Philo

Nay, but this dotage of our general's

O'erflows the measure: those his goodly eyes,

That o'er the files and musters of the war

Have glowed like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,

The office and devotion of their view

Upon a tawny front: his captain's heart,

Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst

The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper,

And is become the bellows and the fan

To cool a gipsy's lust. Flourish.Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, her Ladies, the Train, with Eunuchs fanning her. Look, where they come:

Take but good note, and you shall see in him.

The triple pillar of the world transformed

Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see.

Cleopatra

If it be love indeed, tell me how much.

Antony

There's beggary in the love that can be reckoned.

Cleopatra

I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved.

Antony

Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. Enter an Attendant.

Attendant

News, my good lord, from Rome.

Antony

Grates me: the sum.

Cleopatra

Nay, hear them, Antony:

Fulvia perchance is angry; or, who knows

If the scarce-bearded Caesar have not sent

His powerful mandate to you, “Do this, or this;

Take in that kingdom, and enfranchise that;

Perform't, or else we damn thee.”

Antony

How, my love!

Cleopatra

Perchance! nay, and most like:

You must not stay here longer, your dismission

Is come from Caesar; therefore hear it, Antony.

Where's Fulvia's process? Caesar's I would say? both?

Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen,

Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine

Is Caesar's homager: else so thy cheek pays shame

When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds. The messengers

Antony

Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch

Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space.

Kingdoms are clay: our dungy earth alike

Feeds beast as man: the nobleness of life

Is to do thus; when such a mutual pair Embracing.

And such a twain can do't, in which I bind,

On pain of punishment, the world to weet

We stand up peerless.

Cleopatra

Excellent falsehood!

Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?

I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony

Will be himself.

Antony

But stirred by Cleopatra.

Now, for the love of Love and her soft hours,

Let's not confound the time with conference harsh:

There's not a minute of our lives should stretch

Without some pleasure now. What sport tonight?

Cleopatra

Hear the ambassadors.

Antony

Fie, wrangling queen!

Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,

To weep; whose every passion fully strives

To make itself, in thee, fair and admired!

No messenger, but thine; and all alone

To-night we'll wander through the streets and note

The qualities of people. Come, my queen;

Last night you did desire it: speak not to us. Exeunt Ant. and Cleo. with their train.

Demetrius

Is Caesar with Antonius prized so slight?

Philo

Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,

He comes too short of that great property

Which still should go with Antony.

Demetrius

I am full sorry

That he approves the common liar, who

Thus speaks of him at Rome: but I will hope

Of better deeds to-morrow. Rest you happy! Exeunt.