Anthony and Cleopatra (Modern)

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 1.2.177[1.2]
 1.2.2Enter Enobarbus, Lamprius a Soothsayer, Rannius, Lucilli78us [by one door, and by another door] Charmian, Iras, Mardian the Eunuch, 79and Alexas.
 1.2.380Charmian
 Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most any thing Alexas, 81almost most absolute Alexas, where's the soothsayer 82that you praised so to th'queen? Oh, that I knew this 83husband which you say must change his horns with 84garlands!
 1.2.485Alexas
 Soothsayer!
 1.2.586Soothsayer
 [Coming towards them.] Your will?
 1.2.687Charmian
 Is this the man? [To the Soothsayer] Is't you, sir, that know things?
 1.2.788Soothsayer
 In Nature's infinite book of secrecy,
 1.2.8A little I 89can read.
 90Alexas
 A little I can read.  [To Charmian] Show him your hand.
 1.2.991Enobarbus[Calling] Bring in the banquet quickly; wine enough
 1.2.1092Cleopatra's health to drink!
 1.2.11[Enter Servants with food and wine, and exeunt.]
 1.2.1293Charmian
 Good sir, give me good fortune.
 1.2.1394Soothsayer
 I make not, but foresee.
 1.2.1495Charmian
 Pray then, foresee me one.
 1.2.1596Soothsayer
 You shall be yet far fairer than you are.
 1.2.1697Charmian
 He means in flesh.
 1.2.1798Iras
 No, you shall paint when you are old.
 1.2.1899Charmian
 Wrinkles forbid!
 1.2.19100Alexas
 Vex not his prescience, be attentive.
 1.2.20101Charmian
 Hush.
 1.2.21102Soothsayer
 You shall be more beloving than beloved.
 1.2.22103Charmian
 I had rather heat my liver with drinking.
 1.2.23104Alexas
 Nay, hear him.
 1.2.24105Charmian
 Good now, some excellent fortune. Let me 106be married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow 107them all. Let me have a child at fifty to whom Herod 108of Jewry may do homage. Find me to marry me with 109Octavius Caesar, and companion me with my mistress.
 1.2.25110Soothsayer
 You shall outlive the lady whom you serve.
 1.2.26111Charmian
 Oh excellent! I love long life better than figs.
 1.2.27112Soothsayer
 You have seen and proved a fairer former for113tune
 1.2.28Than that which is to approach.
 1.2.29114Charmian
 Then belike my children shall have no names. 115Prithee, how many boys and wenches must I have?
 1.2.30116Soothsayer
 If every of your wishes had a womb,
 1.2.31And fer117tile every wish, a million.
 1.2.32118Charmian
 Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch.
 1.2.33119Alexas
 You think none but your sheets are privy to 120your wishes.
 1.2.34121Charmian
 Nay, come, tell Iras hers.
 1.2.35122Alexas
 We'll know all our fortunes.
 1.2.36123Enobarbus
 Mine, and most of our fortunes tonight, shall 124be drunk to bed.
 1.2.37125Iras
 [Showing her hand to the Soothsayer] There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing else.
 1.2.38126Charmian
 E'en as the o'er-flowing Nilus presageth fa127mine.
 1.2.39128Iras
 Go, you wild bedfellow! You cannot soothsay.
 1.2.40129Charmian
 Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prog130nostication, I cannot scratch mine ear. [To Soothsayer] Prithee, tell her 131but a workaday fortune.
 1.2.41132Soothsayer
 Your fortunes are alike.
 1.2.42133Iras
 But how, but how? Give me particulars.
 1.2.43134Soothsayer
 I have said.
 1.2.44135Iras
 Am I not an inch of fortune better than she?
 1.2.45136Charmian
 Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better 137than I, where would you choose it?
 1.2.46138Iras
 Not in my husband's nose.
 1.2.47139Charmian
 Our worser thoughts Heavens mend! 140Alexas--come, his fortune, his fortune! Oh let him 141marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee, 142and let her die too, and give him a worse, and let worse 143follow worse till the worst of all follow him laughing to 144his grave, fifty-fold a cuckold. Good Isis, hear me this 145prayer, though thou deny me a matter of more weight. 146Good Isis, I beseech thee.
