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CLEOPATRA
(aside) I must
stay his time.
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CLEOPATRA
(aside) I must
wait for him to finish his tirade.
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ANTONY To flatter Caesar, would you mingle eyes
160With one that ties his points?
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ANTONY In order to flatter Caesar, would you flirt with the servant who
laces up his pants?
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CLEOPATRA Not know
me yet?
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CLEOPATRA Don’t you know me still?
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ANTONY Coldhearted toward me?
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ANTONY Has your heart cooled toward me?
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CLEOPATRA Ah, dear, if I be
so,
From my cold heart let heaven engender hail,
And poison it in the source, and the first stone
Drop in my neck. As it determines, so
165Dissolve my life! The next Caesarion smite,
Till by degrees the memory of my womb,
Together with my brave Egyptians all,
By the discandying of this pelleted storm
Lie graveless till the flies and gnats of Nile
170Have buried them for prey!
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CLEOPATRA Ah, dear, if that is true, let heaven make poisonous hail grow
from my heart, and let the first hailstone drop down my throat. As
it dissolves, so shall my life. The next hailstone should hit
Caesarion, until one by one all my children, and every one of my
brave Egyptians, are killed by the dissolving of this pellet storm
and lie unburied, covered by gnats and flies.
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ANTONY I am
satisfied.
Caesar sits down in Alexandria, where
I will oppose his fate. Our force by land
Hath nobly held. Our severed navy too
Have knit again, and fleet, threat’ning most sealike.
175Where hast thou been, my heart? Dost thou hear,
lady?
If from the field I shall return once more
To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood.
I and my sword will earn our chronicle.
There’s hope in ’t yet.
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ANTONY I am satisfied. Caesar has made camp in Alexandria. I will fight
him there. Our land forces have bravely stood firm. Our tattered
navy has reassembled and set sail, as formidable as the sea itself.
Where have you been, my bravery? Do you hear what I say, lady? If I
come back from the battlefield again to kiss those lips, I’ll be
covered in blood. My sword and I will earn our place in history. We
still have hope.
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