ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA

Act 3 Scene 4

(Enter Antony and Octavia)
l1l	Antony	 Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,
l2l		That were excusable, that and thousands more
l3l		Of semblable import# but he hath waged
l4l		New wars ’gainst Pompey, made his will and read it
l5l		To public ear, spoke scantly of me#
l6l		When perforce he could not
l7l		But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly
l8l		He vented them, most narrow measure lent me.
l9l		When the best hint was given him, he not took ’t,
l10l		Or did it from his teeth.
	Octavia	O my good lord,
l11l		Believe not all, or if you must believe,
l12l		Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady,
l13l		If this division chance, ne’er stood between,
l14l		Praying for both parts.
l15l		The good gods will mock me presently,
l16l		When I shall pray “O, bless my lord and husband!”,
l17l		Undo that prayer by crying out as loud
l18l		“O, bless my brother!” Husband win, win brother
l19l		Prays and destroys the prayer# no midway
l20l		’Twixt these extremes at all.
	Antony	Gentle Octavia,
l21l		Let your best love draw to that point which seeks
l22l		Best to preserve it. If I lose mine honour,
l23l		I lose myself. Better I were not yours
l24l		Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested,
l25l		Yourself shall go between ’s. The meantime, lady,
l26l		I’ll raise the preparation of a war
l27l		Shall stain your brother. Make your soonest haste#
l28l		So your desires are yours.
	Octavia	Thanks to my lord.
l29l		The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak,
l30l		Your reconciler! Wars ’twixt you twain would be
l31l		As if the world should cleave, and that slain men
l32l		Should solder up the rift.
l33l	Antony	When it appears to you where this begins,
l34l		Turn your displeasure that way, for our faults
l35l		Can never be so equal that your love
l36l		Can equally move with them. Provide your going,
l37l		Choose your own company, and command what cost
l38l		Your heart has mind to.
		(Exeunt)