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Enter Antony, and Cleopatra, her Ladies; the Train, with
Eunuchs fanning her.

Take but good Note, and you fhall fee him,
The tripple Pillar of the World, transform'd
Into a Strumpet's Fool. Behold and fee.

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 bourn 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. Rate me the Sum.

Cleo. Nay, hear them Antony.

Fulvia perchance is angry; or who knows,
If the fcarce-bearded Cafar have not sent
His powerful Mandate to you. Do this, or this;
Take in that Kingdom, and infranchise that;
Perform't, or elfe we damn thee.

Ant. How, my Love?

Cleo. Perchance, nay, and moft like,

You must not ftay here longer, your difmiffion
Is come from Cafar, therefore hear it Antony.
Where's Fluvia's Procefs? Cafar's I would fay, both?
Call in the Meffengers; as I am Agypt's Queen,
Thou blushest Antony, and that blood of thine
Is Cafar's Homager: elfe fo thy Cheeks pay Shame,
When fhrill-tongu'd Fulvia fcolds. The Meffengers.
Ant. Let Rome in Tyber melt, and the wide Arch
Of the rais'd Empire fall; here is my space,
Kingdoms are Clay; Our dungy Earth alike
Feeds Beaft as Man; the Noblenefs of Life.
Is to do thus; when fuch a mutual pair,
And fuch a twain can do't; in which I bind,
On pain of Punishment, the World to weet
We ftand up Peerless.

Cleo. Excellent Falfhood!

Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?
I'll feem the Fool I am not. Antony will be himself.

Ant.

Ant. But ftirr'd by Cleopatra.

Now for the love of love, and his foft Hours,
Let's not confound the time with Conference harsh;
There's not a minute of our Lives fhould ftretch
Without fome Pleasure now. What sport to night?
Cleo. Hear the Ambaffadors.

Ant. Fie wrangling Queen!

Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,
To weep; whofe every Paffion fully ftrives

To make it felf in thee fair and admir'd.
No Meffenger but thine, and all alone,

To Night we'll wander through the Streets, and note
The Qualities of People. Come, my Queen,
Laft night you did defire it. Speak not to us.

[Exeunt with their Train.

Dem. Is Cafar with Antonius priz'd fo flight?
Phil. Sir, fometimes when he is not Antony,
He comes too fhort of that great Property

Which ftill fhould go with Antony.

Dem. I am full forry, that he approves the common Liar, who thus fpeaks of him at Rome; but I will hope of better Deeds to morrow. Reft you happy.

[Exeunt. Enter Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, Alexas, and a

Soothsayer.

Char. L. Alexas, fweet Alexas, most any thing Alexas, almost most abfolute Alexas, where's the Soothfayer that you prais'd to th' Queen? Oh! that I knew this Hufband, which you fay, muft change his Horns with Garlands.

Alex. Soothsayer.

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. I make not, but forefee.

Char. Pray then, foresee me one.

Sooth. You fhall be yet far fairer than you are.

Char. He means in Flesh.

Iras.

Ant. The Bufinefs the hath broached in the State, Cannot endure my Abfence.

Eno. And the Bufinefs you have broach'd here cannot be without you, efpecially that of Cleopatra's, which wholly depends on your Aboad.

Ant. No more like Anfwers: Let our Officers
Have notice what we purpose. I shall break
The cause of our Expedience to the Queen,
And get her Love to part. For not alone
The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches
Do ftrongly speak to us, but the Letters too
Of many our contriving Friends in Rome,
Petition us at Home. Sextus Pompeius
Hath giv'n the Dare to Cafar, and commands
The Empire of the Sea. Our flipp'ry People,
Whofe Love is never link'd to the Deferver,
'Till his Deferts are paft, begin to throw
Pompey the Great, and all his Dignities
Upon his Son; who high in Name and Pow'r,
Higher than both in Blood and Life, ftands up
For the main Soldier: Whofe Quality going on,
The fides o'th' World may danger. Much is breeding,
Which like the Courfer's Hair, hath yet but Life,
And not a Serpent's Poison. Say our Pleasure,
To fuch whofe place is under us, requires
Our quick remove from hence.

