Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra - Enobarbus regrets deserting Antony

Antony and Cleopatra

Please see the bottom of this page for explanatory notes and resources.

ACT IV SCENE VI	Alexandria. Octavius Caesar's camp.
[ Flourish. Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, AGRIPPA, with DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, and others ]
OCTAVIUS CAESAR	Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight:
	Our will is Antony be took alive;
	Make it so known.
AGRIPPA	Caesar, I shall.
[Exit]
OCTAVIUS CAESAR	The time of universal peace is near:	5
	Prove this a prosperous day, the three-nook'd world
	Shall bear the olive freely.
[Enter a Messenger]
Messenger	Antony
	Is come into the field.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR	Go charge Agrippa	10
	Plant those that have revolted in the van,
	That Antony may seem to spend his fury
	Upon himself.
[Exeunt all but DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS]
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS	Alexas did revolt; and went to Jewry on
	Affairs of Antony; there did persuade	15
	Great Herod to incline himself to Caesar,
	And leave his master Antony: for this pains
	Caesar hath hang'd him. Canidius and the rest
	That fell away have entertainment, but
	No honourable trust. I have done ill;	20
	Of which I do accuse myself so sorely,
	That I will joy no more.
[Enter a Soldier of CAESAR's]
Soldier	Enobarbus, Antony
	Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with
	His bounty overplus: the messenger	25
	Came on my guard; and at thy tent is now
	Unloading of his mules.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS	I give it you.
Soldier	Mock not, Enobarbus.
	I tell you true: best you safed the bringer	30
	Out of the host; I must attend mine office,
	Or would have done't myself. Your emperor
	Continues still a Jove.
[Exit]
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS	I am alone the villain of the earth,
	And feel I am so most. O Antony,	35
	Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paid
	My better service, when my turpitude
	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 do't, I feel.	40
	I fight against thee! No: I will go seek
	Some ditch wherein to die; the foul'st best fits
	My latter part of life.
[Exit]

Antony and Cleopatra, Act 4, Scene 7
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Explanatory Notes for Act 4, Scene 6
From Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra. Ed. M. Eaton. Boston: Educational Publishing Company.
(Line numbers have been altered.)
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2. Took. Taken.

6. Three-nook'd. That is, one divided between Caesar, Antony and Lepidus.

11. Plant. That is, to plant or place.

14. Jewry. That is, Judea.

17. Pains. That is, for the pains or trouble he took.

19. Entertainment. Are allowed to serve him but are not trusted.

25. Overplus. That is, with presents added to it.

26. On my guard. That is, where I was on guard.

30. Safed. Give him safe conduct out of the army.

37. Turpitude. Baseness.

38. Blows. Breaks. The figure seems to be that this act of Antony fills his heart with remorse almost to bursting.

40. Thought. Bitter reflections.

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How to cite the explanatory notes:
Shakespeare, William. Antony and Cleopatra. Ed. M. Eaton. Boston: Educational Publishing Company, 1908. Shakespeare Online. 20 Feb. 2010. (date when you accessed the information) < http://www.shakespeare-online.com/plays/antony_4_6.html >.

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