No Fear Shakespeare: Antony and Cleopatra: Act 5 Scene 1

Continue reading with a SparkNotes PLUS trial

Already have an account? Log in

Original Text	Modern Text
Enter CAESAR , with AGRIPPA , DOLABELLA , MAECENAS , GALLUS , and PROCULEIUS , and his council of war	CAESAR enters with his war council: AGRIPPA , DOLABELLA , MAECENAS , GALLUS , and PROCULEIUS .
CAESAR Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield. Being so frustrate, tell him, he mocks The pauses that he makes.	CAESAR Dolabella, go see Antony. Tell him to surrender. His position is hopeless. This delay makes him look ridiculous.
DOLABELLA Caesar, I shall.	DOLABELLA Right away, Caesar.
Exit	DOLABELLA exits.
Enter DERCETUS , with the sword of ANTONY	DECRETUS enters carrying ANTONY s sword.
CAESAR Wherefore is that? And what art thou that darst 5 Appear thus to us?	CAESAR What are you doing with a sword? Who do you think you are coming in here armed?
DERCETUS I am called Dercetus. Mark Antony I served, who best was worthy Best to be served. Whilst he stood up and spoke, He was my master, and I wore my life To spend upon his haters. If thou please 10 To take me to thee, as I was to him Ill be to Caesar. If thou pleasest not, I yield thee up my life.	DECRETUS My name is Decretus. I served Mark Antony, who was the commander most worthy of my services. While he was alive, I lived only to serve him and oppose his enemies. If you accept my service, Ill serve you the same way. If not, you can kill me.
CAESAR What is t thou sayst?	CAESAR What are you saying?
DERCETUS I say, O Caesar, Antony is dead.	DECRETUS Caesar, Im telling you that Antony is dead.
CAESAR The breaking of so great a thing should make 15 A greater crack. The round world Should have shook lions into civil streets And citizens to their dens. The death of Antony Is not a single doom. In the name lay A moiety of the world.	CAESAR When such a great man dies there should be a thunderclap. The fractured world, in its confusion, should send lions into the city streets and humans into the wilderness to live in lions dens. This isnt the death of one man. Its the death of half the world.
DERCETUS He is dead, Caesar, 20 Not by a public minister of justice, Nor by a hird knife, but that self hand Which writ his honor in the acts it did Hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it, Splitted the heart. This is his sword. 25 I robbed his wound of it. Behold it stained With his most noble blood.	DECRETUS Hes dead, Caesar. Not by public execution or an assassins knife. He killed himself with the same hand that performed such brave acts. With the courage his heart lent his hand, his hand in turn split his heart. This is his sword. I pulled it from his wound. Lookhis noble blood is still on it.
CAESAR Look you, sad friends, The gods rebuke me, but it is tidings To wash the eyes of kings.	CAESAR Listen, sad friends, though the gods may rebuke me, this news would make kings cry.
AGRIPPA And strange it is That nature must compel us to lament 30 Our most persisted deeds.	AGRIPPA Its strange that human nature makes us grieve for the very thing weve been trying to achieve.
MAECENAS His taints and honors Waged equal with him.	MAECENAS His faults were equally matched by his virtues.
AGRIPPA A rarer spirit never Did steer humanity, but you gods will give us Some faults to make us men. Caesar is touched.	AGRIPPA There was never a ruler as excellent as he. But gods, you give us faults so well be human. Caesar is upset.
MAECENAS When such a spacious mirrors set before him, 35 He needs must see himself.	MAECENAS Its impossible for him not to see himself in Antony.
CAESAR O Antony, I have followed thee to this, but we do launch Diseases in our bodies. I must perforce Have shown to thee such a declining day, Or look on thine. We could not stall together 40 In the whole world. But yet let me lament With tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts That thou, my brother, my competitor In top of all design, my mate in empire, Friend and companion in the front of war, 45 The arm of mine own body, and the heart Where mine his thoughts did kindlethat our stars, Unreconcilable, should divide Our equalness to this. Hear me, good friends	CAESAR Oh, Antony. I drove you to this. But we have to get rid of a disease if it threatens our body. Either I had to ruin you, or you would have ruined me. There wasnt enough room in the world for both of us. Even so, let me mourn, with tears that heal like a bloodletting, that youmy brother, my greatest competitor, my partner in rule, my friend and companion on the battlefield, the very arm of my body, and the heart in which mine own hearts thoughts livedthat our fates could not be reconciled, which caused us to divide ourselves from one another. Let me tell you, friends
Enter an EGYPTIAN	An EGYPTIAN enters.
But I will tell you at some meeter season. 50 The business of this man looks out of him. Well hear him what he says. (toEGYPTIAN) Whence are you?	Ill tell you at a better time. This man looks like his business is urgent. Lets hear what he has to say. (toEGYPTIAN) Who are you?
EGYPTIAN A poor Egyptian yet, the Queen my mistress, Confined in all she has, her monument, Of thy intents desires instruction, 55 That she preparedly may frame herself To th way shes forced to.	EGYPTIAN A poor Egyptian, but my mistress, the Queen, sent me to find out what your intentions are concerning her. Shes locked up in her tomb and wants to prepare herself for her fate.
CAESAR Bid her have good heart. She soon shall know of us, by some of ours, How honorable and how kindly we Determine for her, for Caesar cannot live 60 To be ungentle.	CAESAR Tell her to put her mind at rest. Shell find out soon enough by one of our messengers how respectfully and kindly we plan to treat her. I cannot be taught how to be cruel.
EGYPTIAN So the gods preserve thee!	EGYPTIAN May the gods bless you.
Exit	He exits.
CAESAR Come hither, Proculeius. Go and say We purpose her no shame. Give her what comforts The quality of her passion shall require, Lest, in her greatness, by some mortal stroke 65 She do defeat us, for her life in Rome Would be eternal in our triumph. Go, And with your speediest bring us what she says And how you find of her.	CAESAR Come here, Proculeius. Tell her we mean her no disrespect. Give her whatever assurances you feel she needs to keep her from killing herself. I need her alive, so that I can exhibit her in my triumphal procession and gain eternal fame. Go, and hurry back to bring us her reply and news of her state of mind.
PROCULEIUS Caesar, I shall.	PROCULEIUS I will, Caesar.
Exit PROCULEIUS	PROCULEIUS exits.
CAESAR Gallus, go you along.	CAESAR Gallus, you go with him.
Exit GALLUS	GALLUS exits.
Wheres Dolabella, 70 To second Proculeius?	Wheres Dolabella? Hes supposed to support Proculeius.
ALL Dolabella!	ALL Dolabella!
CAESAR Let him alone, for I remember now How hes employed. He shall in time be ready. Go with me to my tent, where you shall see How hardly I was drawn into this war, 75 How calm and gentle I proceeded still In all my writings. Go with me and see What I can show in this.	CAESAR Never mind. I remember hes already occupied. Hell be done in time. Come with me. In my tent Ill show you how unwillingly I was drawn into this war. Youll see how calm and gentle my letters to Antony always were. Come and see the proof.
Exeunt	They exit.