ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

ACT I.

SCENE I.

Alexandria. A room in Cleopatra's palace.

Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO. Phi. Nay, but this dotage of our general's O’erflows the measure : those his goodly eyes, That o'er the files and musters of the war Have glow'd like plated Mars, now bend, now turn The office and devotion of their view Upon a tawny front: his captain's heart, Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst The buckles on his breast, reneges 1 all temper; And is become the bellows and the fan To cool a gipsy's lust. Look, where they come !

:

Florish. Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with their

trains ; Eunuchs fanning her. Take but good note, and you shall see in hin

The triple pillar of the world transform'd
Into a strumpet's fool : behold, and see.

Cle. If it be love indeed, tell me how much.
Ant. There's beggary in the love that can be

reckon'd. Cle. I 'll set a bourn 1 how far to be beloved. Ant. Then must thou needs find out new heaven,

new earth.

Enter ATTENDANT.

Att. News, my good lord, from Rome.
Ant.

Grates ? me :—the sum.
Cle. Nay, hear them, Antony:
Fulvia, perchance, is angry; or, who knows
If the scarce-bearded Cæsar have not sent
His powerful mandate to you, - Do this, or this ;
Take in that kingdom, and enfranchise that;
Perform 't, or else we damn thee.'
Ant.

my

love ?
Cle. Perchance,-nay, and most like,
You must not stay here longer; your dismission
Is come from Cæsar; therefore hear it, Antony.
Where's Fulvia's process ? 3 Cæsar's, I would say

?>
Both -
Call in the messengers.--As I am Egypt's queen,
Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine
Is Cæsar's homager : else so thy cheek pays shame,

How,

.

mes

When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds.--The

sengers. Ant. Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space; Kingdoms are clay : our dungy earth alike Feeds beast as man: the nobleness of life Is, to do thus; when such a mutual pair,

[embracing.
And such a twain can do 't, in which, I bind,
On pain of punishment, the world to weet,
We stand up peerless.
Cle.

Excellent falsehood !
Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her ?
I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony
Will be himself.

Ant. But stirr’d by Cleopatra. —
Now, for the love of Love, and her soft hours,
Let's not confound the time with conference harsn :
There's not a minute of our lives should stretch
Without some pleasure now. What sport to-night?

Cle. Hear the ambassadors.
Ant.

Fie, wrangling queen!
Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,
To weep; whose every passion fully strives
To make itself, in thee, fair and admired !
No messenger; but thine and all alone,
To-night, we'll wander through the streets, and

The qualities of people. Come, my queen;

. Last night you did desire it.-Speak not to us.

[Exeunt Antony and Cleopatra, with their train. Dem. Is Cæsar with Antonius prized so slight?

Phi. Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,
He comes too short of that great property
Which still should go with Antony.
Dem.

I'm full sorry,
That he approves the common liar, who
Thus speaks of him at Rome: but I will hope
Of better deeds to-morrow. Rest you happy!

[Exeunt.

Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a sooTHSAYER.

Char. Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most any thing Alexas, almost most absolute Alexas, where's the soothsayer that you praised so to the queen ? O, that I knew this husband, which, you say, must charge his horns with garlands !

Alex. Soothsayer.
Sooth. Your will ?
Char. Is this the man ?-Is 't you, sir, that know

things ?
Sooth. In Nature's infinite book of secresy
A little I can read.

Alex.

Show him your hand.

Enter ENOBARBUS.

i

Eno. Bring in the banquet quickly; wine enough, Cleopatra's health to drink.

Char. Good sir, give me good fortune.
Sooth. I make not, but foresee.
Char. Pray then, foresee me one.
Sooth. You shall be yet far fairer than you are.
Char. He means, in flesh.
Iras. No, you shall paint when you are old.
Char. Wrinkles forbid !
Alex. Vex not his prescience; be attentive.
Char. Hush !
Sooth. You shall be more beloving than beloved.
Char. I had rather heat my liver with drinking.
Alex. Nay, hear him.

Char. Good now, some excellent fortune! Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all : let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry may do homage: find me to marry me with Octavius Cæsar, and companion me with my mistress.

Sooth. You shall outlive the lady whom you

serve.

Char. O excellent! I love long life better than figs. 2

1

1 A proverbial expression.