Ambassadors from Antony to Cajar, Captains, Soldiers, Meffengers, and other Attendants.
The SCENE is difperfed in feveral parts of the Roman Empire.

I i. e. renounces. 2 Gyffy is here ufed both in the original meaning for an Egyptian, and in its accidental fenfe for a bad woman. 3 Triple is here ufed improperly for third, or one of three. One of the triumvirs, one of the three mafters of the world. 4 i. c bound or limit. 51. e. be brief, fur thy bufinets in a few words.

Kingdoms are clay: our dungy earth alike
Feeds beaft 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 1,
We stand up peerless.

Cleo. Excellent falfhood!

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

Ant. But 2 ftirr'd by Cleopatra.--

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 stretch
Without fome pleafure now: What sport to-night?
Cleo. Hear the embaffadors.

Ant. Fye, wrangling queen!

A little I can read.

Alex. Shew him your hand.

Enter Enobarbus.

Eno. Bring in the banquet quickly; wine enough,
Cleopatra's health to drink.

Char. Good fir, give me good fortune.
Soath. I make not, but forefee.

Char. Pray then, forefee me one.

Scoth. You fhall be yet far fairer than you are.
Char. He means, in flesh.

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

Alex. Vex not his prefcience; be attentive.
Char. Huth!

Sooth. You fhall be more beloving, than belov'd
Ghar. I had rather heat my liver with drinking 5.
Alex. Nay, hear him.

Char. Good now, fome excellent fortune! Le 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 with Octavius Cæfar, and companies

Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,
To weep; whofe every pallion fully ftrives
To make itself, in thee, fair and admir'd!
No mellenger, but thine ;--And all alone,
To-night, we'll wander through the ftreets, and me with my miftref,!

Sooth. You fhall out-live the lady whom you ferve.

Char. O excellent! I love long life better than figs 7.

Sooth. You have feen and prov'd a fairer former Than that which is to approach. [fortune Char. Then, belike, my children shall have no names: Pr'ythee, how many boys and wenbes muft I have?

Sooth. If every of your wishes had a womb, And foretel every with, a million 9.

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

Char. Nay, come, tell Iras hers.
Alex. We'll know all our fortunes.
Eno. Mine, and most of our fortunes, to-nigh

Enter Charmian, Iras, Alexas, and a Soothsayer.fhall be-drunk to bed.

Char. Is this the man ?- -Is't you, fir, that prognoftication, I cannot fcratch mine ear. Sooth. In nature's infinite book of fecrecy,

1 To know.

Pr'ythee, tell her but a worky-day fortune.

2 But here fignifies unless. 3 Meaning, that he proves the common lyar, fame, in his cafe to be a true reporter. 4 Dr. Johnfon doubts, whether change in this place may not ig nity merely to dress, or to dress with changes of garlands; certain it is, that change of clothes in the time of Shakspeare fignified variety of them. 5 A heated liver is fuppofed to make a pimpled face. 6 Herod was always one of the perfonages in the myfteries of our early stage, on which t was conftantly reprefented as a fierce, haughty, bluftering tyrant, fo that Herod of Jewry became a common proverb, expreffive of turbulence and rage. Thus Hamlet fays of a ranting player, that be « out-herods Herod." The meaning then is, Charmian wishes for a fon, who may arrive to fuch power and dominion, that the proudeft and fiercelt monarchs of the earth may be brought under his yoke. 7 A proverbial expreflion. 8 A fairer fortune may mean, a more reputable one. Her aufwer then im plies, that belike all her children will be baftards, who have no right to the name of their father's fami ly. 9 The meaning is, If you had as many wombs as you will have withes, and fhould foretel all those wifhes, I fhould foretel a million of children. It is an ellipfis very frequent in converfation;-I fhould fhame you, and tell all; that is, and if I fhould tell all. And is for and if, which was anciently, and is itill provincially ufed for if.

Seeth

Sonth. Your fortunes are alike.

