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  • Title: Anthony and Cleopatra (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editor: Randall Martin

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-433-2

    Copyright Randall Martin. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Randall Martin
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Anthony and Cleopatra (Folio 1, 1623)

    Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, & Mardian.
    Cleo. Charmian.
    525Char. Madam.
    Cleo. Ha, ha, giue me to drinke Mandragora.
    Char. Why Madam?
    Cleo. That I might sleepe out this great gap of time:
    My Anthony is away.
    530Char. You thinke of him too much.
    Cleo. O 'tis Treason.
    Char. Madam, I trust not so.
    Cleo. Thou, Eunuch Mardian?
    Mar. What's your Highnesse pleasure?
    535Cleo. Not now to heare thee sing. I take no pleasure
    In ought an Eunuch ha's: Tis well for thee,
    That being vnseminar'd, thy freer thoughts
    May not flye forth of Egypt. Hast thou Affections?
    Mar. Yes gracious Madam.
    540Cleo. Indeed?
    Mar. Not in deed Madam, for I can do nothing
    But what in deede is honest to be done:
    Yet haue I fierce Affections, and thinke
    What Venus did with Mars.
    545Cleo. Oh Charmion:
    Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he, or sits he?
    Or does he walke? Or is he on his Horse?
    Oh happy horse to beare the weight of Anthony!
    Do brauely Horse, for wot'st thou whom thou moou'st,
    550The demy Atlas of this Earth, the Arme
    And Burganet of men. Hee's speaking now,
    Or murmuring, where's my Serpent of old Nyle,
    (For so he cals me:) Now I feede my selfe
    With most delicious poyson. Thinke on me
    555That am with Phoebus amorous pinches blacke,
    And wrinkled deepe in time. Broad-fronted Caesar,
    When thou was't heere aboue the ground, I was
    A morsell for a Monarke: and great Pompey
    Would stand and make his eyes grow in my brow,
    560There would he anchor his Aspect, and dye
    With looking on his life.
    Enter Alexas from Caesar.
    Alex. Soueraigne of Egypt, haile.
    Cleo. How much vnlike art thou Marke Anthony?
    565Yet comming from him, that great Med'cine hath
    With his Tinct gilded thee.
    How goes it with my braue Marke Anthonie?
    Alex. Last thing he did (deere Quene)
    He kist the last of many doubled kisses
    570This Orient Pearle. His speech stickes in my heart.
    Cleo. Mine eare must plucke it thence.
    Alex. Good Friend, quoth he:
    Say the firme Roman to great Egypt sends
    This treasure of an Oyster: at whose foote
    575To mend the petty present, I will peece
    Her opulent Throne, with Kingdomes. All the East,
    (Say thou) shall call her Mistris. So he nodded,
    And soberly did mount an Arme-gaunt Steede,
    Who neigh'd so hye, that what I would haue spoke,
    580Was beastly dumbe by him.
    Cleo. What was he sad, or merry?
    Alex. Like to the time o'th' yeare, between ye extremes
    Of hot and cold, he was nor sad nor merrie.
    Cleo. Oh well diuided disposition: Note him,
    585Note him good Charmian, 'tis the man; but note him.
    He was not sad, for he would shine on those
    That make their lookes by his. He was not merrie,
    Which seem'd to tell them, his remembrance lay
    In Egypt with his ioy, but betweene both.
    590Oh heauenly mingle! Bee'st thou sad, or merrie,
    The violence of either thee becomes,
    So do's it no mans else. Met'st thou my Posts?
    Alex. I Madam, twenty seuerall Messengers.
    Why do you send so thicke?
    595Cleo. Who's borne that day, when I forget to send
    to Anthonie, shall dye a Begger. Inke and paper Char-
    mian. Welcome my good Alexas. Did I Charmian, e-
    uer loue Caesar so?
    Char. Oh that braue Caesar!
    600Cleo. Be choak'd with such another Emphasis,
    Say the braue Anthony.
    Char. The valiant Caesar.
    Cleo. By Isis, I will giue thee bloody teeth,
    If thou with Caesar Paragon againe:
    605My man of men.
    Char. By your most gracious pardon,
    I sing but after you.
    Cleo. My Sallad dayes,
    When I was greene in iudgement, cold in blood,
    610To say, as I saide then. But come, away,
    Get me Inke and Paper,
    Hee
    Anthony and Cleopatra. 345
    he shall haue euery day a seuerall greeting, or Ile vnpeo-
    ple Egypt. Exeunt
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