ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

ACT I.

SCENE I. -ALEXANDRIA. A Room in CLEOPATRA'S

Palace.
Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO.
Philo. 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 had burst
The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper;
And is become the bellows and the fan,
To cool a gipsy's will. Look, where they come!
Flourish. Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with

their Trains; EUNUCHS fanning her.
Take but good note, and you shall see in him
The triple pillar of the world transform’d
Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see.

Cleopatra. If it be love indeed, tell me how much.
Antony. There's beggary in the love that can be

reckon'd. Cleopatra. I'll set a bourn? how far to be belov'd. Antony. Then inust thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.

Bound, or limit.

1 Renounces.

2

Enter an ATTENDANT. Attendant. News, my good lord, from Rome. Antony.

Grates' me:The sum? Cleopatra. 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 in that kingdom, and en franchise that; Perform't, or else we damn thee. Antony.

How, my love? Cleopatra. 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 ?5 Cæsar's, I would say ?

Both ?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.—The messengers.

Antony. Let Rome in Tyber melt! and the wide arch
Of the rang'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 such a mutual pair, [Embracing.
And such a twain can do't, in which, I bind,
On pain of punishment, the world to weet,
We stand up peerless.
Cleopatra.

Excellent falsehood!
Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?
I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony
Will be himself.

Antony. 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
Without some pleasure now: What sport to-night?
3 Offends. * Subdue, conquer.

5 Summons. 7 Consume.

6 Know.

Cleopatra. Hear the ambassadors.
Antony.

Fye, wrangling queen!
Whom every thing becomes; to chide, to laugh,
To weep; whose every passion fully strives
To make itself, in thee, fair and admir'd!
No messenger; but thine and all alone,
To-night, we'll wander though the streets, and note
The qualities of people. Come, my queen;
Last night you did desire it :-Speak not to us.

[Exeunt ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with their Train, Demetrius. Is Cæsar with Antonius priz’d so slight?

Philo. Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,
He comes too short of that great property
Which still should go with Antony.
Demetrius.

I fuil

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! [Exeunt,

am

SCENE. II-Another Room.

Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a SOOTHSAYER.

Charmian. 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 change his horns with garlands!

Alexas. Soothsayer.
Soothsayer. Your will ?
Charmian. Is this the man?—Is't you, sir, that know

things?
Soothsayer. In nature's infinite book of secrecy,
A little I can read.
Alexas.

Show him

your

hand. Enter ENOBARBUS. Enobarbus. Bring in the banquet quickly: wine enough, Cleopatra's health to drink,

8 Fame.