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, SELEUCUS, and DIOMEDES; attendants on Cleopatra. SOOTHSAYER. CLOWN. CLEOPATRA, queen of Egypt. OCTAVIA, sister to Cæsar, and wife to Antony. 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. Phi. Nay, but this dotage of our general's To cool a gipsy's lust. Look, where they come! Florish. Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with their trains; Eunuchs fanning her. Take but good note, and you shall see in him 1 Renounces. The triple pillar of the world transform'd Into a strumpet's fool: behold, and see. Cle. If it be love indeed, tell me how much. Ant. There's beggary in the love that can be reckon❜d. Cle. I'll set a bourn1 how far to be beloved. Ant. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. Enter ATTENdant. Att. News, my good lord, from Rome. Ant. Grates me :-the sum. Cle. 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 enfranchise that; Perform 't, or else we damn thee.' Ant. How, my love? Cle. Perchance,-nay, and most like, You must not stay here longer; your dismission Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen, 1 Limit. 2 It offends. 3 Summons. When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds.-The sengers. mes Ant. Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch Of the ranged 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,1 We stand up peerless. Cle. Excellent falsehood! Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?— Will be himself. Ant. But stirr'd by Cleopatra. Now, for the love of Love,2 and her soft hours, Let's not confound the time with conference harsh: Without some pleasure now. What sport to-night? Fie, wrangling queen! Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh, To weep; whose every passion fully strives To-night, we'll wander through the streets, and The qualities of people. Come, my queen; [Exeunt Antony and Cleopatra, with their train. Dem. I'm full sorry, That he approves the common liar,1 who 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 charge 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 secresy A little I can read. 1 Fame. |