Be free and healthful,--so tart a favour


To trumpet such good tidings! If not well,


Thou shouldst come like a Fury crownd with snakes,


I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speakst:


Or friends with Caesar, or not captive to him,


Ill set thee in a shower of gold, and hail


Caesar and he are greater friends than ever.


Some monstrous malefactor. Prithee, friend,


Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,


The good and bad together: hes friends with Caesar:


In state of health thou sayst; and thou sayst free.


The most infectious pestilence upon thee!


Horrible villain! or Ill spurn thine eyes


Like balls before me; Ill unhair thy head:


Thou shalt be whippd with wire, and stewd in brine,


I that do bring the news made not the match.


Say tis not so, a province I will give thee,


And make thy fortunes proud: the blow thou hadst


Shall make thy peace for moving me to rage;


And I will boot thee with what gift beside


What mean you, madam? I have made no fault.


Good madam, keep yourself within yourself:


Some innocents scape not the thunderbolt.


Melt Egypt into Nile! and kindly creatures


Turn all to serpents! Call the slave again:


Though I am mad, I will not bite him: call.


These hands do lack nobility, that they strike


To bring bad news: give to a gracious message.


An host of tongues; but let ill tidings tell


The gods confound thee! dost thou hold there still?


So half my Egypt were submerged and made


A cistern for scaled snakes! Go, get thee hence:


Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is married?


Take no offence that I would not offend you:


Seems much unequal: hes married to Octavia.


O, that his fault should make a knave of thee,


That art not what thourt sure of! Get thee hence:


The merchandise which thou hast brought from Rome


Are all too dear for me: lie they upon thy hand,


In praising Antony, I have dispraised Caesar.


I faint: O Iras, Charmian! tis no matter.


Report the feature of Octavia, her years,


The colour of her hair: bring me word quickly.


Let him for ever go:--let him not--Charmian,


Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,


Bring me word how tall she is. Pity me, Charmian,


But do not speak to me. Lead me to my chamber.


Flourish. Enter POMPEY and MENAS at one door,  with drum and trumpet: at another, OCTAVIUS CAESAR,  MARK ANTONY, LEPIDUS, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, MECAENAS, with Soldiers marching


That first we come to words; and therefore have we


Which, if thou hast considerd, let us know


And carry back to Sicily much tall youth


Chief factors for the gods, I do not know


Wherefore my father should revengers want,


Having a son and friends; since Julius Caesar,


Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghosted,


There saw you labouring for him. What wast


That moved pale Cassius to conspire; and what


Made the all-honourd, honest Roman, Brutus,


With the armd rest, courtiers and beauteous freedom,


To drench the Capitol; but that they would


Hath made me rig my navy; at whose burthen


The angerd ocean foams; with which I meant


To scourge the ingratitude that despiteful Rome


Thou canst not fear us, Pompey, with thy sails;


Well speak with thee at sea: at land, thou knowst


Thou dost oer-count me of my fathers house:


But, since the cuckoo builds not for himself,


For this is from the present--how you take


Rid all the sea of pirates; then, to send


Measures of wheat to Rome; this greed upon


To part with unhackd edges, and bear back


Put me to some impatience: though I lose


The praise of it by telling, you must know,


When Caesar and your brother were at blows,


And am well studied for a liberal thanks


I did not think, sir, to have met you here.


The beds i the east are soft; and thanks to you,


That calld me timelier than my purpose hither;


What counts harsh fortune casts upon my face;


Well feast each other ere we part; and lets


Shall have the fame. I have heard that Julius Caesar


A certain queen to Caesar in a mattress.


I know thee now: how farest thou, soldier?


And well am like to do; for, I perceive,


I never hated thee: I have seen thee fight,


I never loved you much; but I ha praised ye,


When you have well deserved ten times as much


[Aside]  Thy father, Pompey, would neer have


made this treaty.--You and I have known, sir.


I will praise any man that will praise me; though it


cannot be denied what I have done by land.


Yes, something you can deny for your own


safety: you have been a great thief by sea.


There I deny my land service. But give me your


hand, Menas: if our eyes had authority, here they


All mens faces are true, whatsomeer their hands are.


But there is never a fair woman has a true face.


For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking.


Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune.


If he do, sure, he cannot weept back again.


Youve said, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony


here: pray you, is he married to Cleopatra?


True, sir; she was the wife of Caius Marcellus.


But she is now the wife of Marcus Antonius.


Then is Caesar and he for ever knit together.


If I were bound to divine of this unity, I would


I think the policy of that purpose made more in the


I think so too. But you shall find, the band that


seems to tie their friendship together will be the


very strangler of their amity: Octavia is of a


Not he that himself is not so; which is Mark Antony.


He will to his Egyptian dish again: then shall the


sighs of Octavia blow the fire up in Caesar; and, as


I said before, that which is the strength of their


amity shall prove the immediate author of their


variance. Antony will use his affection where it is:


And thus it may be. Come, sir, will you aboard?


I shall take it, sir: we have used our throats in Egypt.


SCENE VII. On board POMPEYs galley, off Misenum.


Music plays. Enter two or three Servants with a banquet


Here theyll be, man. Some o their plants are


ill-rooted already: the least wind i the world


As they pinch one another by the disposition, he


cries out No more; reconciles them to his


But it raises the greater war between him and


Why, this is to have a name in great mens


fellowship: I had as lief have a reed that will do


me no service as a partisan I could not heave.


To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen


to move int, are the holes where eyes should be,


A sennet sounded. Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MARK  ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POMPEY, AGRIPPA, MECAENAS, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, MENAS, with other captains


[To OCTAVIUS CAESAR]  Thus do they, sir: they take


By certain scales i the pyramid; they know,


By the height, the lowness, or the mean, if dearth


Or foison follow: the higher Nilus swells,


The more it promises: as it ebbs, the seedsman


Upon the slime and ooze scatters his grain,


Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the


operation of your sun: so is your crocodile.


Sit,--and some wine! A health to Lepidus!


I am not so well as I should be, but Ill neer out.


Not till you have slept; I fear me youll be in till then.


Nay, certainly, I have heard the Ptolemies


pyramises are very goodly things; without


[Aside to MENAS]                 Say in mine ear:


[Aside to POMPEY]  Forsake thy seat, I do beseech


It is shaped, sir, like itself; and it is as broad


as it hath breadth: it is just so high as it is,


and moves with its own organs: it lives by that


which nourisheth it; and the elements once out of


With the health that Pompey gives him, else he is a


[Aside to MENAS]  Go hang, sir, hang! Tell me of


Do as I bid you. Wheres this cup I calld for?


[Aside to POMPEY]  If for the sake of merit thou


I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes.


Thou hast served me with much faith. Whats else to say?


Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? Thats twice.


And, though thou think me poor, I am the man


Now, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup.


Thou art, if thou darest be, the earthly Jove:


Whateer the ocean pales, or sky inclips,


These three world-sharers, these competitors,


Are in thy vessel: let me cut the cable;


And, when we are put off, fall to their throats:


And not have spoke ont! In me tis villany;


In theet had been good service. Thou must know,


Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour;


Mine honour, it. Repent that eer thy tongue


Hath so betrayd thine act: being done unknown,


I should have found it afterwards well done;


But must condemn it now. Desist, and drink.


Ill never follow thy palld fortunes more.


Who seeks, and will not take when once tis offerd,


Bear him ashore. Ill pledge it for him, Pompey.


Pointing to the Attendant who carries off LEPIDUS


A bears the third part of the world, man; seest


The third part, then, is drunk: would it were all,


It ripens towards it. Strike the vessels, ho?


Its monstrous labour, when I wash my brain,


But I had rather fast from all four days


Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals,


Till that the conquering wine hath steepd our sense


Make battery to our ears with the loud music:


The while Ill place you: then the boy shall sing;


The holding every man shall bear as loud


Music plays. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS places them hand in hand


What would you more? Pompey, good night. Good brother,


Let me request you off: our graver business


Frowns at this levity. Gentle lords, lets part;


You see we have burnt our cheeks: strong Enobarb


Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue


Splits what it speaks: the wild disguise hath almost


Antickd us all. What needs more words? Good night.


You have my fathers house,--But, what? we are friends.


Exeunt all but DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS and MENAS


These drums! these trumpets, flutes! what!


To these great fellows: sound and be hangd, sound out!


Enter VENTIDIUS as it were in triumph, with SILIUS,  and other Romans, Officers, and Soldiers; the dead body of PACORUS borne before him


Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck; and now


Pleased fortune does of Marcus Crassus death


Make me revenger. Bear the kings sons body


Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm,


The fugitive Parthians follow; spur through Media,


The routed fly: so thy grand captain Antony


Shall set thee on triumphant chariots and


I have done enough; a lower place, note well,


May make too great an act: for learn this, Silius;


Better to leave undone, than by our deed


Acquire too high a fame when him we serves away.


More in their officer than person: Sossius,


One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,


Which he achieved by the minute, lost his favour.


Who does i the wars more than his captain can


Becomes his captains captain: and ambition,


The soldiers virtue, rather makes choice of loss,


But twould offend him; and in his offence


Without the which a soldier, and his sword,


Grants scarce distinction. Thou wilt write to Antony!


That magical word of war, we have effected;


How, with his banners and his well-paid ranks,


He purposeth to Athens: whither, with what haste


The weight we must convey withs will permit,


We shall appear before him. On there; pass along!


SCENE II. Rome. An ante-chamber in OCTAVIUS CAESARs house.


Enter AGRIPPA at one door, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS at another


They have dispatchd with Pompey, he is gone;


The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps


To part from Rome; Caesar is sad; and Lepidus,


Since Pompeys feast, as Menas says, is troubled


A very fine one: O, how he loves Caesar!


Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!


Spake you of Caesar? How! the non-pareil!


Would you praise Caesar, say Caesar: go no further.


Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.


But he loves Caesar best; yet he loves Antony:


Ho! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards,


Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number, ho!


They are his shards, and he their beetle.


Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell.


Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MARK ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA


You take from me a great part of myself;


Use me well in t. Sister, prove such a wife


As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest band


Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,


Let not the piece of virtue, which is set


To keep it builded, be the ram to batter


Have loved without this mean, if on both parts


Though you be therein curious, the least cause


For what you seem to fear: so, the gods keep you,


And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!


Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well:


Thy spirits all of comfort! fare thee well.


The April s in her eyes: it is loves spring,


And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful.


Sir, look well to my husbands house; and--


Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can


That stands upon the swell at full of tide,


[Aside to DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS]  He has a cloud in s face.


