Ambaffadors from ANTONY to CÆSAR, Captains, Soldiers, Mellengers, and other Attendants.

The SNE is difpers'd in several Parts of the Roman Empire.

ANTONY

**

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

N

ACT I. SCENE I.

The Palace at Alexandria in Ægypt.

Enter Demetrius and Philo.

PHILO.

AY, but this dotage of our general

O'er-flows the measure; thofe his goodly eyes,
That o'er the files and mufters 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 fcuffles of great fights hath burst
The buckles on his breaft, reneges all temper,
And is become the bellows and the fan

To cool a gypfy's luft. - Look, where they come!

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

Take but good note, and you shall see in him
The triple pillar of the world transform'd

Into a trumpet'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 must thou needs find out new heav'n, new earth.

VOL. V.

N n

Enter

Enter a Meffenger.

Mef. News, my good lord, from Rome.
Ant. It grates me. Tell the fum.
Cleo. Nay, hear it, Antony.

Fulvia, perchance, is angry; or, who knows,
If the scarce-bearded Cæfar 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.

Ant. How, my love?

Cleo. Perchance, (nay, and most like,)
You must not stay here longer, your difmiffion

Is come from Cæfar; therefore hear it, Antony.

Where's Fulvia's procefs? Cafar's? I would fay; both?
Call in the meffengers. As I'm Ægypt's queen,
Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine
Is Cafar's homager: fo thy cheeks pay shame,
When shrill-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 beast as man: the nobleness of life
Is to do thus; when such 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 peerlefs.

Cleo. Excellent falfehood!

Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?
I'll feem the fool I am not; Antony

Will be himself.

Ant. But ftirr'd by Cleopatra:

[embracing.

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.

Cleo. Hear the ambaffadors.

Ant. Fie, wrangling queen!

Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,
To weep; whofe every paffion fully strives
To make itself 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;
Last night you did defire it. Speak not to us.

[Exeunt with their train.

Dem. Is Cæfar with Antonius priz'd so flight?
Phil. Sir, fometimes, when he is not Antony,
He comes too short of that great property
Which still should go with Antony.

Dem. I'm forry,

That he approves the common liar fame,

Who fpeaks him thus at Rome; but I will hope
Of better deeds to-morrow. Reft you happy!

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Enter Ænobarbus, Charmian, Iras, Alexas, and a Soothsayer. Char. Alexas, fweet Alexas, moft any thing Alexas, almost most abfolute Alexas, where's the fouthfayer that you prais'd to the queen? O, that I knew this husband, which, you say, must change for horns his garlands.

Alex. Soothfayer,

Sooth. Your will?

Char. Is this the man? - Is't you, fir, that know things? Sooth. In nature's infinite book of fecrecy,

A little I can read.

Alex. Show him your hand.

Eno. Bring in the banquet quickly: wine enough,

Cleopatra's health to drink.

Char. Good fir, give me

Good fortune.

Nn 2

Sooth.