Hath, with his Parthian force, extended Afia,

Iras. But how, but how? give me particulars. From Euphrates his conquering banner shook,
From Syria, to Lydia, and to Ionia;
Sooth. I have faid.

Iras. Am I not an inch of fortune better than Whilft

The?

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 worfer thoughts heavens mend !Alexas, come, his fortune, his fortune.-O let him marry a woman that cannot go, fweet Ifis, I befeech thee! And let her die too, and give him a worfe! and let worfe follow worfe, 'till the worst of all follow him laughing to his grave, fiftyfold a cuckold! Good Ifis, hear me this prayer, though thou deny me a matter of more weight; good Ifis, I befeech thee!

Iras. Amen. Dear goddefs, hear that prayer of the people! for, as it is a heart-breaking to fee a handsome man loofe-wiv'd, fo it is a deadly forrow 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 themfelves whores, but they'd do't.

Eno. Huth! 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.

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

[tongue;

Ant. Speak to me home, mince not the general
Name Cleopatra as fhe's call'd in Rome :
Rail thou in Fulvia's phrafe; and taunt my faults
With fuch full licence, as both truth and malice
Have power to utter. O, then we bring forth
weeds,

When our quick winds lie ftill2; and our ills told us,
Is as our earing. Fare thee well a while.
Mef. At your noble pleasure.
[Exit.
Ant. From Sicyon how the news? Speak there.
1 Att. The man from Sicyon.--Is there fuch an
2 Att. He stays upon your will.
Ant. Let him appear.-

Thefe ftrong Ægyptian fetters I must break,
Enter a fecond Meffengers

Or lofe myself in dotage.-What are you?
2 Mcf. Fulvia thy wife is dead.
Ant. Where died the ?
2 Mcf. In Sicyon:

[one?

Her length of fickness, with what elfe more ferious
Importeth thee to know, this bears. [Gives a letter.
Ant. Forbear me.--
[Exit Meffenger.
There's a great spirit gone! Thus did I defire it :
What our contempts do often hurl from us,
We with it ours again; the prefent pleasure,
By revolution 3 lowering, does become

The oppofite of itfelf: the's good, being gone; [on.
The hand could 4 pluck her back, that fhov'd her,

Cleo. He was difpos'd to mirth; but on the fud-1 muft from this enchanting queen break off;

Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know, -Enobar- My idleness doth hatch.-How now! Enobarbus ! Enter Enobarbus.

[bus,

[Alexas?

Where's

Eno. What's your pleasure, fir?
Ant. I muft with hafte from hence.

Cleo. Seek him, and bring him hither.
Alex. Here, at your fervice.-My lord approaches.
Enter Antony, with a Meffenger, and Attendants.

Eno. Why, then we kill all our women: We

Cleo. We will not look upon him: Go with us.fee how mortal an unkindness is to them; if they fuffer our departure, death's the word.

Eno. Under a compelling occafion, let women die: It were pity to caft them away for nothing; though, between them and a great caufe, they should be esteem'd nothing. Cleopatra, catching but the leaft noife of this, dies inftantly; I have feen her die twenty times upon far poorer moment 5: I do think, there is mettle in death, which cominits fome loving act upon her, the hath fuch a celerity in dying.

Ant. She is cunning paft man's thought.

Eno. Alack, fir, no; her paffions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love: We cannot call her winds and waters, fighs and tears; they are greater ftorms and tempefts than alinanacks can report: this cannot be cunning in her;

4 Could for would. 5 i. e. for lefs

1 i. e. feized. 2 The fenfe is, that man, not agitated by cenfure, like foil not ventilated by 31. e. by change of circun flances. quick winds, produces more evil than good. the old plays. Could, would, and should, are very often indifcriminately uled reafon; upon meaner motives,

if it be, he makes a fhower of rain as well as Say, I am dancing; if in mirth, report
Jove.
That I am fudden fick : Quick, and return.

Ant. 'Would I had never feen her!

Eno. O, fir, you had then left unfeen a wonderful piece of work; which not to have been bleft withal, would have difcredited your travel. Ant. Fulvia is dead.

