Alexandria. Cleopatra’s palace

Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS,
with others

    ANTONY.
Eros! mine armour, Eros!

    CLEOPATRA.
                                                Sleep a little.

    ANTONY.
No, my chuck. Eros! Come, mine armour, Eros!

Enter EROS with armour

Come, good fellow, put mine iron on.
If fortune be not ours to-day, it is
Because we brave her. Come.

    CLEOPATRA.
                                        Nay, I’ll help too.
What’s this for?

    ANTONY.
Ah, let be, let be! Thou art
The armourer of my heart. False, false; this, this.

    CLEOPATRA.
Sooth, la, I’ll help. Thus it must be.

    ANTONY.
                                                Well, well;
We shall thrive now. Seest thou, my good fellow?
Go put on thy defences.

    EROS.
                                Briefly, sir.

    CLEOPATRA.
Is not this buckled well?

    ANTONY.
                                        Rarely, rarely!
He that unbuckles this, till we do please
To daff’t for our repose, shall hear a storm.
Thou fumblest, Eros, and my queen’s a squire
More tight at this than thou. Dispatch. O love,
That thou couldst see my wars to-day, and knew’st
The royal occupation! Thou shouldst see
A workman in’t.

Enter an armed Soldier

                        Good-morrow to thee. Welcome.
Thou look’st like him that knows a warlike charge.
To business that we love we rise betime,
And go to’t with delight.

    SOLDIER.
                                A thousand, sir,
Early though’t be, have on their riveted trim,
And at the port expect you.

[Shout. Flourish of trumpets within

Enter Captains and Soldiers

    CAPTAIN.
The morn is fair. Good morrow, General.

    ALL.
Good morrow, General.

    ANTONY.
                                        ’Tis well blown, lads.
This morning, like the spirit of a youth
That means to be of note, begins betimes.
So, so. Come, give me that. This way. Well said.
Fare thee well, dame, whate’er becomes of me.
This is a soldier’s kiss. Rebukeable,
And worthy shameful check it were, to stand
On more mechanic compliment; I’ll leave thee
Now like a man of steel. You that will fight,
Follow me close; I’ll bring you to’t. Adieu.

[Exeunt Antony, Eros, Captains and Soldiers

    CHARMIAN.
Please you retire to your chamber?

    CLEOPATRA.
                                                Lead me.
He goes forth gallantly. That he and Cæsar might
Determine this great war in single fight!
Then, Antony,—but now—Well, on.[Exeunt