Act I, Scene i: Alexandria. A Room in CLEOPATRA'S palace.
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[Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO.]
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| | 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 glow'd 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. | |
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| | Look where they come: | |
| | Take but good note, and you shall see in him | |
| | The triple pillar of the world transform'd | |
| | Into a strumpet's fool: behold and see. | |
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| | CLEOPATRA: | |
| | If it be love indeed, tell me how much. | |
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| | ANTONY: | |
| | There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd. | |
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| | CLEOPATRA: | |
| | I'll set a bourn how far to be belov'd. | |
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| | ANTONY: | |
| | Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth. | |
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| | ATTENDANT: | |
| | News, my good lord, from Rome. | |
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| | ANTONY: | |
| | Grates me:—the sum. | |
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| | 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.' | |
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| | 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-tongu'd Fulvia scolds.—The messengers! | |
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| | ANTONY: | |
| | Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch | |
| | Of the rang'd 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[Embracing]; when such a mutual pair | |
| | And such a twain can do't, in which I bind, | |
| | On pain of punishment, the world to weet | |
| | We stand up peerless. | |
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| | CLEOPATRA: | |
| | Excellent falsehood! | |
| | Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?— | |
| | I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony | |
| | Will be himself. | |
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| | ANTONY: | |
| | But stirr'd 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 to-night? | |
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| | CLEOPATRA: | |
| | Hear the ambassadors. | |
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| | ANTONY: | |
| | Fie, wrangling queen! | |
| | Whom everything becomes,—to chide, to laugh, | |
| | To weep; whose every passion fully strives | |
| | To make itself in thee fair and admir'd! | |
| | 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. | |
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[Exeunt ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with their Train.]
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| | DEMETRIUS: | |
| | Is Caesar with Antonius priz'd so slight? | |
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| | PHILO: | |
| | Sir, sometimes when he is not Antony, | |
| | He comes too short of that great property | |
| | Which still should go with Antony. | |
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| | 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! | |
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