Tony and Cleop Act Three Scene Thirteen Sub-Scene Three

 

Act Three

Scene Thirteen

Sub-Scene Three

Lover’s words were disconnected.

 

The two lovers argued, while one man stood by the side. Enobarbus knew better than to stand in the quarrel of two lovers. He did contemplate, then, to whom he would protect if the lovers drew guns.

“Boss or Queen?” Enobarbus sighed.

“To let a man that accepts favours and says, "May God repay you!" be intimate with your hand, the hand that I have played with, that bestows the royal seal, and drink toasts to all those with great spirits! Oh, if only I were on the hill with Moses, so I could roar louder to God. I am disgusted.”

“God will listen to me then. He knew that I was about my wrongs calmly; if I was to be ignored as a condemned man thanking the hangman for hanging him quickly, he may side with me. Give me death so I may end my misery.” Mark stepped towards the wall and slammed his fists onto it. He saw the servant had been dragged into Thidias. The latter looked hurt; who would not be if they were whipped with a dozen lashes?

“Has he been whipped?” Mark asked. The servant nodded.

“If your father is alive, let him be sorry that you were not born a girl. I would not have whipped a girl. I would have her used by the servants in every orifice.”

“As you are a man, you should be sorry that you follow Caesar and his success, since you've been whipped for doing so.” Mark looked from Thidias to the Queen.

“From now on, be as terrified of a lady's white hand as you would be of a fever; shake with fear to look at it. No one touches the Queen except me.”

“Now get back to Caesar. Tell him how you were treated. Be sure to tell him how angry he makes me for continuing to focus on my present disgrace rather than on my past glories. He is making me angry, and right now it is very easy to do that, since the lucky stars that used to guide me have left their positions in the sky and drenched their lights in the pit of hell.”

“If he does not like what I have said and done, tell him that he has my boys and that he may freely whip, hang, or torture them just as he likes to get revenge on me. Tell him that.”

“Get out of here with your wounds; be gone!” Mark kicked at Thidias. “Take him away. I do not want to see him anymore.”

“Are you finished yet?” The Queen looked at Mark.

“Alas, the great Cleopatra's power is gone, and this alone foretells that I will fall too.” Mark laughed. “The fall of Mark Antony because of a woman. To flatter Caesar, she would flirt with one of his servants.”

“Flirt? Do you not know me at all by now?” The Queen shouted.

“How can you still be cold-hearted towards me?” Mark looked at the Queen.

“Ah, dear, if I am, the heart of mine cold like the frigid snow storm, may heaven create hail storms in my cold heart and dark poison it at the source, and may the first hailstone that falls lodge in my throat. As it melts, let it kill me!” The Queen swore at Mark. “Let the next stone kill my son Caesarion, until gradually all my children, together with all my brave Egyptians, are killed by the dissolving hailstones of this storm and lie unburied until the flies and gnats of the Nile have buried them as their prey!”

“Curses and damning of your soul will not satiate my anger.” Mark looked at the Queen. “I am satisfied with your feelings for me once before.”

“When Caesar lays siege to Alexandria, I will oppose him and put an end to his good luck. My boys on land have withstood him nobly. My fleet of ships came together; their ships are afloat, presenting a most seaworthy threat. But they are not there anymore.”

“Nothing left. My courage is gone? Do you hear me, my lady? If I return from the field again to kiss your lips, I will be bloody and have new vigour. My killings may earn me a good reputation. Do you think there's hope for our side yet?”

“That is what I saw in you, my love.” Queen smiled. “Hope.” 

“With... hope, perhaps at other times, I will be three times as strong, as brave, and as persevering, and I will fight furiously. For when I had good fortune and could act however, I pleased, I was so merciful that men could ransom their lives from me for a mere trifle. But now I have hardened my heart and destroyed everyone that opposes me.” Mark Antony was delirious in his mind.

“Come, let us have one more night of celebration. Call all my boys to join me. Fill our cups once more. We would not care how late it is; we will mock the late hour by celebrating.” Mark called out. “We will still triumph.”

“It is my birthday. I thought I would have no celebrations, but since my lord is acting like himself again, I will be myself again too.” The Queen was happier. He looked at Enobarbus. “Call all the boys to him. Mark Antony is back.”

“Come on, my Queen. There is still hope for our side. The next time I fight, I will make Death admire me, for I will oppose even his fatal power.” Mark roared out. “Come, my Queen. We will celebrate that.”

Enobarbus watched the two leave, and he stood there.

“Now he will set himself against even the mightiest enemies. He is so riled up that his frenzy has driven out his fear, and in that mood, the weakest man will challenge the strongest. I can tell that our boss is regaining his bravery only because he has lost his judgment, like a wounded lion charging the huge bear. When a man's courage destroys his reason, he destroys the very thing that could save him. I will look for some way to leave him.”

Enobarbus felt the burden on his conscience. He looked to himself at the mirror nearby.

“Good my lord, you have begot me, bred me, loved me; I return those duties back as are right fit, obey you, love you, and most honour you.” Enobarbus quoted Cordelia words to her father from King Lear.

“I do, Boss but do you take me for one? I am beginning to feel it was not to be.” Enobarbus sighed. “No one is a friend to his friend who does not love in return.” (Plato).