1 Enter Antony, and Cleopatra, her Ladies; the Train, with Eunuchs fanning her. Take but good Note, and you shall see him, The tripple Pillar of the World, transform'd 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 fet a bourn how far to be belov'd. Ant. Then must thou needs find out new Heav'n, new Earth. Enter a Messenger. Mes. News, my good Lord, from Rome. Cleo. Nay, hear them Antony. Fulvia perchance is angry, or who knows, Ant. How, my Love? Cleo. Perchance, nay, and most like, Ant. Let Rome in Tyber melt, and the wide Arch Cleo. Excellent Falshood! Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her ? 1 Ant. • Ant. But stirr'd by Cleopatra. Now for the love of love, and his soft Hours, Ant. Fie wrangling Queen! Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh, No Messenger but thine, and all alone, To Night we'll wander through the Streets, and note The Qualities of People. Come, my Queen, Last night you did defire it. Speak not to us. [Exeunt with their Train. Dem. Is Cafar with Antonius priz'd so flight ? Phil Sir, fometimes when he is not Antony, He comes too short of that great Property Which still should go with Antony. Dem. I am full forry, that he approves the common Liar, who thus speaks of him at Rome; but I will hope of better Deeds to morrow. Rest you happy. [Exeunt. Enter Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, Alexas, and a Soothsayer. Char. L. Alexas, sweet Alexas, most any thing Alexas, almost most absolute Alexas, where's the Soothsayer that you prais'd to the Queen ? Oh! that I knew this Hufband, which you fay, must change his Horns with Garlands. Alex. Soothsayer. 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 forefee. Char. Pray then, foresee me one. Sooth. You shall be yet far fairer than you are. Char. He means in Flesh. Iras. Iras. No, you shall paint when you are old. Alex. Vex not his Patience, be attentive. Char. Huh! Sooth. You shall be more beloving, than beloved. 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 Cafar, and Companion me with my Mistress. Sooth. You shall 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. 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 foretel 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. Eno. Mine, and most of our Fortunes to night, shall be to go drunk to Bed. Iras. There's a Palm presages Chastity, if nothing elfe. Char. E'en as the o'erflowing Nylus presageth Famine. Iras. Go you wild Bedfellow, you cannot Soothsay. Char. Nay, if an oily Palm be not a fruitful Prognoftication, I cannot scratch mine Ear. Prithee tell her but a Workyday Fortune. Sooth. Your Fortunes are alike. Iras. But how, but how give me particulars. Iras. Am I not an inch of Fortune better than the? than I; where would you chuse it ? Iras. Not in my Husband's Nofe. Alex. Come, his Fortune, his Fortune. Oh let him Marry a Woman that cannot go, sweet Ifis, 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 Ifis, I befeech thee. Char. Amen, dear Goddess, hear that Prayer of the People. For, as it is a heart-breaking to fee a handfome Man loose-wiv'd, so it is a deadly Sorrow, to behold a foul Knave Uncuckolded; therefore, dear Ifis, 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. Enter Cleopatra. Eno. Hush, here comes Antony. Char. Not he, the Queen. Cleo. Saw you my Lord ? Eno. No, Lady. Cleo. Was he not here ? Char. No, Madam. Cleo. He was dispos'd to Mirth, but on the sudden A Roman thought had struck him. Enobarbus. Eno. Madam. Cleo. Seek him, and bring him hither; where's Alexas ? Alex. Here at your Service, my Lord approaches. Enter Antony with a Messenger and Attendants. Cleo. We will not look upon him; go with us. [Exeunt. Mes. Fulvia thy Wife, first came into the Field. Ant. Against my Brother Lucius ? Mes. Ay, but foon that War had end, and the times state Made Friends of them, jointing their force 'gainst Cafar, Whose better Isse in the War of Italy, Upon the first encounter drave them. Ant. Well, what worst ? Mes. The Nature of bad News infects the Teller. Ant. Ant. The Business she hath broached in the State, Cannot endure my Absence. Eno. And the Business you have broach'd here cannot be without you, especially that of Cleopatra's, which wholly depends on your Aboad. Ant. No more like Answers: Let our Officers Eno. I shall do't. Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Alexas, and Iras. Cleo. Where is he? Char. I did not see him fince. Cleo. See where he is, who's with him, what he do's: I did not fend you. If you find him fad, That I am fudden fick. Quickly, and return. Char. Madam, methinks if you did love him dearly, The like from him. You do not hold the method, to enforce Cleo. What should I do, I do not? [Exeunt. Char. In each thing give him way, cross him in nothing. Cleo. Thou teachest like a Fool: the way to lose him. Char. |