[Aside to AGRIPPA]  He were the worse for that,


[Aside to DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS]  Why, Enobarbus,


[Aside to AGRIPPA]  That year, indeed, he was


What willingly he did confound he waild,


You shall hear from me still; the time shall not


Ill wrestle with you in my strength of love:


Look, here I have you; thus I let you go,


Let all the number of the stars give light


SCENE III. Alexandria. CLEOPATRAs palace.


Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS


Through whom I might command it? Come thou near.


I lookd her in the face, and saw her led


Didst hear her speak? is she shrill-tongued or low?


Madam, I heard her speak; she is low-voiced.


Thats not so good: he cannot like her long.


I think so, Charmian: dull of tongue, and dwarfish!


I do perceivet: theres nothing in her yet:


Bearst thou her face in mind? ist long or round?


For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so.


Thou must not take my former sharpness ill:


I will employ thee back again; I find thee


Most fit for business: go make thee ready;


That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him,


The man hath seen some majesty, and should know.


I have one thing more to ask him yet, good Charmian:


But tis no matter; thou shalt bring him to me


Where I will write. All may be well enough.


SCENE IV. Athens. A room in MARK ANTONYs house.


That were excusable, that, and thousands more


New wars gainst Pompey; made his will, and read it


Spoke scantly of me: when perforce he could not


But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly


He vented them; most narrow measure lent me:


When the best hint was given him, he not tookt,


Believe not all; or, if you must believe,


If this division chance, neer stood between,


When I shall pray, O bless my lord and husband!


Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud,


O, bless my brother! Husband win, win brother,


Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway


Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks


Best to preserve it: if I lose mine honour,


Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested,


Yourself shall go between s: the mean time, lady,


Shall stain your brother: make your soonest haste;


The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak,


Your reconciler! Wars twixt you twain would be


As if the world should cleave, and that slain men


When it appears to you where this begins,


Turn your displeasure that way: for our faults


Can equally move with them. Provide your going;


Choose your own company, and command what cost


Enter DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS and EROS, meeting


Caesar and Lepidus have made wars upon Pompey.


Caesar, having made use of him in the wars gainst


Pompey, presently denied him rivality; would not let


him partake in the glory of the action: and not


resting here, accuses him of letters he had formerly


wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal, seizes him: so


the poor third is up, till death enlarge his confine.


Then, world, thou hast a pair of chaps, no more;


And throw between them all the food thou hast,


Theyll grind the one the other. Wheres Antony?


Hes walking in the garden--thus; and spurns


The rush that lies before him; cries, Fool Lepidus!


And threats the throat of that his officer


Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, AGRIPPA, and MECAENAS


Contemning Rome, he has done all this, and more,


I the market-place, on a tribunal silverd,


Were publicly enthroned: at the feet sat


Caesarion, whom they call my fathers son,


And all the unlawful issue that their lust


Since then hath made between them. Unto her


He gave the stablishment of Egypt; made her


I the common show-place, where they exercise.


His sons he there proclaimd the kings of kings:


He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assignd


That day appeard; and oft before gave audience,


Already, will their good thoughts call from him.


The people know it; and have now received


Sextus Pompeius spoild, we had not rated him


His part o the isle: then does he say, he lent me


Some shipping unrestored: lastly, he frets


Should be deposed; and, being, that we detain


Tis done already, and the messenger gone.


I have told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel;


And did deserve his change: for what I have conquerd,


I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia,


Nor must not then be yielded to in this.


Hail, Caesar, and my lord! hail, most dear Caesar!


You have not calld me so, nor have you cause.


Why have you stoln upon us thus! You come not


The neighs of horse to tell of her approach


Long ere she did appear; the trees by the way


Should have borne men; and expectation fainted,


Longing for what it had not; nay, the dust


Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,


Raised by your populous troops: but you are come


A market-maid to Rome; and have prevented


The ostentation of our love, which, left unshown,


Is often left unloved; we should have met you


To come thus was I not constraind, but did


Hearing that you prepared for war, acquainted


Being an obstruct tween his lust and him.


Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire


The kings o the earth for war; he hath assembled


Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas;


That have my heart parted betwixt two friends


Your letters did withhold our breaking forth;


Till we perceived, both how you were wrong led,


And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart;


Be you not troubled with the time, which drives


Oer your content these strong necessities;


Hold unbewaild their way. Welcome to Rome;


Beyond the mark of thought: and the high gods,


Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort;


Each heart in Rome does love and pity you:


And gives his potent regiment to a trull,


Most certain. Sister, welcome: pray you,


Be ever known to patience: my dearst sister!


SCENE VII. Near Actium. MARK ANTONYs camp.


Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,


If not denounced against us, why should not we


If we should serve with horse and mares together,


The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear


Take from his heart, take from his brain,


What should not then be spared. He is already


Traduced for levity; and tis said in Rome


That speak against us! A charge we bear i the war,


And, as the president of my kingdom, will


Appear there for a man. Speak not against it:


And take in Toryne? You have heard ont, sweet?


Which might have well becomed the best of men,


So hath my lord dared him to single fight.


Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia.


Where Caesar fought with Pompey: but these offers,


Which serve not for his vantage, be shakes off;


Your mariners are muleters, reapers, people


Ingrossd by swift impress; in Caesars fleet


Are those that often have gainst Pompey fought:


Their ships are yare; yours, heavy: no disgrace


The absolute soldiership you have by land;


Distract your army, which doth most consist


Your own renowned knowledge; quite forego


Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard,


And, with the rest full-mannd, from the head of Actium


Beat the approaching Caesar. But if we fail,


The news is true, my lord; he is descried;


Can he be there in person? tis impossible;


Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,


And our twelve thousand horse. Well to our ship:


Trust not to rotten planks: do you misdoubt


This sword and these my wounds? Let the Egyptians


Have used to conquer, standing on the earth,


Exeunt MARK ANTONY, QUEEN CLEOPATRA, and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS


Soldier, thou art: but his whole action grows


Not in the power ont: so our leaders led,


The legions and the horse whole, do you not?


But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesars


His power went out in such distractions as


With news the times with labour, and throes forth,


Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, and TAURUS, with his army, marching


Strike not by land; keep whole: provoke not battle,


The prescript of this scroll: our fortune lies


Enter MARK ANTONY and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS


Set we our squadrons on yond side o the hill,


In eye of Caesars battle; from which place


CANIDIUS marcheth with his land army one way over  the stage; and TAURUS, the lieutenant of OCTAVIUS  CAESAR, the other way. After their going in, is heard the noise of a sea-fight


Naught, naught all, naught! I can behold no longer:


With all their sixty, fly and turn the rudder:


Where death is sure. Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt,--


Whom leprosy oertake!--i the midst o the fight,


When vantage like a pair of twins appeard,


Both as the same, or rather ours the elder,


The breese upon her, like a cow in June,


Mine eyes did sicken at the sight, and could not


Claps on his sea-wing, and, like a doting mallard,


Leaving the fight in height, flies after her:


Experience, manhood, honour, neer before


Our fortune on the sea is out of breath,


And sinks most lamentably. Had our general


Been what he knew himself, it had gone well:


My legions and my horse: six kings already


The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason


SCENE XI. Alexandria. CLEOPATRAs palace.


Hark! the land bids me tread no more upont;


It is ashamed to bear me! Friends, come hither:


Have lost my way for ever: I have a ship


Laden with gold; take that, divide it; fly,


I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards


To run and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone;


My treasures in the harbour, take it. O,


Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them


For fear and doting. Friends, be gone: you shall


Have letters from me to some friends that will


Sweep your way for you. Pray you, look not sad,


Nor make replies of loathness: take the hint


Which my despair proclaims; let that be left


Which leaves itself: to the sea-side straightway:


I will possess you of that ship and treasure.


Leave me, I pray, a little: pray you now:


Nay, do so; for, indeed, I have lost command,


Therefore I pray you: Ill see you by and by.


Enter CLEOPATRA led by CHARMIAN and IRAS; EROS following


His sword een like a dancer; while I struck


The lean and wrinkled Cassius; and twas I


Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practise had


In the brave squares of war: yet now--No matter.


Most noble sir, arise; the queen approaches:


Her heads declined, and death will seize her, but


O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See,


Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought


My heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings,


And thou shouldst tow me after: oer my spirit


Thy full supremacy thou knewst, and that


Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods


To the young man send humble treaties, dodge


And palter in the shifts of lowness; who


With half the bulk o the world playd as I pleased,


Making and marring fortunes. You did know


How much you were my conqueror; and that


My sword, made weak by my affection, would


Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates


All that is won and lost: give me a kiss;


Even this repays me. We sent our schoolmaster;


Is he come back? Love, I am full of lead.


Some wine, within there, and our viands! Fortune knows


We scorn her most when most she offers blows.


SCENE XII. Egypt. OCTAVIUS CAESARs camp.


Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, with others


An argument that he is pluckd, when hither


Which had superfluous kings for messengers


Enter EUPHRONIUS, ambassador from MARK ANTONY


Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and


Requires to live in Egypt: which not granted,


He lessens his requests; and to thee sues


To let him breathe between the heavens and earth,


Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness;


Submits her to thy might; and of thee craves


The circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs,


I have no ears to his request. The queen


Of audience nor desire shall fail, so she


From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,


Or take his life there: this if she perform,


She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.


And in our name, what she requires; add more,


From thine invention, offers: women are not


In their best fortunes strong; but want will perjure


The neer touchd vestal: try thy cunning, Thyreus;


Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we


And what thou thinkst his very action speaks


SCENE XIII. Alexandria. CLEOPATRAs palace.


Enter CLEOPATRA, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, and IRAS


Lord of his reason. What though you fled


From that great face of war, whose several ranges


Frighted each other? why should he follow?


The itch of his affection should not then


Have nickd his captainship; at such a point,


When half to half the world opposed, he being


The meered question: twas a shame no less


Than was his loss, to course your flying flags,


Enter MARK ANTONY with EUPHRONIUS, the Ambassador


The queen shall then have courtesy, so she


To the boy Caesar send this grizzled head,


To him again: tell him he wears the rose


Of youth upon him; from which the world should note


Something particular: his coin, ships, legions,


May be a cowards; whose ministers would prevail


As i the command of Caesar: I dare him therefore


And answer me declined, sword against sword,


Ourselves alone. Ill write it: follow me.


[Aside]  Yes, like enough, high-battled Caesar will


Unstate his happiness, and be staged to the show,


Against a sworder! I see mens judgments are


A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward


To suffer all alike. That he should dream,


Knowing all measures, the full Caesar will


Answer his emptiness! Caesar, thou hast subdued


Against the blown rose may they stop their nose


That kneeld unto the buds. Admit him, sir.