 1.2.48147Iras
 Amen. Dear goddess, hear that prayer of the 148people. For, as it is a heart-breaking to see a handsome 149man loose-wived, so it is a deadly sorrow to behold a 150foul knave uncuckolded. Therefore, dear Isis, keep de151corum, and fortune him accordingly.
 1.2.49152Charmian
 Amen.
 1.2.50153Alexas
 Lo now, if it lay in their hands to make me a 154cuckold, they would make themselves whores, but 155they'd do't.
 1.2.51156Enter Cleopatra.
 1.2.52157Enobarbus
 Hush, here comes Antony.
 158Charmian
 Hush, here comes Antony.  Not he--the Queen.
 1.2.53159Cleopatra
 Saw you my lord?
 160Enobarbus
 Saw you my lord?  No, lady.
 1.2.54161Cleopatra
 Was he not here?
 162Charmian
 Was he not here?  No, madam.
 1.2.55163Cleopatra
 He was disposed to mirth, but on the sudden
 1.2.56164A Roman thought hath struck him. 165Enobarbus?
 1.2.57166Enobarbus
 Madam?
 1.2.58167Cleopatra
 Seek him, and bring him hither. Where's Alexas?
 1.2.59168Alexas
 Here at your service.--169My lord approaches.
 1.2.60170Enter Antony, with a Messenger.
 1.2.61171Cleopatra
 We will not look upon him. 172Go with us.
 1.2.62Exeunt [all but Antony and the Messenger].
 1.2.63173Messenger
 Fulvia thy wife 174first came into the field.
 1.2.64175Antony
 Against my brother Lucius?
 176Messenger
 Against my brother Lucius?  Ay.
 1.2.65But soon that war had end, 177and the time's state
 1.2.66178Made friends of them, jointing their force 'gainst Caesar,
 1.2.67179Whose better issue in the war from Italy
 1.2.68180Upon the first encounter drave them.
 181Antony
 Upon the first encounter drave them.  Well, what worst?
 1.2.69182Messenger
 The nature of bad news infects the teller.
 1.2.70183Antony
 When it concerns the fool or coward. On.
 1.2.71184Things that are past are done. With me 'tis thus:
 1.2.72185Who tells me true, though in his tale lie death,
 1.2.73186I hear him as he flattered.
 187Messenger
 I hear him as he flattered.  Labienus--this is stiff news--
 1.2.74188Hath with his Parthian force 189extended Asia.
 1.2.75From Euphrates his conquering 190banner shook,
 1.2.76From Syria to Lydia, 191and to Ionia, whilst--
 1.2.77192Antony
 Antony, thou wouldst say.
 193Messenger
 Antony, thou wouldst say.  Oh, my Lord.
 1.2.78194Antony
 Speak to me home. 195Mince not the general tongue,
 1.2.79Name 196Cleopatra as she is called in Rome,
 1.2.80197Rail thou in Fulvia's phrase and taunt my faults
 1.2.81198With such full licence as both truth and malice
 1.2.82199Have power to utter. Oh, then we bring forth weeds
 1.2.83200When our quick winds lie still and our ills told us
 1.2.84201Is as our earing. Fare thee well awhile.
 1.2.85202Messenger
 At your noble pleasure.
 1.2.86Exit Messenger.
 1.2.87203Enter [a Second] Messenger.
 1.2.88204Antony
 From Sicyon how the news? Speak there.
 1.2.89205Second Messenger
 The man from Sicyon--
 Antony
 The man from Sicyon--  206Is there such an one?
 1.2.90207Second Messenger
 He stays upon your will.
 208Antony
 He stays upon your will.  Let him appear. 
 1.2.91[Exit Second Messenger].
 1.2.92209These strong Egyptian fetters I must break,
 1.2.93210Or lose my self in dotage.
 211Enter [Third] Messenger with a letter.
 Or lose my self in dotage.  212What are you?
 1.2.94213Third Messenger
 Fulvia thy wife is dead.
 214Antony
 Fulvia thy wife is dead.  Where died she?
 1.2.95215Third Messenger
 In Sicyon.
 1.2.96Her length of sickness, 216with what else more serious
 1.2.97217Importeth thee to know, [Handing him a letter] this bears.
 218Antony
 Importeth thee to know, [Handing him a letter] this bears.  Forbear me. 
