Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
Act 1 - Scene 1
Alexandria. A room in CLEOPATRA’s palace.
Philo : Nay, but this dotage of our general's
[p]O'erflows the measure: those
his goodly eyes,
[p]That o'er the files and musters of the war
[p]Have
glow'd like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,
[p]The office and
devotion of their view
[p]Upon a tawny front: his captain's
heart,
[p]Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst
[p]The
buckles on his breast, reneges all temper,
[p]And is become the
bellows and the fan
[p]To cool a gipsy's lust.
[p][Flourish. Enter
ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, her Ladies,]
[p]the Train, with Eunuchs fanning
her]
[p]Look, where they come:
[p]Take but good note, and you shall
see in him.
[p]The triple pillar of the world transform'd
[p]Into a
strumpet's fool: behold and see.
Cleopatra : If it be love indeed, tell me how much.
Cleopatra : I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved.
Attendant : News, my good lord, from Rome.
Cleopatra : Nay, hear them, Antony:
[p]Fulvia perchance is angry; or, who
knows
[p]If the scarce-bearded Caesar have not sent
[p]His powerful
mandate to you, 'Do this, or this;
[p]Take in that kingdom, and
enfranchise that;
[p]Perform 't, or else we damn thee.'
Cleopatra : Perchance! nay, and most like:
[p]You must not stay here longer, your
dismission
[p]Is come from Caesar; therefore hear it,
Antony.
[p]Where's Fulvia's process? Caesar's I would say?
both?
[p]Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen,
[p]Thou
blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine
[p]Is Caesar's homager: else
so thy cheek pays shame
[p]When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds. The
messengers!
Cleopatra : Excellent falsehood!
[p]Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love
her?
[p]I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony
[p]Will be himself.
Cleopatra : Hear the ambassadors.
Demetrius : Is Caesar with Antonius prized so slight?
Philo : Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,
[p]He comes too short of that
great property
[p]Which still should go with Antony.
Demetrius : I am full sorry
[p]That he approves the common liar, who
[p]Thus
speaks of him at Rome: but I will hope
[p]Of better deeds to-morrow.
Rest you happy!
Next: Act 1 - Scene 2
