Antony and Cleopatra, Act 2 Scene 3 runs 48 lines of dialogue, spoken by 4 speakers. That is shorter than the play’s average scene length of about 85 lines. This scene is part of Act 2 of Antony and Cleopatra.
Full Dialogue
Mark Antony ♂
The world and my great office will sometimes
Divide me from your bosom.
Divide me from your bosom.
Octavia ♀
All which time
Before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers
To them for you.
Before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers
To them for you.
Mark Antony ♂
Good night, sir. My Octavia,
Read not my blemishes in the world's report:
I have not kept my square; but that to come
Shall all be done by the rule. Good night, dear lady.
Good night, sir.
Read not my blemishes in the world's report:
I have not kept my square; but that to come
Shall all be done by the rule. Good night, dear lady.
Good night, sir.
Octavius Caesar ♂
Good night.
Mark Antony ♂
Now, sirrah; you do wish yourself in Egypt?
Soothsayer ♂
Would I had never come from thence, nor you Thither!
Mark Antony ♂
If you can, your reason?
Soothsayer ♂
I see it in
My motion, have it not in my tongue: but yet
Hie you to Egypt again.
My motion, have it not in my tongue: but yet
Hie you to Egypt again.
Mark Antony ♂
Say to me,
Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Caesar's or mine?
Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Caesar's or mine?
Soothsayer ♂
Caesar's.
Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side:
Thy demon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous high, unmatchable,
Where Caesar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Becomes a fear, as being o'erpower'd: therefore
Make space enough between you.
Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side:
Thy demon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous high, unmatchable,
Where Caesar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Becomes a fear, as being o'erpower'd: therefore
Make space enough between you.
Mark Antony ♂
Speak this no more.
Soothsayer ♂
To none but thee; no more, but when to thee.
If thou dost play with him at any game,
Thou art sure to lose; and, of that natural luck,
He beats thee 'gainst the odds: thy lustre thickens,
When he shines by: I say again, thy spirit
Is all afraid to govern thee near him;
But, he away, 'tis noble.
If thou dost play with him at any game,
Thou art sure to lose; and, of that natural luck,
He beats thee 'gainst the odds: thy lustre thickens,
When he shines by: I say again, thy spirit
Is all afraid to govern thee near him;
But, he away, 'tis noble.
Mark Antony ♂
Get thee gone:
Say to Ventidius I would speak with him:
He shall to Parthia. Be it art or hap,
He hath spoken true: the very dice obey him;
And in our sports my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds;
His cocks do win the battle still of mine,
When it is all to nought; and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
I' the east my pleasure lies.
O, come, Ventidius,
You must to Parthia: your commission's ready;
Follow me, and receive't.
Say to Ventidius I would speak with him:
He shall to Parthia. Be it art or hap,
He hath spoken true: the very dice obey him;
And in our sports my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds;
His cocks do win the battle still of mine,
When it is all to nought; and his quails ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
I' the east my pleasure lies.
O, come, Ventidius,
You must to Parthia: your commission's ready;
Follow me, and receive't.
48 lines rendered verbatim from the dialogue corpus.
Who’s On Stage
Speaking characters in this scene
| Character | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Antony | 26 | 54.2% |
| Soothsayer | 18 | 37.5% |
| Octavia | 3 | 6.3% |
| Octavius Caesar | 1 | 2.1% |
Line distribution
The top speaker in this scene delivers 26 lines, while the scene’s average per speaker is about 12 lines.
Total speakers on stage
4 named characters speak in this scene.
Scene in Context
Position within Act 2
This is Scene 3 of 7 in Act 2 of Antony and Cleopatra.
Scene length vs. play average
At 48 lines, this scene is shorter than the Antony and Cleopatra average scene in Antony and Cleopatra (~85 lines).
Adjacent scenes
Previous: Act 2 Scene 2 · Next: Act 2 Scene 4