[Aside]  Mine honesty and I begin to square.


The loyalty well held to fools does make


Our faith mere folly: yet he that can endure


Does conquer him that did his master conquer


Or needs not us. If Caesar please, our master


Will leap to be his friend: for us, you know,


Whose he is we are, and that is, Caesars.


Thus then, thou most renownd: Caesar entreats,


Not to consider in what case thou standst,


The scars upon your honour, therefore, he


What is most right: mine honour was not yielded,


I will ask Antony. Sir, sir, thou art so leaky,


That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for


What you require of him? for he partly begs


To be desired to give. It much would please him,


That of his fortunes you should make a staff


To lean upon: but it would warm his spirits,


I kiss his conquering hand: tell him, I am prompt


To lay my crown at s feet, and there to kneel:


Tell him from his all-obeying breath I hear


If that the former dare but what it can,


No chance may shake it. Give me grace to lay


When he hath mused of taking kingdoms in,


Bestowd his lips on that unworthy place,


Re-enter MARK ANTONY and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS


The bidding of the fullest man, and worthiest


[Aside]               You will be whippd.


Approach, there! Ah, you kite! Now, gods


Authority melts from me: of late, when I cried Ho!


Like boys unto a muss, kings would start forth,


And cry Your will? Have you no ears? I am


[Aside]  Tis better playing with a lions whelp


Whip him. Weret twenty of the greatest tributaries


That do acknowledge Caesar, should I find them


So saucy with the hand of she here,--whats her name,


Since she was Cleopatra? Whip him, fellows,


Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face,


And whine aloud for mercy: take him hence.


Bring him again: this Jack of Caesars shall


You were half blasted ere I knew you: ha!


But when we in our viciousness grow hard--


O misery ont!--the wise gods seel our eyes;


In our own filth drop our clear judgments; make us


Adore our errors; laugh ats, while we strut


Dead Caesars trencher; nay, you were a fragment


Of Cneius Pompeys; besides what hotter hours,


Though you can guess what temperance should be,


My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal


And plighter of high hearts! O, that I were


The horned herd! for I have savage cause;


A halterd neck which does the hangman thank


Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou sorry


Thou hast been whippd for following him: henceforth


Shake thou to look on t. Get thee back to Caesar,


Tell him thy entertainment: look, thou say


He makes me angry with him; for he seems


Proud and disdainful, harping on what I am,


Not what he knew I was: he makes me angry;


When my good stars, that were my former guides,


Have empty left their orbs, and shot their fires


My speech and what is done, tell him he has


He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,


As he shall like, to quit me: urge it thou:


To flatter Caesar, would you mingle eyes


From my cold heart let heaven engender hail,


And poison it in the source; and the first stone


Dissolve my life! The next Caesarion smite!


By the discandying of this pelleted storm,


Lie graveless, till the flies and gnats of Nile


I will oppose his fate. Our force by land


Have knit again, and fleet, threatening most sea-like.


Where hast thou been, my heart? Dost thou hear, lady?


If from the field I shall return once more


To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood;


I will be treble-sinewd, hearted, breathed,


And fight maliciously: for when mine hours


Were nice and lucky, men did ransom lives


Of me for jests; but now Ill set my teeth,


And send to darkness all that stop me. Come,


Lets have one other gaudy night: call to me


All my sad captains; fill our bowls once more;


I had thought to have held it poor: but, since my lord


Do so, well speak to them; and to-night Ill force


The wine peep through their scars. Come on, my queen;


Theres sap int yet. The next time I do fight,


Ill make death love me; for I will contend


Now hell outstare the lightning. To be furious,


Is to be frighted out of fear; and in that mood


The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still,


Restores his heart: when valour preys on reason,


It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek


SCENE I. Before Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESARs camp.


Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, AGRIPPA, and MECAENAS, with his Army; OCTAVIUS CAESAR reading a letter


He calls me boy; and chides, as he had power


He hath whippd with rods; dares me to personal combat,


Caesar to Antony: let the old ruffian know


When one so great begins to rage, hes hunted


Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now


Make boot of his distraction: never anger


Know, that to-morrow the last of many battles


We mean to fight: within our files there are,


Of those that served Mark Antony but late,


And feast the army; we have store to dot,


And they have earnd the waste. Poor Antony!


SCENE II. Alexandria. CLEOPATRAs palace.


Enter MARK ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, with others


He thinks, being twenty times of better fortune,


By sea and land Ill fight: or I will live,


Shall make it live again. Woot thou fight well?


Call forth my household servants: lets to-night


Thou hast been rightly honest;--so hast thou;--


Thou,--and thou,--and thou:--you have served me well,


[Aside to DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS]  What means this?


[Aside to CLEOPATRA]  Tis one of those odd


Well, my good fellows, wait on me to-night:


Scant not my cups; and make as much of me


As when mine empire was your fellow too,


[Aside to DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS]  What does he mean?


[Aside to CLEOPATRA]  To make his followers weep.


Youll serve another master. I look on you


As one that takes his leave. Mine honest friends,


Married to your good service, stay till death:


Tend me to-night two hours, I ask no more,


To give them this discomfort? Look, they weep;


And I, an ass, am onion-eyed: for shame,


Now the witch take me, if I meant it thus!


For I spake to you for your comfort; did desire you


To burn this night with torches: know, my hearts,


I hope well of to-morrow; and will lead you


Than death and honour. Lets to supper, come,


Brother, good night: to-morrow is the day.


It will determine one way: fare you well.


Heard you of nothing strange about the streets?


Belike tis but a rumour. Good night to you.


They place themselves in every corner of the stage


Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope


Music of the hautboys as under the stage


Tis the god Hercules, whom Antony loved,


Follow the noise so far as we have quarter;


SCENE IV. The same. A room in the palace.


Enter MARK ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, and others attending


No, my chuck. Eros, come; mine armour, Eros!


The armourer of my heart: false, false; this, this.


We shall thrive now. Seest thou, my good fellow?


He that unbuckles this, till we do please


To dafft for our repose, shall hear a storm.


Thou fumblest, Eros; and my queens a squire


More tight at this than thou: dispatch. O love,


That thou couldst see my wars to-day, and knewst


Thou lookst like him that knows a warlike charge:


To business that we love we rise betime,


Early thought be, have on their riveted trim,


This morning, like the spirit of a youth


That means to be of note, begins betimes.


So, so; come, give me that: this way; well said.


Fare thee well, dame, whateer becomes of me:


And worthy shameful cheque it were, to stand


On more mechanic compliment; Ill leave thee


Now, like a man of steel. You that will fight,


Follow me close; Ill bring you tot. Adieu.


Exeunt MARK ANTONY, EROS, Captains, and Soldiers


He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might


Determine this great war in single fight!


Trumpets sound. Enter MARK ANTONY and EROS; a Soldier meeting them


The gods make this a happy day to Antony!


Would thou and those thy scars had once prevaild


The kings that have revolted, and the soldier


That has this morning left thee, would have still


He shall not hear thee; or from Caesars camp


Go, Eros, send his treasure after; do it;


Detain no jot, I charge thee: write to him--


I will subscribe--gentle adieus and greetings;


Say that I wish he never find more cause


Corrupted honest men! Dispatch.--Enobarbus!


SCENE VI. Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESARs camp.


Flourish. Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, AGRIPPA, with DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, and others


Prove this a prosperous day, the three-nookd world


Plant those that have revolted in the van,


Great Herod to incline himself to Caesar,


And leave his master Antony: for this pains


Caesar hath hangd him. Canidius and the rest


Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with


Came on my guard; and at thy tent is now


I tell you true: best you safed the bringer


Out of the host; I must attend mine office,


Or would have donet myself. Your emperor


Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paid


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 dot, I feel.


I fight against thee! No: I will go seek


Some ditch wherein to die; the foulst best fits


SCENE VII. Field of battle between the camps.


Alarum. Drums and trumpets. Enter AGRIPPA and others


Retire, we have engaged ourselves too far:


Caesar himself has work, and our oppression


Alarums. Enter MARK ANTONY and SCARUS wounded


O my brave emperor, this is fought indeed!


Had we done so at first, we had droven them home


Well beat em into bench-holes: I have yet


They are beaten, sir, and our advantage serves


And snatch em up, as we take hares, behind:


Once for thy spritely comfort, and ten-fold


SCENE VIII. Under the walls of Alexandria.


Alarum. Enter MARK ANTONY, in a march; SCARUS, with others


We have beat him to his camp: run one before,


And let the queen know of our gests. To-morrow,


Before the sun shall see s, well spill the blood


That has to-day escaped. I thank you all;


For doughty-handed are you, and have fought


Not as you served the cause, but as t had been


Each mans like mine; you have shown all Hectors.


Enter the city, clip your wives, your friends,


Tell them your feats; whilst they with joyful tears


Wash the congealment from your wounds, and kiss


To this great fairy Ill commend thy acts,


Chain mine armd neck; leap thou, attire and all,


Through proof of harness to my heart, and there


O infinite virtue, comest thou smiling from


We have beat them to their beds. What, girl!


Do something mingle with our younger brown, yet ha we


A brain that nourishes our nerves, and can


Get goal for goal of youth. Behold this man;


Commend unto his lips thy favouring hand:


Kiss it, my warrior: he hath fought to-day


Like holy Phoebus car. Give me thy hand:


Bear our hackd targets like the men that owe them:


To camp this host, we all would sup together,


And drink carouses to the next days fate,


With brazen din blast you the citys ear;


That heaven and earth may strike their sounds together,


We must return to the court of guard: the night


Is shiny; and they say we shall embattle


O sovereign mistress of true melancholy,


The poisonous damp of night disponge upon me,


May hang no longer on me: throw my heart


Against the flint and hardness of my fault:


Which, being dried with grief, will break to powder,


Swoons rather; for so bad a prayer as his


Demurely wake the sleepers. Let us bear him


To the court of guard; he is of note: our hour


Enter MARK ANTONY and SCARUS, with their Army


I would theyld fight i the fire or i the air;


Weld fight there too. But this it is; our foot


Shall stay with us: order for sea is given;


Where their appointment we may best discover,


But being charged, we will be still by land,


Which, as I taket, we shall; for his best force


Is forth to man his galleys. To the vales,


I shall discover all: Ill bring thee word


In Cleopatras sails their nests: the augurers


Say they know not, they cannot tell; look grimly,


And dare not speak their knowledge. Antony


Is valiant, and dejected; and, by starts,


His fretted fortunes give him hope, and fear,


My fleet hath yielded to the foe; and yonder


They cast their caps up and carouse together


Like friends long lost. Triple-turnd whore!