En. Sir?

Ant. Fulvia is dead.

Eno. Fulvia?

Ant. Dead.

Eno. Why, fir, give the gods a thankful facri

[Exit
Char. Madam, methinks, if you did love hum
dearly,

You do not hold the method to enforce

fice. When it pleafeth their deities to take the In time we hate that which we often fear.

Enter Antony.

But here comes Antony.
Cleo. I am fick, and fullen.

wife of a man from him, it fhews to man the tai-
lors 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 Ant. I am forry to give breathing to my purpose.—
Fulvia, then had you indeed a cut, and the cafe to Clea. Help me away, dear Charmian, I fhall fal;
be lamented: this grief is crown'd with confola-It cannot be thus long, the fides of nature
tion; your old (mock brings forth a new petticoat: Will not fuftain it.
and, indeed, the tears live in an onion, that

Thould water this forrow.

Ant. The bufinefs the hath broach'd in the state,

Cannot endure my absence.

int. Now, my deareft queen,➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖

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

[ new,

Cleo. I know, by that fame eye, there's fome good Eno. And the bufinefs you have broach'd here What fays the marry'd woman ?—You may gʊ; cannot be without you; especially that of Cleo-'Would, the had never given you leave to come! patra's, which wholly depends on your abode. Let her not fay, 'tis I that keep you here,

Ant. No more light anfwers. Let our officers
Have notice what we purpofe: I fhall break
The caufe of our expedience 2 to the queen,
And get her love to part. For not alone

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,

The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches 3, I faw the treafons planted.

Do strongly fpeak to us; but the letters too
Of many our contriving friends in Rome
Petition 4 us at home: Sextus Pompeius
Hath given the dare to Cæfar, and commands
The empire of the fea: our flippery people
(Whofe love is never link'd to the deferver,
'Till his deferts are paft) begin to throw
Pompey the great, and all his dignities
Upon his fon; who, high in name and power,
Higher than both in blood and life, ftands up
For the main foldier: whofe quality, going on,
The fides o' the world may danger: much is breeding,
Which, like the courfer's hair 5, hath yet but life,
And not a ferpent's poifon. Say, our pleature,
To fuch whofe place is under us, requires
Our quick remove from hence.

Eno. I fhall do't.

[Exeunt.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas.

Cleo. Where is he?

Char. I did not fee him fince.

The strong necellity of time commands Our fervices a while; but my full heart [does-Remains in ufe with you. Our Italy

Cla. See where he is, who's with him, what he Shines o'er with civil fwords: Sextus Pompeius I did not fend you ;—If you find him fad, Makes his approaches to the port of Rome :

6

The meaning is this: "As the gods have been pleafed to take away your wife Fulvia, fo they have provided you with a new one in Cleopatra; in like manner as the tailors of the earth, when your old garments are worn out, accommodate you with new ones." 2 Expedience for expedition. 3 i. e. things that touch me more fenfibly. 4 i. e. with us at home. Alluding to an old ick notion, that the hair of a horfe dropped into corrupted water, will turn to an an mal. 6 Yea mufl go as if you came without my order or knowledge. 7 i. e. in the arch of our eye-brows.

i. e. had a mack or favour of heaven. The race of wine is the tails of the foil.

Equality

quality of two domeftic powers

reeds fcrupulous faction: The hated, grown to
ftrength,

-re newly grown to love: the condemn'd Pompey,
ich in his father's honour, creeps apace
nto the hearts of fuch as have not thriv'd

pon the present state, whofe numbers threaten;
and quietness, grown fick of rest, would purge
Ey any defperate change: My more particular,
And that which most with you should fafe my going,
[freedom,
s Fulvia's death.
Cleo. Though age from folly could not give me
t does from childifhnefs :-Can Fulvia die?
Ant. She's dead, my queen!

Look here, and, at thy fovereign leifure, read
The garboils fhe awak'd; at the last, best:
See, when, and where she died.

