Ant. Mess. Antony, thou would'st say, O, my lord! Ant. Speak to me home, mince not the general tongue; Name Cleopatra as she's called in Rome : Rail thou in Fulvia's phrase; and taunt my faults With such full licence, as both truth and malice Have power to utter. O, then we bring forth weeds, When our quick winds* lie still; and our ills told us, Is as our earingt. Fare thee well a while. [Exit. Ant. From Sicyon how the news? Speak there. 1 Att. The man from Sicyon.-Is there such an one? 2 dtt. He stays upon your will. Let him appear, Ant. Enter another Messenger. Or lose myself in dotage.-What are you? 2 Mess. In Sicyon : Where died she? Her length of sickness, with what else more serious Importeth thee to know, this bears. [Gives a letter. Ant. Forbear me.— [Exit Messenger. There's a great spirit gone! Thus did I desire it: The opposite of itself: she's good, being gone; * In some editions minds. Tilling, ploughing; prepares us to produce good seed. I must from this enchanting queen break off; ' Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know, My idleness doth hatch.-How now! Enobarbus ! Enter Enobarbus. Eno. What's your pleasure, sir? Ant. I must with haste from hence. Eno. Why, then, we kill all our women: We see how mortal an unkindness is to them; if they suffer our departure, death's the word. Ant. I must be gone. Eno. Under a compelling occasion, let women die: It were pity to cast them away for nothing; though, between them and a great cause, they should be esteemed nothing. Cleopatra, catching but the least noise of this, dies instantly; I have seen her die twenty times upon far poorer moment: I do think, there is mettle in death, which commits some loving act upon her, she hath such a celerity in dying. Ant. She is cunning past man's thought.. Eno. Alack, sir, no; her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love: We cannot call her winds and waters, sighs and tears; they are greater storms and tempests than almanacks can report: this cannot be cunning in her if it be, she makes a shower of rain as well as Jove. Ant, 'Would I had never seen her Eno. O, sir, you had then left unseen a wonderful piece of work; which not to have been blessed withal, would have discredited your travel. Ant. Fulvia is dead. Eno. Șir? Ant, Fulvia is dead. Ant. Dead. Eno. Why, sir, give the gods a thankful sacrifice. When it pleaseth their deities to take the wife of a man from him, it shows to man the tailors of the earth; comforting therein, that when old robes are worn out, there are members to make new. If there were no more women but Fulvia, then had you indeed a cut, and the case to be lamented: this grief is crowned with consolation; your old smock brings forth a new petticoat :-and, indeed, the tears live in an onion, that should water this sorrow. Ant. The business she hath broached in the state, Cannot endure my absence. Eno. And the business you have broached here cannot be without you; especially that of Cleopatra's, which wholly depends on your abode. Ant. No more light answers. Let our officers Which, like the courser's hair, hath yet but life, Eno. I shall do't. * Expedition. [Exeunt. SCENE III. Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas. Cleo. Where is he? Char. I did not see him since. Cleo. See where he is, who's with him, what he does : I did not send you*; If you find him sad, That I am sudden sick: Quick, and return. [Exit Alex. Char. Madam, methinks, if you did love him dearly, You do not hold the method to enforce The like from him. Cleo. What should I do, I do not? Char. In each thing give him way, cross him in nothing. Cleo. Thou teachest like a fool: the way to lose him. Char. Tempt him not so too far: I wish, forbear; In time we hate that which we often fear. Enter Antony. I am sick, and sullen. But here comes Antony. Cleo. Ant. I am sorry to give breathing to my pur pose, Cleo. Help me away, dear Charmian, I shall fall; It cannot be thus long, the sides of nature Will not sustain it. Ant. Now, my dearest queen, Cleo. Pray you, stand further from me. What's the matter? Cleo, I know, by that same eye, there's some good news. * Look as if I did not send you. What says the married woman?—You may go ; Cleo. O, never was there queen So mightily betray'd! Yet, at the first, I saw the treasons planted. Ant. Cleopatra, Cleo. Why should I think, you can be mine, and true, 1 Though you in swearing shake the throned gods, Ant. Cleo. Nay, pray you, seek no colour for your going, But bid farewell, and go: when you sued staying, Then was the time for words: No going then ;Eternity was in our lips, and eyes; Bliss in our brows' bent*; none our parts so poor, But was a racet of heaven: They are so still, Or thou, the greatest soldier of the world, Art turn'd the greatest liar. Ant. How now, lady! Cleo. I would, I had thy inches; thou shouldst know, There were a heart in Egypt. Hear me, queen : Ant. Our services a while ; but my full heart Shines o'er with civil swords: Sextus Pompeius Breeds scrupulous faction: The hated, grown to strength, *The arch of our eye-brows. + Smack or flavour. Gate, |