Anthony and Cleopatra.
341
Cleopatra's health to drinke.
Char.
Good sir, giue me good Fortune.
Good sir, giue me good Fortune.
Sooth.
I make not, but foresee.
I make not, but foresee.
Char.
Pray then, foresee me one.
Pray then, foresee me one.
Sooth.
You shall be yet farre fairer then you are.
You shall be yet farre fairer then you are.
Char.
He meanes in flesh.
He meanes in flesh.
Iras.
No, you shall paint when you are old.
No, you shall paint when you are old.
Char.
Wrinkles forbid.
Wrinkles forbid.
Alex.
Vex not his prescience, be attentiue.
Vex not his prescience, be attentiue.
Char.
Hush.
Hush.
Sooth.
You shall be more belouing, then beloued.
You shall be more belouing, then beloued.
Char.
I had rather heate my Liuer with drinking.
I had rather heate my Liuer with drinking.
Alex.
Nay, heare him.
Nay, heare him.
Char.
Good now some excellent Fortune: Let mee
be married to three Kings in a forenoone, and Widdow
them all: Let me haue a Childe at fifty, to whom Herode
of Iewry may do Homage. Finde me to marrie me with
Octauius Cæsar, and companion me with my Mistris.
Good now some excellent Fortune: Let mee
be married to three Kings in a forenoone, and Widdow
them all: Let me haue a Childe at fifty, to whom Herode
of Iewry may do Homage. Finde me to marrie me with
Octauius Cæsar, and companion me with my Mistris.
Sooth.
You shall out-liue the Lady whom you serue.
You shall out-liue the Lady whom you serue.
Char.
Oh excellent, I loue long life better then Figs.
Oh excellent, I loue long life better then Figs.
Sooth.
You haue seene and proued a fairer former fortune,
then that which is to approach.
You haue seene and proued a fairer former fortune,
then that which is to approach.
Char.
Then belike my Children shall haue no names:
Prythee how many Boyes and Wenches must I haue.
Then belike my Children shall haue no names:
Prythee how many Boyes and Wenches must I haue.
Sooth.
If euery of your wishes had a wombe, & foretell
euery wish, a Million.
If euery of your wishes had a wombe, & foretell
euery wish, a Million.
Char.
Out Foole, I forgiue thee for a Witch.
Out Foole, I forgiue thee for a Witch.
Alex.
You thinke none but your sheets are priuie to
your wishes.
You thinke none but your sheets are priuie to
your wishes.
Char.
Nay come, tell Iras hers.
Nay come, tell Iras hers.
Alex.
Wee'l know all our Fortunes.
Wee'l know all our Fortunes.
Enob.
Mine, and most of our Fortunes to night, shall
be drunke to bed.
Mine, and most of our Fortunes to night, shall
be drunke to bed.
Iras.
There's a Palme presages Chastity, if nothing els.
There's a Palme presages Chastity, if nothing els.
Char.
E'ne as the o're-flowing Nylus presageth Famine.
E'ne as the o're-flowing Nylus presageth Famine.
Iras.
Go you wilde Bedfellow, you cannot Soothsay.
Go you wilde Bedfellow, you cannot Soothsay.
Char.
Nay, if an oyly Palme bee not a fruitfull Prognostication,
I cannot scratch mine eare. Prythee tel her
but a worky day Fortune.
Nay, if an oyly Palme bee not a fruitfull Prognostication,
I cannot scratch mine eare. Prythee tel her
but a worky day Fortune.
Sooth.
Your Fortunes are alike.
Your Fortunes are alike.
Iras.
But how, but how, giue me particulars.
But how, but how, giue me particulars.
Sooth.
I haue said.
I haue said.
Iras.
Am I not an inch of Fortune better then she?
Am I not an inch of Fortune better then she?
Char.
Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better
then I: where would you choose it.
Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better
then I: where would you choose it.
Iras.
Not in my Husbands nose.
Not in my Husbands nose.
Char.
Our worser thoughts Heauens mend.
Our worser thoughts Heauens mend.
Alexas.
Come, his Fortune, his Fortune. Oh let him
mary a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee,
and let her dye too, and giue him a worse, and let worse
follow worse, till the worst of all follow him laughing to
his graue, fifty-fold a Cuckold. Good Isis heare me this
Prayer, though thou denie me a matter of more waight:
good Isis I beseech thee.
Come, his Fortune, his Fortune. Oh let him
mary a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee,
and let her dye too, and giue him a worse, and let worse
follow worse, till the worst of all follow him laughing to
his graue, fifty-fold a Cuckold. Good Isis heare me this
Prayer, though thou denie me a matter of more waight:
good Isis I beseech thee.
Iras.
Amen, deere Goddesse, heare that prayer of the
people. For, as it is a heart-breaking to see a handsome
man loose-Wiu'd, so it is a deadly sorrow, to beholde a
foule Knaue vncuckolded: Therefore deere Isis keep
decorum, and Fortune him accordingly.