Cleo. O moft falfe love!

Where be the facred vials thou fhouldft fill
With forrowful water 2? Now I fee, I fee,
In Fulvia's death, how mine receiv'd shall be.
Ant. Quarrel no more, but be prepar'd to know
The purposes I bear; which are, or ceafe,
As you shall give the advice: By the fire,
That quickens Nilus' flime, I go from hence,
Thy foldier, fervant; making peace, or war,
As thou affecit.

Cleo. Cut my lace, Charmian, come ;-
But let it be.-I am quickly ill, and well;
So 3 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 prythee, turn afide, and weep for her;
Then bid adieu to me, and fay, the tears
Belong to Egypt 4. Good now, play one scene
Of excellent diffembling; 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 fword,

Clo. And target.-Still he mends;

But this is not the beft: Look, pr'ythee, Charmian,
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 muft 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 6.

Ant. But that your royalty

Holds idleness your fubject, I should take you
For idlenefs itself 7.

Cleo. 'Tis fweating labour,

To bear fuch idlenefs fo near the heart
As Cleopatra this. But, fir, forgive me;
Since my becomings 8 kill me, when they do not
Eye well to you: Your honour calls you hence;
Therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly,
fword
And all the gods go with you! Upon your
Sit laurell'd victory! and fmooth fuccefs
Be ftrew'd before your feet!

Ant. Let us go. Come;
Our feparation fo abides, and flies,
That thou, refiding here, go'ft yet with me,
And I, hence fleeting, here remain with thee.
Away.

SCENE IV.
Cafar's Palace in Rome.

[Exeunt

Enter Octavius Cæfar, Lepidus, and Attendants. Caef. You may fee, Lepidus, and henceforth know, It is not Cæfar's natural vice to hate

One great competitor: From Alexandria

This is the news; He fithes, drinks, and wastes
The lamps of night in revel: is not more manlike
Than Cleopatra; nor the queen of Ptolemy
More womanly than he hardly gave audience, or
Vouchfaf'd to think he had partners: You fhall
find there

A man, who is the abstract of all faults
That all men follow.

Lep. I must not think, there are
Evils enough to darken all his goodness:
His faults, in him, feem as the fpots of heaven,
More fiery by night's blacknefs; hereditary,
Rather than purchas'd 9; what he cannot change,
[not
Than what he chooses.

Cf. You are too indulgent: Let us grant, it is
Amifs to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy;
To give a kingdom for a mirth; to fit
And keep the turn of tippling with a flave;
To reel the streets at noon, and ftand the buffet
With knaves that fmell of fweat: fay, this becomes
him,

[tony

(As his compofure must be rare indeed,
Whom these things cannot blemish) yet must An-
No way excufe his foils, when we do bear
So great weight in his lightness 10: If he fill'd

4 i. e. to me,

6 The

1 i. e. the commotion fhe occafioned. The word is derived from the old French garbouil, which 2 Alluding to the lachrymatory vials, or bottles of Cotgrave explains by hurlyburly, great flir. 3 So for as. tears, which the Romans fometimes put into the urn of a friend. the queen of Ægypt. 5 Antony traced his defcent from Anton, a fon of Hercules. plain meaning is, My forgetfulness makes me forget myfelf. But the expreffes it by calling forgetfulness 7 i. e. according to Warburton, Antony; becaule forgetfulness had torgot her, as Antony had done. But that your charms hold me, who am the greatelt fool on earth, in chains, I fhould have adjudged you to be the greateft." 8 Cleopatra may perhaps here allude to Antony having before called her, in the firit fcene, "wrangling queen, whom every thing becomes."

9 The meaning, according

to Mr. Malone, is, "As the itars or fpots of heaven are not obfcured, but rather rendered more bright, by the blackness of the night, fo neither is the goodnefs of Antony eclipfed by his evil quali tics, but, on the contrary, his faults feem enlarged and aggravated by his virtues." levity.

Dddz

19 i, e. trifling