For Brutus only overcame himself, And no man else hath honour by his death. Mes. Ant. This was the noblest Roman of them all : All the conspirators, save only he, Oct. According to his virtue let us use him, [Exeunt. OF this tragedy many particular passages deserve regard, and the contention and reconcilement of Brutus and Cassius is universally celebrated; but I have never been strongly agitated in perusing it, and think it somewhat cold and unaffecting, compared with some other of Shakspeare's plays: his adherence to the real story, and to Roman manners, seems to have impeded the natural vigour of his genius.-JOHNSON. ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. THIS play was entered in the Stationers' books, May 2, 1608; and was, according to the conjecture of Malone, composed in the same year. It was not, however, printed till the folio of 1623. The subject is taken from Plutarch's Life of Antony, which has been closely followed. PERSONS REPRESENTED. M. ANTONY, OCTAVIUS CAESAR, M. ÆMIL. LEPIDUS, triumvirs. SEXTUS POMPEIUS. MENAS, MENECRATES, VARRIUS, friends of Pompey. EUPHRONIUS, an ambassador from Antony to Cæsar. ALEXAS, MARDIAN, SELEUCUS, and DIOMEDES; attendants on Cleopatra. A Soothsayer. A Clown. ACT I. SCENE I. Alexandria.-A Room in Cleopatra's Palace. Phi. Nay, but this dotage of our general's To cool a gipsy's lust. Look, where they come! Flourish. Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with their Take but good note, and you shall see in him Cleo. If it be love indeed, tell me how much. Enter an Attendant. Ant. How, my love! Call in the messengers.-As I am Egypt's queen, Cleo. Ant. To-night, we'll wander through the streets, and note [Exeunt ANT. and CLEOP. with their Train. Iras. There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing else. [mine. Char. Even as the o'erflowing Nilus presageth faIras. Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot soothsay. Char. Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear.-Pr'ythee, tell her but a worky-day fortune. Sooth. Your fortunes are alike. Iras. But how, but how? give me particulars. Sooth. I have said. Iras. Am I not an inch of fortune better than she? 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 worser thoughts heavens mend! Alexas,-come, his fortune, his fortune.-O, let him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech I'm full sorry, 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 Isis, I beseech thee! That he approves the common liar, who SCENE II.-The same. Another Room. Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a Soothsayer. Char. Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most any thing 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! Aler. Soothsayer. Sooth. Your will? Eno. Bring in the banquet quickly; wine enough, Cleopatra's health to drink. Char. Good sir, give me good fortune. Sooth. You shall be yet far fairer than you are. Iras. No, you shall paint when you are old. Alex. Vex not his prescience; be attentive. 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 Cæsar, and companion me with my mistress. Iras. Amen. Dear goddess, hear that prayer of the people! for, as it is a heart-breaking to see a to behold a foul knave uncuckolded: Therefore, dear handsome man loose-wived, so it is a deadly sorrow Isis, keep decorum, and fortune him accordingly! Char. Amen. But soon that war had end, and the time's state Made friends of them, jointing their force 'gainst Whose better issue in the war, from Italy, [Cæsar; Upon the first encounter, drave them. Ant. What worst? Well, Mess. The nature of bad news infects the teller. Ant. When it concerns the fool, or coward.-On: Things, that are past, are done with me.-'Tis thus: Who tells me true, though in his tale lie death, I hear him as he flatter'd. Mess. (This is stiff news) hath, with his Parthian force, Extended Asia from Euphrates; Labienus His conquering banner shook, from Syria Ant. Mess. Ant. Speak to me home, mince not the general Name Cleopatra as she's call'd in Rome: [tongue; Rail thou in Fulvia's phrase; and taunt my faults With such full licence, as both truth and malice Have power to utter. O, then we bring forth weeds, When our quick minds lie still; and our ills told us, Is as our earing. Fare thee well a while. Mess. At your noble pleasure. [Exit. Ant. From Sicyon how the news? Speak there. 1 Att. The man from Sicyon. Is there such an 2 Att. He stays upon your will. [one? Let him appear,These strong Egyptian fetters I must break, Enter another Messenger. Ant. Or lose myself in dotage.-What are you? 2 Mess. Fulvia thy wife is dead. Ant. Ant. Forbear me.- Where died she? 2 Mess. In Sicyon : Eno. What's your pleasure, sir? 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 a 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 shews 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. Ant. 