| William Shakespeare (1564–1616). The Oxford Shakespeare. 1914. | | | |
| Antony and Cleopatra | | | | Act IV. Scene I. |
| | Before Alexandria. CÆSAR’S Camp. | |
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Enter CÆSAR, reading a letter; AGRIPPA, MECÆNAS, and Others. | |
| Cæs. He calls me boy, and chides as he had power | |
| To beat me out of Egypt; my messenger | |
| He hath whipp’d with rods; dares me to personal combat, | 5 |
| Cæsar to Antony. Let the old ruffian know | |
| I have many other ways to die; meantime | |
| Laugh at his challenge. | |
| Mec. Cæsar must think, | |
| When one so great begins to rage, he’s hunted | 10 |
| Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now | |
| Make boot of his distraction: never anger | |
| Made good guard for itself. | |
| Cæs. Let our best heads | |
| Know that to-morrow the last of many battles | 15 |
| We mean to fight. Within our files there are, | |
| Of those that serv’d Mark Antony but late, | |
| Enough to fetch him in. See it done; | |
| And feast the army; we have store to do ’t, | |
| And they have earn’d the waste. Poor Antony! [Exeunt. | 20 | | |
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