Sooth. You shall be yet far fairer than you are.
Char. He means, in flesh.

Iras. No, you shall paint when you are old.
Char. Wrinkles forbid !

Alex. Vex not his prescience; be attentive.
Char. Hush!

Sooth. You shall be more beloving, than beloved.
Char. I had rather heat my liver with drinking.
Alex. Nay, hear him.

Char. 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 Cæsar, and companion me with my mistress. [serve.

Sooth. You shall outlive the lady whom you
Char. O excellent! I love long life better than
figs.
[fortune,

Sooth. You have seen and proved a fairer former Than that which is to approach.

Char. Then, belike, my children shall have no

names.

[have? Pr'ythee, how many boys and wenches must I Sooth. If every of your wishes had a womb, And fertile every wish, a million.

Char. Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch. Alex. You think, none but your sheets are privy to your wishes.

Char. Nay, come, tell Iras hers. Alex. We'll know all our fortunes. Eno. Mine, and most of our fortunes, to-night, shall be-drunk to bed. [else. Iras. There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing Char. Even as the o'erflowing Nilus presageth famine.

Iras. Go, you wild bed-fellow, you cannot soothsay.

Char. Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear.Pr'ythee, tell her but a worky-day fortune.

Sooth. Your fortunes are alike.

Iras. But how, but how? give me particulars. Sooth. I have said.

[she? Iras. Am I not an inch of fortune better than

Char. Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better than I, where would you choose it? Iras. Not in my husband's nose.

Char. Our worser thoughts heavens mend! Alexas,-come, his fortune, his fortune.-, let him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee! And let her die too, and give him a worse! and let worse follow worse, till the worst of all follow him laughing to his grave, fifty-fold a cuckold! Good Isis, hear me this prayer, though thou deny me a matter of more weight; good Isis, I beseech thee!

Iras. Amen. Dear goddess, hear that prayer of the people! for, as it is a heart-breaking to see a handsome man loose-wived, so it is a deadly sorrow to behold a foul knave uncuckolded; therefore, dear Isis, keep decorum, and fortune him accordingly!

Char. Amen.

Alex. Lo, now! if it lay in their hands to make me a cuckold, they would make themselves whores, but they'd do't.

Eno. Hush! here comes Antony.
Char. Not he, the queen.
Enter Cleopatra.

Cleo. Saw you my lord?
Eno. No, lady.

Cleo. Was he not here?
Char. No, madam.

[sudden

Cleo. He was dispos'd to mirth; but on the A Roman thought had struck him.--Enobarbus,-Eno. Madam.

Cleo. Seek him, and bring him hither. Where's Alexas? [approaches. Alex. Here madam, at your service.-My lord Enter Antony, with a Messenger, and Attendants. Cleo. We will not look upon him: go with us.

[exeunt Cleopatra, Enobarbus, Alexas, Iras, Charmian, Soothsayer, and Attendants. Mess. Fulvia thy wife first came into the field. Ant. Against my brother Lucius? Mess. Ay:

But soon that war had end, and the time's state
Made friends of them, jointing their force 'gainst
Cæsar;

Whose better issue in the war, from Italy,
Upon the first encounter, drave them

Ant. Well,

What worst?

Mess. The nature of bad news infects the teller. Ant. When it concerns the fool, or coward.

On: [thus; Things that are past, are done, with me.-'Tis Who tells me true, though in his tale lie death, I hear him, as he flatter'd.

Mess. Labienus

(This is stiff news) bath, with his Parthian force, Extended Asia from Euphrates;

His conquering banner shook, from Syria
To Lydia, and to Iona:
Whilst

Ant. Antony, thou wouldst say,——
Mess. O, my lord!

Ant. Speak to me home, mince not the general

tongue;

Name Cleopatra as she's call'd in Rome:

With such full licence, as both truth and malice
Have power to utter. O, then we bring forth weeds,
When our quick winds lie still; and our ills told us,
Is as our earing. Fare thee well awhile.
Mess. At your noble pleasure.

[exit. Ant. From Sicyon how the news? Speak there. 1 Att. The man from Sicyon.-Is there such an 2 Att. He stays upon your will [one? Ant. Let him appear.— These strong Egyptian fetters, I must break, Enter another Messenger.

