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| Enter CAESAR , AGRIPPA , THIDIAS , and DOLABELLA , with others | CAESAR , AGRIPPA , THIDIAS , and DOLABELLA enter, with others of the court. |
| CAESAR Let him appear thats come from Antony. Know you him? | CAESAR Let the envoy from Antony come in. Do you know him? |
| DOLABELLA Caesar, tis his schoolmaster An argument that he is plucked, when hither He sends so poor a pinion of his wing, 5 Which had superfluous kings for messengers Not many moons gone by. | DOLABELLA Its Antonys schoolmaster. By sending such an insignificant emissary, Antony shows us how low he has sunk. Not so long ago, he had so many royal supporters that he sent along extra kings as messengers. |
| Enter AMBASSADOR from Antony | Antonys AMBASSADOR enters. |
| CAESAR Approach and speak. | CAESAR Come forward and speak. |
| AMBASSADOR Such as I am, I come from Antony. I was of late as petty to his ends As is the morn-dew on the myrtle leaf 10 To his grand sea. | AMBASSADOR Humble as I am, I represent Antony. Until recently, I was as unimportant to his affairs as the morning dew is to the wide ocean. |
| CAESAR Be t so. Declare thine office. | CAESAR So be it. Say what youre here for. |
| AMBASSADOR Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and Requires to live in Egypt; which not granted, He lessens his requests, and to thee sues To let him breathe between the heavens and earth 15 A private man in Athens. This for him. Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness, Submits her to thy might, and of thee craves The circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs, Now hazarded to thy grace. | AMBASSADOR He acknowledges that you are the master of his fate, and he requests to be allowed to live in Egypt. If that is not granted, he reduces his requests and asks only that he be allowed to live as a private man in Athens. Thats all he asks for himself. Cleopatra recognizes your greatness and accepts your authority. She only asks that the crown of Egypt pass to her heirs, who are now at your mercy. |
| CAESAR For Antony, 20 I have no ears to his request. The Queen Of audience nor desire shall fail, so she From Egypt drive her all-disgracd friend Or take his life there. This if she perform, She shall not sue unheard. So to them both. | CAESAR As for Antony, Im not interested in his requests. Ill give the Queen a hearing and grant her requests if she either throws her dishonored friend out of Egypt or kills him. Then Ill listen to her. Give my answer to them both. |
| AMBASSADOR 25 Fortune pursue thee! | AMBASSADOR May good luck follow you! |
| CAESAR Bring him through the bands. | CAESAR Take him safely through the lines. |
| Exit AMBASSADOR , attended | The AMBASSADOR exits. |
| (toTHIDIAS) To try thy eloquence now tis time. Dispatch. From Antony win Cleopatra. Promise, And in our name, what she requires. Add more, From thine invention, offers. Women are not The neer-touched vestal. Try thy cunning, Thidias. Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we Will answer as a law. | (toTHIDIAS) Now its time to test your eloquence. On your way. Separate Cleopatra from Antony. In my name, promise to fulfill her petitions. You can make up additional offers, if necessary. Women arent strong, even at their best. Hardship will make even a vestalvirgin priestess |
| THIDIAS Caesar, I go. | THIDIAS I go, Caesar. |
| CAESAR Observe how Antony becomes his flaw, 35 And what thou thinkst his very action speaks In every power that moves. | CAESAR Observe how Antony takes his defeat and how his attitude influences his actions. |
| THIDIAS Caesar, I shall. | THIDIAS I will, Caesar. |
| Exeunt | They exit. |