Eno. I fhall do't.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Alexas, and Iras. Cleo. Where is he?

Char. I did not fee him fince.

Cleo. See where he is, who's with him, what he do's: I did not fend you. If you find him fad,

Say I am Dancing: if in Mirth, report

That I am fudden fick. Quickly, and return.

Char. Madam, methinks if you did love him dearly,

You do not hold the method, to enforce

The like from him.

Cleo. What fhould I do, I do not?

[Exeunt.

Char. In each thing give him way, cross him in nothing. Cleo. Thou teacheft like a Fool: the way to lofe him.

Char.

Char. Tempt him not, fo, too far. I wish, forbear, In time we hate that which we often fear.

Enter Antony.

But here comes Antony.

Cleo. I am Sick, and fullen.

Ant. I am forry to give Breathing to my purpose.

Cleo. Help me away, dear Charmian, I fhall fall,

It cannot be thus long, the fides of Nature [Seeming to faint. Will not fuftain it.

Ant. Now, my dearest Queen.

Cleo. Pray you ftand farther from me,

Ant. What's the matter?

Cleo. I know by that fame Eye there's fome good News.
What fays the marry'd Woman? you may go;
Would the had never given you leave to come,
Let her not fay 'tis I that keep you here,

I have no Pow'r upon you: Hers you are.
Ant. The Gods beft know.

Cleo. Oh never was there Queen
So mightily betrayed; yet at the first
I faw the Treafons planted.

Ant. Cleopatra.

Cleo. Why fhould I think you can be mine, and true, Though you with Swearing fhake the throned Gods, Who have been falfe to Fulvia? Riotous Madness! To be entangled with thofe Mouth-made Vows, Which break themfelves in Swearing.

Ant. Moft fweet Queen.

Cleo. Nay pray you feek no colour for your going,
But bid farewel, and go: When you fued flaying,
Then was the time for words: No going then,
Eternity was in our Lips, and Eyes,

Blifs in our Brows bent, none our Parts fo poor,
But was a race of Heav'n. They are foftill,

Or thou the greatest Soldier of the World,
Art turn'd the greater Liar.

Ant. How now, Lady?

Cleo. I would I had thy Inches, thou fhould't know There were a Heart in Egypt.

Ant. Hear me, Queen;

The ftrong neceffity of time, commands

Our

Our fervices awhile; but my full Heart
Remains in ufe with you. Our Italy
Shines o'er with civil Swords; Sextus Pompeius
Makes his approaches to the Port of Rome.

Equality of two Domeftick Pow'rs,

Breed fcrupulous Faction; the hated, grown to Strength,
Are newly grown to Love; the condemn'd Pompey,
Rich in his Father's Honour, creeps apace,
Into the Hearts of fuch, as have not thriv'n
Upon the present State, whofe Numbers threaten,
And Quietness grown fick of rest, would purge
By any defperate change. My more particular,
And that which moft with you should fave my going,
Is Fulvia's death.

Cleo. Though Age from Folly could not give me freedom, It does from Childishness. Can Fulvia die?

Ant. She's dead, my Queen,

Look here, and at thy Sovereign leifure read
The Garboyls fhe awak'd; at the laft, best.
See when, and where fhe died.

Cleo. O moft falfe Love!

Where be the facred Viols thou fhould'ft fill
With forrowful Water? now I fee, I fee,
In Fulvia's death, how mine fhall be receiv'd.
Ant. Quarrel no more, but be prepar'd to know
The purposes I bear: which are, or cease,
As you fhall give th'advice. By the Fire
That quickens Nilus Slime, I go from hence
Thy Soldier, Servant, making Peace or Was,
As thou affect'ft.

Cleo. Cut my Lace, Charmian, come,
But let it be, I am quickly ill, and well,

So Anthony loves.

Ant. My precious Queen forbear,

And give true evidence to his Love, which ftands
An honourable Trial.

Cleo. So Fulvia told me.

I prithee turn afide, and weep for her,
Then bid adieu to me, and fay the Tears
Belong to Egypt. Good now, play one Scene
Of excellent diffembling, and let it look

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