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 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. 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 Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see. CLEOPATRA If it be love indeed, tell me how much. MARK ANTONY There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd. CLEOPATRA I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved. MARK ANTONY Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.
Enter an Attendant Attendant News, my good lord, from Rome. MARK ANTONY Grates me: the sum. CLEOPATRA Nay, hear them, Antony:
Fulvia perchance is angry; or, who knows If the scarce-bearded Caesar 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.' MARK ANTONY How, my love! CLEOPATRA Perchance! nay, and most like:
You must not stay here longer, your dismission Is come from Caesar; therefore hear it, Antony.
Where's Fulvia's process? Caesar's I would say?
both?
Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen, Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine Is Caesar's homager: else so thy cheek pays shame When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds. The messengers! MARK ANTONY Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch Of the ranged 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 We stand up peerless. CLEOPATRA Excellent falsehood!
Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?
I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony Will be himself. MARK ANTONY 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 tonight? CLEOPATRA Hear the ambassadors. MARK ANTONY 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 admired!
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 MARK ANTONY and CLEOPATRA with their train DEMETRIUS Is Caesar with Antonius prized so slight? PHILO Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony, He comes too short of that great property 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!
Exeunt SCENE II. The same. Another room. Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a Soothsayer CHARMIAN Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most any thing Alexas, almost most absolute Alexas, where's the soothsayer that you praised so to the queen? O, that I knew this husband, which, you say, must charge his horns with garlands! ALEXAS Soothsayer! Soothsayer Your will? CHARMIAN Is this the man? Is't you, sir, that know things? Soothsayer In nature's infinite book of secrecy A little I can read. ALEXAS Show him your hand.
Enter DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS DOMITIUS 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. 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! Soothsayer You shall be more beloving than beloved. CHARMIAN I had rather heat my liver with drinking. ALEXAS Nay, hear him. CHARMIAN Good now, some excellent fortune! 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 may do homage: find me to marry me with Octavius Caesar, and companion me with my mistress. Soothsayer You shall outlive the lady whom you serve. CHARMIAN O excellent! I love long life better than figs. Soothsayer You have seen and proved a fairer former fortune 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 every of your wishes had a womb.
