ANTON Y

AND

CLEOPATRA.

ACT I. SCENE I.

The Palace at Alexandria in Ægypt.

N

Enter Demetrius and Philo.

PHILO.

AY, but this dotage of our General,
O'erflows the measure; thofe his goodly

eyes,

That o'er the files and mufters of the war

Have glow'd like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,
The office and devotion of their view

Upon a tawny front. His Captain's heart,
Which in the fcuffles of great fights hath burft
The buckles on his breaft, reneges all temper;'

Ireneges-] Renounces.

POPE,

And

5 And is become the bellows, and the fan,

To cool a 3 Gypfy's luft. Look, where they come!

Flourish. Enter Antony, and Cleopatra, her Ladies in the train, Eunuchs fanning her.

Take but good note, and you fhall fee in him 4 The triple pillar of the world transform'd Into a Strumpet's fool. Behold, and fee.

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 5 bourn how far to be belov'd.

Ant.

Then muft thou needs find out new heav'n, new earth.

4 The triple pillar] Triple is here ufed improperly for third, or one of three. One of the Triumvirs, one of the three mafters of the world.

This emendation is ingenious, but being not neceffary, I have left it in the note.

5-bourn] Bound or limit. РОРЕ. • Then must thou needs find out new heav'n, &c.] Thou must

The triple pillar of the world fet the boundary of my love at a

transform'd

greater diftance than the prefent vifible univerfe affords.

Enter

Enter a Messenger.

Mef. News, my good Lord, from Rome.
Ant. Grates me. 7 The fum.
Cleo. Nay, hear it, Antony.

Fulvia, perchance, is angry; or who knows,
If the scarce bearded Cafar have not sent

His powerful Mandate to you," Do this, or this;
"Take in that Kingdom, and infranchise that;
"Perform't, or else we damn thee.-

Ant. How, my love?

Cleo. Perchance, nay and moft like,

You must not stay here longer, your difmiffion
Is come from Cæfar; therefore hear it, Antony.
Where's Fulvia's Procefs? Cafar's, I'd fay-Both?
-Call in the Meffengers-As I'm Egypt's Queen,
Thou blushest, Antony, and that blood of thine
Is Cafar's homager; elfe fo thy cheek pays shame
When fhrill-tongu'd Fulvia fcolds. The Meffengers-
Ant. Let Rome in Tyber melt, and the wide arch
Of the rang'd Empire fall! Here is my space;
Kingdoms are clay; our dungy earth alike
Feeds beaft as man; the noblenefs 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 stand up peerless.

Cleo. [Afide.] Excellent falfhood!

Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?
I'll feem the fool, I am not.

Will be himself.

! Antony

Ant. But 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 pleasure. Now, what fport to-night?
Cleo. Hear the Ambaffadors.

Ant. Fy, wrangling Queen!

Whom every thing becomes to chide, to laugh,
To weep: whofe every paffion fully ftrives
To make itself in thee fair and admir'd.
No Meffenger, but thine-And all alone,

To night we'll wander through the ftreets, and note
The qualities of People. Come, my Queen,
Laft night you did defire it.-Speak not to us.

[Exeunt, with their Train.

Dem. Is Cafar with Antonius priz'd fo flight? Phil. Sir, fometimes, when he is not Antony, He comes too fhort of that great property Which still fhould go with Antony.

Dem. I am full forry,

That he approves the common liar, who
Thus fpeaks of him at Rome; but I will hope
Of better deeds to-morrow. Reft you happy!
[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Enter Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, Alexas, and a Soothsayer.

Char. Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, moft any thing Alexas, almoft moft abfolute Alexas, where's the Soothsayer that you prais'd fo to th' Queen? Oh! that I knew this hufband, which you fay, muft * change his horns with garlands.

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 forefee.

Char. Pray then, foresee me one.

Sooth. You fhall be yet far fairer than you are.

Char. He means, in flesh.

Iris. No, you fhall paint when you are old.

Char. Wrinkles forbid!

Alex. Vex not his prescience, be attentive.
Char. Hufh!

Sooth. You fhall be more beloving, than beloved.

2 change his horns with garlands.] This is corrupt; the true reading evidently is, muft CHARGE his horns with garlands, i.e. make him a rich and honourable cuckold, having his horns hung about with garlands. WARBURTON.

Sir Thomas Hanmer reads, not improbably, change for horns his garlands. I am in doubt whether to change, is not merely to dress, or to dress with changes of garlands.

Char.