All the conspirators, save only he,

Did that they did in envy of great Cæsar;
Hc, only, in a general honest thought,
And common good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle; and the elements
So mix'd in him, that Nature might stand up,
And say to all the world, This was a man!
Oct. According to his virtue let us use him,
With all respect and rites of burial.
Within my tent his bones to-night shall lie,
Most like a soldier, order'd honourably.-
So, call the field to rest: and let's away,
To part the glories of this happy day. [Exeunt.

Of this tragedy many particular passages deserve regard, and the contention and reconcilement of Brutus and Cassius is universally celebrated; but I have never been strongly agitated in perusing it, and think it somewhat cold and unaffecting, compared with some other of Shakspeare's plays: his adherence to the real story, and to the Roman manners, seems to have impeded the natural vigour of his genius

JOHNSON.

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; attend-
ants on Cleopatra.
A Soothsayer. A Clown.

Cleopatra, queen of Egypt.

Octavia, sister to Cæsar, and wife to Antony.

Charmian,

Iras,

Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attend

ants.

Scene, dispersed, in several parts of the Roman

empire.

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

ACT I.

SCENE 1.-Alexandria. A room in Cleopatra' 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
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. Look, where they come !
Flourish. Enter Antony and Cleopatra, with their
trains; Eunuchs fanning her.

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.

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 bourn2 how far to be belov'd. Ant. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.

(1) Renounces.

(2) Bound or limit.

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
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! 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:3 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 messen-

gers.

Ant. Let Rome in Tyber 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,

[Embracing. And such a twain can do't, in which, I bind On pain of punishment, the world to weet,4 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 confounds the time with conference harsh.

(1) Offends.

(3) Summons.

(2) Subdue, conquer.
(4) Know.

(5) Consume.