 1.2.98[Exit Third Messenger].
 1.2.99219There's a great spirit gone. Thus did I desire it.
 1.2.100220What our contempts doth often hurl from us,
 1.2.101221We wish it ours again. The present pleasure,
 1.2.102222By revolution lowering, does become
 1.2.103223The opposite of itself. She's good, being gone;
 1.2.104224The hand could pluck her back that shoved her on.
 1.2.105225I must from this enchanting queen break off.
 1.2.106226Ten thousand harms more than the ills I know
 1.2.107227My idleness doth hatch. 229[Calling] How now, Enobarbus!
 1.2.108228Enter Enobarbus.
 1.2.109230Enobarbus
 What's your pleasure, sir?
 231Antony
 What's your pleasure, sir?  I must with haste from hence.
 1.2.110232Enobarbus
 Why, then we kill all our women. We see how 233mortal an unkindness is to them; if they suffer our de234parture, death's the word.
 1.2.111235Antony
 I must be gone.
 1.2.112236Enobarbus
 Under a compelling occasion, let women die. 237It were pity to cast them away for nothing, though be238tween them and a great cause they should be esteemed 239nothing. Cleopatra catching but the least noise of this, 240dies instantly. I have seen her die twenty times upon 241far poorer moment. I do think there is mettle in death, 242which commits some loving act upon her, she hath such 243a celerity in dying.
 1.2.113244Antony
 She is cunning past man's thought.
 1.2.114245Enobarbus
 Alack, sir, no. Her passions are made of nothing 246but the finest part of pure love. We cannot call her winds 247and waters sighs and tears: they are greater storms 248and tempests than almanacs can report. This cannot 249be cunning in her; if it be, she makes a shower of rain 250as well as Jove.
 1.2.115251Antony
 Would I had never seen her.
 1.2.116252Enobarbus
 Oh sir, you had then left unseen a wonderful 253piece of work, which not to have been blest withal 254would have discredited your travel.
 1.2.117255Antony
 Fulvia is dead.
 1.2.118256Enobarbus
 Sir?
 1.2.119257Antony
 Fulvia is dead.
 1.2.120258Enobarbus
 Fulvia?
 1.2.121259Antony
 Dead.
 1.2.122260Enobarbus
 Why sir, give the gods a thankful sacrifice. 261When it pleaseth their deities to take the wife of a man 262from him, it shows to man the tailors of the earth--com263forting therein, that when old robes are worn out, 264there are members to make new. If there were no more 265women but Fulvia, then had you indeed a cut, and the 266case to be lamented. This grief is crowned with conso267lation: your old smock brings forth a new petticoat, 268and indeed the tears live in an onion that should water (269" />this sorrow.
 1.2.123270Antony
 The business she hath broachèd in the state
 1.2.124271Cannot endure my absence.
 1.2.125272Enobarbus
 And the business you have broached here can273not be without you, especially that of Cleopatra's, which 274wholly depends on your abode.
 1.2.126275Antony
 No more light answers. 276Let our officers
 1.2.127277Have notice what we purpose. I shall break
 1.2.128278The cause of our expedience to the queen,
 1.2.129279And get her leave to part. For not alone
 1.2.130280The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches,
 1.2.131281Do strongly speak to us, but the letters too
 1.2.132282Of many our contriving friends in Rome
 1.2.133283Petition us at home. Sextus Pompeius
 1.2.134284Hath given the dare to Caesar, and commands
 1.2.135285The empire of the sea. Our slippery people,
 1.2.136286Whose love is never linked to the deserver
 1.2.137287Till his deserts are past, begin to throw
 1.2.138288Pompey the Great and all his dignities
 1.2.139289Upon his son, who high in name and power--
 1.2.140290Higher than both in blood and life--stands up
 1.2.141291For the main soldier; whose quality going on
 1.2.142292The sides o'th'world may danger. Much is breeding,
 1.2.143293Which like the courser's hair hath yet but life
 1.2.144294And not a serpent's poison. Say our pleasure,
 1.2.145295To such whose place is under us, requires
 1.2.146296Our quick remove from hence.
 297Enobarbus
 Our quick remove from hence.  I shall do't.
 1.2.147[Exeunt at different doors.]
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Anthony and Cleopatra (Modern)
