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Speeches (Lines) for Octavius
in "Antony and Cleopatra"

Total: 98

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# Act, Scene, Line
(Click to see in context)
Speech text

1

I,4,424

You may see, Lepidus, and henceforth know,
It is not Caesar's natural vice to hate
Our great competitor: from Alexandria
This is the news: he fishes, drinks, and wastes
The lamps of night in revel; is not more man-like
Than Cleopatra; nor the queen of Ptolemy
More womanly than he; hardly gave audience, or
Vouchsafed to think he had partners: you shall find there
A man who is the abstract of all faults
That all men follow.

2

I,4,440

You are too indulgent. Let us grant, it is not
Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy;
To give a kingdom for a mirth; to sit
And keep the turn of tippling with a slave;
To reel the streets at noon, and stand the buffet
With knaves that smell of sweat: say this
becomes him,—
As his composure must be rare indeed
Whom these things cannot blemish,—yet must Antony
No way excuse his soils, when we do bear
So great weight in his lightness. If he fill'd
His vacancy with his voluptuousness,
Full surfeits, and the dryness of his bones,
Call on him for't: but to confound such time,
That drums him from his sport, and speaks as loud
As his own state and ours,—'tis to be chid
As we rate boys, who, being mature in knowledge,
Pawn their experience to their present pleasure,
And so rebel to judgment.

3

I,4,468

I should have known no less.
It hath been taught us from the primal state,
That he which is was wish'd until he were;
And the ebb'd man, ne'er loved till ne'er worth love,
Comes dear'd by being lack'd. This common body,
Like to a vagabond flag upon the stream,
Goes to and back, lackeying the varying tide,
To rot itself with motion.

4

I,4,485

Antony,
Leave thy lascivious wassails. When thou once
Wast beaten from Modena, where thou slew'st
Hirtius and Pansa, consuls, at thy heel
Did famine follow; whom thou fought'st against,
Though daintily brought up, with patience more
Than savages could suffer: thou didst drink
The stale of horses, and the gilded puddle
Which beasts would cough at: thy palate then did deign
The roughest berry on the rudest hedge;
Yea, like the stag, when snow the pasture sheets,
The barks of trees thou browsed'st; on the Alps
It is reported thou didst eat strange flesh,
Which some did die to look on: and all this—
It wounds thine honour that I speak it now—
Was borne so like a soldier, that thy cheek
So much as lank'd not.

5

I,4,503

Let his shames quickly
Drive him to Rome: 'tis time we twain
Did show ourselves i' the field; and to that end
Assemble we immediate council: Pompey
Thrives in our idleness.

6

I,4,512

Till which encounter,
It is my business too. Farewell.

7

I,4,517

Doubt not, sir;
I knew it for my bond.

8

II,2,704

I do not know,
Mecaenas; ask Agrippa.

9

II,2,719

Welcome to Rome.

10

II,2,721

Sit.

11

II,2,723

Nay, then.

12

II,2,726

I must be laugh'd at,
If, or for nothing or a little, I
Should say myself offended, and with you
Chiefly i' the world; more laugh'd at, that I should
Once name you derogately, when to sound your name
It not concern'd me.

13

II,2,734

No more than my residing here at Rome
Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there
Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt
Might be my question.

14

II,2,739

You may be pleased to catch at mine intent
By what did here befal me. Your wife and brother
Made wars upon me; and their contestation
Was theme for you, you were the word of war.

15

II,2,753

You praise yourself
By laying defects of judgment to me; but
You patch'd up your excuses.

16

II,2,772

I wrote to you
When rioting in Alexandria; you
Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Did gibe my missive out of audience.

17

II,2,784

You have broken
The article of your oath; which you shall never
Have tongue to charge me with.

18

II,2,793

To lend me arms and aid when I required them;
The which you both denied.

19

II,2,819

I do not much dislike the matter, but
The manner of his speech; for't cannot be
We shall remain in friendship, our conditions
So differing in their acts. Yet if I knew
What hoop should hold us stanch, from edge to edge
O' the world I would pursue it.

