ACT IV
SCENE VIII Under the walls of Alexandria.


 [Alarum. Enter MARK ANTONY, in a march; SCARUS,
 with others]

MARK ANTONY We have beat him to his camp: run one before,
 And let the queen know of our gests. To-morrow,
 Before the sun shall see 's, we'll spill the blood
 That has to-day escaped. I thank you all;
 For doughty-handed are you, and have fought
 Not as you served the cause, but as 't had been
 Each man's like mine; you have shown all Hectors.
 Enter the city, clip your wives, your friends,
 Tell them your feats; whilst they with joyful tears
 Wash the congealment from your wounds, and kiss
 The honour'd gashes whole.

 [To SCARUS]

      Give me thy hand

 [Enter CLEOPATRA, attended]

 To this great fairy I'll commend thy acts,
 Make her thanks bless thee.

 [To CLEOPATRA]

        O thou day o' the world,
 Chain mine arm'd neck; leap thou, attire and all,
 Through proof of harness to my heart, and there
 Ride on the pants triumphing!

CLEOPATRA Lord of lords!
 O infinite virtue, comest thou smiling from
 The world's great snare uncaught?

MARK ANTONY My nightingale,
 We have beat them to their beds. What, girl!
 though grey
 Do something mingle with our younger brown, yet ha' we
 A brain that nourishes our nerves, and can
 Get goal for goal of youth. Behold this man;
 Commend unto his lips thy favouring hand:
 Kiss it, my warrior: he hath fought to-day
 As if a god, in hate of mankind, had
 Destroy'd in such a shape.

CLEOPATRA I'll give thee, friend,
 An armour all of gold; it was a king's.

MARK ANTONY He has deserved it, were it carbuncled
 Like holy Phoebus' car. Give me thy hand:
 Through Alexandria make a jolly march;
 Bear our hack'd targets like the men that owe them:
 Had our great palace the capacity
 To camp this host, we all would sup together,
 And drink carouses to the next day's fate,
 Which promises royal peril. Trumpeters,
 With brazen din blast you the city's ear;
 Make mingle with rattling tabourines;
 That heaven and earth may strike their sounds together,
 Applauding our approach.

 [Exeunt]




 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA


ACT IV