Varrius, Silius, an Officer in Ventidius's Army. Taurus, Lieutenant-General to Cæfar. Clown. Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. Octavia, Sifter to Cæfar, and Wife to Antony. Charmian, } Ladies attending on Cleopatra. Iras, Ambassadors from Antony to Cæfar, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. The SCENE is difperfid in feveral Parts of the Roman Empire. AND CLEOPATRA. ACT I. SCENE I. N Cleopatra's Palace at Alexandria. Enter Demetrius and Philo. PHILO. AY, but this dotage of our general's O'erflows the measure: thofe his goodly eyes, That o'er the files and mufters of the war Have glow'd like plated Mars, now bend, now turn, Upon a tawny front. His captain's heart, '-reneges-] Renounces. РОРЕ. And 2 And is become the bellows, and the fan, To cool a' gypfy's luft. Look, where they come! Flourish. Enter Antony and Cleopatra, and their trains, Eunuchs fanning her. Take but good note, and you fhall fee in him * The triple pillar of the world transform'd Into a ftrumpet'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 reckon'd. Cleo. I'll fet a bourn how far to be belov'd. 6 Ant. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. Enter a Meffenger. Mef. News, my good lord, from Rome. 2 And is become the bellows, and the fan, To cool a gypfy's luft.-] In this paffage fomething feems to be wanting. The bellows and fan being commonly used for contrary purposes, were probably opposed by the author, who might perhaps have written, -is become the bellows, and the fan, To kindle and to cool a gypsy's luft. JOHNSON. 3 —gypfy's luft.—] Gypsy is here used both in the original meaning for an Egyptian, and in its accidental sense for a bad wo man. JOHNSON. + The triple pillar-] Triple is here used improperly for third, or one of three. One of the triumvirs, one of the three masters of the world. WARBURTON. 5-bourn Bound or limit. POPE. • Then must thou needs find out new heaven, &c.] Thou must fet the boundary of my love at a greater diftance than the present vifible universe affords. JOHNSON. 7-The fum.] Be brief, fum thy bufinefs in a few words. JOHNSON. Cleo. Cleo. Nay, hear them, Antony. Fulvia, perchance, is angry; or who knows, Ant. How, my love! Cleo. Perchance, nay, and moft like, You must not stay here longer, your dismission -Call in the meffengers.-As I am Egypt's queen, Feeds beast as man: the noblenefs of life Is to do thus; when fuch a mutual pair, [Embracing. -and the wide arch Of the rang'd empire fall!] Taken from the Roman custom of raifing triumphal arches to perpetuate their victories. Extremely noble. WARBURTON. I am in doubt whether Shakespeare had any idea but of a fabrick ftanding on pillars. The later editions have all printed the Taifed empire, for the ranged empire, as it was first given. JOHNSON. The rang'd empire is certainly right. Shakespeare uses the fame expreffion in Coriolanus: bury all which yet distinctly ranges In heaps and piles of ruin. -to weet,] To know. STEEVENS. POPE. Cleo, |