20

II,2,826

Speak, Agrippa.

21

II,2,830

Say not so, Agrippa:
If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof
Were well deserved of rashness.

22

II,2,851

Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd
With what is spoke already.

23

II,2,856

The power of Caesar, and
His power unto Octavia.

24

II,2,864

There is my hand.
A sister I bequeath you, whom no brother
Did ever love so dearly: let her live
To join our kingdoms and our hearts; and never
Fly off our loves again!

25

II,2,879

About the mount Misenum.

26

II,2,881

Great and increasing: but by sea
He is an absolute master.

27

II,2,887

With most gladness:
And do invite you to my sister's view,
Whither straight I'll lead you.

28

II,3,989

Good night.

29

II,6,1214

Most meet
That first we come to words; and therefore have we
Our written purposes before us sent;
Which, if thou hast consider'd, let us know
If 'twill tie up thy discontented sword,
And carry back to Sicily much tall youth
That else must perish here.

30

II,6,1237

Take your time.

31

II,6,1248

There's the point.

32

II,6,1251

And what may follow,
To try a larger fortune.

33

II,6,1259

[with Antony and Lepidus] That's our offer.

34

II,6,1276

Since I saw you last,
There is a change upon you.

35

II,6,1286

That's the next to do.

36

II,6,1317

[with Antony and Lepidus]

37

II,7,1429

Will this description satisfy him?

38

II,7,1492

I could well forbear't.
It's monstrous labour, when I wash my brain,
And it grows fouler.

39

II,7,1496

Possess it, I'll make answer:
But I had rather fast from all four days
Than drink so much in one.

40

II,7,1521

What would you more? Pompey, good night. Good brother,
Let me request you off: our graver business
Frowns at this levity. Gentle lords, let's part;
You see we have burnt our cheeks: strong Enobarb
Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue
Splits what it speaks: the wild disguise hath almost
Antick'd us all. What needs more words? Good night.
Good Antony, your hand.

41

III,2,1622

You take from me a great part of myself;
Use me well in 't. Sister, prove such a wife
As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest band
Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,
Let not the piece of virtue, which is set
Betwixt us as the cement of our love,
To keep it builded, be the ram to batter
The fortress of it; for better might we
Have loved without this mean, if on both parts
This be not cherish'd.

42

III,2,1634

I have said.

43

III,2,1640

Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well:
The elements be kind to thee, and make
Thy spirits all of comfort! fare thee well.

44

III,2,1647

What, Octavia?

45

III,2,1667

No, sweet Octavia,
You shall hear from me still; the time shall not
Out-go my thinking on you.

46

III,2,1674

Adieu; be happy!

47

III,2,1677

Farewell, farewell!

48

III,6,1822

Contemning Rome, he has done all this, and more,
In Alexandria: here's the manner of 't:
I' the market-place, on a tribunal silver'd,
Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold
Were publicly enthroned: at the feet sat
Caesarion, whom they call my father's son,
And all the unlawful issue that their lust
Since then hath made between them. Unto her
He gave the stablishment of Egypt; made her
Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,
Absolute queen.

49

III,6,1834

I' the common show-place, where they exercise.
His sons he there proclaim'd the kings of kings:
Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia.
He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assign'd
Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia: she
In the habiliments of the goddess Isis
That day appear'd; and oft before gave audience,
As 'tis reported, so.

50

III,6,1845

The people know it; and have now received
His accusations.

51

III,6,1848

Caesar: and that, having in Sicily
Sextus Pompeius spoil'd, we had not rated him
His part o' the isle: then does he say, he lent me
Some shipping unrestored: lastly, he frets
That Lepidus of the triumvirate
Should be deposed; and, being, that we detain
All his revenue.

52

III,6,1856

'Tis done already, and the messenger gone.
I have told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel;
That he his high authority abused,
And did deserve his change: for what I have conquer'd,
I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia,
And other of his conquer'd kingdoms, I
Demand the like.

