Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.

Octavia, Sifter to Cæfar, and Wife to Antony.

Charmian,

Iras,

Ladies attending on Cleopatra.

Ambafadors from Antony to Cæfar, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants,

The SCENE is difpers'd in feveral Parts of the Roman Empire.

Α Ν Τ Ο Ν Υ

AND

CLEOPATRA

ACT

I.

SCENE, the Palace at Alexandria in Ægypt.

Enter Demetrius and Philo.

PHILO.

AY, but this dotage of our General
O'er-flows the measure; those his goodly

eyes,

That o'er the files and mufters 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 fcuffles of great fights hath burst
The buckles on his breaft, reneges all temper;
And is become the bellows and the fan,

To cool a Gypfy's luft. Look, where they come!

Flourish. Enter Antony and Cleopatra, ber Ladies in the train, Eunuchs fanning her.

Take but good note, and you fhall fee in him

The

The triple pillar of the world transform'd
Into a Strumpet's fool. Behold, and fee.

Cleo. If it be love, indeed, tell me, how much?
Ant. There's beggary in the love that can be rec-
kon'd.

Cleo. I'll fet a bourn how far to be belov'd.

Ant. Then muft thou needs find out new heav'n, new earth.

Enter a Messenger.

Meff. News, my good Lord, from Rome.
Ant. It grates me. Tell the fum.
Cleo. Nay, hear it, Antony.

Fulvia, perchance, is angry; or who knows,
If the fcarce-bearded Cafar have not fent

His powerful Mandate to you,

"Do this, or this; "Take in that Kingdom, and infranchise that; "Perform't, or elfe we damn thee..

Ant. How, my love?

Cleo. Perchance, (nay, and moft like,)
You must not stay here longer, your dismission
Is come from Cæfar; therefore hear it, Antony.
Where's Fulvia's Process? Cafar's? I'd fay, both?
Call in the Meffengers; as I'm Egypt's Queen,
Thou blufheft, Antony, and that blood of thine
Is Cafar's homager: elfe, fo thy cheeks pay fhame,
When fhrill-tongu'd Fulvia fcolds. The Meffengers
Ant. Let Rome in Tyber melt, and the wide arch
Of the rais'd 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 fuch a mutual Pair, [Embracing. And fuch a twain can do't; in which, I bind

(On pain of punishment) the world to weet, We ftand up peerless.

Cleo. Excellent falfhood!

Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?
I'll feem the fool, I am not. Antony

Will be himself.

Ant. But firr'd by Cleopatra.

Now

Now for the love of love, and his foft hours,
Let's not confound the time with conference harsh;
There's not a minute of our lives fhould stretch
Without fome pleafure now: what sport to night?
Cleo. Hear the Ambassadors.

Ant. Fie, wrangling Queen!

Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,
To weep; whofe every paffion fully strives
To make it felf in thee fair and admir'd.

No Meffenger, but thine ;and all alone,
To night we'll wander through the streets, and note
The qualities of People. Come, my Queen,
Last night you did defire it. Speak not to us.

[Exeunt, with their Train..
Dem. Is Cæfar with Antonius priz'd fo flight?
Phil. Sir, fometimes, when he is not Antony,
He comes too fhort of that great property
Which still should go with Antony.
Dem. I'm forry,

That he approves the common liar, Fame,
Who fpeaks him thus at Rome; but I will hope
Of better deeds to morrow. Reft you happy!

[Ex.

Enter Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, Alexas, and a

Sooth-fayer.

Char. Alexas, fweet Alexas, moft any thing Alexas, almost most abfolute Alexas, where's the Sooth-fayer that you prais'd fo to th' Queen? (1) Oh! that I knew this husband, which you fay, muft charge his horns with garlands.

(1) Ob, that I knew this Husband, which, you fay, muft change bis Horns with Garlands.] Changing Horns with Garlands, is, furely, a fenfelefs, unintelligible, Phrafe. We must restore, in Oppofition, to all the printed Copies,

-which you fay, muft charge bis Horns with Garlands. i. c. must be an honourable Cuckold, must have his Horns hung with Garlands. Charge and change frequently ufurp each other's Place in our Author's old Editions, as I have occafionally obferv'd in my Notes on other Paffages. I ought to take Notice, that Mr. Warburton likewife ftarted this Emendation.

Alex. Soothfayer,

Sooth. Your will?

Char. Is this the man? Is't you, Sir, that know

things?

Sooth. In Nature's infinite Book of Secrecy,

A little I can read.

Alex. Shew him your hand:

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 fhall be yet far fairer than you are.

Char. He means, in flesh.

Iras. No, you fhall paint when you are old.
Char. Wrinkles forbid !

Alex. Vex not his prefcience, be attentive.
Char. Hush!

Sooth. You fhall be more beloving, than beloved.
Char. I had rather heat my liver with drinking.
Alex. Nay, hear him.'

Char. Good now, fome 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 Cæfar, and companion me with my mistress.

Sooth. You fhall out-live the Lady whom you ferve. Char. Oh, excellent! I love long life better than figs.

Sooth. You have seen, and proved, a fairer former fortune, than that which is to approach.

Ckar. Then, belike, my children fhall have no

names;

Pr'ythee, how many boys and wenches must I have?
Sooth. (2) If every of your wishes had a womb,

(2) If every of your Wishes bad a Womb,

And

And foretold every Wish, a Million.] What foretold? If the Wifes foretold themselves? This can never be genuine,'

however