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Enter another Messenger.

What are you?

Where died she?

Sec. Mess. Fulvia thy wife is dead.

Ant.

Sec. Mess. In Sicyon:

Her length of sickness, with what else more

serious

Importeth thee to know, this bears.

Ant.

[Gives a letter. Forbear me. [Exit Sec. Messenger.

There's a great spirit gone! Thus did I de

sire it:

What our contempt doth often hurl from us,
We wish it ours again; the present pleasure,
By revolution lowering, does become
The opposite of itself: she's good, being gone;
The hand could pluck her back that shoved

her on.

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I must from this enchanting queen break off:
Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know,
My idleness doth hatch. How now! Enobarbus!
Re-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.

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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. 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. Fulvia is dead.

Ant.

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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.

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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 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 *Expedition. 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

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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,

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Which, like the courser's hair, hath yet but life,
And not a serpent's poison. Say, our pleasure,
To such whose place is under us, requires
Our quick remove from hence.

Eno.

I shall do't.

SCENE III. The same.

[Exeunt.

Another room.

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,
Say I am dancing; if in mirth, report

That I am sudden sick: quick, and return

[Exit Alexas. 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.

ΙΟ

Char. Tempt him not so too far; I wish, forbear:

In time we hate that which we often fear.

But here comes Antony.

Cleo.

Enter ANTONY.

I am sick and sullen.

Ant. I am sorry to give breathing to my

purpose,

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 farther from me. Ant.

What's the matter?

Cleo. I know, by that same eye, there's some good news.

What says the married woman? You may go: 20
Would she had never given you leave to come!
Let her not say 'tis I that keep you here:

I have no power upon you; hers you are.
Ant. The gods best know,—

Cleo.

O, never was there queen

So mightily betray'd! yet at the first
I saw the treasons planted.

Ant. Cleo. true,

Cleopatra,

Why should I think you can be mine and

Though you in swearing shake the throned gods, Who have been false to Fulvia? Riotous mad

ness,

To be entangled with those mouth-made vows, 30
Which break themselves in swearing!
Most sweet queen,-

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 race 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.
The strong necessity of time commands
Our services awhile; but my full heart

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