To Lydia and to Ionia: whilst—
Ant. Antony, thou wouldst say,— 112
Mess. O! my lord.
Ant. Speak to me home, mince not the general tongue;
Name Cleopatra as she is call'd in Rome;
Rail thou in Fulvia's phrase; and taunt my faults 116
With such full licence as both truth and malice
Have power to utter. O! then we bring forth weeds
When our quick minds lie still; and our ills told us
Is as our earing. Fare thee well awhile. 120
Mess. At your noble pleasure. Exit Messenger.
Ant. From Sicyon, ho, the news! Speak there!
[First Att.] The man from Sicyon, is there such an one?
[Sec. Att.] He stays upon your will.
Ant. Let him appear. 124
These strong Egyptian fetters I must break,
Or lose myself in dotage.
Enter another Messenger, with a letter.
What are you?
[Sec. Mess.] Fulvia thy wife is dead.
Ant. Where died she?
[Sec. Mess.] In Sicyon: 128
Her length of sickness, with what else more serious
Importeth thee to know, this bears.
Ant. Forbear me.
[Exit Second Messenger.]
There's a great spirit gone! Thus did I desire it:
What our contempts do often hurl from us 132
We wish it ours again; the present pleasure,
120 earing: ploughing
133–135 the present pleasure . . . itself; cf. n.