Or lose myself in dotage.—What are you?
2 Mess. Fulvia, thy wife, is dead.
Ant. Where died she?

2 Mess. In Sicyon :

Her length of sickness, with what else more serious
Importeth thee to know, this bears. [gives a letter.
Ant. Forbear me.—
[exit Messenger.
There's a great spirit gone! Thus did I desire it:
What our contempts do often hurl from us,
We wish it ours again; the present pleasure,
By revolution lowering, does become
The opposite of itself: she's good, being gone;
The hand could pluck her back, that shov'd her on.
I must from this enchanting queen break off;
Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know,
My idleness doth hatch.-How now, Enobarbus!
Enter Enobarbus.

Eno. What's your pleasure, sir?
Ant. I must with haste from hence.

Eno. Why, then, we kill all our women: We see how mortal an unkindness is to them; if they suffer our departure, death's the word.

Ant. I must be gone.

Eno. Under a compelling occasion, let women die: It were pity to cast them away for nothing; though, between them and a great cause, they should be esteemed nothing. Cleopatra, catching but the least noise of this, dies instantly; I have seen her die twenty times upon far poorer moment: I do think, there is mettle in death, which commits some loving act upon her, she hath such celerity in dying. Ant. She is cunning past man's thought. Eno. Alack, sir, no; her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love: We cannot call her winds and waters, sighs, and tears; they are greater storms and tempests than almanacks can report: this cannot be cunning in her; if it be, she makes a shower of rain as well as Jove. Ant. 'Would I had never seen her!

Eno. O, sir, you had then left unseen a wonderful piece of work; which not to have been blessed withal, would have discredited your travel. Ant. Fulvia is dead.

Eno. Sir?

Ant. Fulvia is dead. Eno. Fulvia?

Ant. Dead.

Eno. Why, sir, give the gods a thankful sacrifice. When it pleaseth their deities so take the wife of a man from him, it shows to man the tailors of the earth; comforting therein, that when old robes are worn out, there are members to make new. If there were no more women but Fulvia, then had you indeed a cut, and the case to be lamented:

smock brings forth a new petticoat :—and, indeed, the tears live in an onion, that should water this

sorrow.

Ant. The business she hath broached in the state, Cannot endure my absence.

Eno. And the business you have broached here cannot be without you; especially that of Cleopatra's, which wholly depends on your abode.

Ant. No more light answers. Let our officer 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 strongly speak to us; but the letters too Of many our contriving friends in Rome Petition us at home: Sextus Pompeius Hath given the dare to Cæsar, and commands The empire of the sea: our slippery people (Whose love is never link'd to the deserver, Till his deserts are past), begin to throw Pompey the Great, and all his dignities, Upon his son; who, high in name and power, Higher than both in blood and life, stands up For the main soldier: whose quality, going on, The sides o'the world may danger: Much is breeding Which, like the courser's hair, hath yet but life, And not a serpent's poison. Say, our pleasure, To such whose place is under us, requires Our quick remove from hence. Eno. I shall do't.

SCENE III.

[exeunt.

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

Char. I did not see him since.

Cleo. See where he is, who's with him, what

he does:

I did not send you :-If you find him sad,
Say, I am dancing; if in mirth, report
That I am sudden sick : Quick, and return. [erit Al.

Char. Madam, methinks, if you did love him You do not hold the method to enforce [dearly, The like from him.

Cleo. What should I do, I do not? Char. In each thing give him way, cross him in nothing.

[him. Cleo. Thou teachest like a fool: the way to lose Char. Tempt him not so too far: I wish, forbear In time we hate that which we often fear. Enter Antony.

But here comes Antony.

[pose,

Cleo. I am sick, and sullen. Ant. I am sorry to give breathing to my purCleo. Help me away, dear Charmian, I shall It cannot be thus long, the sides of nature [fall; Will not sustain it.

Ant. Now, my dearest queen,—

Cleo. Pray you, stand further from me.
Ant. What's the matter?

[good news.

Cleo. I know, by that same eye, there's somo What says the married woman? You may go; Would she had never given you leave to come! Let her not say, 'tis I that keep you here, I have no power upon you; hers you are. Ant. The gods best know,Cleo. O, never was there queen

So mightily betray'd! Yet, at the first, I saw the treasons planted.