Hast sold me to this novice; and my heart


Makes only wars on thee. Bid them all fly;


I have done all. Bid them all fly; begone.


Do we shake hands. All come to this? The hearts


That spanield me at heels, to whom I gave


Their wishes, do discandy, melt their sweets


On blossoming Caesar; and this pine is barkd,


O this false soul of Egypt! this grave charm,--


Whose eye beckd forth my wars, and calld them home;


Whose bosom was my crownet, my chief end,--


Like a right gipsy, hath, at fast and loose,


Why is my lord enraged against his love?


Vanish, or I shall give thee thy deserving,


And blemish Caesars triumph. Let him take thee,


And hoist thee up to the shouting plebeians:


Follow his chariot, like the greatest spot


Of all thy sex; most monster-like, be shown


For poorst diminutives, for doits; and let


The shirt of Nessus is upon me: teach me,


Let me lodge Lichas on the horns o the moon;


And with those hands, that graspd the heaviest club,


Subdue my worthiest self. The witch shall die:


To the young Roman boy she hath sold me, and I fall


Under this plot; she dies fort. Eros, ho!


SCENE XIII. Alexandria. Cleopatras palace.


Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and MARDIAN


Than Telamon for his shield; the boar of Thessaly


There lock yourself, and send him word you are dead.


The soul and body rive not more in parting


Mardian, go tell him I have slain myself;


And word it, prithee, piteously: hence, Mardian,


Sometimes we see a cloud thats dragonish;


With trees upont, that nod unto the world,


And mock our eyes with air: thou hast seen


That which is now a horse, even with a thought


The rack dislimns, and makes it indistinct,


Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave.


I made these wars for Egypt: and the queen,--


Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine;


Which whilst it was mine had annexd untot


A million more, now lost,--she, Eros, has


Packd cards with Caesar, and false-playd my glory


Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us


My mistress loved thee, and her fortunes mingled


She hath betrayd me and shall die the death.


Death of one person can be paid but once,


And that she has discharged: what thou wouldst do


Is done unto thy hand: the last she spake


Then in the midst a tearing groan did break


Between her heart and lips: she renderd life,


Unarm, Eros; the long days task is done,


The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep


The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my sides!


Heart, once be stronger than thy continent,


Crack thy frail case! Apace, Eros, apace.


You have been nobly borne. From me awhile.


Weep for my pardon. So it must be, for now


All length is torture: since the torch is out,


Lie down, and stray no farther: now all labour


Mars what it does; yea, very force entangles


Itself with strength: seal then, and all is done.


Eros!--I come, my queen:--Eros!--Stay for me:


Where souls do couch on flowers, well hand in hand,


And with our sprightly port make the ghosts gaze:


And all the haunt be ours. Come, Eros, Eros!


I have lived in such dishonour, that the gods


Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword


Quarterd the world, and oer green Neptunes back


With ships made cities, condemn myself to lack


Than she which by her death our Caesar tells


I am conqueror of myself. Thou art sworn, Eros,


That, when the exigent should come, which now


Is come indeed, when I should see behind me


Disgrace and horror, that, on my command,


Thou then wouldst kill me: dot; the time is come:


Thou strikest not me, tis Caesar thou defeatst.


Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts,


Wouldst thou be windowd in great Rome and see


Thy master thus with pleachd arms, bending down


To penetrative shame, whilst the wheeld seat


Of fortunate Caesar, drawn before him, branded


Come, then; for with a wound I must be cured.


Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn


When I did make thee free, sworest thou not then


To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once;


But accidents unpurposed. Draw, and come.


Turn from me, then, that noble countenance,


Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.


Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.


Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?


Why, there then: thus I do escape the sorrow


I should, and thou couldst not. My queen and Eros


Have by their brave instruction got upon me


As to a lovers bed. Come, then; and, Eros,


I learnd of thee. How! not dead? not dead?


I have done my work in, friends: O, make an end


Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly.


This sword but shown to Caesar, with this tidings,


Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword, and give me


Lockd in her monument. She had a prophesying fear


Of what hath come to pass: for when she saw--


Which never shall be found--you did suspect


She had disposed with Caesar, and that your rage


Would not be purged, she sent you word she was dead;


But, fearing since how it might work, hath sent


Me to proclaim the truth; and I am come,


Too late, good Diomed: call my guard, I prithee.


What, ho, the emperors guard! The guard, what, ho!


Enter four or five of the Guard of MARK ANTONY


Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides;


Tis the last service that I shall command you.


Woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wear


Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp fate


To grace it with your sorrows: bid that welcome


Which comes to punish us, and we punish it


I have led you oft: carry me now, good friends,


Enter CLEOPATRA and her maids aloft, with CHARMIAN and IRAS


All strange and terrible events are welcome,


But comforts we despise; our size of sorrow,


Proportiond to our cause, must be as great


Look out o the other side your monument;


Enter, below, MARK ANTONY, borne by the Guard


The varying shore o the world. O Antony,


Antony, Antony! Help, Charmian, help, Iras, help;


Help, friends below; lets draw him hither.


Not Caesars valour hath oerthrown Antony,


And still conclusion, shall acquire no honour


Demuring upon me. But come, come, Antony,--


Help me, my women,--we must draw thee up:


Heres sport indeed! How heavy weighs my lord!


Our strength is all gone into heaviness,


That makes the weight: had I great Junos power,


The strong-wingd Mercury should fetch thee up,


And set thee by Joves side. Yet come a little,--


Wishes were ever fools,--O, come, come, come;


They heave MARK ANTONY aloft to CLEOPATRA


And welcome, welcome! die where thou hast lived:


Quicken with kissing: had my lips that power,


Give me some wine, and let me speak a little.


No, let me speak; and let me rail so high,


That the false housewife Fortune break her wheel,


Of Caesar seek your honour, with your safety. O!


Lament nor sorrow at; but please your thoughts


In feeding them with those my former fortunes


Wherein I lived, the greatest prince o the world,


Valiantly vanquishd. Now my spirit is going;


In this dull world, which in thy absence is


The crown o the earth doth melt. My lord!


The soldiers pole is falln: young boys and girls


Are level now with men; the odds is gone,


By such poor passion as the maid that milks


And does the meanest chares. It were for me


To throw my sceptre at the injurious gods;


To tell them that this world did equal theirs


Till they had stoln our jewel. Alls but naught;


Patience is scottish, and impatience does


Ere death dare come to us? How do you, women?


What, what! good cheer! Why, how now, Charmian!


Our lamp is spent, its out! Good sirs, take heart:


Lets do it after the high Roman fashion,


And make death proud to take us. Come, away:


This case of that huge spirit now is cold:


Ah, women, women! come; we have no friend


Exeunt; those above bearing off MARK ANTONYs body


SCENE I. Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESARs camp.


Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, AGRIPPA, DOLABELLA, MECAENAS, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, and others, his council of war


Enter DERCETAS, with the sword of MARK ANTONY


Wherefore is that? and what art thou that darest


Mark Antony I served, who best was worthy


Best to be served: whilst he stood up and spoke,


To spend upon his haters. If thou please


The breaking of so great a thing should make


Should have shook lions into civil streets,


And citizens to their dens: the death of Antony


Nor by a hired knife; but that self hand,


Which writ his honour in the acts it did,


Hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it,


I robbd his wound of it; behold it staind


Did steer humanity: but you, gods, will give us


Some faults to make us men. Caesar is touchd.


When such a spacious mirrors set before him,


I have followd thee to this; but we do lance


Have shown to thee such a declining day,


Or look on thine; we could not stall together


In the whole world: but yet let me lament,


With tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts,


In top of all design, my mate in empire,


Friend and companion in the front of war,


Where mine his thoughts did kindle,--that our stars,


Our equalness to this. Hear me, good friends--


But I will tell you at some meeter season:


The business of this man looks out of him;


Well hear him what he says. Whence are you?


A poor Egyptian yet. The queen my mistress,


She soon shall know of us, by some of ours,


Determine for her; for Caesar cannot live


We purpose her no shame: give her what comforts


The quality of her passion shall require,


Lest, in her greatness, by some mortal stroke


And with your speediest bring us what she says,


How hes employd: he shall in time be ready.


Go with me to my tent; where you shall see


SCENE II. Alexandria. A room in the monument.


Not being Fortune, hes but Fortunes knave,


To do that thing that ends all other deeds;


Which shackles accidents and bolts up change;


Which sleeps, and never palates more the dug,


Enter, to the gates of the monument, PROCULEIUS, GALLUS and Soldiers


Caesar sends greeting to the Queen of Egypt;


And bids thee study on what fair demands


Did tell me of you, bade me trust you; but


That have no use for trusting. If your master


Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him,


No less beg than a kingdom: if he please


Youre falln into a princely hand, fear nothing:


Make your full reference freely to my lord,


Who is so full of grace, that it flows over


Your sweet dependency; and you shall find


A conqueror that will pray in aid for kindness,


I am his fortunes vassal, and I send him


The greatness he has got. I hourly learn


A doctrine of obedience; and would gladly


Have comfort, for I know your plight is pitied


You see how easily she may be surprised:


Here PROCULEIUS and two of the Guard ascend the  monument by a ladder placed against a window, and,  having descended, come behind CLEOPATRA. Some of the Guard unbar and open the gates


Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this


The undoing of yourself: let the world see


His nobleness well acted, which your death


Come hither, come! come, come, and take a queen


Sir, I will eat no meat, Ill not drink, sir;


Ill not sleep neither: this mortal house Ill ruin,


Do Caesar what he can. Know, sir, that I


Will not wait piniond at your masters court;


Nor once be chastised with the sober eye


Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt


Be gentle grave unto me! rather on Nilus mud


Lay me stark naked, and let the water-flies


These thoughts of horror further than you shall


What thou hast done thy master Caesar knows,


And he hath sent for thee: for the queen,


It shall content me best: be gentle to her.


To Caesar I will speak what you shall please,


Most noble empress, you have heard of me?


No matter, sir, what I have heard or known.


