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that which we often fear。
Enter ANTONY But here comes Antony。 CLEOPATRA。 I am sick
and sullen。 ANTONY。 I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose…
CLEOPATRA。 Help me away； dear Charmian； I shall fall。 It cannot be
thus long； the sides of nature Will not sustain it。 ANTONY。 Now； my
dearest queen… CLEOPATRA。 Pray you； stand farther from me。 ANTONY。
What's the matter？ CLEOPATRA。 I know by that same eye there's some
good news。 What says the married woman？ You may go。 Would she had
never given you leave to come！ Let her not say 'tis I that keep you here… I
have no power upon you； hers you are。 ANTONY。 The gods best know…
CLEOPATRA。 O； never was there queen So mightily betray'd！ Yet at the
first I saw the treasons planted。 ANTONY。 Cleopatra… CLEOPATRA。 Why
should I think you can be mine and true； Though you in swearing shake
the throned gods； Who have been false to Fulvia？ Riotous madness； To be
entangled with those mouth…made vows； Which break themselves in
swearing！ ANTONY。 Most sweet queen… CLEOPATRA。 Nay； pray you
seek no colour for your going； But bid farewell； and go。 When you sued
staying； Then was the time for words。 No going then！ Eternity was in our
lips and eyes； Bliss in our brows' bent； none our parts so poor But was a
race of heaven。 They are so still； Or thou； the greatest soldier of the world；
Art turn'd the greatest liar。 ANTONY。 How now； lady！ CLEOPATRA。 I
would I had thy inches。 Thou shouldst know There were a heart in Egypt。
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ANTONY。 Hear me； queen： The strong necessity of time commands Our
services awhile； but my full heart Remains in use with you。 Our Italy
Shines o'er with civil swords： Sextus Pompeius Makes his approaches to
the port of Rome； Equality of two domestic powers Breed scrupulous
faction； the hated； grown to strength； Are newly grown to love。 The
condemn'd Pompey； Rich in his father's honour； creeps apace Into the
hearts of such as have not thrived Upon the present state； whose numbers
threaten； And quietness； grown sick of rest； would purge By any desperate
change。 My more particular； And that which most with you should safe my
going； Is Fulvia's death。 CLEOPATRA。 Though age from folly could not
give me freedom； It does from childishness。 Can Fulvia die？ ANTONY。
She's dead； my Queen。 Look here； and at thy sovereign leisure read The
garboils she awak'd。 At the last； best。 See when and where she died。
CLEOPATRA。 O most false love！ Where be the sacred vials thou shouldst
fill With sorrowful water？ Now I see； I see； In Fulvia's death how mine
receiv'd shall be。 ANTONY。 Quarrel no more； but be prepar'd to know The
purposes I bear； which are； or cease； As you shall give th' advice。 By the
fire That quickens Nilus' slime； I go from hence Thy soldier； servant；
making peace or war As thou affects。 CLEOPATRA。 Cut my lace；
Charmian； come！ But let it be； I am quickly ill and well… So Antony loves。
ANTONY。 My precious queen； forbear； And give true evidence to his love；
which stands An honourable trial。 CLEOPATRA。 So Fulvia told me。 I
prithee turn aside and weep for her； Then bid adieu to me； and say the
tears Belong to Egypt。 Good now； play one scene Of excellent dissembling；
and let it look Like perfect honour。 ANTONY。 You'll heat my blood； no
more。 CLEOPATRA。 You can do better yet； but this is meetly。 ANTONY。
Now； by my sword… CLEOPATRA。 And target。 Still he mends； But this is
not the best。 Look； prithee； Charmian； How this Herculean Roman does
become The carriage of his chafe。 ANTONY。 I'll leave you； lady。
CLEOPATRA。 Courteous lord； one word。 Sir； you and I must part… but
that's not it。 Sir； you and I have lov'd… but there's not it。 That you know
well。 Something it is I would… O； my oblivion is a very Antony； And I am
all forgotten！ ANTONY。 But that your royalty Holds idleness your subject；
I should take you For idleness itself。 CLEOPATRA。 'Tis sweating labour
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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
To bear such idleness so near the heart As Cleopatra this。 But； sir； forgive
me； Since my becomings kill me when they do not Eye well to you。 Your
honour calls you hence； Therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly； And all the
gods go with you！ Upon your sword Sit laurel victory； and smooth success
Be strew'd before your feet！ ANTONY。 Let us go。 Come。 Our separation
so abides and flies That thou； residing here； goes yet with me； And I；
hence fleeting； here remain with thee。 Away！ Exeunt
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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
SCENE IV。 Rome。 CAESAR'S house
Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR； reading a letter； LEPIDUS； and their
train
CAESAR。 You may see； Lepidus； and henceforth know； It is not
Caesar's natural vice to hate Our great competitor。 From Alexandria This is
the news： he fishes； drinks； and wastes The lamps of night in revel； is not
more manlike Than Cleopatra； nor the queen of Ptolemy More womanly
than he； hardly gave audience； or Vouchsaf'd to think he had partners。 You
shall find there A man who is the abstract of all faults That all men follow。
LEPIDUS。 I must not think there are Evils enow to darken all his
goodness。 His faults； in him； seem as the spots of heaven； More fiery by
night's blackness； hereditary Rather than purchas'd； what he cannot change
Than what he chooses。 CAESAR。 You are too indulgent。 Let's grant it is
not Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy； To give a kingdom for a mirth；
to sit And keep the turn of tippling with a slave； To reel the streets at noon；
and stand the buffet With knaves that smell of sweat。 Say this becomes
him… As his composure must be rare indeed Whom these things cannot
blemish… yet must Antony No way excuse his foils when we do bear So
great weight in his lightness。 If he fill'd His vacancy with his
voluptuousness； Full surfeits and the dryness of his bones Call on him for't！
But to confound such time That drums him from his sport and speaks as
loud As his own state and ours… 'tis to be chid As we rate boys who； being
mature in knowledge； Pawn their experience to their present pleasure； And
so rebel to judgment。
Enter a MESSENGER
LEPIDUS。 Here's more news。 MESSENGER。 Thy biddings have
been done； and every hour； Most noble Caesar； shalt thou have report How
'tis abroad。 Pompey is strong at sea； And it appears he is belov'd of those
That only have fear'd Caesar。 To the ports The discontents repair； and
men's reports Give him much wrong'd。 CAESAR。 I should have known no
less。 It hath been taught us from the primal state That he which is was
wish'd until he were； And the ebb'd man； ne'er lov'd till ne'er worth love；
Comes dear'd by being lack'd。 This common body； Like to a vagabond flag
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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
upon the stream； Goes to and back； lackeying the varying tide； To rot itself
with motion。 MESSENGER。 Caesar； I bring thee word Menecrates and
Menas； famous pirates； Make the sea serve them； which they ear and
wound With keels of every kind。 Many hot inroads They make in Italy； the
borders maritime Lack blood to think on't； and flush youth revolt。 No
vessel can peep forth but 'tis as soon Taken as seen； for Pompey's name
strikes more Than could his war resisted。 CAESAR。 Antony； Leave thy
lascivious wassails。 When thou once Was beaten from Modena； where
thou slew'st Hirtius and Pansa； consuls； at thy heel Did famine follow；
whom thou fought'st against； Though daintily brought up； with patience
more Than savages could suffer。 Thou didst drink The stale of horses and
the gilded puddle Which beasts would cough at。 Thy palate then did deign
The roughest berry on the rudest hedge； Yea； like the stag when snow the
pasture sheets； The barks of trees thou brows'd。 On the Alps It is reported