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Dramatis Perfonæ.

M. ANTONY.

OCTAVIUS CESAR.

EMILIUS LEPIDUS. SEX. POMPEIUS.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS,

VENTIDIUS,

CANIDIUS,

EROS,

SCARUS,

DERCETAS,

DEMETRIUS,
PHILO,
MECENAS,
AGRIPPA,

DOLLABELLA,

PROCULEIUS,

THYREUS,

GALLUS,

MENÁS,

MENECRATES,

VARRIUS,

Friends of Antony.

Friends of Cæfar.

Friends of Pompey.

SILIUS, an officer in Ventidius's army.
TAURUS, Lieutenant-general to Cæfar.

ALEXAS,

MARDIAN,

DIOMEDES,

A Soothsayer.

Clown.

}

Servants to Cleopatra.

CLEOPATRA, Queen of Egypt.

OCTAVIA, fifter to Cæfar, and wife to Antony.

CHARMIAN,

IRAS,

Ladies attending on Cleopatra,

Ambassadors from Antony to Cæfar, Captains, Soldiers, Meffengers, and other Attendants.

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

A C T I. SCENE I.

The Palace at Alexandria in Egypt.

N

Enter Demetrius and Philo.

Philo.

AY, but this dotage of our General
O'erflows the measure. Those 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 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, her Ladies
in the train, Eunuchs fanning her.

Take but good note, and you fhall fee in him
The triplet pillar of the world transform'd
Into a trumpet's fool t. Behold, and fee.
Cleo. If it be love, indeed, tell me how much?

* Renounces. Pope.

↑ Triple is here used improperly for third, or one of three. One of the Triumvirs, one of the three masters of the world. Warburton.

We should read,—Into a ftrumpet's stool.

The pillar of the world, fays he, is transformed into a ftrumpet's fool. Alluding to the custom of ftrumpets fitting in the lap of their lovers. Ib.

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Ant. There's beggary in the love that can be

reckon'd.

Cleo. I'll fet a bourn how far to be belov'd. Ant. Then must thou needs find out new heav'n, new earth.

Enter a Messenger.

Meff. News, my good Lord, from Rome.
Ant. Grates me. The fum.

Cleo. Nay, hear it, Antony.

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

Ant. How, my love?

Cleo. Perchance, nay and most 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'd fay-Both?
-Call in the meffengers-As I'm 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 meffen-
gers.

Ant. Let Rome in Tyber melt, and the wide arch
Of the rang'd einpire fall! here is my space;
Kingdoms are clay; our dungy earth alike
Feeds beaft as man; the nobleness 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 ftand up peerless.

Cleo. afide.] Excellent falfhood!

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

Will be himself.

Ant. But stirr'd by Cleopatra *.

I think Mr Upton's emendation can admit of no difpute: Will be himself, but stirr'd by Cleopatra.

That is, Antony will act like himself,if he be bue incited by Cleopatra. Revifal

Now for the love of Love, and his foft hours, Let's not confound the time with conference harfli; There's not a minute of our lives fhould stretch Without fome pleasure. Now, what fport to-night? Cleo. Hear the ambassadors.

Ant. Fy, wrangling Queen!

Whom every thing becomes; to chide, to laugh,
To weep: whofe every paffion fully strives
To make itself in thee fair and admir'd.
No meffenger, 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 with their train.

Dem. Is Cæfar with Antonius priz'd so slight? Phil. Sir, fometimes, when he is not Antony, He comes too fhort of that great property Which still should 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.

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Enter Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, Alexas, and a

Soothsayer.

Char. Lord Alexas, fweet Alexas, most any thing Alexas, almost most abfolute Alexas, where's the Soothsayer that you prais'd fo to th' Queen? Oh! that I knew this husband, which you fay 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. 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, forefee me one.

Sooth. You fhall be yet far fairer than you are.
Char. He means, in flefh.

Iras. 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.
Char. I had rather heat my liver with drinking.
Alex. Nay, hear him.

Char. Good now, fome 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 Cæfar, and companion me with my miftrefs.

Sooth. You fhall out-live the Lady whom you ferve.

Char. Oh, excellent! I love long life better than figs.

Sooth. You have feen and proved a fairer former fortune, than that which is to approach.

Char. Then belike my children fhall have 'no names?

Pr'ythee how many boys and wenches muft I have? Sooth. If every of your wishes had a womb, and foretell every wifh*, a million.

Char. Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch. Alex. You think none but your fheets are privy to your wishes.

Char. Nay, come.

Tell Iras hers. Alex. We'll know all our fortunes.

Eno. Mine and most of our fortunes to-night shall be to go drunk to bed.

Iras. There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing elfe.

Char. Ev'n as the o'erflowing Nilus prefageth famine.

And fertil ev'ry wish, &c. Warburton,

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