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Her length of sickness, with what else, more serious,
Importeth thee to know, this tells. [Gives a letter.
Ant. Forbear me-
[Exit MESSENger.
There's a great spirit gone! thus did I desire it :
What our contempts do often hurl from us,
We wish it ours again: She's good, being lost :
The hand could pluck her back, that forced her on.
I must from this enchanting queen break off;
Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know,
My idleness doth hatch. How now, Enobarbus !
Enter ENOBARBUS.

Eno. What's your pleasure, sir?

Ant. I must hence; hence with haste.

Eno. Why, then, we kill all our women. If they suffer our departure, death's the word.

Ant. I must be gone.

Eno. Under a compelling occasion, let women die. It were pity to cast them away for nothing. Cleopatra, catching but the least noise of this, dies instantly. I have seen her die twenty times, upon a far poorer occasion.

Ant. She is cunning, past man's thought. Fulvia is dead.

Eno. Fulvia!

Ant. Dead.

Eno. Why, sir, give the gods a thankful sacrifice. If there were no more women but Fulvia, then were the case to be lamented :—the tears live in an onion that should water this sorrow.

Ant. No more light answers.

Let our officers

Have notice what we purpose: I shall break
The cause of our expedience to the queen.
Say, our pleasure,

To such whose place is under us, requires
Our quick removal hence.

Eno. I shall do't.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

A Room in CLEOPATRA's Palace.

CLEOPATRA, CHARMION, IRAS, and ALEXAS, discovered.

Cle. Where is he?

Char. I did not see him since.!

Cle. [To ALEXAS.] See where he is, who's with him, what he does,

I did not send you. If you find him sad,
Say, I am dancing; if in mirth, report
That I am sudden sick. Quick, and return.

(Exit ALEXAS. Char. Madam, methinks, if you did love him

dearly,

You do not hold the method to enforce

The like from him.

Cle. What should I do I do not?

Char. In each thing give him way, cross him in nothing.

Cle. Thou teachest like a fool;-the way to lose him.

Char. Tempt him not so too far.

Enter ANTONY.

But here comes Antony.

Cle. I am sick and sullen. [To CHARMION aside. Ant. I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose. Cle. Help me away, dear Charmion, I shall fall; It cannot be thus long, the sides of nature Will not sustain it.

Ant. Now, my dearest queen

Cle. Pray you, stand farther from me.
Ant. What's the matter?

Cle. I know, by that same eye, there's some good

news;

What says the married woman? You may go:
Would she had never given you leave to come!
Let her not say, 'tis I that keep you here,
I have no power upon you; her's you are.
Ant. The gods best know-

Cle. O, never was there queen

So mightily betray'd! Yet, at the first,
I saw the treason planted.

Ant. Cleopatra

Cle. Why should I think you can be mine, and true, Though you, in swearing, shake the throned gods, Who have been false to Fulvia? Riotous madness, To be entangled with those mouth-made vows, Which break themselves in swearing!

Ant. Most sweet queen!

Cle. Nay, pray you, seek no colour for your going; But, bid farewell, and go; when you sued staying, Then was the time for words. No going then ; Eternity was in our lips and eyes;

Bliss in our brows, and none our parts so poor,
But was a race of Heaven.

Ant. Hear me, queen;

The strong necessity of time commands
Our services awhile; but my full heart
Remains in use with you. Our Italy

Shines o'er with civil swords; my more particular,
And that which most with you should safe my going,
Is Fulvia's death.

Cle. Her death!-Can Fulvia die?

Ant. She's dead, my queen.

Cle. O, most false love!

Where be the sacred vials thou should'st fill
With sorrowful water? Now I see, I see,
In Fulvia's death, how mine shall be received.

Ant. Quarrel no more, but be prepared to know The purposes I bear; which are, or cease, As you shall give advice. Now, by the fire That quickens Nilus' slime, I go out hence Thy soldier, servant; making peace, or war, As thou affect'st.

Cle. Cut my lace, Charmion; come; But let it be; I am quickly ill and well, So Antony loves.

Ant. My precious queen, forbear;

And give true evidence to his love, which stands
An honourable trial.

Cle. So was Fulvia told :

I pr'ythee, turn aside, and weep for her,
Then bid adieu to me, and say, the tears
Belong to Egypt. Good now, play one scene
Of excellent dissembling: and let it look
Like perfect honour.

Ant. You'll heat my blood; no more.

Cle. You can do better yet; but this is meetly. Ant. Now, by my sword

Cle. And target,-still he mends;

But this is not the best. Look, pr'ythee, Charmion, How this Herculian Roman does become

The carriage of his chafe.

Ant. I'll leave you, lady.

Cle. Courteous lord, one word.

Sir, you and I must part; but that's not it;

Sir, you

and I have loved, but there's not it; That you know well. Something it is, I would, O, my oblivion is a very Antony,

And I am all forgotten.

Ant. But that your majesty

Holds idleness your subject, I should take you
For idleness itself.

Cle. Your honour calls you hence:
Therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly,
And all the gods go with you! On your sword

Sit laurell'd victory; and smooth success
Be strew'd before your feet!

Ant. Let us go:-Come on;

Our separation so abides and flies,

That thou, residing here, go'st yet with me,
And I, hence fleeting, here remain with thee.

[Exeunt severally.

SCENE IV.

Rome. A Room in CÆSAR's Palace.

Enter OCTAVIUS CESAR, LEPIDUS, and their
Trains.

Cas. You may see Lepidus, and henceforth know, It is not Cæsar's natural vice to hate

Our great competitor. From Alexandria

This is the news; he fishes, drinks, and wastes The lamps of night in revel: is not more man-like Than Cleopatra; nor the queen of Ptolemy

:

More womanly than he hardly gave audience, or Vouchafed to think he had partners. You shall find there

A man, who is the abstract of all faults,

That all men follow.

Lep. I must not think there are

Evils enough to darken all his goodness.
His faults, in him, seem as hereditary

Rather than purchased; what he cannot change,
Than what he chooses.

Cas. You are too indulgent. Grant it not amiss To give a kingdom for a mirth, to sit

And keep the turn of tipling with a slave;

B

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