Page:Antony and Cleopatra (1921) Yale.djvu/85

Antony and Cleopatra, III. viii

Eno. What's thy passion?

Scar. The greater cantle of the world is lost

With very ignorance; we have kiss'd away

Kingdoms and provinces.

Eno. How appears the fight?

Scar. On our side like the token'd pestilence,

Where death is sure. Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt,

Whom leprosy o'ertake! i' the midst o' the fight,

When vantage like a pair of twins appear'd,

Both as the same, or rather ours the elder,

The breese upon her, like a cow in June,

Hoists sails and flies.

Eno. That I beheld:

Mine eyes did sicken at the sight, and could not

Endure a further view.

Scar. She once being loof'd,

The noble ruin of her magic, Antony,

Claps on his sea-wing, and like a doting mallard,

Leaving the fight in height, flies after her.

I never saw an action of such shame;

Experience, manhood, honour, ne'er before

Did violate so itself.

Eno. Alack, alack!

Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath,

And sinks most lamentably. Had our general

Been what he knew himself, it had gone well:

O! he has given example for our flight

Most grossly by his own.

Eno. Ay, are you thereabouts?

Why, then, good night, indeed.

 16 cantle: part

19 token'd pestilence: the plague with its marks

20 ribaudred: wanton (?)

24 breese: gadfly

27 loof'd: luffed, meaning here, probably, 'turned aside' 