You laugh when boys or women tell their dreams;


His face was as the heavens; and therein stuck


A sun and moon, which kept their course,


His legs bestrid the ocean: his reard arm


Crested the world: his voice was propertied


As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends;


But when he meant to quail and shake the orb,


He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty,


That grew the more by reaping: his delights


Were dolphin-like; they showd his back above


The element they lived in: in his livery


Walkd crowns and crownets; realms and islands were


Think you there was, or might be, such a man


But, if there be, or ever were, one such,


Its past the size of dreaming: nature wants stuff


To vie strange forms with fancy; yet, to imagine


And Antony, were natures piece gainst fancy,


Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it


As answering to the weight: would I might never


By the rebound of yours, a grief that smites


Know you what Caesar means to do with me?


I am loath to tell you what I would you knew.


Flourish, and shout within, Make way there: Octavius Caesar!


Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECAENAS, SELEUCUS, and others of his Train


Will have it thus; my master and my lord


Though written in our flesh, we shall remember


Been laden with like frailties which before


Which towards you are most gentle, you shall find


A benefit in this change; but if you seek


Antonys course, you shall bereave yourself


Of my good purposes, and put your children


To that destruction which Ill guard them from,


And may, through all the world: tis yours; and we,


Your scutcheons and your signs of conquest, shall


Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.


You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.


This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels,


Not petty things admitted. Wheres Seleucus?


This is my treasurer: let him speak, my lord,


To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.


I had rather seal my lips, than, to my peril,


Enough to purchase what you have made known.


How pomp is followd! mine will now be yours;


And, should we shift estates, yours would be mine.


Even make me wild: O slave, of no more trust


Than love thats hired! What, goest thou back? thou shalt


Go back, I warrant thee; but Ill catch thine eyes,


Though they had wings: slave, soulless villain, dog!


O Caesar, what a wounding shame is this,


That thou, vouchsafing here to visit me,


To one so meek, that mine own servant should


As we greet modern friends withal; and say,


With one that I have bred? The gods! it smites me


Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits


Through the ashes of my chance: wert thou a man,


Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misthought


For things that others do; and, when we fall,


Not what you have reserved, nor what acknowledged,


Put we i the roll of conquest: still bet yours,


Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe,


Caesars no merchant, to make prize with you


Of things that merchants sold. Therefore be cheerd;


Make not your thoughts your prisons: no, dear queen;


Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep:


That we remain your friend; and so, adieu.


Flourish. Exeunt OCTAVIUS CAESAR and his train


He words me, girls, he words me, that I should not


Be noble to myself: but, hark thee, Charmian.


Finish, good lady; the bright day is done,


I have spoke already, and it is provided;


Madam, as thereto sworn by your command,


Intends his journey; and within three days


You with your children will he send before:


Make your best use of this: I have performd


Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Caesar.


Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown


With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall


Uplift us to the view; in their thick breaths,


Nay, tis most certain, Iras: saucy lictors


Will catch at us, like strumpets; and scald rhymers


Ballad us out o tune: the quick comedians


Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see


Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness


Ill never see t; for, I am sure, my nails


To fool their preparation, and to conquer


Show me, my women, like a queen: go fetch


Now, noble Charmian, well dispatch indeed;


And, when thou hast done this chare, Ill give thee leave


To play till doomsday. Bring our crown and all.


That will not be denied your highness presence:


May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.


My resolutions placed, and I have nothing


I am marble-constant; now the fleeting moon


Re-enter Guardsman, with Clown bringing in a basket


Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there,


Truly, I have him: but I would not be the party


that should desire you to touch him, for his biting


is immortal; those that do die of it do seldom or


Rememberest thou any that have died ont?


Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of


them no longer than yesterday: a very honest woman,


but something given to lie; as a woman should not


do, but in the way of honesty: how she died of the


biting of it, what pain she felt: truly, she makes


a very good report o the worm; but he that will


believe all that they say, shall never be saved by


half that they do: but this is most fallible, the


You must think this, look you, that the worm will


Look you, the worm is not to be trusted but in the


keeping of wise people; for, indeed, there is no


Very good. Give it nothing, I pray you, for it is


You must not think I am so simple but I know the


devil himself will not eat a woman: I know that a


woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her


not. But, truly, these same whoreson devils do the


gods great harm in their women; for in every ten


Yes, forsooth: I wish you joy o the worm.


Re-enter IRAS with a robe, crown,  and c


Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have


The juice of Egypts grape shall moist this lip:


Yare, yare, good Iras; quick. Methinks I hear


The luck of Caesar, which the gods give men


To excuse their after wrath: husband, I come:


Now to that name my courage prove my title!


I give to baser life. So; have you done?


Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.


Farewell, kind Charmian; Iras, long farewell.


The stroke of death is as a lovers pinch,


Which hurts, and is desired. Dost thou lie still?


If thus thou vanishest, thou tellst the world


Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say,


Hell make demand of her, and spend that kiss


To an asp, which she applies to her breast


With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate


Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool


Be angry, and dispatch. O, couldst thou speak,


That I might hear thee call great Caesar ass


As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle,--


Now boast thee, death, in thy possession lies


A lass unparalleld. Downy windows, close;


Of eyes again so royal! Your crowns awry;


O, come apace, dispatch! I partly feel thee.


Approach, ho! Alls not well: Caesars beguiled.


Theres Dolabella sent from Caesar; call him.


What work is here! Charmian, is this well done?


It is well done, and fitting for a princess


Touch their effects in this: thyself art coming


To see performd the dreaded act which thou


Re-enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR and all his train marching


She levelld at our purposes, and, being royal,


Took her own way. The manner of their deaths?


A simple countryman, that brought her figs:


This Charmian lived but now; she stood and spake:


On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood


If they had swallowd poison, twould appear


By external swelling: but she looks like sleep,


There is a vent of blood and something blown:


This is an aspics trail: and these fig-leaves


Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves


That so she died; for her physician tells me


No grave upon the earth shall clip in it


Strike those that make them; and their story is


Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall


SCENE I. A hall in DUKE SOLINUSS palace.


Enter DUKE SOLINUS, AEGEON, Gaoler, Officers, and other Attendants


And by the doom of death end woes and all.


Sprung from the rancorous outrage of your duke


To merchants, our well-dealing countrymen,


Who wanting guilders to redeem their lives


Have seald his rigorous statutes with their bloods,


Excludes all pity from our threatening looks.


For, since the mortal and intestine jars


To admit no traffic to our adverse towns Nay, more,


His goods confiscate to the dukes dispose,


Thy substance, valued at the highest rate,


Therefore by law thou art condemned to die.


Yet this my comfort: when your words are done,


My woes end likewise with the evening sun.


Well, Syracusian, say in brief the cause


Why thou departedst from thy native home


And for what cause thou camest to Ephesus.


A heavier task could not have been imposed


Yet, that the world may witness that my end


Was wrought by nature, not by vile offence,


Ill utter what my sorrows give me leave.


With her I lived in joy; our wealth increased


And the great care of goods at random left


Drew me from kind embracements of my spouse:


From whom my absence was not six months old


Before herself, almost at fainting under


The pleasing punishment that women bear,


There had she not been long, but she became


And, which was strange, the one so like the other,


As could not be distinguishd but by names.


That very hour, and in the self-same inn,


Of such a burden, male twins, both alike:


Those,--for their parents were exceeding poor,--


I bought and brought up to attend my sons.


My wife, not meanly proud of two such boys,


For what obscured light the heavens did grant


Which though myself would gladly have embraced,


Weeping before for what she saw must come,


And piteous plainings of the pretty babes,


That mournd for fashion, ignorant what to fear,


Forced me to seek delays for them and me.


And this it was, for other means was none:


The sailors sought for safety by our boat,


And left the ship, then sinking-ripe, to us:


My wife, more careful for the latter-born,


Had fastend him unto a small spare mast,


Such as seafaring men provide for storms;


To him one of the other twins was bound,


Whilst I had been like heedful of the other:


The children thus disposed, my wife and I,


Fixing our eyes on whom our care was fixd,


Fastend ourselves at either end the mast;


And floating straight, obedient to the stream,


Was carried towards Corinth, as we thought.


At length the sun, gazing upon the earth,


Dispersed those vapours that offended us;


But ere they came,--O, let me say no more!


Nay, forward, old man; do not break off so;


For we may pity, though not pardon thee.


For, ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues,


Our helpful ship was splitted in the midst;


Her part, poor soul! seeming as burdened


With lesser weight but not with lesser woe,


Was carried with more speed before the wind;


And in our sight they three were taken up


At length, another ship had seized on us;


And, knowing whom it was their hap to save,


Gave healthful welcome to their shipwreckd guests;


And would have reft the fishers of their prey,


Had not their bark been very slow of sail;


And therefore homeward did they bend their course.


Thus have you heard me severd from my bliss;


That by misfortunes was my life prolongd,


And for the sake of them thou sorrowest for,


What hath befalln of them and thee till now.


My youngest boy, and yet my eldest care,


That his attendant--so his case was like,


Reft of his brother, but retaind his name--


Might bear him company in the quest of him:


Five summers have I spent in furthest Greece,


Roaming clean through the bounds of Asia,


And, coasting homeward, came to Ephesus;


Hopeless to find, yet loath to leave unsought


Could all my travels warrant me they live.


Hapless AEgeon, whom the fates have markd


Now, trust me, were it not against our laws,


Which princes, would they, may not disannul,


But, though thou art adjudged to the death


Therefore, merchant, Ill limit thee this day


Try all the friends thou hast in Ephesus;


Beg thou, or borrow, to make up the sum,


And live; if no, then thou art doomd to die.


Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse, DROMIO of Syracuse, and First Merchant


Therefore give out you are of Epidamnum,


Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate.


Go bear it to the Centaur, where we host,


And stay there, Dromio, till I come to thee.


Within this hour it will be dinner-time:


Till that, Ill view the manners of the town,


Peruse the traders, gaze upon the buildings,


And then return and sleep within mine inn,


For with long travel I am stiff and weary.


When I am dull with care and melancholy,


Lightens my humour with his merry jests.


What, will you walk with me about the town,


I am invited, sir, to certain merchants,


I crave your pardon. Soon at five oclock,


Please you, Ill meet with you upon the mart


And afterward consort you till bed-time:


My present business calls me from you now.


Farewell till then: I will go lose myself


And wander up and down to view the city.


Who, falling there to find his fellow forth,


What now? how chance thou art returnd so soon?


Returnd so soon! rather approachd too late:


The capon burns, the pig falls from the spit,


The clock hath strucken twelve upon the bell;


The meat is cold because you come not home;


You come not home because you have no stomach;


You have no stomach having broke your fast;


But we that know what tis to fast and pray


Stop in your wind, sir: tell me this, I pray:


Where have you left the money that I gave you?


