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marry a woman that cannot go； sweet Isis； I beseech thee！ And let her die
too； and give him a worse！ And let worse follow worse； till the worst of all
follow him laughing to his grave； fiftyfold a cuckold！ Good Isis； hear me
this prayer； though thou deny me a matter of more weight； good Isis； I
beseech thee！ IRAS。 Amen。 Dear goddess； hear that prayer of the people！
For； as it is a heartbreaking to see a handsome man loose…wiv'd； so it is a
deadly sorrow to behold a foul knave uncuckolded。 Therefore； dear Isis；
keep decorum； and fortune him accordingly！ CHARMIAN。 Amen。
ALEXAS。 Lo now； if it lay in their hands to make me a cuckold； they
would make themselves whores but they'd do't！
Enter CLEOPATRA
ENOBARBUS。 Hush！ Here comes Antony。 CHARMIAN。 Not he；
the Queen。 CLEOPATRA。 Saw you my lord？ ENOBARBUS。 No； lady。
CLEOPATRA。 Was he not here？ CHARMIAN。 No； madam。
CLEOPATRA。 He was dispos'd to mirth； but on the sudden A Roman
thought hath struck him。 Enobarbus！ ENOBARBUS。 Madam？
CLEOPATRA。 Seek him； and bring him hither。 Where's Alexas？ ALEXAS。
Here； at your service。 My lord approaches。
Enter ANTONY； with a MESSENGER and attendants
CLEOPATRA。 We will not look upon him。 Go with us。 Exeunt
CLEOPATRA； ENOBARBUS； and the rest MESSENGER。 Fulvia thy
wife first came into the field。 ANTONY。 Against my brother Lucius？
MESSENGER。 Ay。 But soon that war had end； and the time's state Made
friends of them； jointing their force 'gainst Caesar； Whose better issue in
the war from Italy Upon the first encounter drave them。 ANTONY。 Well；
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what worst？ MESSENGER。 The nature of bad news infects the teller。
ANTONY。 When it concerns the fool or coward。 On！ Things that are past
are done with me。 'Tis thus： Who tells me true； though in his tale lie death；
I hear him as he flatter'd。 MESSENGER。 Labienus… This is stiff news…
hath with his Parthian force Extended Asia from Euphrates； His
conquering banner shook from Syria To Lydia and to Ionia； Whilst…
ANTONY。 Antony； thou wouldst say。 MESSENGER。 O； my lord！
ANTONY。 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 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。 MESSENGER。 At your
noble pleasure。 Exit ANTONY。 From Sicyon； ho； the news！ Speak there！
FIRST ATTENDANT。 The man from Sicyon… is there such an one？
SECOND ATTENDANT。 He stays upon your will。 ANTONY。 Let him
appear。 These strong Egyptian fetters I must break； Or lose myself in
dotage。
Enter another MESSENGER with a letter
What are you？ SECOND MESSENGER。 Fulvia thy wife is dead。
ANTONY。 Where died she？ SECOND MESSENGER。 In Sicyon。 Her
length of sickness； with what else more serious Importeth thee to know；
this bears。 ＇Gives the letter＇ ANTONY。 Forbear me。 Exit MESSENGER
There's a great spirit gone！ Thus did I desire it。 What our contempts doth
often hurl from us We wish it ours again； the present pleasure； By
revolution low'ring； does become The opposite of itself。 She's good； being
gone； The hand could pluck her back that shov'd her on。 I must from this
enchanting queen break off。 Ten thousand harms； more than the ills I know；
My idleness doth hatch。 How now； Enobarbus！
Re…enter ENOBARBUS
ENOBARBUS。 What's your pleasure； sir？ ANTONY。 I must with
haste from hence。 ENOBARBUS。 Why； then we kill all our women。 We
see how mortal an unkindness is to them； if they suffer our departure；
death's the word。 ANTONY。 I must be gone。 ENOBARBUS。 Under a
compelling occasion； let women die。 It were pity to cast them away for
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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
nothing； though between them and a great cause they should be esteemed
nothing。 Cleopatra； catching but the least noise of this； dies instantly； I
have seen her die
twenty times upon far poorer moment。 I do think there is mettle in
death； which commits some loving act upon her； she hath such a celerity in
dying。 ANTONY。 She is cunning past man's thought。 ENOBARBUS。
Alack； sir； no！ Her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure
love。 We cannot call her winds and waters sighs and tears； they are greater
storms and tempests than almanacs can report。 This cannot be cunning in
her； if it be； she makes a show'r of rain as well as Jove。 ANTONY。 Would I
had never seen her！ ENOBARBUS。 O Sir； you had then left unseen a
wonderful piece of work； which not to have been blest withal would have
discredited your travel。 ANTONY。 Fulvia is dead。 ENOBARBUS。 Sir？
ANTONY。 Fulvia is dead。 ENOBARBUS。 Fulvia？ ANTONY。 Dead。
ENOBARBUS。 Why； sir； give the gods a thankful sacrifice。 When it
pleaseth their deities to take the wife of a man from him； it
shows 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 a cut； and the case to be
lamented。 This grief is crown'd with consolation： your old smock brings
forth a new petticoat； and indeed the tears live in an onion that should
water this sorrow。 ANTONY。 The business she hath broached in the state
Cannot endure my absence。 ENOBARBUS。 And the business you have
broach'd here cannot be without you； especially that of Cleopatra's； which
wholly depends on your abode。 ANTONY。 No more light answers。 Let our
officers Have notice what we purpose。 I shall break The cause of our
expedience to the Queen； And get her leave 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 Caesar； and commands The
empire of the sea； our slippery people； Whose love is never link'd to the
deserver Till his deserts are past； begin to throw Pompey the Great and all
his dignities Upon his son； who； high in name and power； Higher than
both in blood and life； stands up For the main soldier； whose quality；
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going on； The sides o' th' world may danger。 Much is breeding Which； like
the courser's hair； hath yet but life And not a serpent's poison。 Say our
pleasure； To such whose place is under us； requires Our quick remove
from hence。 ENOBARBUS。 I shall do't。 Exeunt
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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
SCENE III。 Alexandria。 CLEOPATRA'S palace
Enter CLEOPATRA； CHARMIAN； IRAS； and ALEXAS
CLEOPATRA。 Where is he？ CHARMIAN。 I did not see him since。
CLEOPATRA。 See where he is； who's with him； what he does。 I did not
send you。 If you find him sad； Say I am dancing； if in mirth； report That I
am sudden sick。 Quick； and return。 Exit ALEXAS CHARMIAN。 Madam；
methinks； if you did love him dearly； You do not hold the method to
enforce The like from him。 CLEOPATRA。 What should I do I do not？
CHARMIAN。 In each thing give him way； cross him in nothing。
CLEOPATRA。 Thou teachest like a fool… the way to lose him。
CHARMIAN。 Tempt him not so too far； I wish； forbear； In time we hate
that which we often fear。
Enter ANTONY But here comes Antony。 CLEOPATRA。 I am sick
and