53

III,6,1864

Nor must not then be yielded to in this.

54

III,6,1867

That ever I should call thee castaway!

55

III,6,1869

Why have you stol'n upon us thus! You come not
Like Caesar's sister: the wife of Antony
Should have an army for an usher, and
The neighs of horse to tell of her approach
Long ere she did appear; the trees by the way
Should have borne men; and expectation fainted,
Longing for what it had not; nay, the dust
Should have ascended to the roof of heaven,
Raised by your populous troops: but you are come
A market-maid to Rome; and have prevented
The ostentation of our love, which, left unshown,
Is often left unloved; we should have met you
By sea and land; supplying every stage
With an augmented greeting.

56

III,6,1889

Which soon he granted,
Being an obstruct 'tween his lust and him.

57

III,6,1892

I have eyes upon him,
And his affairs come to me on the wind.
Where is he now?

58

III,6,1896

No, my most wronged sister; Cleopatra
Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire
Up to a whore; who now are levying
The kings o' the earth for war; he hath assembled
Bocchus, the king of Libya; Archelaus,
Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, king
Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas;
King Malchus of Arabia; King of Pont;
Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, king
Of Comagene; Polemon and Amyntas,
The kings of Mede and Lycaonia,
With a more larger list of sceptres.

59

III,6,1911

Welcome hither:
Your letters did withhold our breaking forth;
Till we perceived, both how you were wrong led,
And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart;
Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
O'er your content these strong necessities;
But let determined things to destiny
Hold unbewail'd their way. Welcome to Rome;
Nothing more dear to me. You are abused
Beyond the mark of thought: and the high gods,
To do you justice, make them ministers
Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort;
And ever welcome to us.

60

III,6,1932

Most certain. Sister, welcome: pray you,
Be ever known to patience: my dear'st sister!

61

III,8,2044

Taurus!

62

III,8,2046

Strike not by land; keep whole: provoke not battle,
Till we have done at sea. Do not exceed
The prescript of this scroll: our fortune lies
Upon this jump.

63

III,12,2197

Let him appear that's come from Antony.
Know you him?

64

III,12,2205

Approach, and speak.

65

III,12,2210

Be't so: declare thine office.

66

III,12,2220

For Antony,
I have no ears to his request. The queen
Of audience nor desire shall fail, so she
From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,
Or take his life there: this if she perform,
She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.

67

III,12,2227

Bring him through the bands.
[Exit EUPHRONIUS]
[To THYREUS] To try eloquence, now 'tis time: dispatch;]
From Antony win Cleopatra: promise,
And in our name, what she requires; add more,
From thine invention, offers: women are not
In their best fortunes strong; but want will perjure
The ne'er touch'd vestal: try thy cunning, Thyreus;
Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we
Will answer as a law.

68

III,12,2238

Observe how Antony becomes his flaw,
And what thou think'st his very action speaks
In every power that moves.

69

IV,1,2496

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,
Caesar to Antony: let the old ruffian know
I have many other ways to die; meantime
Laugh at his challenge.

70

IV,1,2507

Let our best heads
Know, that to-morrow the last of many battles
We mean to fight: within our files there are,
Of those that served 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!

71

IV,6,2704

Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight:
Our will is Antony be took alive;
Make it so known.

72

IV,6,2709

The time of universal peace is near:
Prove this a prosperous day, the three-nook'd world
Shall bear the olive freely.

73

IV,6,2715

Go charge Agrippa
Plant those that have revolted in the van,
That Antony may seem to spend his fury
Upon himself.

74

IV,11,2893

But being charged, we will be still by land,
Which, as I take't, we shall; for his best force
Is forth to man his galleys. To the vales,
And hold our best advantage.

75

V,1,3278

Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield;
Being so frustrate, tell him he mocks
The pauses that he makes.

76

V,1,3284

Wherefore is that? and what art thou that darest
Appear thus to us?