O,--sixpence, that I had o Wednesday last


To pay the saddler for my mistress crupper?


Tell me, and dally not, where is the money?


We being strangers here, how darest thou trust


So great a charge from thine own custody?


For she will score your fault upon my pate.


Methinks your maw, like mine, should be your clock,


And strike you home without a messenger.


Come, Dromio, come, these jests are out of season;


Reserve them till a merrier hour than this.


Where is the gold I gave in charge to thee?


To me, sir? why, you gave no gold to me.


Come on, sir knave, have done your foolishness,


And tell me how thou hast disposed thy charge.


My charge was but to fetch you from the mart


Home to your house, the Phoenix, sir, to dinner:


My mistress and her sister stays for you.


In what safe place you have bestowd my money,


Or I shall break that merry sconce of yours


That stands on tricks when I am undisposed:


Where is the thousand marks thou hadst of me?


I have some marks of yours upon my pate,


Some of my mistress marks upon my shoulders,


But not a thousand marks between you both.


If I should pay your worship those again,


Perchance you will not bear them patiently.


Thy mistress marks? what mistress, slave, hast thou?


Your worships wife, my mistress at the Phoenix;


She that doth fast till you come home to dinner,


And prays that you will hie you home to dinner.


What, wilt thou flout me thus unto my face,


Being forbid? There, take you that, sir knave.


What mean you, sir? for Gods sake, hold your hands!


Nay, and you will not, sir, Ill take my heels.


The villain is oer-raught of all my money.


As, nimble jugglers that deceive the eye,


Dark-working sorcerers that change the mind,


Soul-killing witches that deform the body,


Disguised cheaters, prating mountebanks,


If it prove so, I will be gone the sooner.


Ill to the Centaur, to go seek this slave:


SCENE I. The house of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus.


Neither my husband nor the slave returnd,


That in such haste I sent to seek his master!


And from the mart hes somewhere gone to dinner.


Good sister, let us dine and never fret:


Time is their master, and, when they see time,


Theyll go or come: if so, be patient, sister.


Why should their liberty than ours be more?


Because their business still lies out o door.


Look, when I serve him so, he takes it ill.


Theres none but asses will be bridled so.


Why, headstrong liberty is lashd with woe.


Theres nothing situate under heavens eye


But hath his bound, in earth, in sea, in sky:


The beasts, the fishes, and the winged fowls,


Are their males subjects and at their controls:


Men, more divine, the masters of all these,


Lords of the wide world and wild watery seas,


Indued with intellectual sense and souls,


Of more preeminence than fish and fowls,


Are masters to their females, and their lords:


Then let your will attend on their accords.


Not this, but troubles of the marriage-bed.


But, were you wedded, you would bear some sway.


How if your husband start some other where?


Till he come home again, I would forbear.


Patience unmoved! no marvel though she pause;


They can be meek that have no other cause.


A wretched soul, bruised with adversity,


But were we burdened with like weight of pain,


As much or more would we ourselves complain:


So thou, that hast no unkind mate to grieve thee,


With urging helpless patience wouldst relieve me,


But, if thou live to see like right bereft,


This fool-beggd patience in thee will be left.


Here comes your man; now is your husband nigh.


Nay, hes at two hands with me, and that my two ears


Say, didst thou speak with him? knowst thou his mind?


Beshrew his hand, I scarce could understand it.


Spake he so doubtfully, thou couldst not feel his meaning?


Nay, he struck so plainly, I could too well feel his


blows; and withal so doubtfully that I could scarce


But say, I prithee, is he coming home? It seems he


Why, mistress, sure my master is horn-mad.


When I desired him to come home to dinner,


He askd me for a thousand marks in gold:


Tis dinner-time, quoth I; My gold! quoth he;


Your meat doth burn, quoth I; My gold! quoth he:


Will you come home? quoth I; My gold! quoth he.


Where is the thousand marks I gave thee, villain?


The pig, quoth I, is burnd; My gold! quoth he:


My mistress, sir quoth I; Hang up thy mistress!


I know not thy mistress; out on thy mistress!


I know, quoth he, no house, no wife, no mistress.


I thank him, I bare home upon my shoulders;


For, in conclusion, he did beat me there.


Go back again, thou slave, and fetch him home.


For Gods sake, send some other messenger.


Back, slave, or I will break thy pate across.


And he will bless that cross with other beating:


Hence, prating peasant! fetch thy master home.


That like a football you do spurn me thus?


You spurn me hence, and he will spurn me hither:


If I last in this service, you must case me in leather.


Fie, how impatience loureth in your face!


Whilst I at home starve for a merry look.


Hath homely age the alluring beauty took


From my poor cheek? then he hath wasted it:


If voluble and sharp discourse be marrd,


Unkindness blunts it more than marble hard:


Do their gay vestments his affections bait?


Thats not my fault: hes master of my state:


But, too unruly deer, he breaks the pale


And feeds from home; poor I am but his stale.


Self-harming jealousy! fie, beat it hence!


Unfeeling fools can with such wrongs dispense.


Or else what lets it but he would be here?


Sister, you know he promised me a chain;


Would that alone, alone he would detain,


So he would keep fair quarter with his bed!


Will lose his beauty; yet the gold bides still,


That others touch, and often touching will


By falsehood and corruption doth it shame.


Since that my beauty cannot please his eye,


Ill weep whats left away, and weeping die.


Safe at the Centaur; and the heedful slave


Is wanderd forth, in care to seek me out


I could not speak with Dromio since at first


I sent him from the mart. See, here he comes.


How now sir! is your merry humour alterd?


As you love strokes, so jest with me again.


You know no Centaur? you received no gold?


Your mistress sent to have me home to dinner?


My house was at the Phoenix? Wast thou mad,


That thus so madly thou didst answer me?


What answer, sir? when spake I such a word?


Even now, even here, not half an hour since.


I did not see you since you sent me hence,


Home to the Centaur, with the gold you gave me.


Villain, thou didst deny the golds receipt,


And toldst me of a mistress and a dinner;


For which, I hope, thou feltst I was displeased.


I am glad to see you in this merry vein:


What means this jest? I pray you, master, tell me.


Yea, dost thou jeer and flout me in the teeth?


Thinkst thou I jest? Hold, take thou that, and that.


Hold, sir, for Gods sake! now your jest is earnest:


Do use you for my fool and chat with you,


When the sun shines let foolish gnats make sport,


But creep in crannies when he hides his beams.


If you will jest with me, know my aspect,


Or I will beat this method in your sconce.


Sconce call you it? so you would leave battering, I


had rather have it a head: an you use these blows


long, I must get a sconce for my head and ensconce


it too; or else I shall seek my wit in my shoulders.


Ay, sir, and wherefore; for they say every why hath


Why, first,--for flouting me; and then, wherefore--


Was there ever any man thus beaten out of season,


When in the why and the wherefore is neither rhyme


Marry, sir, for this something that you gave me for nothing.


Ill make you amends next, to give you nothing for


something. But say, sir, is it dinner-time?


No, sir; I think the meat wants that I have.


If it be, sir, I pray you, eat none of it.


Lest it make you choleric and purchase me another


Well, sir, learn to jest in good time: theres a


I durst have denied that, before you were so choleric.


Marry, sir, by a rule as plain as the plain bald


Theres no time for a man to recover his hair that


Yes, to pay a fine for a periwig and recover the


Why is Time such a niggard of hair, being, as it is,


Because it is a blessing that he bestows on beasts;


and what he hath scanted men in hair he hath given them in wit.


Why, but theres many a man hath more hair than wit.


Not a man of those but he hath the wit to lose his hair.


Why, thou didst conclude hairy men plain dealers without wit.


The plainer dealer, the sooner lost: yet he loseth


The one, to save the money that he spends in


trimming; the other, that at dinner they should not


You would all this time have proved there is no


Marry, and did, sir; namely, no time to recover hair


But your reason was not substantial, why there is no


Thus I mend it: Time himself is bald and therefore


to the worlds end will have bald followers.


Ay, ay, Antipholus, look strange and frown:


Some other mistress hath thy sweet aspects;


The time was once when thou unurged wouldst vow


That never words were music to thine ear,


That never object pleasing in thine eye,


That never touch well welcome to thy hand,


That never meat sweet-savord in thy taste,


Unless I spake, or lookd, or touchd, or carved to thee.


How comes it now, my husband, O, how comes it,


That thou art thus estranged from thyself?


Am better than thy dear selfs better part.


For know, my love, as easy mayest thou fall


And take unmingled that same drop again,


How dearly would it touch me to the quick,


Shouldst thou but hear I were licentious


Wouldst thou not spit at me and spurn at me


And tear the staind skin off my harlot-brow


And from my false hand cut the wedding-ring


I know thou canst; and therefore see thou do it.


My blood is mingled with the crime of lust:


For if we too be one and thou play false,


Keep then far league and truce with thy true bed;


Plead you to me, fair dame? I know you not:


As strange unto your town as to your talk;


Who, every word by all my wit being scannd,


Fie, brother! how the world is changed with you!


When were you wont to use my sister thus?


She sent for you by Dromio home to dinner.


By thee; and this thou didst return from him,


That he did buffet thee, and, in his blows,


Denied my house for his, me for his wife.


Did you converse, sir, with this gentlewoman?


What is the course and drift of your compact?


Villain, thou liest; for even her very words


How can she thus then call us by our names,


To counterfeit thus grossly with your slave,


But wrong not that wrong with a more contempt.


Come, I will fasten on this sleeve of thine:


Whose weakness, married to thy stronger state,


Makes me with thy strength to communicate:


If aught possess thee from me, it is dross,


Who, all for want of pruning, with intrusion


Infect thy sap and live on thy confusion.


To me she speaks; she moves me for her theme:


Or sleep I now and think I hear all this?


What error drives our eyes and ears amiss?


Dromio, go bid the servants spread for dinner.


O, for my beads! I cross me for a sinner.


This is the fairy land: O spite of spites!


Theyll suck our breath, or pinch us black and blue.


Why pratest thou to thyself and answerst not?


Dromio, thou drone, thou snail, thou slug, thou sot!


Nay, master, both in mind and in my shape.


If thou art changed to aught, tis to an ass.


Tis true; she rides me and I long for grass.


Tis so, I am an ass; else it could never be


But I should know her as well as she knows me.


Whilst man and master laugh my woes to scorn.


Come, sir, to dinner. Dromio, keep the gate.


And shrive you of a thousand idle pranks.


Say he dines forth, and let no creature enter.


Come, sister. Dromio, play the porter well.


