Eno. Why, then we kill all our women: we fee how mortal an unkindness is to them; if they fuffer our departure, death's the word.

Ant. I must be gone.

Eno. Under a compelling occafion, let women die: it were pity to caft them away for nothing; though, between them and a great cause, they fhould be esteem'd nothing. Cleopatra, catching but the leaft noife of this, dies inftantly; I have feen her die twenty times upon far poorer moment: I do think, there is mettle in death, which commits fome loving act upon her, she hath such a celerity in dying.

Ant. She is cunning paft man's thought.

Eno. Alack, fir, no; her paffions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love: we cannot call her winds and waters, fighs and tears; they are greater ftorms and tempeft than almanacs can report: this cannot be cunning in her; if it be, the makes a fhower of rain as well as Jove.

dnt. Would I had never feen her!

Eno. O, fir, you had then left unfeen a wonderful piece of work; which not to have been bleft withal, would have difcredited your travel.

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Ant. Fulvia is dead.

Eno. Sir?

Ant. Fulvia is dead.
Eno. Fulvia?

Ant. Dead.

"Eno. Why, fir, give the gods a thankful facrifice". "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 "cut, and the cafe to be lamented: this grief is crown'd "with confolation; your old fmock brings forth a new petticoat and, indeed, the tears live in an onion, "that should water this forrow.

66

a

The would-be-wit of Endbarbus in this fpeech had better be ⚫mitted.

Ant. The bufiness she hath broached in the ftate Cannot endure my absence.

"Eno. And the bufinefs you have broached here can "not be without you; efpecially 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 caufe of our expedience to the queen,
And get her love 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 Cafar, and commands
The empire of the fea our flippery people
(Whofe love is never link'd to the deferver,
'Till his deferts are paft) begin to throw
Pompey the great, and all his dignities,
Upon his fon; who, high in name and power;,
Higher than both in blood and life, ftands up
For the main foldier; whofe quality, going on,
The fides o'the world may danger: much is breeding;,
Which, like the courfer's hair, hath yet but life,
And not a ferpent's poifon. Say, our pleasure,,
To fuch whofe place is under us, requires.
Our quick remove from hence.

Eno. I fhall do't.

[Exeunts.

SCENE III. The fame. Another Room.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas..

Cle. Where is he?

Cha. I did not fee him fince.

Cle. See where he is, who's with him, what he does ;I did not fend you ;-if you find him fad,

This reply to Antony fhould-be suppressed, as conveying a fulfome, needlefs idea; impertinent to Antony, and totally beneath the fubject of conversation.

A fine obfervation is contained in this parenthefis, confonant to that fentiment mentioned in the note, page 269.

Say, I am dancing; if in mirth, report

↑ That I am sudden sick: quick, and return.

[Exit Alexas. Cha. Madam, methinks, if you did love him dearly, You do not hold the method to enforce

The like from him.

Cle. What fhould I do, I do not?

Cha. In each thing give him way, crofs him in nothing. Cle. Thou teachest like a fool: "the way to lose him. Cha. Tempt him not fo too far: I wish, forbear; In time we hate that which we often fear.

Exter Antony.

But here comes Antony.

Cle. I am fick, and fullen.

Ant. I am forry to give breathing to my purpose, Cle. Help me away, dear Charmien, I shall fall ¡ It cannot be thus long, the fides of nature

Will not fuftain it.

Ant. Now, my deareft queen,

Cle. Pray you, ftand farther from me.

Ant. What's the matter?

Cle. I know, by that fame eye, there's some good news:
What fays the marry'd woman? You may go;
Would, the had never given you leave to come i
Let her not say, 'tis I that keep you here,

I have no power upon you; hers you are.
Ant. The gods best know,—

Cle. O, never was there queen

So mightily betray'd! Yet, at the Erft,
I faw the treafons planted.

Ant. Cleopatra,

Cle. Why fhould I think, you can be mine, and true, Though you in fwearing fhake the throned gods,

Who have been falfe to Fulvia? Riotous madness,

To be entangl'd with those mouth-made vows,
Which break themfelves in fwearing!

Ant. Moft fweet queen,➡

The fine woman, fond of her own influence, is here well difplayed.

Cle. Nay, pray you, feek no colour for your going,
But bid farewel, and go: when you fu'd staying,
Then was the time for words: no going then ;
Eternity was in our lips, and eyes;

Blifs in our brows' bent; none our parts fo poor,
But was a race of heaven: they are so ftill,

Or thou, the greatest foldier of the world,

Art turn'd the greateft liar.

Ant. How now, lady!

Cle. I would, I had thy inches; thou should't know, There were a heart in Egypt.

Ant. Hear me, queen:

The ftrong neceffity of time commands
Our services a while; but my full heart
Remains in ufe with you. Our Italy

Shines o'er with civil fwords: Sextus Pompeius
Makes his approaches to the port of Rome :
Equality of two domestic powers

Breeds fcrupulous faction: the hated, grown to ftrength,
Are newly grown to love: the condemn'd Pompey,
Rich in his father's honour, creeps apace

Into the hearts of fuch as have not thrived
Upon the prefent ftate, whofe numbers threaten;
And quietnefs, grown fick of reft, would purge
By any defperate change: my more particular,
And that which moft with you should fafe my going,
Is Fulvia's death.

Cle. Though age from folly could not give me freedom, It does from childifhnefs? can Fulvia die?

Ant. She's dead, my queen:

Look here, and, at thy fovereign leifure, read

The garboils fhe awak'd; at the last, best:
See, when, and where the dy'd.

Cle. O molt false love!

Where be the facred vials thou should'st fill

With forrowful water? Now I fee, I fee,

In Fulvia's death, how mine shall be receiv'd †.

Nothing could be devised more artful, or more natural for a defigning woman, than the method Cleopatra takes, in this scene, to avail herself of Antony's imprudent attachment,

Ant. Quarrel no more, but be prepar❜d to know
The purposes I bear; which are, or cease,
As you shall give the advices: by the fire +
That quickens Nilus' flime, I go from hence
Thy foldier, fervant; making peace, or war,
Asuhou affect'ft.

"Cle. Cut my lace, Charmian, come ‡ ;"But let it-be; I am quickly ill, and well, "So Antony loves.

"Ant. My precious queen, forbear;

"And give true evidence to his love, which stands "An honourable trial.

"Cle. So Fulvia told me.

*I pr'ythee, turn afide, and weep for her;
"Then bid adieu to me, and say, the tears
"Belong to Egypt: good now, play one scene
"Of excellent diffembling; and let it look
"Like perfect honour.

"Ant. You'll heat my blood; no more.
"Cle. You can do better yet; but this is meetly.
"Ant. Now, by my fword,-

"Cle. And target,-ftill he mends;

"But this is not the beft :-look, pr'ythee, Charmian, "How this Herculean Roman does become

"The carriage of his chafe.

"Ant. I'll leave you, lady.

"Cle. 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: fomething it is I would,-
O, my oblivion is a very Antony,

And I am all-forgotten.

"Ant. But that your royalty

"Holds idleness your fubject, I should take you "For idleness itself.

"Cle. 'Tis fweating labour,

"To bear fuch idlenefs fo near the heart
As Cleopatra this. But, fir, forgive me ;

+ A fine, but odd method of fwearing by the fun.
The marked speeches would reduce this fcene to advantage.