| Enter Antony and Cleopatra, Charmian, and others attending. |
| Antony | Eros! mine armour, Eros! |
| Cleopatra | Sleep a little. |
| Antony | No, my chuck. Eros, come; mine armour, Eros! |
| Enter Eros with armour. |
| Come good fellow, put mine iron on:
If fortune be not ours to-day, it is
Because we brave her: come. |
| Cleopatra | Nay, I’ll help too.
What’s this for? |
| Antony | Ah, let be, let be! thou art
The armourer of my heart: false, false; this, this. |
| Cleopatra | Sooth, la, I’ll help: thus it must be. |
| Antony | Well, well;
We shall thrive now. Seest thou, my good fellow?
Go put on thy defences. |
| Eros | Briefly, sir. |
| Cleopatra | Is not this buckled well? |
| Antony | Rarely, rarely:
He that unbuckles this, till we do please
To daff’t for our repose, shall hear a storm.
Thou fumblest, Eros; and my queen’s a squire
More tight at this than thou: dispatch. O love,
That thou couldst see my wars to-day, and knew’st
The royal occupation! thou shouldst see
A workman in’t. |
| Enter an armed Soldier. |
| Good morrow to thee; welcome:
Thou look’st like him that knows a warlike charge:
To business that we love we rise betime,
And go to’t with delight. |
| Soldier | A thousand, sir,
Early though’t be, have on their riveted trim,
And at the port expect you. Shout. Trumpets flourish. |
| Enter Captains and Soldiers. |
| Captain | The morn is fair. Good morrow, general. |
| All | Good morrow, general. |
| Antony | ’Tis well blown, lads:
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, whate’er becomes of me:
This is a soldier’s kiss: rebukeable Kisses her.
And worthy shameful check it were, to stand
On more mechanic compliment; I’ll leave thee
Now, like a man of steel. You that will fight,
Follow me close; I’ll bring you to’t. Adieu. Exeunt Antony, Eros, Captains, and Soldiers. |
| Charmian | Please you, retire to your chamber. |
| Cleopatra | Lead me.
He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might
Determine this great war in single fight!
Then Antony—but now—Well, on. Exeunt. |