77

V,1,3294

What is't thou say'st?

78

V,1,3296

The breaking of so great a thing should make
A greater crack: the round world
Should have shook lions into civil streets,
And citizens to their dens: the death of Antony
Is not a single doom; in the name lay
A moiety of the world.

79

V,1,3310

Look you sad, friends?
The gods rebuke me, but it is tidings
To wash the eyes of kings.

80

V,1,3323

O Antony!
I have follow'd thee to this; but we do lance
Diseases in our bodies: I must perforce
Have shown to thee such a declining day,
Or look on thine; we could not stall together
In the whole world: but yet let me lament,
With tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts,
That thou, my brother, my competitor
In top of all design, my mate in empire,
Friend and companion in the front of war,
The arm of mine own body, and the heart
Where mine his thoughts did kindle,—that our stars,
Unreconciliable, should divide
Our equalness to this. Hear me, good friends—
But I will tell you at some meeter season:
[Enter an Egyptian]
The business of this man looks out of him;
We'll hear him what he says. Whence are you?

81

V,1,3346

Bid her have good heart:
She soon shall know of us, by some of ours,
How honourable and how kindly we
Determine for her; for Caesar cannot live
To be ungentle.

82

V,1,3353

Come hither, Proculeius. Go and say,
We purpose her no shame: give her what comforts
The quality of her passion shall require,
Lest, in her greatness, by some mortal stroke
She do defeat us; for her life in Rome
Would be eternal in our triumph: go,
And with your speediest bring us what she says,
And how you find of her.

83

V,1,3363

Gallus, go you along.
[Exit GALLUS]
Where's Dolabella,
To second Proculeius?

84

V,1,3368

Let him alone, for I remember now
How he's employ'd: he shall in time be ready.
Go with me to my tent; where you shall see
How hardly I was drawn into this war;
How calm and gentle I proceeded still
In all my writings: go with me, and see
What I can show in this.

85

V,2,3528

Which is the Queen of Egypt?

86

V,2,3531

Arise, you shall not kneel:
I pray you, rise; rise, Egypt.

87

V,2,3536

Take to you no hard thoughts:
The record of what injuries you did us,
Though written in our flesh, we shall remember
As things but done by chance.

88

V,2,3545

Cleopatra, know,
We will extenuate rather than enforce:
If you apply yourself to our intents,
Which towards you are most gentle, you shall find
A benefit in this change; but if you seek
To lay on me a cruelty, by taking
Antony's course, you shall bereave yourself
Of my good purposes, and put your children
To that destruction which I'll guard them from,
If thereon you rely. I'll take my leave.

89

V,2,3558

You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.

90

V,2,3571

Nay, blush not, Cleopatra; I approve
Your wisdom in the deed.

91

V,2,3582

Good queen, let us entreat you.

92

V,2,3602

Forbear, Seleucus.

93

V,2,3608

Cleopatra,
Not what you have reserved, nor what acknowledged,
Put we i' the roll of conquest: still be't yours,
Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe,
Caesar's no merchant, to make prize with you
Of things that merchants sold. Therefore be cheer'd;
Make not your thoughts your prisons: no, dear queen;
For we intend so to dispose you as
Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep:
Our care and pity is so much upon you,
That we remain your friend; and so, adieu.

94

V,2,3620

Not so. Adieu.

95

V,2,3812

Bravest at the last,
She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal,
Took her own way. The manner of their deaths?
I do not see them bleed.

96

V,2,3819

Poison'd, then.

97

V,2,3825

O noble weakness!
If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear
By external swelling: but she looks like sleep,
As she would catch another Antony
In her strong toil of grace.

98

V,2,3836

Most probable
That so she died; for her physician tells me
She hath pursued conclusions infinite
Of easy ways to die. Take up her bed;
And bear her women from the monument:
She shall be buried by her Antony:
No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them; and their story is
No less in pity than his glory which
Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall
In solemn show attend this funeral;
And then to Rome. Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

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