ticoat: and, indeed, the tears live in an onion, that should water this sorrow. Ant. The business she hath broached in the state, Cannot endure my absence. Eno. And the business you have broached here cannot be without you; especially that of Cleopatra's, which wholly depends on your abode. Ant. No more light answers. Have notice what we purpose. Let our officers I shall break The cause of our expedience to the queen, Eno. I shall do't. [Exeunt. The cause of our expedience-] Expedience for expedition. 6 And get her love to part.] i. e. and prevail on her love to consent to our separation. 7 more urgent touches,] Things that touch me more sensibly, more pressing motives. 8 the courser's hair, &c.] Alludes to an old idle notion that the hair of a horse dropt into corrupted water, will turn to an animal. SCENE III. Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAs, and ALEXAS. Cleo. Where is he? Char. I did not see him since. Cleo. See where he is, who's with him, what he does : I did not send you; - If you find him sad, That I am sudden sick: Quick, and return. [Exit ALEX. Char. Madam, methinks, if you did love him dearly, You do not hold the method to enforce The like from him. Cleo. What should I do, I do not? Char. In each thing give him way, cross him in no thing. Cleo. Thou teachest like a fool: the way to lose him. Char. Tempt him not so too far: I wish, forbear; In time we hate that which we often fear. Enter ANTONY. I am sick, and sullen. But here comes Antony. Cleo. Ant. I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose,— Cleo. Help me away, dear Charmian, I shall fall; It cannot be thus long, the sides of nature Will not sustain it. Ant. Now, my dearest queen, Cleo. Pray you, stand further from me. Ant. What's the matter? Cleo. I know, by that same eye, there's some good news. 9 I did not send you;] You must go as if you came without my order or knowledge. What the married woman?-You may go; Cleo. you are. O, never was there Ant. Cleopatra, queen Cleo. 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! Ant. Most sweet queen, Cleo. 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' bent1; none our parts so poor, Or thou, the greatest soldier of the world, Art turn'd the greatest liar. Ant. How now, lady! Cleo. I would, I had thy inches; thou should'st know, There were a heart in Egypt. Hear me, queen: Ant. Our services a while: but my full heart Shines o'er with civil swords: Sextus Pompeius Equality of two domestick powers Breeds scrupulous faction: The hated, grown to strength, Are newly grown to love: the condemn'd Pompey, 1 in our brows' bent;] i. e. in the arch of our eyebrows. 2 a race of heaven:] i. e. had a smack or flavour of heaven. Rich in his father's honour, creeps apace Cleo. Though age from folly could not give me free dom, It does from childishness: Ant. She's dead, my queen: Can Fulvia die ?4 Look here, and, at thy sovereign leisure, read Cleo. Ant. Quarrel no more, but be prepar'd to know 3 Ant. Cut my lace, Charmian, come ; should safe my going,] i. e. should render my going not dangerous, not likely to produce any mischief to you. 4 It does from childishness : · Can Fulvia die?]i. e. Though age has not exempted me from folly, I am not so childish, as to have apprehensions from a rival that is no more. And is Fulvia dead indeed? The garboils she awak'd ;] i. e. the commotion she occasioned. The word is derived from the old French garbouil, which Cotgreave explains by hurlyburly, great stir. 6 O most false love! Where be the sacred vials thou should'st fill With sorrowful water?] Alluding to the lachrymatory vials, or bottles of tears, which the Romans sometimes put into the urn of a friend. But let it be. I am quickly ill, and well: So Antony loves.7 Ant. My precious queen, forbear; And give true evidence to his love, which stands Cleo. So Fulvia told me. I pr'ythee, turn aside, and weep for her; Ant. You'll heat my blood; no more. And target, Still he mends; Cleo. You can do better yet; but this is meetly. Cleo. But this is not the best: Look, pry'thee, Charmian, The carriage of his chafe. Ant. I'll leave you, lady. Cleo. 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,- And I am all forgotten.1 Ant. But that your royalty 7 So Anthony loves.] i. e. uncertain as the state of my health is the Herculean Roman-] Antony traced his descent from Anton, a son of Hercules. 10, my oblivion is a very Antony, And I am all forgotten.] Cleopatra has something to say, which seems to be suppressed by sorrow; and after many attempts to produce her meaning, she cries out: O, this oblivious memory of mine is as false and treacherous to me as Antony is, and I forget every thing. Oblivion, is boldly used for a memory apt to be deceitful. |