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Act IVPart I
Part I
Enter Antony and Dolabella
Dola. Why would you shift it from yourself on me?
Can you not tell her, you must part?
Ant. I cannot.
I could pull out an eye, and bid it go,
And t`other should not weep. O Dolabella,
How many deaths are in this word, Depart!
I dare not trust my tongue to tell her so:
One look of hers would thaw me into tears,
And I should melt, till I were lost again.
Dola. Then let Ventidius;
He`s rough by nature.
Ant. Oh, he`ll speak too harshly;
He`ll kill her with the news: Thou, only thou.
Dola. Nature has cast me in so soft a mould,
That but to hear a story, feigned for pleasure,
Of some sad lover`s death, moistens my eyes,
And robs me of my manhood. I should speak
So faintly, with such fear to grieve her heart,
She`d not believe it earnest.
Ant. Therefore, - therefore
Thou only, thou art fit: Think thyself me;
And when thou speak`st (but let it first be long),
Take off the edge from every sharper sound,
And let our parting be as gently made,
As other loves begin: Wilt thou do this?
Dola. What you have said so sinks into my soul,
That, if I must speak, I shall speak just so.
Ant. I leave you then to your sad task: Farewell.
I sent her word to meet you.
[Goes to the door, and comes back.
I forgot;
Let her be told, I`ll make her peace with mine,
Her crown and dignity shall be preserved,
If I have power with Caesar. - Oh, be sure
To think on that.
Dola. Fear not, I will remember.
[Antony goes again to the door, and comes back.
Ant. And tell her, too, how much I was constrained;
I did not this, but with extremest force.
Desire her not to hate my memory,
For I still cherish hers: - insist on that.
Dola. Trust me. I`ll not forget it.
Ant. Then that`s all.
[Goes out, and returns again.
Wilt thou forgive my fondness this once more?
Tell her, though we shall never meet again,
If I should hear she took another love,
The news would break my heart. - Now I must go;
For every time I have returned, I feel
My soul more tender; and my next command
Would be, to bid her stay, and ruin both.
[Exit.
Dola. Men are but children of a larger growth;
Our appetites as apt to change as theirs,
And full as craving too, and full as vain;
And yet the soul, shut up in her dark room,
Viewing so clear abroad, at home sees nothing:
But, like a mole in earth, busy and blind,
Works all her folly up, and casts it outward
To the world`s open view: Thus I discovered,
And blamed the love of ruined Antony:
Yet wish that I were he, to be so ruined.
Enter Ventidius above
Vent. Alone, and talking to himself? concerned too?
Perhaps my guess is right; he loved her once,
And may pursue it still.
Dola. O friendship! friendship!
Ill canst thou answer this; and reason, worse:
Unfaithful in the attempt; hopeless to win;
And if i win, undone; mere madness all.
And yet the occasion`s fair. What injury
To him, to wear the robe which he throws by!
Vent. None, none at all. This happens as I wish,
To ruin her yet more with Antony.
Enter Cleopatra talking with Alexas; Charmion, Iras on the other side
Dola. She comes! What charms have sorrow on that face!
Sorrow seems pleased to dwell with so much sweetness;
Yet, now and then, a melancholy smile
Breaks loose, like lightning in a winter`s night,
And shows a moment`s day.
Vent. If she should love him too! her eunuch there?
That porc`pisce bodes ill weather. Draw, draw nearer,
Sweet devil, that I may hear.
Alex. Believe me; try
[Dolabella goes over to Charmin and Iras; seems to talk with them.
To make him jealous; jealousy is like
A polished glass held to the lips when life`s in doubt;
If there be breath, `twill catch the damp, and show it.
Cleo. I grant you, jealousy`s a proof of love,
But `tis a weak and unavailing medicine;
It puts out the disease, and makes it show,
But has no power to cure.
Alex. `Tis your last remedy, and strongest too:
And then this Dolabella, who so fit
To practise on? He`s handsome, valiant, young,
And looks as he were laid for nature`s bait,
To catch weak women`s eyes.
He stands already more than half suspected
Of loving you: the least kind word or glance,
You give this youth, will kindle him with love:
Then, like a burning vessel set adrift,
You`ll send him down amain before the wind,
To fire the heart of jealous Antony.
Cleo. Can I do this? Ah, no, my love`s so true,
That I can neither hide it where it is,
Nor show it where it is not. Nature meant me
A wife; a silly, harmless, household dove,
Fond without art, and kind without deceit;
But Fortune, that has made a mistress of me,
Has thrust me out to the wide world, unfurnished
Of falsehood to be happy.
Alex. Force yourself.
The event will be, your lover will return,
Doubly desirous to possess the good
Which once he feared to lose.
Cleo. I must attempt it;
But oh, with what regret!
[Exit Alexas. She comes up to Dolabella.
Vent. So, now the scene draws near; they`re in my reach.
Cleo. [to Dol.] Discoursing with my women! might not I
Share in your entertainment?
Char. You have been
The subject of it, madam.
Cleo. How! and how!
Iras. Such praises of your beauty!
Cleo. Mere poetry.
Your Roman wits, your Gallus and Tibullus,
Have taught you this from Cytheris and Delia.
Dola. Those Roman wits have never been in Egypt;
Cytheris and Delia else had been unsung:
I, who have seen - had I been born a poet,
Should choose a nobler name.
Cleo. You flatter me.
But, `tis your nation`s vice: All of your country
Are flatterers, and all false. Your friend`s like you.
