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 to 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: this grief is crowned with consolation; your old 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. Aut. No more light answers. 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 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, I 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 : 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. [Exit Alexas. Char. Madam, methinks, if you did love him dearly, You do not hold the method to enforce Cleo. What should I do, I do not? Cleo. Thou teachest like a fool; the way to lose him. Char. Tempt him not so too far: I wish, forbear; In time we hate that which we often fear. But here comes Antony. Cleo. I am sick, and sullen. Ant. I am sorry to give breathing to my pur Cleo. Nay, pray you, seek no colour for your going, But bid farewell, and go: when you sued staying, Bliss in our brows' bent; none our parts so poor, Ant. How now, lady! 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'ythee, Charmian, How this Herculean Roman does become Ant. I'll leave you, lady. Cleo. Courteous lord, one word. Cleo. I would, I had thy inches; thou should'st Sir, you and I must part,-but that's not it: know, There were a heart in Egypt. Ant. Hear me, queen: The strong necessity of time commands Breeds scrupulous faction: The hated, grown to strength, Are newly grown to love: The condemn'd Pom Where be the sacred vials thou should'st fill Cleo. Cut my lace, Charmian, come ;- Ant. My precious queen, forbear; | Sir, you and I have lov'd,-but there's not it; 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 Ant. Let us go. Come; SCENE IV.-Rome. An apartment in Cæsar's house. Enter OCTAVIUS CÆSAR, LEPIDUS, and Cas. You may see, Lepidus, and henceforth know, It is not Cæsar's natural vice to hate Than Cleopatra; nor the queen of Ptolemy A man, who is the abstract of all faults Lep. I must not think, there are And give true evidence to his love, which stands His faults, in him, seem as the spots of heaven, 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. More fiery by night's blackness; hereditary, Rather than purchas'd; what he cannot change. Than what he chooses. Cas. You are too indulgent: Let us grant, it is not Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy; 6 To reel the streets at noon, and stand the buffet With knaves, that smell of sweat: say, this becomes him, (As his composure must be rare indeed, No way excuse his soils, when we do bear As his own state, and ours,-'tis to be chid Pawn their experience to their present pleasure, And so rebel to judgment. Enter a Messenger. Lep. Here's more news. Which some did die to look on: And all this Lep, It is pity of him. Cas. Let his shames quickly Drive him to Rome: 'Tis time we twain Lep. To-morrow, Cæsar, I shall be furnish'd to inform you rightly Cas. Till which encounter, It is my business too. Farewell. Lep. Farewell, my lord: What you shall know mean time Of stirs abroad, I shall beseech you, sir, Caes. Doubt not, sir; Mess. Thy biddings have been done; and I knew it for my bond. every hour, Most noble Cæsar, shalt thou have report That only have fear'd Cæsar: to the ports Cæs. I should have known no less:- Comes dear'd, by being lack'd. This common body, Like to a vagabond flag upon the stream, Mess. Cæsar, I bring thee word, Make the sea serve them; which they ear and wound With keels of every kind: Many hot inroads Cas. Antony, Leave thy lascivious wassals. When thou once Wast beaten from Modena, where thou slew'st Hirtius and Pansa, consuls, at thy heel Did famine follow; whom thou fought'st against, The roughest berry on the rudest hedge; [Exeunt. With most delicious poison :-Think on me, That am with Phoebus' amorous pinches black, And wrinkled deepin time? Broad-fronted Cæsar, When thou wast here above the ground, I was A morsel for a monarch: and great Pompey Would stand, and make his eyes grow in my brow; There would he anchor his aspect, and die With looking on his life. Enter ALEXAS. Alex. Sovereign of Egypt, hail! Cleo. How much unlike art thou Mark Antony! Yet, coming from him, that great medicine hath With his tinct gilded thee. How goes it with my brave Mark Antony? Cleo. What, was he sad, or merry? extremes Of hot and cold; he was nor sad, nor merry. Cleo. O well-divided disposition!-Note him, Note him, good Charmian, 'tis the man; but note him: He was not sad; for he would shine on those Cleo. Who's born that day Shall die a beggar.-Ink and paper, Charmian.Welcome, my good Alexas.-Did I, Charmian, Ever love Cæsar so? Char. O that brave Cæsar! Cleo. Be chok'd with such another emphasis! Say, the brave Antony. Char. The valiant Cæsar! Cleo. By Isis, I will give thee bloody teeth, If thou with Cæsar paragon again My man of men. Char. By your most gracious pardon, I sing but after you. Cleo. My sallad days; When I was green in judgment:-Cold in blood, ACT II. Men. Cæsar and Lepidus Are in the field; a mighty strength they carry. Pom. He dreams; I know, they are in Rome together, Looking for Antony: But all charms of love, Enter VARRIUS. Var. This is most certain that I shall deliver: Mark Antony is every hour in Rome Expected; since he went from Egypt, 'tis A space for further travel. Pom. I could have given less matter A better ear.-Menas, I did not think, This amorous surfeiter would have don'd his helm For such a petty war: his soldiership Is twice the other twain: But let us rear The higher our opinion, that our stirring Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck The ne'er lust-wearied Antony. Men. I cannot hope, Cæsar and Antony shall well greet together: Pom. I know not, Menas, How lesser enmities may give way to greater. Were't not that we stand up against them all, Twere pregnant they should square between themselves; For they have entertained cause enough To draw their swords: but how the fear of us [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Rome. A room in the house of LEPIDUS. Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS. Lep. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, toentreat your captain To soft and gentle speech. Eno. I shall entreat him To answer ike himself: If Cæsar move him, And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter, Lep. 'Tis not a time For private stomaching. Eno. Every time Serves for the matter that is then born in it. Lep. But small to greater matters must give way. Eno. Not if the small come first. Lep. Your speech is passion: But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes The noble Antony. Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS. Eno. And yonder, Cæsar. Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and Agrippa. Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia: Hark you, Ventidius. Cæs. I do not know, That which combin'd us was most great, and let not It not concern'd me. Ant. My being in Egypt, Cæsar, What was❜t to you? Caes. No more than my residing here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: Yet, if you there Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt Might be my question. Ant. How intend you, practis'd? Cæs. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befal me. Your wife, and brother, Made wars upon me; and their contestation Was theme for you, you were the word of wax. Ant. You do mistake your business; my bro ther never Did urge me in his act: I did inquire it; rather Discredit my authority with yours; And make the wars alike against my stomach, Having alike your cause? Of this, my letters Before did satisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel, As matter whole you have not to make it with, It must not be with this. Cas. You praise yourself By laying defects of judgment to me; but Ant. Not so, not so; I know you could not lack, I am certain on't, Eno. 'Would we had all such wives, that the men might go to wars with the women! Ant. So much uncurable, her garboils, Cæsar, Made out of her impatience, (which not wanted Shrewdness of policy too,) I grieving grant, Did you too much disquiet: for that, you must But say, I could not help it. Cæs. I wrote to you, |