Sleeping or waking? mad or well-advised?


Known unto these, and to myself disguised!


Ay; and let none enter, lest I break your pate.


Come, come, Antipholus, we dine too late.


SCENE I. Before the house of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus.


Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus, DROMIO of Ephesus, ANGELO, and BALTHAZAR


Good Signior Angelo, you must excuse us all;


My wife is shrewish when I keep not hours:


Say that I lingerd with you at your shop


And that to-morrow you will bring it home.


But heres a villain that would face me down


He met me on the mart, and that I beat him,


And charged him with a thousand marks in gold,


Thou drunkard, thou, what didst thou mean by this?


Say what you will, sir, but I know what I know;


That you beat me at the mart, I have your hand to show:


If the skin were parchment, and the blows you gave were ink,


Your own handwriting would tell you what I think.


By the wrongs I suffer and the blows I bear.


I should kick, being kickd; and, being at that pass,


You would keep from my heels and beware of an ass.


Youre sad, Signior Balthazar: pray God our cheer


May answer my good will and your good welcome here.


I hold your dainties cheap, sir, and your


O, Signior Balthazar, either at flesh or fish,


A table full of welcome make scarce one dainty dish.


Good meat, sir, is common; that every churl affords.


And welcome more common; for thats nothing but words.


Small cheer and great welcome makes a merry feast.


Ay, to a niggardly host, and more sparing guest:


But though my cates be mean, take them in good part;


Better cheer may you have, but not with better heart.


But, soft! my door is lockd. Go bid them let us in.


Maud, Bridget, Marian, Cicel, Gillian, Ginn!


[Within]  Mome, malt-horse, capon, coxcomb,


Either get thee from the door, or sit down at the hatch.


Dost thou conjure for wenches, that thou callst


When one is one too many? Go, get thee from the door.


What patch is made our porter? My master stays in


[Within]  Let him walk from whence he came, lest he


Who talks within there? ho, open the door!


[Within]  Right, sir; Ill tell you when, an you tell


Wherefore? for my dinner: I have not dined to-day.


[Within]  Nor to-day here you must not; come again


What art thou that keepest me out from the house I owe?


[Within]  The porter for this time, sir, and my name


O villain! thou hast stolen both mine office and my name.


The one neer got me credit, the other mickle blame.


If thou hadst been Dromio to-day in my place,


Thou wouldst have changed thy face for a name or thy


[Within]  What a coil is there, Dromio? who are those


Have at you with a proverb--Shall I set in my staff?


[Within]  Have at you with another; thats--When?


[Within]  If thy name be calld Luce--Luce, thou hast


Do you hear, you minion? youll let us in, I hope?


So, come, help: well struck! there was blow for blow.


Youll cry for this, minion, if I beat the door down.


[Within]  What needs all that, and a pair of stocks in the town?


[Within]  Who is that at the door that keeps all


[Within]  By my troth, your town is troubled with


Are you there, wife? you might have come before.


[Within]  Your wife, sir knave! go get you from the door.


If you went in pain, master, this knave would go sore.


Here is neither cheer, sir, nor welcome: we would


In debating which was best, we shall part with neither.


They stand at the door, master; bid them welcome hither.


There is something in the wind, that we cannot get in.


You would say so, master, if your garments were thin.


Your cake there is warm within; you stand here in the cold:


It would make a man mad as a buck, to be so bought and sold.


Go fetch me something: Ill break ope the gate.


[Within]  Break any breaking here, and Ill break your


A man may break a word with you, sir, and words are but wind,


Ay, and break it in your face, so he break it not behind.


[Within]  It seems thou wantst breaking: out upon


Heres too much out upon thee! I pray thee,


[Within]  Ay, when fowls have no feathers and fish have no fin.


Well, Ill break in: go borrow me a crow.


A crow without feather? Master, mean you so?


For a fish without a fin, theres a fowl without a feather;


If a crow help us in, sirrah, well pluck a crow together.


Go get thee gone; fetch me an iron crow.


Have patience, sir; O, let it not be so!


Once this,--your long experience of her wisdom,


Plead on her part some cause to you unknown:


And doubt not, sir, but she will well excuse


Why at this time the doors are made against you.


To know the reason of this strange restraint.


And dwell upon your grave when you are dead;


For ever housed where it gets possession.


You have prevailed: I will depart in quiet,


And, in despite of mirth, mean to be merry.


Pretty and witty; wild, and yet, too, gentle:


There will we dine. This woman that I mean,


My wife--but, I protest, without desert--


And fetch the chain; by this I know tis made:


Bring it, I pray you, to the Porpentine;


For theres the house: that chain will I bestow--


Be it for nothing but to spite my wife--


Upon mine hostess there: good sir, make haste.


Since mine own doors refuse to entertain me,


Ill knock elsewhere, to see if theyll disdain me.


Ill meet you at that place some hour hence.


Do so. This jest shall cost me some expense.


Enter LUCIANA and ANTIPHOLUS of Syracuse


And may it be that you have quite forgot


Even in the spring of love, thy love-springs rot?


Shall love, in building, grow so ruinous?


If you did wed my sister for her wealth,


Then for her wealths sake use her with more kindness:


Or if you like elsewhere, do it by stealth;


Muffle your false love with some show of blindness:


Be not thy tongue thy own shames orator;


Bear a fair presence, though your heart be tainted;


Be secret-false: what need she be acquainted?


What simple thief brags of his own attaint?


Tis double wrong, to truant with your bed


And let her read it in thy looks at board:


Shame hath a bastard fame, well managed;


Ill d eeds are doubled with an evil word.


Being compact of credit, that you love us;


Though others have the arm, show us the sleeve;


We in your motion turn and you may move us.


Comfort my sister, cheer her, call her wife:


When the sweet breath of flattery conquers strife.


Sweet mistress--what your name is else, I know not,


Nor by what wonder you do hit of mine,--


Less in your knowledge and your grace you show not


Than our earths wonder, more than earth divine.


Teach me, dear creature, how to think and speak;


Smotherd in errors, feeble, shallow, weak,


The folded meaning of your words deceit.


Against my souls pure truth why labour you


Transform me then, and to your power Ill yield.


O, train me not, sweet mermaid, with thy note,


To drown me in thy sisters flood of tears:


Sing, siren, for thyself and I will dote:


Spread oer the silver waves thy golden hairs,


And as a bed Ill take them and there lie,


He gains by death that hath such means to die:


Let Love, being light, be drowned if she sink!


What, are you mad, that you do reason so?


It is a fault that springeth from your eye.


For gazing on your beams, fair sun, being by.


Gaze where you should, and that will clear your sight.


As good to wink, sweet love, as look on night.


Why call you me love? call my sister so.


It is thyself, mine own selfs better part,


Mine eyes clear eye, my dear hearts dearer heart,


My food, my fortune and my sweet hopes aim,


My sole earths heaven and my heavens claim.


All this my sister is, or else should be.


Call thyself sister, sweet, for I am thee.


Thee will I love and with thee lead my life:


Ill fetch my sister, to get her good will.


Why, how now, Dromio! where runnst thou so fast?


Do you know me, sir? am I Dromio? am I your man?


Thou art Dromio, thou art my man, thou art thyself.


I am an ass, I am a womans man and besides myself.


What womans man? and how besides thyself? besides thyself?


Marry, sir, besides myself, I am due to a woman; one


that claims me, one that haunts me, one that will have me.


Marry sir, such claim as you would lay to your


horse; and she would have me as a beast: not that, I


being a beast, she would have me; but that she,


being a very beastly creature, lays claim to me.


A very reverent body; ay, such a one as a man may


not speak of without he say Sir-reverence. I have


but lean luck in the match, and yet is she a


Marry, sir, shes the kitchen wench and all grease;


and I know not what use to put her to but to make a


lamp of her and run from her by her own light. I


warrant, her rags and the tallow in them will burn a


Poland winter: if she lives till doomsday,


shell burn a week longer than the whole world.


Swart, like my shoe, but her face nothing half so


clean kept: for why, she sweats; a man may go over


No, sir, tis in grain; Noahs flood could not do it.


Nell, sir; but her name and three quarters, thats


an ell and three quarters, will not measure her from


No longer from head to foot than from hip to hip:


she is spherical, like a globe; I could find out


In what part of her body stands Ireland?


Marry, in her buttocks: I found it out by the bogs.


I found it by the barrenness; hard in the palm of the hand.


In her forehead; armed and reverted, making war


I looked for the chalky cliffs, but I could find no


whiteness in them; but I guess it stood in her chin,


by the salt rheum that ran between France and it.


Faith, I saw it not; but I felt it hot in her breath.


Oh, sir, upon her nose all oer embellished with


rubies, carbuncles, sapphires, declining their rich


aspect to the hot breath of Spain; who sent whole


armadoes of caracks to be ballast at her nose.


Oh, sir, I did not look so low. To conclude, this


drudge, or diviner, laid claim to me, calld me


Dromio; swore I was assured to her; told me what


privy marks I had about me, as, the mark of my


shoulder, the mole in my neck, the great wart on my


left arm, that I amazed ran from her as a witch:


And, I think, if my breast had not been made of


She had transformd me to a curtal dog and made


Go hie thee presently, post to the road:


I will not harbour in this town to-night:


If any bark put forth, come to the mart,


Where I will walk till thou return to me.


Tis time, I think, to trudge, pack and be gone.


As from a bear a man would run for life,


So fly I from her that would be my wife.


Theres none but witches do inhabit here;


And therefore tis high time that I were hence.


She that doth call me husband, even my soul


Doth for a wife abhor. But her fair sister,


Possessd with such a gentle sovereign grace,


Of such enchanting presence and discourse,


But, lest myself be guilty to self-wrong,


Ill stop mine ears against the mermaids song.


I know it well, sir, lo, here is the chain.


I thought to have taen you at the Porpentine:


The chain unfinishd made me stay thus long.


What is your will that I shall do with this?


What please yourself, sir: I have made it for you.


Not once, nor twice, but twenty times you have.


Go home with it and please your wife withal;


And then receive my money for the chain.


For fear you neer see chain nor money more.


You are a merry man, sir: fare you well.


What I should think of this, I cannot tell:


But this I think, theres no man is so vain


That would refuse so fair an offerd chain.


I see a man here needs not live by shifts,


When in the streets he meets such golden gifts.


Ill to the mart, and there for Dromio stay


If any ship put out, then straight away.


Enter Second Merchant, ANGELO, and an Officer


You know since Pentecost the sum is due,


And since I have not much importuned you;


To Persia, and want guilders for my voyage:


Pleaseth you walk with me down to his house,


I will discharge my bond and thank you too.


Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus and DROMIO of Ephesus from the courtezans


That labour may you save: see where he comes.


While I go to the goldsmiths house, go thou


But, soft! I see the goldsmith. Get thee gone;


Buy thou a rope and bring it home to me.


I buy a thousand pound a year: I buy a rope.


A man is well holp up that trusts to you:


But neither chain nor goldsmith came to me.


Belike you thought our love would last too long,


If it were chaind together, and therefore came not.


Saving your merry humour, heres the note


How much your chain weighs to the utmost carat,


The fineness of the gold and chargeful fashion.


Which doth amount to three odd ducats more


I pray you, see him presently discharged,


For he is bound to sea and stays but for it.


I am not furnishd with the present money;


Besides, I have some business in the town.


Good signior, take the stranger to my house


And with you take the chain and bid my wife


Disburse the sum on the receipt thereof:


Perchance I will be there as soon as you.


Then you will bring the chain to her yourself?


No; bear it with you, lest I come not time enough.


Well, sir, I will. Have you the chain about you?


Or else you may return without your money.


Nay, come, I pray you, sir, give me the chain:


Both wind and tide stays for this gentleman,


And I, to blame, have held him here too long.


Good Lord! you use this dalliance to excuse


Your breach of promise to the Porpentine.


I should have chid you for not bringing it,


But, like a shrew, you first begin to brawl.


The hour steals on; I pray you, sir, dispatch.


You hear how he importunes me;--the chain!


Why, give it to my wife and fetch your money.


Come, come, you know I gave it you even now.


Either send the chain or send me by some token.


Fie, now you run this humour out of breath,


wheres the chain? I pray you, let me see it.


My business cannot brook this dalliance.


Good sir, say whether youll answer me or no:


The money that you owe me for the chain.


I owe you none till I receive the chain.


You know I gave it you half an hour since.


You gave me none: you wrong me much to say so.


I do; and charge you in the dukes name to obey me.


Arrest me, foolish fellow, if thou darest.


I would not spare my brother in this case,


I do arrest you, sir: you hear the suit.


But, sirrah, you shall buy this sport as dear


As all the metal in your shop will answer.


To your notorious shame; I doubt it not.


That stays but till her owner comes aboard,


And then, sir, she bears away. Our fraughtage, sir,


I have conveyd aboard; and I have bought


Blows fair from land: they stay for nought at all


But for their owner, master, and yourself.


How now! a madman! Why, thou peevish sheep,


Thou drunken slave, I sent thee for a rope;


And told thee to what purpose and what end.


You sent me to the bay, sir, for a bark.


I will debate this matter at more leisure


And teach your ears to list me with more heed.


Give her this key, and tell her, in the desk


There is a purse of ducats; let her send it:


And that shall bail me; hie thee, slave, be gone!


Exeunt Second Merchant, Angelo, Officer, and Antipholus of Ephesus


Where Dowsabel did claim me for her husband:


She is too big, I hope, for me to compass.


Thither I must, although against my will,


For servants must their masters minds fulfil.


SCENE II. The house of ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus.


Mightst thou perceive austerely in his eye


That he did plead in earnest? yea or no?


Lookd he or red or pale, or sad or merrily?


What observation madest thou in this case


Of his hearts meteors tilting in his face?


First he denied you had in him no right.


He meant he did me none; the more my spite.


Then swore he that he was a stranger here.


And true he swore, though yet forsworn he were.


That love I beggd for you he beggd of me.


With what persuasion did he tempt thy love?


With words that in an honest suit might move.


First he did praise my beauty, then my speech.


I cannot, nor I will not, hold me still;


My tongue, though not my heart, shall have his will.


Ill-faced, worse bodied, shapeless everywhere;


Vicious, ungentle, foolish, blunt, unkind;


Who would be jealous then of such a one?


And yet would herein others eyes were worse.


Far from her nest the lapwing cries away:


My heart prays for him, though my tongue do curse.


Here! go; the desk, the purse! sweet, now, make haste.


Where is thy master, Dromio? is he well?


No, hes in Tartar limbo, worse than hell.


A devil in an everlasting garment hath him;


One whose hard heart is buttond up with steel;


A wolf, nay, worse, a fellow all in buff;


A back-friend, a shoulder-clapper, one that


The passages of alleys, creeks and narrow lands;


A hound that runs counter and yet draws dryfoot well;


One that before the judgement carries poor souls to hell.


I do not know the matter: he is rested on the case.


What, is he arrested? Tell me at whose suit.


I know not at whose suit he is arrested well;


But hes in a suit of buff which rested him, that can I tell.


Will you send him, mistress, redemption, the money in his desk?


That he, unknown to me, should be in debt.


A chain, a chain! Do you not hear it ring?


No, no, the bell: tis time that I were gone:


It was two ere I left him, and now the clock


The hours come back! that did I never hear.


O, yes; if any hour meet a sergeant, a turns back for


As if Time were in debt! how fondly dost thou reason!


Time is a very bankrupt, and owes more than hes


Nay, hes a thief too: have you not heard men say


That Time comes stealing on by night and day?


If Time be in debt and theft, and a sergeant in the way,


Hath he not reason to turn back an hour in a day?


Go, Dromio; theres the money, bear it straight;


Come, sister: I am pressd down with conceit--


Theres not a man I meet but doth salute me


As if I were their well-acquainted friend;


Some tender money to me; some invite me;


Some other give me thanks for kindnesses;


And showd me silks that he had bought for me,


And therewithal took measure of my body.


Master, heres the gold you sent me for. What, have


you got the picture of old Adam new-apparelled?


What gold is this? what Adam dost thou mean?


Not that Adam that kept the Paradise but that Adam


that keeps the prison: he that goes in the calfs


skin that was killed for the Prodigal; he that came


behind you, sir, like an evil angel, and bid you


No? why, tis a plain case: he that went, like a


bass-viol, in a case of leather; the man, sir,


that, when gentlemen are tired, gives them a sob


and rests them; he, sir, that takes pity on decayed


men and gives them suits of durance; he that sets up


his rest to do more exploits with his mace than a


Ay, sir, the sergeant of the band, he that brings


any man to answer it that breaks his band; one that


thinks a man always going to bed, and says, God


Well, sir, there rest in your foolery. Is there any


Why, sir, I brought you word an hour since that the


bark Expedition put forth to-night; and then were


you hindered by the sergeant, to tarry for the hoy


Delay. Here are the angels that you sent for to


Some blessed power deliver us from hence!


I see, sir, you have found the goldsmith now:


Is that the chain you promised me to-day?


Satan, avoid! I charge thee, tempt me not.


Nay, she is worse, she is the devils dam; and here


she comes in the habit of a light wench: and thereof


comes that the wenches say God damn me; thats as


much to say God make me a light wench. It is


written, they appear to men like angels of light:


light is an effect of fire, and fire will burn;


ergo, light wenches will burn. Come not near her.


Your man and you are marvellous merry, sir.


Will you go with me? Well mend our dinner here?


Master, if you do, expect spoon-meat; or bespeak a


Marry, he must have a long spoon that must eat with


Avoid then, fiend! what tellst thou me of supping?


Give me the ring of mine you had at dinner,


Or, for my diamond, the chain you promised,


And Ill be gone, sir, and not trouble you.


Some devils ask but the parings of ones nail,


But she, more covetous, would have a chain.


The devil will shake her chain and fright us with it.


I pray you, sir, my ring, or else the chain:


Avaunt, thou witch! Come, Dromio, let us go.


Fly pride, says the peacock: mistress, that you know.


Exeunt Antipholus of Syracuse and Dromio of Syracuse


A ring he hath of mine worth forty ducats,


And for the same he promised me a chain:


Besides this present instance of his rage,


Of his own doors being shut against his entrance.


Belike his wife, acquainted with his fits,


On purpose shut the doors against his way.


He rushd into my house and took perforce


My ring away. This course I fittest choose;


Enter ANTIPHOLUS of Ephesus and the Officer


Fear me not, man; I will not break away:


Ill give thee, ere I leave thee, so much money,


And will not lightly trust the messenger


I tell you, twill sound harshly in her ears.


Enter DROMIO of Ephesus with a ropes-end


Here comes my man; I think he brings the money.


How now, sir! have you that I sent you for?


Heres that, I warrant you, will pay them all.


Why, sir, I gave the money for the rope.


Five hundred ducats, villain, for a rope?


Ill serve you, sir, five hundred at the rate.


To what end did I bid thee hie thee home?


To a ropes-end, sir; and to that end am I returned.


And to that end, sir, I will welcome you.


Nay, tis for me to be patient; I am in adversity.


Nay, rather persuade him to hold his hands.


I would I were senseless, sir, that I might not feel


Thou art sensible in nothing but blows, and so is an


I am an ass, indeed; you may prove it by my long


ears. I have served him from the hour of my


nativity to this instant, and have nothing at his


hands for my service but blows. When I am cold, he


heats me with beating; when I am warm, he cools me


with beating; I am waked with it when I sleep;


raised with it when I sit; driven out of doors with


it when I go from home; welcomed home with it when


I return; nay, I bear it on my shoulders, as a


beggar wont her brat; and, I think when he hath


lamed me, I shall beg with it from door to door.


Come, go along; my wife is coming yonder.


Enter ADRIANA, LUCIANA, the Courtezan, and PINCH


Mistress, respice finem, respect your end; or


rather, the prophecy like the parrot, beware the


How say you now? is not your husband mad?


And I will please you what you will demand.


Give me your hand and let me feel your pulse.


There is my hand, and let it feel your ear.


I charge thee, Satan, housed within this man,


And to thy state of darkness hie thee straight:


I conjure thee by all the saints in heaven!


Peace, doting wizard, peace! I am not mad.


O, that thou wert not, poor distressed soul!


You minion, you, are these your customers?


Did this companion with the saffron face


Whilst upon me the guilty doors were shut


O husband, God doth know you dined at home;


Where would you had remaind until this time,


Free from these slanders and this open shame!


Dined at home! Thou villain, what sayest thou?


Sir, sooth to say, you did not dine at home.


Were not my doors lockd up and I shut out?


Perdie, your doors were lockd and you shut out.


And did not she herself revile me there?


Sans fable, she herself reviled you there.


Did not her kitchen-maid rail, taunt, and scorn me?


Certes, she did; the kitchen-vestal scornd you.


And did not I in rage depart from thence?


In verity you did; my bones bear witness,