ACT III
SCENE I A plain in Syria.


 [Enter VENTIDIUS as it were in triumph, with SILIUS,
 and other Romans, Officers, and Soldiers; the dead
 body of PACORUS borne before him]

VENTIDIUS Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck; and now
 Pleased fortune does of Marcus Crassus' death
 Make me revenger. Bear the king's son's body
 Before our army. Thy Pacorus, Orodes,
 Pays this for Marcus Crassus.

SILIUS Noble Ventidius,
 Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm,
 The fugitive Parthians follow; spur through Media,
 Mesopotamia, and the shelters whither
 The routed fly: so thy grand captain Antony
 Shall set thee on triumphant chariots and
 Put garlands on thy head.

VENTIDIUS O Silius, Silius,
 I have done enough; a lower place, note well,
 May make too great an act: for learn this, Silius;
 Better to leave undone, than by our deed
 Acquire too high a fame when him we serve's away.
 Caesar and Antony have ever won
 More in their officer than person: Sossius,
 One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
 For quick accumulation of renown,
 Which he achieved by the minute, lost his favour.
 Who does i' the wars more than his captain can
 Becomes his captain's captain: and ambition,
 The soldier's virtue, rather makes choice of loss,
 Than gain which darkens him.
 I could do more to do Antonius good,
 But 'twould offend him; and in his offence
 Should my performance perish.

SILIUS Thou hast, Ventidius,
 that
 Without the which a soldier, and his sword,
 Grants scarce distinction. Thou wilt write to Antony!

VENTIDIUS I'll humbly signify what in his name,
 That magical word of war, we have effected;
 How, with his banners and his well-paid ranks,
 The ne'er-yet-beaten horse of Parthia
 We have jaded out o' the field.

SILIUS Where is he now?

VENTIDIUS He purposeth to Athens: whither, with what haste
 The weight we must convey with's will permit,
 We shall appear before him. On there; pass along!

 [Exeunt]




 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA


ACT III