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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 CAESARGo forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight:
Our will is Antony be took alive;
Make it so known.
AGRIPPACaesar, I shall.
[Exit]
OCTAVIUS CAESARThe 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]
MessengerAntony
Is come into the field.
OCTAVIUS CAESARGo charge Agrippa10
Plant those that have revolted in the van,
That Antony may seem to spend his fury
Upon himself.
[Exeunt all but DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS]
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUSAlexas did revolt; and went to Jewry on
Affairs of Antony; there did persuade15
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]
SoldierEnobarbus, Antony
Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with
His bounty overplus: the messenger25
Came on my guard; and at thy tent is now
Unloading of his mules.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUSI give it you.
SoldierMock not, Enobarbus.
I tell you true: best you safed the bringer30
Out of the host; I must attend mine office,
Or would have done't myself. Your emperor
Continues still a Jove.
[Exit]
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUSI 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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