Faculty of English

Enter Cleopatra ENOBARBUS  Hush, here comes Antony. CHARMIAN                 Not he, the Queen. CLEOPATRA                                       Saw you my lord? ENOBARBUS  No, lady. CLEOPATRA               Was he not here? CHARMIAN                                         No, madam. CLEOPATRA   He was disposed to mirth, but on the sudden A Roman thought hath struck him. Enobarbus! ENOBARBUS  Madam? CLEOPATRA               Seek him, and bring him hither. Where’s […]

CHARMIAN     Alexas—come, his fortune, his fortune. O, let him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee, and let her die too, and give him a worse, and let worse follow worse till the worst of all follow him laughing to his grave, fiftyfold a cuckold. Good Isis, hear me this prayer, though thou deny me a […]

SOOTHSAYER                        Your fortunes are alike. IRAS                                        But how, but how? Give me particulars. SOOTHSAYER                        I have said. IRAS    Am I not an inch of fortune better than she? CHARMIAN     Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better than I, where would you choose it? IRAS    Not in my husband’s nose. CHARMIAN     Our […]

CHARMIAN     [to Soothsayer] Nay, come, tell Iras hers. ALEXAS           We’ll know all our fortunes. ENOBARBUS  Mine, and most of our fortunes, tonight shall be drunk to bed. IRAS    [showing her hand to Soothsayer] There’s a palm presages chastity, if nothing else. CHARMIAN     E’en as the o’erflowing Nilus presageth famine. IRAS    Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot soothsay. CHARMIAN     Nay, […]

SOOTHSAYER                        You have seen and proved a fairer former fortune Than that which is to approach. CHARMIAN     Then belike my children shall have no names. Prithee, how many boys and wenches must I have? SOOTHSAYER                        If every of your wishes had a womb, And fertile every wish, a millïon. CHARMIAN     Out, fool—I forgive thee […]

SOOTHSAYER                        You shall be more beloving than beloved. CHARMIAN     I had rather heat my liver with drinking. ALEXAS           Nay, hear him. CHARMIAN     Good now, some excellent fortune! Let me be married to three kings in a forenoon and widow them all. Let me have a child at fifty to whom Herod of Jewry may do homage. […]

ENOBARBUS  [calling] Bring in the banquet quickly, Wine enough Cleopatra’s health to drink. [Servants bring food and wine] CHARMIAN     [to Soothsayer] Good sir, give me good fortune. SOOTHSAYER                        I make not, but foresee. CHARMIAN     Pray then, foresee me one. SOOTHSAYER                        You shall be yet Far fairer than you are. CHARMIAN                             He means in flesh. IRAS    […]

Enter Enobarbus, Lamprius, a Soothsayer, Rannius, Lucillius, Charmian, Iras, Mardian the eunuch, and Alexas CHARMIAN     Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most anything Alexas, almost most absolute Alexas, where’s the soothsayer that you praised so to th’ Queen? O that I knew this husband, which you say Must charge his horns with garlands! ALEXAS           Soothsayer! SOOTHSAYER                        Your will? CHARMIAN     Is […]

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 […]

ANTONY                     Fie, wrangling queen, Whom everything becomes—to chide, to laugh, To weep; how every passion fully strives To make itself, in thee, fair and admired! No messenger but thine; and all alone Tonight we’ll wander through the streets and note The qualities of people. Come, my queen. Last night you did desire it. [To Messenger] Speak not […]