all for love-第13章
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hall I set A man; my equal; in the place of Jove; As he could give me being? No; that word; Forgive; would choke me up; And die upon my tongue。
DOLABELLA。 You shall not need it。
ANTONY。 I will not need it。 Come; you've all betrayed me; My friend too!to receive some vile conditions。 My wife has bought me; with her prayers and tears; And now I must become her branded slave。 In every peevish mood; she will upbraid The life she gave: if I but look awry; She criesI'll tell my brother。
OCTAVIA。 My hard fortune Subjects me still to your unkind mistakes。 But the conditions I have brought are such; Your need not blush to take: I love your honour; Because 'tis mine; it never shall be said; Octavia's husband was her brother's slave。 Sir; you are free; free; even from her you loathe; For; though my brother bargains for your love; Makes me the price and cement of your peace; I have a soul like yours; I cannot take Your love as alms; nor beg what I deserve。 I'll tell my brother we are reconciled; He shall draw back his troops; and you shall march To rule the East: I may be dropt at Athens; No matter where。 I never will complain; But only keep the barren name of wife; And rid you of the trouble。
VENTIDIUS。 Was ever such a strife of sullen honour! 'Apart' Both scorn to be obliged。
DOLABELLA。 Oh; she has touched him in the tenderest part;'Apart' See how he reddens with despite and shame; To be outdone in generosity!
VENTIDIUS。 See how he winks! how he dries up a tear; 'Apart' That fain would fall!
ANTONY。 Octavia; I have heard you; and must praise The greatness of your soul; But cannot yield to what you have proposed: For I can ne'er be conquered but by love; And you do all for duty。 You would free me; And would be dropt at Athens; was't not so?
OCTAVIA。 It was; my lord。
ANTONY。 Then I must be obliged To one who loves me not; who; to herself; May call me thankless and ungrateful man: I'll not endure it; no。
VENTIDIUS。 I am glad it pinches there。 'Aside。'
OCTAVIA。 Would you triumph o'er poor Octavia's virtue? That pride was all I had to bear me up; That you might think you owed me for your life; And owed it to my duty; not my love。 I have been injured; and my haughty soul Could brook but ill the man who slights my bed。
ANTONY。 Therefore you love me not。
OCTAVIA。 Therefore; my lord; I should not love you。
ANTONY。 Therefore you would leave me?
OCTAVIA。 And therefore I should leave youif I could。
DOLABELLA。 Her soul's too great; after such injuries; To say she loves; and yet she lets you see it。 Her modesty and silence plead her cause。
ANTONY。 O Dolabella; which way shall I turn? I find a secret yielding in my soul; But Cleopatra; who would die with me; Must she be left? Pity pleads for Octavia; But does it not plead more for Cleopatra?
VENTIDIUS。 Justice and pity both plead for Octavia; For Cleopatra; neither。 One would be ruined with you; but she first Had ruined you: The other; you have ruined; And yet she would preserve you。 In everything their merits are unequal。
ANTONY。 O my distracted soul!
OCTAVIA。 Sweet Heaven compose it! Come; come; my lord; if I can pardon you; Methinks you should accept it。 Look on these; Are they not yours? or stand they thus neglected; As they are mine? Go to him; children; go; Kneel to him; take him by the hand; speak to him; For you may speak; and he may own you too; Without a blush; and so he cannot all His children: go; I say; and pull him to me; And pull him to yourselves; from that bad woman。 You; Agrippina; hang upon his arms; And you; Antonia; clasp about his waist: If he will shake you off; if he will dash you Against the pavement; you must bear it; children; For you are mine; and I was born to suffer。 'Here the CHILDREN go to him; etc。'
VENTIDIUS。 Was ever sight so moving?Emperor!
DOLABELLA。 Friend!
OCTAVIA。 Husband!
BOTH CHILDREN。 Father!
ANTONY。 I am vanquished: take me; Octavia; take me; children; share me all。 'Embracing them。'
I've been a thriftless debtor to your loves; And run out much; in riot; from your stock; But all shall be amended。
OCTAVIA。 O blest hour!
DOLABELLA。 O happy change!
