Original Text |
Modern Text |
Exeunt attendants.
ANTONY sits down
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The attendants exit.
ANTONY sits.
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Enter CLEOPATRA, led by
CHARMIAN, IRAS, and
EROS
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CHARMIAN, IRAS, and
EROS enter, supporting
CLEOPATRA.
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EROS
25Nay, gentle madam, to him, comfort him.
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EROS No, gentle madam, go. Comfort him.
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IRAS Do, most dear Queen.
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IRAS Yes, do, dearest Queen.
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CHARMIAN Do. Why, what else?
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CHARMIAN Of course you must comfort him! What else?
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CLEOPATRA Let me sit down. O Juno!
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CLEOPATRA Let me sit down. Oh,
Junoqueen of the Roman gods Juno ! |
She sits
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She sits.
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ANTONY
(seeing
CLEOPATRA
) No, no, no, no, no.
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ANTONY
(seeing
CLEOPATRA
) No, no, no, no, no.
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EROS
30See you here, sir?
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EROS Do you see her, sir?
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ANTONY Oh, fie, fie, fie!
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ANTONY Oh, damn, damn, damn!
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CHARMIAN Madam!
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CHARMIAN Madam!
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IRAS Madam, O good Empress!
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IRAS Madam, oh, good Empress!
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EROS Sir, sir—
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EROS Sir . . . sir . . .
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ANTONY
35
(aside)
Yes, my lord, yes. He at Philippi kept
His sword e’en like a dancer, while I struck
The lean and wrinkled Cassius, and ’twas I
That the mad Brutus ended. He alone
Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had
40In the brave squares of war, yet now—no
matter.
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ANTONY
(to himself) Yes,
my lord, that’s true. At Philippi, Caesar kept his sword in its
sheath, like a dancer, while I commanded the armies that conquered
Cassius and Brutus. Caesar fought only through lieutenants. He had
no experience with the brave contests of war. But now . . . never
mind.
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CLEOPATRA Ah, stand by.
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CLEOPATRA Ah, give us some privacy.
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EROS The Queen, my lord, the Queen.
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EROS The Queen is here, my lord.
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IRAS Go to him, madam, speak to him.
He is unqualitied with very shame.
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IRAS Go to him, madam, speak to him. He’s not himself because he feels
so ashamed.
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