Antony and Cleopatra
| ACT IV SCENE III | The same. Before the palace. | |
| [Enter two Soldiers to their guard] | ||
| First Soldier | Brother, good night: to-morrow is the day. | |
| Second Soldier | It will determine one way: fare you well. | |
| Heard you of nothing strange about the streets? | ||
| First Soldier | Nothing. What news? | |
| Second Soldier | Belike ’tis but a rumour. Good night to you. | 5 |
| First Soldier | Well, sir, good night. | |
| [Enter two other Soldiers] | ||
| Second Soldier | Soldiers, have careful watch. | |
| Third Soldier | And you. Good night, good night. | |
| [They place themselves in every corner of the stage] | ||
| Fourth Soldier | Here we: and if to-morrow | |
| Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope | 10 | |
| Our landmen will stand up. | ||
| Third Soldier | ‘Tis a brave army, | |
| And full of purpose. | ||
| [Music of the hautboys as under the stage] | ||
| Fourth Soldier | Peace! what noise? | |
| First Soldier | List, list! | 15 |
| Second Soldier | Hark! | |
| First Soldier | Music i’ the air. | |
| Third Soldier | Under the earth. | |
| Fourth Soldier | It signs well, does it not? | |
| Third Soldier | No. | 20 |
| First Soldier | Peace, I say! | |
| What should this mean? | ||
| Second Soldier | ‘Tis the god Hercules, whom Antony loved, | |
| Now leaves him. | ||
| First Soldier | Walk; let’s see if other watchmen | 25 |
| Do hear what we do? | ||
| [They advance to another post] | ||
| Second Soldier | How now, masters! | |
| All | [Speaking together] How now! | |
| How now! do you hear this? | ||
| First Soldier | Ay; is’t not strange? | 30 |
| Third Soldier | Do you hear, masters? do you hear? | |
| First Soldier | Follow the noise so far as we have quarter; | |
| Let’s see how it will give off. | ||
| All | Content. ‘Tis strange. | |
| [Exeunt] | ||
Antony and Cleopatra, Act 4, Scene 4
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Explanatory Notes for Act 4, Scene 3
From Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra. Ed. M. Eaton. Boston: Educational Publishing Company.
(Line numbers have been altered.)
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5. Belike. Very Hkely.
10. Absolute. Certain.
* Hautboys. A wind instrument made of wood.
19. Signs. It is a good omen.
23. Hercules. A legendary Greek hero who was in later times regarded as a god.
32. Quarter. As far as the Hmits of our beat.
33. Give off. Cease.
34. Content. Very good, all right.
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How to cite the explanatory notes:Shakespeare, William. Antony and Cleopatra. Ed. M. Eaton. Boston: Educational Publishing Company, 1908.