Ant. Cleopatra,—

[true,

Cleo. Why should I think, you can be mine, and Though you in swearing shake the throned gods, Who have been false to Fulvia? Riotous madness, To be entangled with those mouth-made vows, Which break themselves in swearing!

Ant. Most sweet queen,—

[going, Cleo. Nay, pray you, seek no colour for your But bid farewell, and go: when you sued staying, Then was the time for words: No going then;Eternity was in our lips, and eyes;

Bliss in our brows' bent; none our parts so poor,
But was a race of heaven; they are so still,
Or thou, the greatest soldier of the world,
Art turn'd the greatest liar.

Ant. How now lady!

Our services awhile; but my full heart
Remains in use with you. Our Italy
Shines o'er with civil swords: Sextus Pompeius
Makes his approaches to the port of Rome:
Equality of two domestic powers [strength,
Breed scrupulous faction: The hated, grown to
Are newly grown to love: the condemn'd Pompey,
Rich in his father's honour, creeps apace
Into the hearts of such as have not thriv'd
Upon the present state, whose numbers threaten;
And quietness, grown sick of rest, would purge
By any desperate change: My more particular,
And that which most with you should safe my
Is Fulvia's death.
[going,
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 leisure, read
The garboils she awak'd; at the last, best:
See, when and where she died.

Cleo. O most false love;

Where be the sacred vials thou shouldst fill
With sorrowful water? Now I see, I see,
In Fulvia's death, how mine receiv'd shall be.
Ant. Quarrel no more, but be prepared to know
The purposes I bear; which are, or cease,
As you shall give the advice: Now, by the fire,
That quickens Nilus' slime, I go from hence,
Thy soldier, servant; making peace, or war,
As thou affect'st.

Cleo. Cut my lace, Charmian, come ;——
But let it be. I am quickly ill, and well;
So Antony loves.

Ant. My precious queen, forbear;

And give true evidence to his love, which stands An honourable trial.

Cleo. So Fulvia told me.

I pr'ythee, turn aside, and weep for her;
Then bid adieu to me, and say, the tears
Belong to Egypt: Good now, play one scene
Of excellent dissembling; and let it look
Like perfect honour.

Ant. You'll heat my blood; no more.

Cleo. You can do better yet; but this is meetly. Ant. Now, by my sword,

Cleo. And target,-Still he mends: But this is not the best: Look, pr'ytnee, harmian How this Herculean Roman does become The carriage of his chafe.

Ant. I'll leave you lady.

Cleo. Courteous lord, one word.

Sir, you and I must part,—but that's not it;
Sir, you and I have lov'd,—but there's not it;
That you know well: Something it is I would,——
O, my oblivion is a very Antony,
And I am all forgotten.

Ant. But that your royalty

Holds idleness your subject, I should take you For idleness itself.

Cleo. 'Tis sweating labour,

To bear such idleness so near the heart

As Cleopatra this. But, sir, forgive me :
Since my becomings kill me, when they do not
Eye well to you: your honour calls you hence;
Therefore, be deaf to my unpitied folly,

And all the gods go with you! upon your sword
Sit laurel'd victory! and smooth success
Be strew'd before your feet!

Ant. Let us go. Come;

Our separation so abides, and flies,
That thou, residing here, go'st yet with me,
And I, hence fleeting, here remain with thee.
Away.
[exeunt.

SCENE IV. ROME. AN APARTMENT AT CÆSAR'S

HOUSE.

Enter Octavius Cæsar, Lepidus, and Attendants.
Cæs. You may see, Lepidus, and henceforth
It is not Cæsar's natural vice to hate [know,
One great competitor: From Alexandria
This is the news; he fishes, drinks, and wastes
The lamps of night in revel: is not more manlike
Than Cleopatra; nor the queen of Ptolemy
More womanly then he: hardly gave audience, or
Vouchsaf'd to think he had partners: You shall
A man, who is the abstract of all faults [find there
That all men follow.

Lep. I must not think, there are
Evils enough to darken all his goodness:
His faults, in him, seem as the spots of heaven,
More fiery by night's blackness; hereditary,
Rather than purchas'd; what he cannot change,
Than what he chooses.
[is not

Cæs. You are too indulgent: Let us grant, it 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 (As his composure must be rare indeed, [him Whom these things cannot blemish), yet must