Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt. Octavia, Sifter to Cæfar, and Wife to Antony. Charmian, Iras, Ladies attending on Cleopatra. Ambafadors from Antony to Cæfar, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants, The SCENE is difpers'd in feveral Parts of the Roman Empire. Α Ν Τ Ο Ν Υ AND CLEOPATRA ACT I. SCENE, the Palace at Alexandria in Ægypt. Enter Demetrius and Philo. PHILO. AY, but this dotage of our General eyes, That o'er the files and mufters of the war now turn, The office and devotion of their view Upon a tawny front. His Captain's heart, To cool a Gypfy's luft. Look, where they come! Flourish. Enter Antony and Cleopatra, ber Ladies in the train, Eunuchs fanning her. Take but good note, and you fhall fee in him The The triple pillar of the world transform'd Cleo. If it be love, indeed, tell me, how much? 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. Meff. News, my good Lord, from Rome. Fulvia, perchance, is angry; or who knows, 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,) Feeds beast as man; the nobleness of life Is to do thus; when fuch a mutual Pair, [Embracing. 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? Will be himself. Ant. But firr'd by Cleopatra. Now Now for the love of love, and his foft hours, Ant. Fie, wrangling Queen! Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh, No Meffenger, but thine ;and all alone, [Exeunt, with their Train.. That he approves the common liar, Fame, [Ex. Enter Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, Alexas, and a Sooth-fayer. Char. Alexas, fweet Alexas, moft any thing Alexas, almost most abfolute Alexas, where's the Sooth-fayer that you prais'd fo to th' Queen? (1) Oh! that I knew this husband, which you fay, muft charge his horns with garlands. (1) Ob, that I knew this Husband, which, you fay, muft change bis Horns with Garlands.] Changing Horns with Garlands, is, furely, a fenfelefs, unintelligible, Phrafe. We must restore, in Oppofition, to all the printed Copies, -which you fay, muft charge bis Horns with Garlands. i. c. must be an honourable Cuckold, must have his Horns hung with Garlands. Charge and change frequently ufurp each other's Place in our Author's old Editions, as I have occafionally obferv'd in my Notes on other Paffages. I ought to take Notice, that Mr. Warburton likewife ftarted this Emendation. Alex. Soothfayer, 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 foresee. Char. Pray then, foresee me one. Sooth. You fhall be yet far fairer than you are. Char. He means, in flesh. Iras. No, you fhall paint when you are old. Alex. Vex not his prefcience, be attentive. Sooth. You fhall be more beloving, than beloved. Char. Good now, fome 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 Cæfar, and companion me with my mistress. Sooth. You fhall out-live the Lady whom you ferve. Char. Oh, excellent! I love long life better than figs. Sooth. You have seen, and proved, a fairer former fortune, than that which is to approach. Ckar. Then, belike, my children fhall have no names; Pr'ythee, how many boys and wenches must I have? (2) If every of your Wishes bad a Womb, And And foretold every Wish, a Million.] What foretold? If the Wifes foretold themselves? This can never be genuine,' however |