ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA

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

A Soothsayer

A Clown

CLEOPATRA, queen of Egypt

OCTAVIA, sister to Cæsar and wife to Antony

CHARMIAN,} attendants on Cleopatra

Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants

SCENE-In several parts of the Roman empire

170

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
The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper,

And is become the bellows and the fan

To cool a gipsy's lust. [Flourish within.] Look, where they

come:

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.

Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with their trains; Eunuchs
fanning her

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 set a bourn how far to be belov'd.

ANT. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.

Enter an Attendant

Grates me:-the sum.

ATT. News, my good lord, from Rome.
ANT.

CLEO. 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.'

ΙΟ

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171

ANT.

How, my love!

CLEO. 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? 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-tongu'd Fulvia scolds.-The messengers!
ANT. Let Rome in Tiber 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
And such a twain can do't, in which I bind,
On pain of punishment, the world to weet
We stand up peerless.

CLEO.

Excellent falsehood!

Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?-
I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony

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

--what sport to-night?

Without some pleasure now :—

CLEO. Hear the ambassadors.

ANT.

[Embracing.

Fie, wrangling queen!

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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 through the streets, and note
The qualities of people. Come, my queen;
Last night you did desire it :-speak not to us.

[Exeunt ANT. and CLEO, with their train.
DEM. Is Cæsar with Antonius priz'd so slight?
PHI. Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,
He comes too short of that great property
Which still should go with Antony.
DEM.

I am full 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!

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[Exeunt.

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