| [Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO] | |
| PHILO | Nay, but this dotage of our general's O'erflows the measure: those his goodly eyes, That o'er the files and musters 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 scuffles of great fights hath burst The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper, And is become the bellows and the fan To cool a gipsy's lust. |
| [Flourish. Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, her Ladies, the Train, with Eunuchs fanning her] |
|
| Look, where they come: Take but good note, and you shall see in him. The triple pillar of the world transform'd Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see. |
|
| CLEOPATRA | If it be love indeed, tell me how much. |
| MARK ANTONY | There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd. |
| CLEOPATRA | I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved. |
| MARK ANTONY | Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. |
| [Enter an Attendant] | |
| Attendant | News, my good lord, from Rome. |
| MARK ANTONY | Grates me: the sum. |
| CLEOPATRA | Nay, hear them, Antony: Fulvia perchance is angry; or, who knows If the scarce-bearded Caesar have not sent His powerful mandate to you, 'Do this, or this; Take in that kingdom, and enfranchise that; Perform 't, or else we damn thee.' |
| MARK ANTONY | How, my love! |
| CLEOPATRA | Perchance! nay, and most like: You must not stay here longer, your dismission Is come from Caesar; therefore hear it, Antony. Where's Fulvia's process? Caesar's I would say? both? Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen, Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine Is Caesar's homager: else so thy cheek pays shame When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds. The messengers! |
| MARK ANTONY | Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space. Kingdoms are clay: our dungy earth alike Feeds beast as man: the nobleness of life Is to do thus; when such a mutual pair |
| [Embracing] | |
| And such a twain can do't, in which I bind, On pain of punishment, the world to weet We stand up peerless. |
|
| CLEOPATRA | Excellent falsehood! Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her? I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony Will be himself. |
| MARK ANTONY | 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 tonight? |
| CLEOPATRA | Hear the ambassadors. |
| MARK ANTONY | Fie, wrangling queen! Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh, To weep; whose every passion fully strives To make itself, in thee, fair and admired! 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 desire it: speak not to us. |
| [Exeunt MARK ANTONY and CLEOPATRA with their train] |
|
| DEMETRIUS | Is Caesar with Antonius prized so slight? |
| PHILO | Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony, He comes too short of that great property Which still should go with Antony. |
| DEMETRIUS | I am 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] |