Page images
PDF
EPUB

ANTONY

AND

CLEOPAT R A.

[blocks in formation]

SILIUS, an Officer in VENTIDIUS's Army.

TAURUS, Lieutenant-General to CÆSAR.

ALEXAS, MARDIAN, SELEUCUS, DIOMEDES, Servants

to CLEOPATRA

A Soothfayer: A Clown.

CLEOPATRA, Queen of Egypt.

OCTAVIA, Sifter to CESAR, and Wife to ANTONY.
CHARMIAN, IRAS, Attendants on CLEOPATRA.

Ambassadors from ANTONY to CÆSAR, Captains, Soldiers, Melfengers, and other Attendants.

The SCENE is difperfed in feveral parts of the Roman Empire.

** THIS PLAY, founded, like the two former, on NORTH'S PLUTARCH, was probably written in the year 1608.

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

ACT I. SCÈNE I.

Cleopatra's Palace at Alexandria.

Enter Demetrius and Philo.

Phil. NAY, but this dotage of our general's
O'erflows the measure: those his goodly eyes,
That o'er the files and mufters of the war
Have glow'd like a plated Mars, now bend, now turn,
The office and devotion of their view

Upon a tawny front: his captain heart,

Which in the fcuffles of great fights hath burst
The buckles on his breaft, reneges all temper:
And is become the bellows, and the fan,

To cool a gypfy's luft.-Look, where they come!

Flourish. Enter Antony and Cleopatra, with their trains ; Eunuchs fanning her.

Take but good note, and you fhall fee in him

[blocks in formation]

The triple pillar of the world transform'd Into a ftrumpet'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 da bourn how far to be belov'd.

Ant. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.

Enter an Attendant.

Attend. News, my good lord, from Rome,
Ant. Grates me:-The fum.

Cleo. Nay, hear them, Antony:

Fulvia, perchance, is angry; or, who knows
If the scarce-bearded Cæfar have not fent
His powerful mandate to you, Do this, or this;
Take in that kingdom, and enfranchise that
Perform't, or elfe we damn thee.

Ant. How, my love!

Cleo. Perchance,-nay, and moft like,

You must not stay here longer, your dismission
Is come from Cæfar; therefore hear it, Antony.-
Where's Fulvia's & procefs? Cæfar's, I would fay? Both?-
Call in the meffengers.-As I am Egypt's queen,
Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine
Is Cæfar's homager: elfe fo thy cheek pays fhame,
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;

The triple pillar of the world]-The third, one of the Triumviri,

or three mafters of the world.

d a bourn]-a boundary.

Grates me: The fum.]-It offends me-let me have it in the abfract.

1 Take in]-Subdue.

process ?]-order, fummons. Kingdoms

« PreviousContinue »