No more of that. I pray you, in your letters, Of one that loved not wisely but too well: Albeit unused to the melting mood, For he was great of heart. 360 Lod. Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO. Phi. Nay, but this dotage of our general's The office and devotion of their view Flourish. Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, her Cleo. If it be love indeed, tell me how much. Ant. There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd. TAURUS, lieutenant-general to Cæsar. CANIDIUS, lieutenant-general to Antony. SILIUS, an officer in Ventidius's army. EUPHRONIUS, an ambassador from Antony to Cæsar. ALEXAS, MARDIAN, a Eunuch, attendants on Cleo SELEUCUS, DIOMEDES, A Soothsayer. A Clown. patra. CLEOPATRA, queen of Egypt. OCTAVIA, sister to Cæsar and wife to Antony. CHARMIAN, IRAS, } attendants on Cleopatra. Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. SCENE: In several parts of the Roman empire. Perform't, or else we damn thee.' Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen, Excellent falsehood! Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her? I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony Will be himself. Ant. 40 But stirr'd by Cleopatra. Now, for the love of Love and her soft hours, Let's not confound the time with conference harsh: There's not a minute of our lives should stretch 50 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 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! 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. ΙΟ Iras. Am I not an inch of fortune better than 60 Char. Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better than I, where would you choose it? Iras. Not in husband's nose. my Char. Our worser thoughts heavens mend! Alexas,-come, his fortune, his fortune! O, let! him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee! and let her die too, and give him a worse! and let worse follow worse, till the worst of all follow him laughing to his grave, fifty-fold a cuckold! Good Isis, hear me this prayer, though thou deny me a matter of more weight; good Isis, I beseech thee!" Iras. Amen. Dear goddess, hear that prayer of the people! for, as it is a heart-breaking to see wine a handsome man loose-wived, so it is a deadly sorrow to behold a foul knave uncuckolded: therefore, dear Isis, keep decorum, and fortune him accordingly! Sooth. You shall be yet far fairer than you are. Iras. No, you shall paint when you are old. Char. Amen. 79 Alex. Lo, now, if it lay in their hands to make me a cuckold, they would make themselves whores, but they'ld do't! Eno. Hush! here comes Antony. Not he; the queen. Enter CLEOPATRA. 21 Cleo. He was disposed to mirth; but on the sudden Enter ANTONY with a Messenger and Attendants But soon that war had end, and the time 's state Cæsar; Whose better issue in the war, from Italy, 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. 150 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 almanacs 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 blest withal would have discredited your travel, Ant. Fulvia is 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 190 Ant. No more light answers. Let our officers Have notice what we purpose. I shall break The cause of our expedience to the queen, And get her leave to part. For not alone The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches, Do strongly speak to us; but the letters too Of many our contriving friends in Rome Petition us at home: Sextus Pompeius Hath given the dare to Cæsar, and commands The empire of the sea: our slippery people, Whose love is never link'd to the deserver Till his deserts are past, begin to throw Pompey the Great and all his dignities Upon his son; who, high in name and power, Higher than both in blood and life, stands up For the main soldier: whose quality, going on, The sides o' the world may danger: much is breeding, 199 Ant. I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose, Cleo. Help me away, dear Charmian; I shall It cannot be thus long, the sides of nature Ant. What says the married woman? You may go: 20 O, never was there queen and true, Cleopatra, Though you in swearing shake the throned gods, To be entangled with those mouth-made vows, 30 Ant. Most sweet queen,— Cleo. Though age from folly could not give It does from childishness: can Fulvia die? Look here, and at thy sovereign leisure read 60 Cleo. know My precious queen, forbear; Cleo. I prithee, turn aside and weep for her; Ant. You'll heat my blood: no more. So Ant. Now, by my sword, And target. Still he mends: But this is not the best. Look, prithee, Charmian, Cleo. Nay, pray you, seek no colour for your How this Herculean Roman does become going, But bid farewell, and go: when you sued staying, The carriage of his chafe. Courteous lord, one word. Cleo. 'Tis sweating labour مو |