I`m sure, he sent you not to speak these words.
Dola. No, madam; yet he sent me -
Cleo. Well, he sent you -
Dola. Of a less pleasing errand.
Cleo. How less pleasing?
Less to yourself, or me?
Dola. Madam, to both;
For your must mourn, and I must grieve to cause it.
Cleo. You, Charmion, and your fellow, stand at distance. -
Hold up, my spirits. [Aside.] - Well, now your mournful matter;
For I`m prepared, perhaps can guess it too.
Dola. I wish you would; for `tis a thankless office,
To tell ill news: And I, of all your sex,
Most fear displeasing you.
Cleo. Of all your sex,
I soonest could forgive you, if you should.
Vent. Most delicate advances! Women! women!
Dear, damned, inconstant sex!
Cleo. In the first place,
I am to be forsaken; is`t not so?
Dola. I wish I could not answer to that question.
Cleo. Then pass it o`er, because it troubles you:
I should have been more grieved another time.
Next I`m to lose my kingdom - Farewell, Egypt!
Yet, is there ary more?
Dola. Madam, I fear
Your too deep sense of grief has turned your reason.
Cleo. No, no, I`m not run mad; I can bear fortune:
And love may be expelled by other love,
As poisons are by poisons.
Dola. Your o`erjoy me, madam,
To find your griefs so moderately borne.
You`ve heard the worst; all are not false like him.
Cleo. No; Heaven forbid they should.
Dola. Some men are constant.
Cleo. And constancy deserves reward, that`s certain.
Dola. Deserves it not; but give it leave to hope.
Vent. I`ll swear, thou hast my leave. I have enough:
But how to manage this! Well, I`ll consider.
[Exit.
Dola. I came prepared
To tell you heavy news; news, which I thought
Would fright the blood from your pale cheeks to hear:
But you have met it with a cheerfulness,
That makes my task more easy; and my tongue,
Which on another`s message was employed,
Would gladly speak its own.
Cleo. Hold, Dolabella.
First tell me, were you chosen by my lord?
Or sought you this employment?
Dola. He picked me out; and, as his bosom friend,
He charged me with his words.
Cleo. The message then
I know was tender, and each accent smooth,
To mollify that rugged word, Depart.
Dola. Oh, you mistake: He chose the harshest words;
With fiery eyes, and contracted brows,
He coined his face in the severest stamp;
And fury shook his fabric, like an earthquake;
He heaved for vent, and burst like bellowing Aetna,
In sounds scarce human - "Hence away for ever,
Let her begone, the blot of my renown,
And bane of all my hopes!"
[All the time of this speech, Cleopatra seems more and more concerned,
till she sinks quite down.
"Let her be driven, as far as men can think,
From man`s commerce! she`ll poison to the centre."
Cleo. Oh, I can bear no more!
Dola. Help, help! - O wretch! O cursed, cursed wretch!
What have I done!
Char. Help, chafe her temples, Iras.
Iras; Bend, bend her forward quickly.
Char. Heaven be praised,
She comes again.
Cleo. Oh, let him not approach me.
Why have you brought me back to this loathed being;
The abode of falsehood, violated vows,
And injured love? For pity, let me go;
For, if there be a place of long repose,
I`m sure I want it. My disdainful lord
Can never break that quiet; nor awake
The sleeping soul, with hollowing in my tomb
Such words as fright her hence. - Unkind, unkind!
Dola, Believe me, `tis against myself I speak;
[Kneeling.
That sure desires belief; I injured him:
My friend ne`er spoke those words. Oh, had you seen
How often he came back, and every time
With something more obliging and more kind,
To add to what he said; what dear farewells;
How almost vanquished by his love he parted,
And leaned to what unwillingly he left!
I, traitor as I was, for love of you
(But what can you not do, who made me false?)
I forged that lie; for whose forgiveness kneels
This self - accused, self - punished criminal.
Cleo. With how much ease believe we what we wish!
Rise, Dolabella; if you have been guilty,
I have contributed, and too much love
Has made me guilty too.
The advance of kindness, which I made, was feigned,
To call back fleeting love by jealousy;
But `twould not last. Oh, rather let me lose,
Than so ignobly trifle with his heart.
Dola. I find your breast fenced round from human reach,
Transparent as a rock of solid crystal;
Seen through, but never pierced. My friend, my friend,
What endless treasure hast thou thrown away;
And scattered, like an infant, in the ocean,
Vain sums of wealth, which none can gather thence!
Cleo. Could you not beg
An hour`s admittance to his private ear?
Like one, who wanders through long barren wilds
And yet foreknows no hospitable inn
Is near to succour hunger, eats his fill,
Before his painful march;
So would I feed a while my famished eyes
Before we part; for I have far to go,
If death be far, and never must return.
Ventidius with Octavia, behind
Vent. From hence you may discover - oh, sweet, sweet!
Would you indeed? The pretty hand in earnest?
Dola. I will, for this reward.
[Takes her hand.
Draw it not back.
`Tis all I e`er will beg.
Vent. They turn upon us.
Octav. What quick eyes has guilt!
Vent. Seem not to have observed them, and go on.
[They enter.
Dola, Saw you the emperor, Ventidius?
Vent. No.
I sought him; but I heard that he was private,
None with him but Hipparchus, his freedman.
Dola. Know you his business?
Vent. Giving him instructions,
And letters to his brother Caesar.
Dola. Well,
He must be found.
[Exeunt Dolabella and Cleopatra.
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