VENTIDIUS。 My joy stops at my tongue; But it has found two channels here for one; And bubbles out above。
ANTONY。 'to OCTAVIA' This is thy triumph; lead me where thou wilt; Even to thy brother's camp。
OCTAVIA。 All there are yours。
Enter ALEXAS hastily
ALEXAS。 The queen; my mistress; sir; and yours
ANTONY。 'Tis past。 Octavia; you shall stay this night: To…morrow; Caesar and we are one。 'Exit leading OCTAVIA; DOLABELLA and the CHILDREN follow。'
VENTIDIUS。 There's news for you; run; my officious eunuch; Be sure to be the first; haste forward: Haste; my dear eunuch; haste。 'Exit。'
ALEXAS。 This downright fighting fool; this thick…skulled hero; This blunt; unthinking instrument of death; With plain dull virtue has outgone my wit。 Pleasure forsook my earliest infancy; The luxury of others robbed my cradle; And ravished thence the promise of a man。 Cast out from nature; disinherited Of what her meanest children claim by kind; Yet greatness kept me from contempt: that's gone。 Had Cleopatra followed my advice; Then he had been betrayed who now forsakes。 She dies for love; but she has known its joys: Gods; is this just; that I; who know no joys; Must die; because she loves?
Enter CLEOPATRA; CHARMION; IRAS; and Train
O madam; I have seen what blasts my eyes! Octavia's here。
CLEOPATRA。 Peace with that raven's note。 I know it too; and now am in The pangs of death。
ALEXAS。 You are no more a queen; Egypt is lost。
CLEOPATRA。 What tell'st thou me of Egypt? My life; my soul is lost! Octavia has him! O fatal name to Cleopatra's love! My kisses; my embraces now are hers; While IBut thou hast seen my rival; speak; Does she deserve this blessing? Is she fair? Bright as a goddess? and is all perfection Confined to her? It is。 Poor I was made Of that coarse matter; which; when she was finished; The gods threw by for rubbish。
ALEXAS。 She is indeed a very miracle。
CLEOPATRA。 Death to my hopes; a miracle!
ALEXAS。 A miracle; 'Bowing。' I mean of goodness; for in beauty; madam; You make all wonders cease。
CLEOPATRA。 I was too rash: Take this in part of recompense。 But; oh! 'Giving a ring。' I fear thou flatterest me。
CHARMION。 She comes! she's here!
IRAS。 Fly; madam; Caesar's sister!
CLEOPATRA。 Were she the sister of the thunderer Jove; And bore her brother's lightning in her eyes; Thus would I face my rival。 'Meets OCTAVIA with VENTIDIUS。 OCTAVIA bears up to her。 Their Trains come up on either side。'
OCTAVIA。 I need not ask if you are Cleopatra; Your haughty carriage
CLEOPATRA。 Shows I am a queen: Nor need I ask you; who you are。
OCTAVIA。 A Roman: A name; that makes and can unmake a queen。
CLEOPATRA。 Your lord; the man who serves me; is a Roman。
OCTAVIA。 He was a Roman; till he lost that name; To be a slave in Egypt; but I come To free him thence。
CLEOPATRA。 Peace; peace; my lover's Juno。 When he grew weary of that household clog; He chose my easier bonds。
OCTAVIA。 I wonder not Your bonds are easy: you have long been practised In that lascivious art: He's not the first For whom you spread your snares: Let Caesar witness。
CLEOPATRA。 I loved not Caesar; 'twas but gratitude I paid his love: The worst your malice can; Is but to say the greatest of mankind Has been my slave。 The next; but far above him In my esteem; is he whom law calls yours; But whom his love made mine。
OCTAVIA。 I would view nearer。 'Coming up close to her。' That face; which has so long usurped my right; To find the inevitable charms; that catch Mankind so sure; that ruined my dear lord。
CLEOPATRA。 Oh; you do well to search; for had you known But half these charms; you had not lost his heart。
OCTAVIA。 Far be their knowledge from a Roman lady; Far from a modest wife! Shame of our sex; Dost thou not blush to own those black endearments; That make sin pleasing?
CLEOPATRA。 You may blush; who want them。 If bounteous nature; if indulgent Heaven Have given me charms to plea