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- ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
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- Act 3 Scene 6
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- (Enter Agrippa, Maecenas, and Caesar)
- l1l Caesar Contemning Rome, he has done all this and more
- l2l In Alexandria. HereÆs the manner of Æt:
- l3l IÆ thÆ market place on a tribunal silvered,
- l4l Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold
- l5l Were publicly enthroned. At the feet sat
- l6l Caesarion, whom they call my fatherÆs son,
- l7l And all the unlawful issue that their lust
- l8l Since then hath made between them. Unto her
- l9l He gave the stablishment of Egypt; made her
- l10l Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,
- l11l Absolute queen.
- Maecenas This in the public eye?
- l12l Caesar IÆ thÆ common showplace, where they exercise.
- l13l His sons he there proclaimed the kings of kings;
- l14l Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia
- l15l He gave to Alexander. To Ptolemy he assigned
- l16l Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia. She
- l17l In thÆ habiliments of the goddess Isis
- l18l That day appeared, and oft before gave audience,
- l19l As Ætis reported, so.
- Maecenas Let Rome be thus informed.
- l20l Agrippa Who, queasy with his insolence already,
- l21l Will their good thoughts call from him.
- Caesar The people knows it,
- l22l And have now received his accusations.
- l23l Agrippa Who does he accuse?
- l24l Caesar Caesar, and that having in Sicily
- l25l Sextus Pompeius spoiled, we had not rated him
- l26l His part oÆ thÆ isle. Then does he say he lent me
- l27l Some shipping, unrestored. Lastly, he frets
- l28l That Lepidus of the triumvirate
- l29l Should be deposed; and being, that we detain
- l30l All his revenue.
- Agrippa Sir, this should be answered.
- l31l Caesar ÆTis done already, and the messenger gone.
- l32l I have told him Lepidus was grown too cruel,
- l33l That he his high authority abused
- l34l And did deserve his change. For what I have conquered,
- l35l I grant him part; but then in his Armenia,
- l36l And other of his conquered kingdoms,
- l37l I demand the like.
- Maecenas HeÆll never yield to that.
- l38l Caesar Nor must not then be yielded to in this.
- (Enter Octavia with her train)
- l39l Octavia Hail, Caesar, and my lord; hail, most dear Caesar!
- l40l Caesar That ever I should call thee castaway!
- l41l Octavia You have not called me so, nor have you cause.
- l42l Caesar Why have you stolÆn upon us thus? You come not
- l43l Like CaesarÆs sister. The wife of Antony
- l44l Should have an army for an usher, and
- l45l The neighs of horse to tell of her approach
- l46l Long ere she did appear. The trees by thÆ way
- l47l Should have borne men, and expectation fainted,
- l48l Longing for what it had not. Nay, the dust
- l49l Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,
- l50l Raised by your populous troops. But you are come
- l51l A market maid to Rome, and have prevented
- l52l The ostentation of our love; which, left unshown,
- l53l Is often left unloved. We should have met you
- l54l By sea and land, supplying every stage
- l55l With an augmented greeting.
- Octavia Good my lord,
- l56l To come thus was I not constrained, but did it
- l57l On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,
- l58l Hearing that you prepared for war, acquainted
- l59l My grievΦd ear withal, whereon I begged
- l60l His pardon for return.
- Caesar Which soon he granted,
- l61l Being an obstruct Ætween his lust and him.
- l62l Octavia Do not say so, my lord.
- Caesar I have eyes upon him,
- l63l And his affairs come to me on the wind.
- l64l Where is he now?
- Octavia My lord, in Athens.
- l65l Caesar No, my most wrongΦd sister. Cleopatra
- l66l Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire
- l67l Up to a whore; who now are levying
- l68l The kings oÆ thÆ earth for war. He hath assembled
- l69l Bocchus, the King of Libya; Archelaus
- l70l Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, King
- l71l Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian King Adallas;
- l72l King Malchus of Arabia; King of Pont;
- l73l Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, King
- l74l Of Comagene; Polemon and Amyntas,
- l75l The Kings of Mede and Lycaonia;
- l76l With a more larger list of sceptres.
- Octavia Ay me most wretched,
- l77l That have my heart parted betwixt two friends
- l78l That does afflict each other!
- Caesar Welcome hither.
- l79l Your letters did withhold our breaking forth
- l80l Till we perceived both how you were wrong led
- l81l And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart.
- l82l Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
- l83l OÆer your content these strong necessities;
- l84l But let determined things to destiny
- l85l Hold unbewailed their way. Welcome to Rome;
- l86l Nothing more dear to me. You are abused
- l87l Beyond the mark of thought, and the high gods,
- l88l To do you justice, makes their ministers
- l89l Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort,
- l90l And ever welcome to us.
- Agrippa Welcome, lady.
- l91l Maecenas Welcome, dear madam.
- l92l Each heart in Rome does love and pity you.
- l93l Only thÆ adulterous Antony, most large
- l94l In his abominations, turns you off,
- l95l And gives his potent regiment to a trull
- l96l That noises it against us.
- Octavia Is it so, sir?
- l97l Caesar Most certain. Sister, welcome. Pray you
- l98l Be ever known to patience. My dearÆst sister!
- (Exeunt)
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