all for love-第11章
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n; perhaps; may sigh; And muster all your Roman gravity: Ventidius chides; and straight your brow clears up; As I had never been。
ANTONY。 Gods; 'tis too much; too much for man to bear。
CLEOPATRA。 What is't for me then; A weak; forsaken woman; and a lover? Here let me breathe my last: envy me not This minute in your arms: I'll die apace; As fast as e'er I can; and end your trouble。
ANTONY。 Die! rather let me perish; loosened nature Leap from its hinges; sink the props of heaven; And fall the skies; to crush the nether world! My eyes; my soul; my all! 'Embraces her。'
VENTIDIUS。 And what's this toy; In balance with your fortune; honour; fame?
ANTONY。 What is't; Ventidius?it outweighs them all; Why; we have more than conquered Caesar now: My queen's not only innocent; but loves me。 This; this is she; who drags me down to ruin! 〃But; could she 'scape without me; with what haste Would she let slip her hold; and make to shore; And never look behind!〃 Down on thy knees; blasphemer as thou art; And ask forgiveness of wronged innocence。
VENTIDIUS。 I'll rather die; than take it。 Will you go?
ANTONY。 Go! whither? Go from all that's excellent? Faith; honour; virtue; all good things forbid; That I should go from her; who sets my love Above the price of kingdoms! Give; you gods; Give to your boy; your Caesar; This rattle of a globe to play withal; This gewgaw world; and put him cheaply off: I'll not be pleased with less than Cleopatra。
CLEOPATRA。 She's wholly yours。 My heart's so full of joy; That I shall do some wild extravagance Of love; in public; and the foolish world; Which knows not tenderness; will think me mad。
VENTIDIUS。 O women! women! women! all the gods Have not such power of doing good to man; As you of doing harm。 'Exit。'
ANTONY。 Our men are armed: Unbar the gate that looks to Caesar's camp: I would revenge the treachery he meant me; And long security makes conquest easy。 I'm eager to return before I go; For; all the pleasures I have known beat thick On my remembrance。How I long for night! That both the sweets of mutual love may try; And triumph once o'er Caesar ere we die。 'Exeunt。'
Act III
Scene I
At one door enter CLEOPATRA; CHARMION; IRAS; and ALEXAS; a Train of EGYPTIANS: at the other ANTONY and ROMANS。 The entrance on both sides is prepared by music; the trumpets first sounding on Antony's part: then answered by timbrels; etc。; on CLEOPATRA'S。 CHARMION and IRAS hold a laurel wreath betwixt them。 A Dance of EGYPTIANS。 After the ceremony; CLEOPATRA crowns ANTONY。
ANTONY。 I thought how those white arms would fold me in; And strain me close; and melt me into love; So pleased with that sweet image; I sprung forwards; And added all my strength to every blow。
CLEOPATRA。 Come to me; come; my soldier; to my arms! You've been too long away from my embraces; But; when I have you fast; and all my own; With broken murmurs; and with amorous sighs; I'll say; you were unkind; and punish you; And mark you red with many an eager kiss。
ANTONY。 My brighter Venus!
CLEOPATRA。 O my greater Mars!
ANTONY。 Thou join'st us well; my love! Suppose me come from the Phlegraean plains; Where gasping giants lay; cleft by my sword; And mountain…tops paired off each other blow; To bury those I slew。 Receive me; goddess! Let Caesar spread his subtle nets; like Vulcan; In thy embraces I would be beheld By heaven and earth at once; And make their envy what they meant their sport Let those; who took us; blush; I would love on; With awful state; regardless of their frowns; As their superior gods。 There's no satiety of love in thee: Enjoyed; thou still art new; perpetual spring Is in thy arms; the ripened fruit but falls; And blossoms rise to fill its empty place; And I grow rich by giving。
Enter VENTIDIUS; and stands apart
ALEXAS。 Oh; now the danger's past; your general comes! He joins not in your joys; nor minds your triumphs; But; with contracted brows; looks frowning on; As envying your success。
ANTONY。 Now; on my soul; he loves me; truly loves me: He never flattered me in any vice; But awes me with his virtue: even this minute; Methinks; he has a right of chiding me。 Lead to the temple: I'll avoid his presence; It checks too strong upon me。 'Exeunt the rest。' 'As ANTONY is going; VENTIDIUS pulls him by the robe。'
VENTIDIUS。 Emperor!
