CLEOPATRA'S PALACE.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Alexandria. A Room in Cleopatra's Palace.

Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO.

Philo. 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

levies

хороша

Have glow'd like plated Mars, now bend, now turn
The office and devotion of their view

Upon

function

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 gypsy's lust.

his Lent heaks for love.

revances all just musturs, measure, ye

Flourish. Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, her Ladies, the Train,

with Eunuchs fanning her.

Look, where they come !

Take but good note, and you shall see in him

The triple pillar of the world transform'd

thing.

Into a strumpet's fool; behold and see.

Cleopatra. If it be love indeed, tell me how much.

Antony. There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd.
Cleopatra. I'll set a bourn how far to be belov'd. ante a
Antony. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, newyou

earth.

Enter an Attendant.

Attendant. News, my good lord, from Rome.
Antony.

will never come up to.

Grates me; the sum.

Cleopatra. 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.'

20

Antony.
How, my love! Why are you
Cleopatra. Perchance,―nay, and most like,—
talking so?
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-tongued Fulvia scolds.-The messengers!
Antony. Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch

30

Of the rang'd empire fall! Here is my space. Egypt is all ye

Kingdoms are clay; our dungy earth alike
Feeds beast as man: the nobleness of life
Is to do thus; when such a mutual pair

space he cares for.

[Embracing.

And such a twain can do 't, in which I bind, Silicet

putye On pain of punishment, the world to weet

wold We stand up peerless.

bonds to Cleopatra.

Excellent falsehood!

acts of love

40

Kuous, 9's Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?- Said to Autory Lave you I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony huwe Will be himself.

are pearlery Antony.

says

buy

shan't be capital

But stirr'd by Cleopatra.— uicites Now, for the love of Love and her soft hours, may Let's not confound the time with conference harsh; There's not a minute of our lives should stretch Poss believe hithout some pleasure now. What sport to-night?ch extend for ye Cleopatra. Hear the ambassadors. Проце

sake of

Antony.

itself

Fie, wrangling queen!

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.

50

[Exeunt Antony and Cleopatra with their train.
Demetrius. Is Cæsar with Antonius priz'd so slight?
Philo. Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,

He comes too short of that great property quality of Character
Which still should go with Antony.

Demetrius.

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!

Confirm

[Exeunt.

Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a Soothsayer.

Charmian. Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most any thing

Alexas, almost most absolute Alexas, where's the sooth-efect sayer that you praised so to the queen? O, that I knew

lade this husband, which, you say, must charge his horns with

garlands !

Alexas. Soothsayer!

Soothsayer. Your will?

change is ye folies is very stiff

Charmian. Is this the man?—Is 't you, sir, that know

Enobarbus. Bring in the banquet quickly; wine enough

Cleopatra's health to drink.

Charmian. Good sir, give me good fortune.

Soothsayer. I make not, but foresee.

Charmian. Pray, then, foresee me one.

Soothsayer. You shall be yet far fairer than you are.kler in

Charmian. He means in flesh.

Iras. No, you shall paint when you are old.

Charmian. Wrinkles forbid !

Alexas. Vex not his prescience; be attentive.
Charmian. Hush!

Ylesh

Soothsayer. You shall be more beloving than belov'd.
Charmian. I had rather heat my liver with drinking.
Alexas. Nay, hear him.

Charmian. Good now, some excellent fortune!

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was a

seat of love, the propye

Let me

be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them
all; let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry ass

may do homage; find me to marry me with Octavius Cæsar,
and companion me with my mistress.

Soothsayer. You shall outlive the lady whom you serve. 30
Charmian. O excellent! I love long life better than figs.
Soothsayer. You have seen and prova a fairer former fort-

une

Than that which is to approach.

Charmian. Then belike my children shall have no names. Prithee, how many boys and wenches must I have? Soothsayer. If fertile every wish, a million.—

I shall never have any.

Charmian. Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch.. be said by

Alexas. You think none but your sheets are privy to your alexas dec

wishes.

Charmian. Nay, come, tell Iras hers.

Alexas. We'll know all our fortunes.

Enobarbus. Mine, and most of our fortunes, to-night, shall be-drunk to bed.

Iras. There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing else. Charmian. E'en as the o'erflowing Nilus presageth famine. Iras. Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot soothsay. Charmian. Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear.

worky day fortune.

Soothsayer. Your fortunes are alike.

Prithee, tell her but a

Iras. But how, but how? give me particulars.

Soothsayer. I have said.

Iras. Am I not an inch of fortune better than she?

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Charmian. Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better

than I, where would you choose it?

Iras. Not in my husband's nose.

Charmian. Our worser thoughts heavens mend! Alexas, -come, his fortune, his fortune!-O, let him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee! and let her al die too, and give him a worse! and let worse follow worse, till the worst of all follow him laughing to his grave, fift C