VARRIUS, 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, IRAS, } attendants on Cleopatra. Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. SCENE, dispersed; in several parts of the Roman empire. ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. ACT THE FIRST. SCENE 1. 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 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 will. 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 1 Renounces. Cleo. If it be love indeed, tell me how much. 2 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. Att. News, my good lord, from Rome. Ant. Grates me : Cleo. Nay, hear them, Antony: Fulvia, perchance, is angry; Or, who knows Ant. Cleo. Perchance, How, my love! 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, Ant. Let Rome in Tyber melt! and the wide arch Of the rang'd empire fall! Here is my space; [Embracing. And such a twain can do 't, in which, I bind 2 Bound or limit. 4 Subdue, conquer. 3 Offends. 5 Summons. On pain of punishment, the world to weet", Cleo. Excellent falshood! Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her? 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 Without some pleasure now: What sport to-night? Cleo. Hear the ambassadors. Ant. Fye, wrangling queen! Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh, Το 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; Speak not to us. [Exeunt ANT. and CLEOP. 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'm full sorry, That he approves the common liar, who [Exeunt. 6 Know. 7 Consume. R Fame. |