ANTONY。 'Tis the old argument; I pr'ythee; spare me。 'Looking back。'
VENTIDIUS。 But this one hearing; emperor。
ANTONY。 Let go My robe; or; by my father Hercules
VENTIDIUS。 By Hercules' father; that's yet greater; I bring you somewhat you would wish to know。
ANTONY。 Thou see'st we are observed; attend me here; And I'll return。 'Exit。'
VENTIDIUS。 I am waning in his favour; yet I love him; I love this man; who runs to meet his ruin; And sure the gods; like me; are fond of him: His virtues lie so mingled with his crimes; As would confound their choice to punish one; And not reward the other。
Enter ANTONY
ANTONY。 We can conquer; You see; without your aid。 We have dislodged their troops; They look on us at distance; and; like curs Scaped from the lion's paws; they bay far off; And lick their wounds; and faintly threaten war。 Five thousand Romans; with their faces upward; Lie breathless on the plain。
VENTIDIUS。 'Tis well; and he; Who lost them; could have spared ten thousand more。 Yet if; by this advantage; you could gain An easier peace; while Caesar doubts the chance Of arms
ANTONY。 Oh; think not on't; Ventidius! The boy pursues my ruin; he'll no peace; His malice is considerable in advantage。 Oh; he's the coolest murderer! so staunch; He kills; and keeps his temper。
VENTIDIUS。 Have you no friend In all his army; who has power to move him? Maecenas; or Agrippa; might do much。
ANTONY。 They're both too deep in Caesar's interests。 We'll work it out by dint of sword; or perish。
VENTIDIUS。 Fain I would find some other。
ANTONY。 Thank thy love。 Some four or five such victories as this Will save thy further pains。
VENTIDIUS。 Expect no more; Caesar is on his guard: I know; sir; you have conquered against odds; But still you draw supplies from one poor town; And of Egyptians: he has all the world; And; at his beck; nations come pouring in; To fill the gaps you make。 Pray; think again。
ANTONY。 Why dost thou drive me from myself; to search For foreign aids?to hunt my memory; And range all o'er a waste and barren place; To find a friend? The wretched have no friends。 Yet I had one; the bravest youth of Rome; Whom Caesar loves beyond the love of women: He could resolve his mind; as fire does wax; 》From that hard rugged image melt him down; And mould him in what softer form he pleased。
VENTIDIUS。 Him would I see; that man; of all the world; Just such a one we want。
ANTONY。 He loved me too; I was his soul; he lived not but in me: We were so closed within each other's breasts; The rivets were not found; that joined us first。 That does not reach us yet: we were so mixt; As meeting streams; both to ourselves were lost; We were one mass; we could not give or take; But from the same; for he was I; I he。
VENTIDIUS。 He moves as I would wish him。 'Aside。'
ANTONY。 After this; I need not tell his name;'twas Dolabella。
VENTIDIUS。 He's now in Caesar's camp。
ANTONY。 No matter where; Since he's no longer mine。 He took unkindly; That I forbade him Cleopatra's sight; Because I feared he loved her: he confessed; He had a warmth; which; for my sake; he stifled; For 'twere impossible that two; so one; Should not have loved the same。 When he departed; He took no leave; and that confirmed my thoughts。
VENTIDIUS。 It argues; that he loved you more than her; Else he had stayed; but he perceived you jealous; And would not grieve his friend: I know he loves you。
ANTONY。 I should have seen him; then; ere now。
VENTIDIUS。 Perhaps He has thus long been labouring for your peace。
ANTONY。 Would he were here!
VENTIDIUS。 Would you believe he loved you? I read your answer in your eyes; you would。 Not to conceal it longer; he has sent A messenger from Caesar's camp; with letters。
ANTON