CLEOPATRA, Queen of Egypt. OCTAVIA, Sifter to Cæfar, and Wife to Antony. CHARMIAN, IRAS, Ladies attending on Cleopatra. Ambaladors from Antony to Cæfar, Captains, Soldiers, Meffengers, and other Attendants. The SCENE is difpers'd in feveral Parts of the Roman Empire. Antony Antony and Cleopatra. ACT I. SCENE I. Phil. The Palace at Alexandria in Ægypt. N AY, but this dotage of our General O'erflows the measure; thofe his goodly eyes, Upon a tawny front. His captain's heart, To cool a gypfy's luft. Look where they come ! Take but good note, and you shall see in him 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 fet a borne how far to be belov'd. Ant. Then muft thou needs find out new heav'n, new earth. Enter a Messenger. Mef. News, my good Lord, from Rome, Ant. It grates me. Tell the fum.. Cleo. Nay, hear it, Antony. X 3 Fulvia Fulvia perchance is angry; or who knows, Ant. How, my love? Cleo. Perchance, (nay, and moft like,) You must not stay here longer, your difmiffion Cleo. Excellent falfhood! Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her? Ant. But ftirr'd by Cleopatra: [Embracing. Now for the love of love, and his foft hours, Ant. Fie, wrangling Queen! Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh, To make it felf in thee fair and admir'd. No meffenger but thine; and all alone To-night we'll wander through the ftreets, and note Laft Laft night you did defire it. Speak not to us. [Exeunt with their train. That he approves the common liar Fame, SCENE II. [Exeunt. Enter Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, Alexas, and a Sootbfayer. Char. Alexas, fweet Alexas, moft any thing Alexas, almoft most abfolute Alexas, where's the Soothfayer that you prais'd, to th' Queen? Oh! that I knew this husband which, you fay, muft change for horns his garlands. Alex. Soothfayer! Sooth. Your will? Char. Is this the man? Is't you, Sir, that know things? Sooth. In nature's infinite book of secrecy, A little I can read. Alex. Shew him your hand. Eno. Bring in the banquet quickly: wine enough, Cleopatra's health to drink. Char. Good Sir, give me Good fortune. Sooth. Madam, I make not, but foresee. Char. Pray then, foresee me one. Sooth. You fhall be yet Far fairer than you are. Cbar. He means in flesh. Iras. No, you shall paint when old. Char. Wrinkles forbid ! Alex. Vex not his prescience, be attentive. Char. Hush! Sooth. You fhall be more beloving, than beloved. Char. I had rather heat my liver with much drinking. Alex. Nay, hear him. Char: Good now, fome excellent fortune! Let me be married to three Kings in a forenoon, and widow them all; let let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry may do homage. Find me, to marry me with, Octavius Cæfar; and companion me with my mistress. Sooth. You fhall out-live the Lady whom you ferve. Char. Oh excellent, I love long life better than figs. Sooth. You have feen and proved a fairer former fortune, than that which is to approach. Char. Then belike my children shall have no names ; Pr'ythee, how many boys and wenches must I have? Sooth. If every of your wishes had a womb, And fertile every with, a million. Char. Out, out, fool, I forgive thee for a witch. Alex. You think none but your fheets are privy to Your wishes. Char. Nay come, and tell Iras hers. Alex. We'll know all our fortunes. no. Mine, and most of our fortunes to-night, fhall be to go drunk to bed. Iras. There is a palm presages chastity, If nothing else. Char. E'en as th' o'erflowing Nile prefageth famine, Iras. Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot foothsay. Char. Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognoftication, I cannot fcratch mine ear, Pr'ythee, tell her but a workyday fortune. Sooth. Your fortunes are alike. Iras. But how, but how? give me particulars. Sooth. I have faid. Iras. Am I not an inch of fortune better than the ? Char. Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better than I, where would you chufe it? Iras. Not in my husband's nofe. Char. Our worfer thoughts heav'ns mend! Come, his fortune, his fortune. Alexas Oh let him marry a woman that cannot go, fweet Ifis, I beseech thee, and let her die too, and give him a worse, and let worfe follow worfe, 'till the worst of all follow him laughing to his grave, fifty-fold a cuckold. Good Ifis, hear me this prayer, though thou deny me a matter of more weight; good Ifis, I beseech thee! |