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 leave 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, Higher than both in blood and life, stands up Upon his son; who, high in name and power, 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, And not a serpent's poison. Say, our pleasure, To such whose place is under us, requires Our quick remove from hence. Eno. I shall do't. 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 I did not send you ;-If you find him sad, [does :— Say, I am dancing; if in mirth, report That I am sudden sick: Quick, and return. [Exit ALEX. Char. Madam, methinks, if you did love him dearly, You do not hold the method to enforce The like from him. [thing. Cleo. What should I do, I do not? Char. In each thing give him way, cross him in noCleo. 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. Enter ANTONY. But here comes Antony. Cleo. I am sick, and sullen. Ant. I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose:Cleo. Help me away, dear Charmian, I shall fall; It cannot be thus long, the sides of nature Will not sustain it. Ant. Now, my dearest queen,— Cleo. Pray you, stand further from me. Ant. What's the matter? Cleo. I know, by that same eye, there's some good What says the married woman!-You may go; [news. 'Would, she had never given you leave to come! Let her not say, 'tis I that keep you here, 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, I saw the treasons planted. Ant. Cleopatra,— Cleo. Why should I think, you can be mine and Though you in swearing shake the throned gods, Who have been false to Fulvia! Riotous madness, To be entangled with those mouth-made vows, Which break themselves in swearing! [true, Ant. Most sweet queen,— Cleo. Nay, pray you, seek no colour for your going, But bid farewell, and go: when you sued staying, Then was the time for words: No going then ;Eternity was in our lips, and eyes; Bliss in our brows' bent; none our parts so poor, How now, lady? Ant. Ant. Breeds scrupulous faction: The hated, grown to strength, Are newly grown to love: the condemn'd Pompey, Is Fulvia's death. Cleo. Though age from folly could not give me freeIt does from childishness :-Can Fulvia die? [dom, Ant. She's dead, my queen: Look here, and at thy sovereign leisure, read Cleo. My precious queen, forbear; And give true evidence to his love, which stands 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. 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 The carriage of his chafe. Ant. I'll leave you, lady. Cleo. Courteous lord, one word. Sir, you and I must 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. Ant. But that your royalty Cleo. Holds idleness your subject, I should take you Let us go. Come; SCENE IV. [Exeunt. Rome.-An Apartment in Cæsar's House. : Enter OCTAVIUS CESAR, LEPIDUS, and Attendants. Cæs. You may see, Lepidus, and henceforth know, It is not Cæsar's natural vice to hate One great competitor: from Alexandria This is the news; He fishes, drinks, and wastes The lamps of night in revel: is not more manlike Than Cleopatra; nor the queen Ptolemy More womanly than he hardly gave audience, or Vouchsaf'd to think he had partners: You shall find A man who is the abstract of all faults [there That all men follow. Lep. I must not think, there are Evils enough to darken all his goodness: His faults, in him, seem as the spots of heaven, 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: To give a kingdom for a mirth; to sit And keep the turn of tippling with a slave; Goes to, and back, lackeying the varying tide, To rot itself with motion. Cæs. Antony, Leave thy lascivious wassels. When thou once Did famine follow; whom thou fought'st against, Madam, I trust not so. What's your highness' pleasure? Cleo. Not now to hear thee sing; I take no pleasure In aught an eunuch has: "Tis well for thee, That, being unseminar'd, thy freer thoughts May not fly forth of Egypt. Hast thou affections? Mar. Yes, gracious madam. Cleo. Indeed? Cleo. O Charmian, Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he, or sits he? Or does he walk? or is he on his horse? O happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony? Do bravely, horse! for wot'st thou whom thou mov'st? The demi-Atlas of this earth, the arm And burgonet of men.-He's speaking now, Or murmuring, Where's my serpent of old Nile? For so he calls me; Now I feed myself With most delicious poison :-Think on me, That am with Phoebus' amorous pinches black, And wrinkled deep in 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 aspéct, 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? Alex. Last thing he did, dear queen, He kiss'd,-the last of many doubled kisses,- Alex. To mend the petty present, I will piece Her opulent throne with kingdoms; All the east, Cleo. What, was he sad or merry ? Alex. Like to the time o' the year between the ex I sing but after you. Cleo. My sallad days; Mar. Not in deed, madam; for I can do nothing To say, as I said then!-But, come, away: But what indeed is honest to be done : Yet I have fierce affections, and think What Venus did with Mars. Get me ink and paper: he shall have every day A several greeting, or I'll unpeople Egypt. [Exeunt. |