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, SELEUCUS, DIOMEDES, A Soothsayer. A Clown. attendants on Cleopatra. CLEOPATRA, queen of Egypt. OCTAVIA, Sister to Cæsar and wife to Antony. CHARMIAN, attendants on Cleopatra. IRAS, Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. SCENE: In several parts of the Roman empire. 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 Flourish. *Renounces. Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, her Ladies, the Train, with Eunuchs fanning her. Look, where they come: 10 Take but good note, and you shall see in him The triplet pillar of the world transform'd Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see. †Third. Cleo. If it be love indeed, tell me how much. Ant. There's beggary in the love that can be reckon❜d. Cleo. I'll set a bourn* how far to be beloved. Ant. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. Enter an Attendant. Att. News, my good lord, from Rome. *Limit. Ant. Grates* me: the sum. *Offends. Cleo. 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 int that kingdom, and enfranchise that; Perform't, or else we damn thee.' Ant. 20 +Subdue. How, my love! Cleo. 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 ?* Cæsar's I would say? both? *Summons. 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 When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds. sengers! 31 The mes Ant. Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space. [Embracing. Excellent falsehood! Cleo. Will be himself. Ant. But stirr'd by Cleopatra. 40 Now, for the love of Love and her soft hours, Let's not confound the time with conference harsh: *Consume. There's not a minute of our lives should stretch 50 No messenger, but thine; and all alone The qualities of people. Come, my queen; [Exeunt Ant. and Cleo. with their train. Dem. 60 I am 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! SCENE II. The same. [Exeunt. Another room. Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a Sooth sayer. 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. Char. Your will? 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. Show him your hand. Enter ENOBARBUS. ΙΟ 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. Alex. Vex not his prescience; be attentive. Hush! 21 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. 30 Sooth. You shall outlive the lady whom you serve. Char. O excellent! I love long life better than figs. Sooth. You have seen and proved a fairer former fortune Than that which is to approach. Char. Then belike my children shall have no names: prithee, how many boys and wenches must I have? Sooth. If every of your wishes had a womb, And fertile every wish, a million. 40 Char. Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch. Alex. You think none but your sheets are privy to yuor wishes. Char. Nay, come, tell Iras hers. Alex. Eno. shall be Iras. ing else. We'll know all our fortunes. Mine, and most of our fortunes, to-night, drunk to bed. There's a palm presages chastity, if noth Char. E'en as the o'erflowing Nilus presageth famine. 50 Iras. Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot sooth say. Char. Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear. Prithee, tell her but a worky-day fortune. Sooth. Your fortunes are alike. Iras. But how, but how? give me particulars. |