra
19 - 21- Lord of lords!
- O infinite virtue, com’st thou smiling from
- The world’s great snare uncaught?
Mark Antony
22 - 30- Mine nightingale,
- We have beat them to their beds. What, girl, though grey
- Do something mingle with our younger brown, yet ha’ we
- A brain that nourishes our nerves, and can
- Get goal for goal of youth. Behold this man,
- Commend unto his lips thy favoring hand.
- Kiss it, my warrior; he hath fought today
- As if a god, in hate of mankind, had
- Destroyed in such a shape.
Cleopatra
31 - 32- I’ll give thee, friend,
- An armor all of gold; it was a king’s.
Mark Antony
33 - 44- He has deserv’d it, were it carbuncled
- Like holy Phoebus’ car. Give me thy hand.
- Through Alexandria make a jolly march,
- Bear our hack’d targets like the men that owe them.
- Had our great palace the capacity
- To camp this host, we all would sup together,
- And drink carouses to the next day’s fate,
- Which promises royal peril. Trumpeters,
- With brazen din blast you the city’s ear,
- Make mingle with our rattling taborines,
- That heaven and earth may strike their sounds together,
- Applauding our approach.
- Exeunt.