VARRIUS, a friend of Pompey. TAURUS, lieutenant-general to Cæsar. CANIDIUS, lieutenant-general to Antony. SILIUS, an officer in Ventidius's army. EUPHRONIUS, an ambassador from Antony to Cæsar. ALEXAS, an attendant on Cleopatra. Appears, Act I. sc. 2; sc. 3. Act II. sc. 5. Act III. sc. 3. Act IV. sc. 2 Appears, Act I. sc. 5. Act II. sc. 5. Act IV. sc. 11; sc. 12. DIOMEDES, an attendant on Cleopatra. Appears, Act I. sc. 2. Act II. sc. 3. A Clown. Appears, Act V. sc. 2. CLEOPATRA, Queen of Egypt. Appears, Act I. sc. 1; sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 5. Act II. sc. 5. Act V. sc. 2. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 4; sc. 11; sc. 13. Act V. sc. 2. IRAS, an attendant on Cleopatra. Appears, Act I. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 5. Act II. sc. 5. Act III. sc. 3; sc. 9; sc. 11. Act IV. sc. 2; sc. 11; sc. 13. Act V. sc. 2. Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. SCENE,-DISPERSED; IN SEVERAL PARTS OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE. 'The Tragedy of Anthonie and Cleopatra' was first printed in the folio collection of 1623. The play is not divided into acts and scenes in the original; but the stage directions, like those of the other Roman plays, are very full. The text is, upon the whole, remarkably accurate; although the metrical arrangement is, in a few instances, obviously defective. ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. ACT I. SCENE I-Alexandria. A Room in Cleopatra's Palace. Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO. PHI. Nay, but this dotage of our general's Upon a tawny front: his captain's heart, And is become the bellows, and the fan, To cool a gipsy's lust. Look where they come! Flourish. Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with their Trains; Take but good note, and you shall see in him The triple pillar of the world transform'd Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see. 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 set a bourn how far to be belov'd. ANT. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. Enter an Attendant. ATT. News, my good lord, from Rome- CLEO. Nay, hear them, Antony: Grates me: -The sum Fulvia, perchance, is angry; Or, who knows If the scarce-bearded Cæsar have not sent ANT. How, my love! CLEO. Perchance,-nay, and most like, You must not stay here longer, your dismission 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, ANT. Fie, wrangling queen! Whom everything becomes, to chide, to laugh, To make itself, in thee, fair and admir'd! To-night we'll wander through the streets, and note Last night you did desire it:-Speak not to us. [Exeunt ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with their Train. DEM. Is Cæsar with Antonius priz'd so slight? PHIL. Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony, He comes too short of that great property Which still should go with Antony. DEM. I'm full sorry That he approves the common liar, who SCENE II.-The same. Another Room. [Exeunt. Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a Soothsayer. CHAR. Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most anything Alexas, almost most absolute Alexas, where's the soothsayer that you praised so to the queen? O, that I knew this husband, which, you say, must 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. Show him your hand. Enter ENOBARBUS. 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 foresee. CHAR. Pray then, foresee me one. SOOTH. You shall be yet 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 belov'd. 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. SOOTH. You shall outlive the lady whom you serve. CHAR. O excellent! I love long life better than figs. SOOTH. You have seen and prov'd a fairer former fortune Than that which is to approach. CHAR. Then, belike my children shall have no names: Prithee, how many boys and wenches must I have? 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. IRAS. There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing else. CHAR. Even as the o'erflowing Nilus presageth famine. IRAS. Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot soothsay. CHAR. Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear. Prithee, tell her but a worky-day fortune. SOOTH. Your fortunes are alike. IRAS. But how, but how? give me particulars. SOOTH. I have said. IRAS. Am I not an inch of fortune better than she? 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!—0, let him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee! And let her die |