OCTAVIA, sister to Cæsar, and wife to Antony. CHARMIAN, 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. 4; sc. 11; sc. 13. Act V. sc. 2. IRAS, an attendant on Cleopatra. Appears, Act I. sc. 2; sc. 3; sc. 9; sc. 11. sc. 2. sc. 3; sc. 5. Act II. sc. 5. Act III. Officers, Soldiers, Messengers, and other Attendants. 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, To cool a gipsy's lust. Look, where they come! Flourish. Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with their Trains; Eunuchs fanning her. Take but good note, and you shall see in him a Reneagues-renounces. This is usually spelt reneges. The orthography we have adopted gives us the proper pronunciation, as in league. b Triple is here used in the sense of third, or one of three. So in All's Well that Ends Well' we have a triple eye for a third eye. We are not aware that any other author uses triple otherwise than in the ordinary sense of three-fold, Cleo. If it be love indeed, tell me how much. 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 Ant. Grates me :-The sum. Cleo. Nay, hear them, Antony: Fulvia, perchance, is angry; Or, who knows His powerful mandate to you, " Do this, or this; Ant. How, my love! You must not stay here longer, your dismission Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen, a Grates me-offends me; is grating to me. b Process-summons. c Rang'd empire. Capell properly explains this-" Orderly ranged-whose parts are now entire and distinct, like a number of well-built edifices." On pain of punishment, the world to weet a Cleo. Excellent falsehood! 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, Let's not confound the time with conference harsh: There's not a minute of our lives should stretch Without some pleasure now: What sport to-night? Cleo. Hear the ambassadors. Ant. Fie, wrangling queen! To-night we 'll wander through the streets, and note [Exeunt ANT. and CLEOP., with their Train. Dem. I'm full sorry 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. a To weet-to know. b Antony accepts Cleopatra's belief of what he will be. He will be himself; but still under the influence of Cleopatra; and to show what that influence is, he continues, "Now, for the love of Love," &c. SCENE II.-The same. Another Room. 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 far 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 heloving 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. a Change-vary, give a different appearance to. |