Amen, deere Goddesse, heare that prayer of the
people. For, as it is a heart-breaking to see a handsome
man loose-Wiu'd, so it is a deadly sorrow, to beholde a
foule Knaue vncuckolded: Therefore deere Isis keep
decorum, and Fortune him accordingly.
Char.
Amen.
Amen.
Alex.
Lo now, if it lay in their hands to make mee a
Cuckold, they would make themselues Whores, but
they'ld doo't.
Lo now, if it lay in their hands to make mee a
Cuckold, they would make themselues Whores, but
they'ld doo't.
Enter Cleopatra.
Enob.
Hush, heere comes Anthony.
Hush, heere comes Anthony.
Char.
Not he, the Queene.
Not he, the Queene.
Cleo.
Saue you, my Lord.
Saue you, my Lord.
Enob.
No Lady.
No Lady.
Cleo.
Was he not heere?
Was he not heere?
Char.
No Madam.
No Madam.
Cleo.
He was dispos'd to mirth, but on the sodaine
A Romane thought hath strooke him.
Enobarbus?
He was dispos'd to mirth, but on the sodaine
A Romane thought hath strooke him.
Enobarbus?
Enob.
Madam.
Madam.
Cleo.
Seeke him, and bring him hither: wher's Alexias?
Seeke him, and bring him hither: wher's Alexias?
Alex.
Heere at your seruice.
My Lord approaches.
Heere at your seruice.
My Lord approaches.
Enter Anthony, with a Messenger.
Cleo.
We will not looke vpon him:
Exeunt.Go with vs.
We will not looke vpon him:
Exeunt.Go with vs.
Messen.
Fuluia thy Wife,
First came into the Field.
Fuluia thy Wife,
First came into the Field.
Ant.
Against my Brother Lucius?
Against my Brother Lucius?
Messen.
I: but soone that Warre had end,
And the times state
Made friends of them, ioynting their force 'gainst Cæsar,
Whose better issue in the warre from Italy,
Vpon the first encounter draue them.
I: but soone that Warre had end,
And the times state
Made friends of them, ioynting their force 'gainst Cæsar,
Whose better issue in the warre from Italy,
Vpon the first encounter draue them.
Ant.
Well, what worst.
Well, what worst.
Mess.
The Nature of bad newes infects the Teller.
The Nature of bad newes infects the Teller.
Ant.
When it concernes the Foole or Coward: On.
Things that are past, are done, with me. 'Tis thus,
Who tels me true, though in his Tale lye death,
I heare him as he flatter'd.
When it concernes the Foole or Coward: On.
Things that are past, are done, with me. 'Tis thus,
Who tels me true, though in his Tale lye death,
I heare him as he flatter'd.
Mes.
Labienus (this is stiffe-newes)
Hath with his Parthian Force
Extended Asia: from Euphrates his conquering
Banner shooke, from Syria to Lydia,
And to Ionia, whil'st———
Labienus (this is stiffe-newes)
Hath with his Parthian Force
Extended Asia: from Euphrates his conquering
Banner shooke, from Syria to Lydia,
And to Ionia, whil'st———
Ant.
Anthony thou would'st say.
Anthony thou would'st say.
Mes.
Oh my Lord.
Oh my Lord.
Ant.
Speake to me home,
Mince not the generall tongue, name
Cleopatra as she is call'd in Rome:
Raile thou in Fuluia's phrase, and taunt my faults
With such full License, as both Truth and Malice
Haue power to vtter. Oh then we bring forth weeds,
When our quicke windes lye still, and our illes told vs
Is as our earing: fare thee well awhile.
Speake to me home,
Mince not the generall tongue, name
Cleopatra as she is call'd in Rome:
Raile thou in Fuluia's phrase, and taunt my faults
With such full License, as both Truth and Malice
Haue power to vtter. Oh then we bring forth weeds,
When our quicke windes lye still, and our illes told vs
Is as our earing: fare thee well awhile.
Mes.
Exit Messenger.At your Noble pleasure.
Exit Messenger.At your Noble pleasure.
Enter another Messenger.
Ant.
From Scicion how the newes? Speake there.
From Scicion how the newes? Speake there.
1. Mes.
The man from Scicion,
Is there such an one?
The man from Scicion,
Is there such an one?
2. Mes.
He stayes vpon your will.
He stayes vpon your will.
Ant.
Let him appeare:
These strong Egyptian Fetters I must breake,
Or loose my selfe in dotage.
Enter another Messenger with a Letter.
What are you?
Let him appeare:
These strong Egyptian Fetters I must breake,
Or loose my selfe in dotage.
Enter another Messenger with a Letter.
What are you?
3. Mes.
Fuluia thy wife is dead.
Fuluia thy wife is dead.
Ant.
Where dyed she.
Where dyed she.
Mes.
In Scicion, her length of sicknesse,
With what else more serious,
Importeth thee to know, this beares.
In Scicion, her length of sicknesse,
With what else more serious,
Importeth thee to know, this beares.
Antho.
Forbeare me
There's a great Spirit gone, thus did I desire it:
What our contempts doth often hurle from vs,
Forbeare me
There's a great Spirit gone, thus did I desire it:
What our contempts doth often hurle from vs,
We