Taurus, Lieutenant-General to Cæsar. A Soothsayer. A Clown. Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. Octavia, Sister to Casar, and Wife to Antony. Charmian, Iras, } Attendants on Cleopatra. Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. SCENE, dispersed; 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. Enter Antony and Cleopatra, with their trains; Eunuchs fanning her. Take but good note, and you shall see in him Cleo. If it be love indeed, tell me how much. reckon❜d. B Cleo. I'll set a bourn how far to be belov'd. Ant. Then must thou needs find out new hea ven, new earth. Enter an Attendant. Att. News, my good lord, from Rome. Ant. 'Grates me:-The sum. Cleo. Nay, hear them, Antony: Fulvia, perchance, is angry; Or, who knows Ant. How, my love! Cleo. Perchance,-nay, and most like, Call in the messengers.-As I am Egypt's queen, Ant. Let Rome in Tiber melt! and the wide arch Of the rang'd empire fall! Here is my space; [embracing. And such a twain can do't, in which, I bind On pain of punishment, the world to weet, Cleo. Excellent falshood! Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?- Will be himself. Ant. 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? Cleo. Hear the ambassadors. Ant. Fie, wrangling queen! To make itself, in thee, fair and admir'd! To-night, we'll wander through the streets, and note The qualities of people. Come, my queen; [Exeunt Ant. and Cleop. with their train. Dem. I'm full sorry, That he approves the common liar, who [Exeunt. SCENE II. THE SAME. ANOTHER ROOM. Enter Charmian, Iras, Alexas, and a Soothsayer. 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 change his horns with garlands! Alex. Soothsayer. Sooth. Your will? 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. Alex. Show him your hand. Enter Enobarbus. 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. Char. Wrinkles forbid! Alex. Vex not his prescience; be attentive.. Sooth. You shall be more beloving, than belov'd. |