Dear goddess, hear that prayer of the people! for, as it is a heart-breaking 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!
CHAR. Amen.
ALEX. Lo now, if it lay in their hands to make me a cuckold, they would make themselves whores but they'ld do't!
Enter Cleopatra.
ENO.
Hush, here comes Antony.
CHAR.
Not he, the Queen.
CLEO.
[Saw] you my lord?
ENO.
No, lady.
CLEO.
Was he not here?
CHAR.
No, madam.
CLEO.
He was dispos'd to mirth, but on the sudden
A Roman thought hath strook him. Enobarbus!
ENO.
Madam?
CLEO.
Seek him, and bring him hither. Where's Alexas?
ALEX.
Here, at your service. My lord approaches.
Enter Antony with a Messenger [and Attendants].
CLEO.
We will not look upon him. Go with us.
Exeunt [Cleopatra, Enobarbus, and Train].
MESS. Fulvia thy wife first came into the field.
ANT. Against my brother Lucius?
MESS. 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.
ANT.
Well, what worst?
MESS.
The nature of bad news infects the teller.
ANT.
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.
MESS.
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 –
ANT.
Antony, thou wouldst say –
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
With such full license as both truth and malice
Have power to utter. O then we bring forth weeds
When our quick winds lie still, and our ills told us
Is as our earing. Fare thee well awhile.
MESS.
At your noble pleasure.
Exit Messenger.
ANT.
From Sicyon how the news? Speak there!
1. [ATT.]
The man from Sicyon – is there such an one?
2. [ATT.]
He stays upon your will.
ANT.
Let him appear.
These strong Egyptian fetters I must break,
Or lose myself in dotage.
Enter another Messenger with a letter.
What are you?
[2.] MESS.
Fulvia thy wife is dead.
ANT.
Where died she?
[2.] MESS.
In Sicyon:
Her length of sickness, with what else more serious
Importeth thee to know, this bears.
[Gives a letter.]
ANT.
Forbear me.
[Exit Second 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?
Enter Enobarbus.
ENO. What's your pleasure, sir?
ANT. I must with haste from hence.
ENO. Why then we kill all our women.
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