The Complete Works of William ShakespeareShakespeare, William
General
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Shakespeare, William
English drama -- Early modern and Elizabethan, 1500-1600
Enter a Messenger.
MESSENGER.
Antony
Is come into the field.
CAESAR.
Go charge Agrippa
Plant those that have revolted in the van
That Antony may seem to spend his fury
Upon himself.
[_Exeunt Caesar and his Train._]
ENOBARBUS.
Alexas did revolt and went to Jewry on
Affairs of Antony; there did dissuade
Great Herod to incline himself to Caesar
And leave his master Antony. For this pains
Caesar hath hanged him. Canidius and the rest
That fell away have entertainment but
No honourable trust. I have done ill,
Of which I do accuse myself so sorely
That I will joy no more.
Enter a Soldier of Caesar’s.
SOLDIER.
Enobarbus, Antony
Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with
His bounty overplus. The messenger
Came on my guard, and at thy tent is now
Unloading of his mules.
ENOBARBUS.
I give it you.
SOLDIER.
Mock not, Enobarbus.
I tell you true. Best you safed the bringer
Out of the host. I must attend mine office,
Or would have done’t myself. Your emperor
Continues still a Jove.
[_Exit._]
ENOBARBUS.
I am alone the villain of the earth,
And feel I am so most. O Antony,
Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paid
My better service, when my turpitude
Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart.
If swift thought break it not, a swifter mean
Shall outstrike thought, but thought will do’t, I feel.
I fight against thee! No, I will go seek
Some ditch wherein to die; the foul’st best fits
My latter part of life.
[_Exit._]
SCENE VII. Field of battle between the Camps.
Alarum. Drums and Trumpets. Enter Agrippa and others.
AGRIPPA.
Retire! We have engaged ourselves too far.
Caesar himself has work, and our oppression
Exceeds what we expected.
[_Exeunt._]
Alarums. Enter Antony and Scarus wounded.
SCARUS.
O my brave emperor, this is fought indeed!
Had we done so at first, we had droven them home
With clouts about their heads.
ANTONY.
Thou bleed’st apace.
SCARUS.
I had a wound here that was like a T,
But now ’tis made an H.
_Sounds retreat far off._
ANTONY.
They do retire.
SCARUS.
We’ll beat ’em into bench-holes. I have yet
Room for six scotches more.
Enter Eros.
EROS.
They are beaten, sir, and our advantage serves
For a fair victory.
SCARUS.
Let us score their backs
And snatch ’em up as we take hares, behind.
’Tis sport to maul a runner.
ANTONY.
I will reward thee
Once for thy sprightly comfort, and tenfold
For thy good valour. Come thee on.
SCARUS.
I’ll halt after.
[_Exeunt._]
SCENE VIII. Under the Walls of Alexandria.
Alarum. Enter Antony again in a march; Scarus with others.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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