Dol. Caesar, I shall. Enter Decretas with the sword of Anthony.
Caes Wherefore is that? And what art thou that dar'st Appeare thus to vs? Dec. I am call'd Decretas, Marke Anthony I seru'd, who best was worthie Best to be seru'd: whil'st he stood vp, and spoke He was my Master, and I wore my life To spend vpon his haters. If thou please To take me to thee, as I was to him, Ile be to Caesar: if y pleasest not, I yeild thee vp my life
Caesar. What is't thou say'st? Dec. I say (Oh Caesar) Anthony is dead
Caesar. The breaking of so great a thing, should make A greater cracke. The round World Should haue shooke Lyons into ciuill streets, And Cittizens to their dennes. The death of Anthony Is not a single doome, in the name lay A moity of the world
Dec. He is dead Caesar, Not by a publike minister of Iustice, Nor by a hyred Knife, but that selfe-hand Which writ his Honor in the Acts it did, Hath with the Courage which the heart did lend it, Splitted the heart. This is his Sword, I robb'd his wound of it: behold it stain'd With his most Noble blood
Caes Looke you sad Friends, The Gods rebuke me, but it is Tydings To wash the eyes of Kings
Dol. And strange it is, That Nature must compell vs to lament Our most persisted deeds
Mec. His taints and Honours, wag'd equal with him
Dola. A Rarer spirit neuer Did steere humanity: but you Gods will giue vs Some faults to make vs men. Caesar is touch'd
Mec. When such a spacious Mirror's set before him, He needes must see him selfe
Caesar. Oh Anthony, I haue followed thee to this, but we do launch Diseases in our Bodies. I must perforce Haue shewne to thee such a declining day, Or looke on thine: we could not stall together, In the whole world. But yet let me lament With teares as Soueraigne as the blood of hearts, That thou my Brother, my Competitor, In top of all designe; my Mate in Empire, Friend and Companion in the front of Warre, The Arme of mine owne Body, and the Heart Where mine his thoughts did kindle; that our Starres Vnreconciliable, should diuide our equalnesse to this. Heare me good Friends, But I will tell you at some meeter Season, The businesse of this man lookes out of him, Wee'l heare him what he sayes. Enter an aegyptian.
Whence are you? aegyp. A poore Egyptian yet, the Queen my mistris Confin'd in all, she has her Monument Of thy intents, desires, instruction, That she preparedly may frame her selfe To'th' way shee's forc'd too
Caesar. Bid her haue good heart, She soone shall know of vs, by some of ours, How honourable, and how kindely Wee Determine for her. For Caesar cannot leaue to be vngentle aegypt. So the Gods preserue thee. Enter.
Caes Come hither Proculeius. Go and say We purpose her no shame: giue her what comforts The quality of her passion shall require; Least in her greatnesse, by some mortall stroke She do defeate vs. For her life in Rome, Would be eternall in our Triumph: Go, And with your speediest bring vs what she sayes, And how you finde of her
Pro. Caesar I shall.
Exit Proculeius.
Caes Gallus, go you along: where's Dolabella, to second Proculeius? All. Dolabella
Caes Let him alone: for I remember now How hee's imployd: he shall in time be ready. Go with me to my Tent, where you shall see How hardly I was drawne into this Warre, How calme and gentle I proceeded still In all my Writings. Go with me, and see What I can shew in this.
Exeunt.
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Mardian.