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Act 4, Scene 8 — Under the Walls of Alexandria.
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The argument Antony celebrates his land victory, sending word to Cleopatra. She arrives and lavishes praise on him and Scarus, rewarding the warrior with armor; Antony orders a triumphant procession through Alexandria.
Alarum. Enter Antony again in a march; Scarus with others.
ANTONY ≋ verse ANTONY speaks

We have beat him to his camp. Run one before

And let the Queen know of our gests.

Tomorrow,

Before the sun shall see’s, we’ll spill the blood

That has today escaped. I thank you all,

For doughty-handed are you, and have fought

Not as you served the cause, but as’t had been

Each man’s like mine. You have shown all Hectors.

We have beat him to his camp. Run one before And let the Queen know of our gests. Tomorrow, Before the sun shall see’s, we’ll spill the blood That has today escaped. I thank you all, For doughty-handed are you, and have fought Not as you served the cause, but as’t had been Each man’s like mine. You ...

We have beat him to his camp. Run one before And let the Queen know of our gests. Tomorrow, Before the sun shall see’s, we’ll spill the blood That has today escaped. I thank you all, For doughty-handed are you, and have fought Not as you served the cause, but as’t had been Each man’s like mine. You ...

we have beat him to his camp. run one before and let the queen know of our gests. tomorrow, before the sun shall see’s, we’ll spill the blood that has

"You have shown all Hectors" Hector was Troy's greatest warrior. Antony is saying his men fought with Hector-level valor—the highest compliment he can give.
Enter the city, clip your wives, your friends,
Tell them your feats; whilst they with joyful tears
Wash the congealment from your wounds and kiss
The honoured gashes whole.
Enter Cleopatra.
[_To Scarus_.] Give me thy hand.
To this great fairy I’ll commend thy acts,
Make her thanks bless thee. O thou day o’ th’ world,
Chain mine armed neck. Leap thou, attire and all,
Through proof of harness to my heart, and there
Ride on the pants triumphing.
CLEOPATRA ≋ verse CLEOPATRA speaks

Lord of lords!

O infinite virtue, com’st thou smiling from

The world’s great snare uncaught?

Lord of lords! O infinite virtue, com’st thou smiling from The world’s great snare uncaught?

Lord of lords! O infinite virtue, com’st thou smiling from The world’s great snare uncaught?

lord of lords! o infinite virtue, com’st thou smiling from the world’s great snare uncaught?

"The world's great snare" Caesar's military trap—the attempt to pin Antony down and destroy him. Cleopatra asks if Antony escaped it.
ANTONY ≋ verse ANTONY speaks

Mine nightingale,

We have beat them to their beds. What, girl! Though grey

Do something mingle with our younger brown, yet ha’ we

A brain that nourishes our nerves and can

Get goal for goal of youth. Behold this man.

Commend unto his lips thy favouring hand.—

Kiss it, my warrior. He hath fought today

As if a god, in hate of mankind, had

Destroyed in such a shape.

Mine nightingale, We have beat them to their beds. What, girl! Though grey Do something mingle with our younger brown, yet ha’ we A brain that nourishes our nerves and can Get goal for goal of youth. Behold this man. Commend unto his lips thy favouring hand.— Kiss it, my warrior. He hath fought toda...

Mine nightingale, We have beat them to their beds. What, girl! Though grey Do something mingle with our younger brown, yet ha’ we A brain that nourishes our nerves and can Get goal for goal of youth. Behold this man. Commend unto his lips thy favouring hand.— Kiss it, my warrior. He hath fought toda...

mine nightingale, we have beat them to their beds. what, girl! though grey do something mingle with our younger brown, yet ha’ we a brain that nourish

"Though grey / Do something mingle with our younger brown" Antony's hair is graying—a sign of age. He's half-defending his vitality to her, saying age hasn't dulled his power.
CLEOPATRA ≋ verse CLEOPATRA speaks

I’ll give thee, friend,

An armour all of gold. It was a king’s.

I’ll give thee, friend, An armour all of gold. It was a king’s.

I’ll give thee, friend, An armour all of gold. It was a king’s.

i’ll give thee, friend, an armour all of gold. it was a king’s.

ANTONY ≋ verse ANTONY speaks

He has deserved it, were it carbuncled

Like holy Phœbus’ car. Give me thy hand.

Through Alexandria make a jolly march;

Bear our hacked targets like the men that owe them.

Had our great palace the capacity

To camp this host, we all would sup together

And drink carouses to the next day’s fate,

Which promises royal peril.—Trumpeters,

With brazen din blast you the city’s ear;

Make mingle with our rattling tabourines,

That heaven and earth may strike their sounds together,

Applauding our approach.

He has deserved it, were it carbuncled Like holy Phœbus’ car. Give me thy hand. Through Alexandria make a jolly march; Bear our hacked targets like the men that owe them. Had our great palace the capacity To camp this host, we all would sup together And drink carouses to the next day’s fate, Which p...

He has deserved it, were it carbuncled Like holy Phœbus’ car. Give me thy hand. Through Alexandria make a jolly march; Bear our hacked targets like the men that owe them. Had our great palace the capacity To camp this host, we all would sup together And drink carouses to the next day’s fate, Which p...

he has deserved it, were it carbuncled like holy phœbus’ car. give me thy hand. through alexandria make a jolly march; bear our hacked targets like th

"Were it carbuncled / Like holy Phœbus' car" Phoebus is Apollo; his golden chariot is covered in rubies (carbuncles). Antony's saying even royal gems would suit this soldier.
[_Exeunt._]

The Reckoning

The first exultant moment after winning. Antony's soldiers are heroes—each man a Hector. Cleopatra appears, awestruck, calls him 'Lord of lords' and the day of the world. She gives Scarus a king's gold armor. Antony is still a man of power, charm, and command. He orders a riotous march through the city with music. This is before the fall—the moment of false reprieve that makes the collapse hit harder.

If this happened today…

The startup that just landed its Series A. The founders walk through the office giddy. Everyone's dancing, the CEO hugs key people, some young engineer gets a stock bonus. The brass band plays. Nobody's thinking about the Series B or the market downturn. This is the peak moment that the shutdown memo will later point to.

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