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Enter CLEOPATRA,
ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, and
IRAS
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CLEOPATRA,
ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, and
IRAS enter.
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CLEOPATRA What shall we do, Enobarbus?
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CLEOPATRA What are we going to do, Enobarbus?
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ENOBARBUS Think
and die.
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ENOBARBUS Think about our situation, then die.
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CLEOPATRA Is Antony or we in fault for this?
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CLEOPATRA Who is to blame for this: Antony or I?
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ENOBARBUS Antony only, that would make his will
Lord of his reason. What though you fled
5From that great face of war, whose several
ranges
Frighted each other? Why should he follow?
The itch of his affection should not then
Have nicked his captainship at such a point
When half to half the world opposed, he being
10The merèd question. ’Twas a shame no less
Than was his loss, to course your flying flags
And leave his navy gazing.
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ENOBARBUS Only Antony was at fault. He put his desire in charge of his
reason. So what if you ran from the battle, terrified, as ranks of
ships threatened one another? Why should he have followed you? With
half the world opposing the other half, it wasn’t the time for
Antony, the pivotal player, to let love distract him. To race after
your departing ships, leaving his navy to watch, was a shame as
great as the resulting loss.
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CLEOPATRA Prithee,
peace.
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CLEOPATRA Please, let’s not talk about it.
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Enter AMBASSADOR with
ANTONY
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The AMBASSADOR and
ANTONY enter.
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ANTONY Is that his answer?
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ANTONY Is that his answer?
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AMBASSADOR Ay, my lord.
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AMBASSADOR Yes, my lord.
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ANTONY
15The Queen shall then have courtesy, so she
Will yield us up?
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ANTONY The Queen will be treated fairly if she gives me up?
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AMBASSADOR He says so.
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AMBASSADOR That’s what he says.
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ANTONY Let her
know ’t.—
(to
CLEOPATRA
) To the boy Caesar send this grizzled
head,
And he will fill thy wishes to the brim
With principalities.
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ANTONY Tell her. (to
CLEOPATRA
) If you send my aged head to that
boy, Caesar, he’ll give you all the kingdoms you want.
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