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Modern Text |
Alarum. Drums and trumpets. Enter
AGRIPPA and others
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A call to battle is sounded. Drums and trumpets sound.
AGRIPPA and other soldiers of Caesar’s
enter.
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AGRIPPA Retire! We have engaged ourselves too far.
Caesar himself has work, and our oppression
Exceeds what we expected.
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AGRIPPA Retreat! We’ve advanced too far. Caesar himself is in trouble and
there are more adversaries than we expected.
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Exeunt
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They exit.
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Alarums. Enter ANTONY, and
SCARUS, wounded
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A battle call. ANTONY enters with
SCARUS, who is wounded.
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SCARUS O my brave Emperor, this is fought indeed!
5Had we done so at first, we had droven them
home
With clouts about their heads.
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SCARUS Oh, my brave Emperor, this is what I call a fight! If we’d fought
like this before, we’d have driven them home with bandaged
heads.
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ANTONY Thou
bleed’st apace.
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ANTONY You’re bleeding a lot.
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SCARUS I had a wound here that was like a “T,”
But now ’tis made an “H.”
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SCARUS I had a scar here that looked like a “T”; now it’s an “H.”
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Sound retreat far off
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Distant trumpets sound the retreat.
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ANTONY They do
retire.
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ANTONY They’re retreating.
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SCARUS We’ll beat ’em into bench-holes. I have yet
10Room for six scotches more.
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SCARUS We’ll chase ’em into their latrines. I still have room for six
more wounds.
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Enter EROS
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EROS enters.
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EROS They are beaten, sir, and our advantage serves
For a fair victory.
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EROS They’re retreating, sir, and our superiority indicates a clear
victory.
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SCARUS Let us score their backs
And snatch ’em up, as we take hares, behind!
’Tis sport to maul a runner.
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SCARUS Let’s slash their backs and grab ’em like we do rabbits, from
behind. It’s fair game to mark a coward.
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ANTONY I will
reward thee
15Once for thy sprightly comfort and tenfold
For thy good valor. Come thee on.
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ANTONY I’ll reward you once for your cheerfulness and ten times for your
courage. Come on.
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