ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. ACT I. LOVE THE NOBLENESS OF LIFE. LET Rome in Tyber melt! and the wide arch Is, to do thus, when such a mutual pair, [Embracing. On pain of punishment, the world to weet*, We stand up peerless. 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. ANTONY'S VICES AND VIRTUES. I must not think, there are Evils enough to darken all his goodness: His faults, in him, seem as the spots of heaven, Cæs. You are too indulgent: Let us grant, it is not Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy; To give a kingdom for a mirth; to sit And keep the turn of tippling with a slave; To reel the streets at noon, and stand the buffet With knaves that smell of sweat: say, this becomes him, * Know. + Procured by his own fault. (As his composure must be rare indeed, Whom these things cannot blemish), yet must Antony So great weight in his lightness *. If he fill'd Full surfeits, and the dryness of his bones, As we rate boys; who, being mature in knowledge, Antony, Leave thy lascivions wassals. When thou once Did famine follow; whom thou fought'st against, The roughest berry on the rudest hedge; Yea, like the stag, when snow the pasture sheets, CLEOPATRA'S SOLICITUDE ON THE ABSENCE OF O Charmian, ANTONY. Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he, or sits he? Or does he walk? or is he on his horse? O happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony! * Levity. + Visit him. + Consume. Feastings; in the old copy it is vaissailes, i. e, vassals. ¶ Stagnant, slimy water. ❝ Urine. Do bravely, horse! for wot'st thou whom thou mov'st? The demi-Atlas of this earth, the arm And burgonet* of men.-He's speaking now, Or murmuring, Where's my serpent of old Nile? ACT II. THE VANITY OF HUMAN WISHES. We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers By losing of our prayers. DESCRIPTION OF CLEOPATRA SAILING DOWN THE CYDNUS. The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne, Burn'd on the water: the poop was beaten gold; Purple the sails, and so perfumed, that The winds were love-sick with them: the oars were silver; Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made * A helmet. P Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids, Agr. And made a gap in nature. CLEOPATRA'S INFINITE POWER IN PLEASING. Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale Her infinite variety: Other women Cloy th' appetites they feed; but she makes hungry Where most she satisfies. For vilest things Become themselves in her; that the holy priests Bless her, when she's riggish ‡. THE UNSETTLED HUMOURS OF LOVERS. Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS. Attend. The music, bo! Enter MARDIAN. Cleo. Let it alone; let us to billiards: Come, Charmian. *Added to the warmth they were intended to diminish. + Readily perform. Wanton. Melancholy. Char. My arm is sore, best play with Mardian. Cleo. As well a woman with an eunuch play'd, As with a woman :-Come, you'll play with me, sir? Mar. As well as I can, madam. Cleo. And when good will is show'd, though it come too short, The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now:- Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce I'll think them every one an Antony, And say, Ah, ha! you're caught. Char. 'Twas merry, when You wager'd on your angling; when your diver Cleo. That time!-0 times!-- ACT III. AMBITION JEALOUS OF A TOO SUCCESSFUL FRIEND. O Silius, Silius, I have done enough: A lower place, note well, May make too great an act: For learn this, Silius; WHAT OCTAVIA'S ENTRANCE SHOULD HAVE BEEN. Why have you stol'n upon us thus? You come not Like Cæsar's sister: The wife of Antony Should have an army for an usher, and Head-dress. |