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Enter a SOLDIER of
Caesar’s
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A SOLDIER of Caesar’s
enters.
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SOLDIER Enobarbus,
Antony
Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with
His bounty overplus. The messenger
Came on my guard, and at thy tent is now
Unloading of his mules.
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SOLDIER Enobarbus, Antony has sent you all your treasure, with generous
gifts besides. The messenger arrived on my watch and is unloading
his mules at your tent.
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ENOBARBUS
25I give it you.
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ENOBARBUS It’s yours.
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SOLDIER Mock not, Enobarbus.
I tell you true. Best you safed the bringer
Out of the host. I must attend mine office,
Or would have done ’t myself. Your Emperor
30Continues still a Jove.
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SOLDIER Don’t joke about this, Enobarbus. I’m telling you the truth. You’d
better bring the messenger safely through the lines so he can
return. I’d do it myself, but I can’t leave my post. Your Emperor is
still a king among gods.
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Exit
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He exits.
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ENOBARBUS I am alone the villain of the earth,
And feel I am so most. O Antony,
Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paid
My better service, when my turpitude
35Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my
heart.
If swift thought break it not, a swifter mean
Shall outstrike thought, but thought will do ’t, I feel.
I fight against thee? No, I will go seek
Some ditch wherein to die. The foul’st best fits
40My latter part of life.
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ENOBARBUS I am the worst person alive, and I know it the best. Oh, Antony,
you extravagantly generous man, how would you have rewarded me for
serving you faithfully when you reward my badness with all of this
gold! My heart feels like it’s about to explode. If grief doesn’t
kill me, I’ll find a quicker way to kill myself—even though I think
grief will do the job just as well. I, fight against you, Antony?
No, I’ll go find some ditch to die in. The foulest fate would be
most appropriate for me now in this latest phase of my life.
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