Читать книгу The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra - Уильям Шекспир, William Szekspir, the Simon Studio - Страница 2

  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.

    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.

  CLEOPATRA. If it be love indeed, tell me how much.

  ANTONY. There's beggary in the love that can be reckon'd.

  CLEOPATRA. I'll set a bourn how far to be belov'd.

  ANTONY. Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.

  MESSENGER. News, my good lord, from Rome.

  ANTONY. Grates me the sum.

  CLEOPATRA. Nay, hear them, Antony.

    Fulvia perchance is angry; or who knows

    If the scarce-bearded Caesar have not sent

    His pow'rful mandate to you: 'Do this or this;

    Take in that kingdom and enfranchise that;

    Perform't, or else we damn thee.'

  ANTONY. How, my love?

  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!

  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 [emhracing], 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.

  CLEOPATRA. Excellent falsehood!

    Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?

    I'll seem the fool I am not. Antony

    Will be himself.

  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?

  CLEOPATRA. Hear the ambassadors.

  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.

                     Exeunt ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with the train

  DEMETRIUS. Is Caesar with Antonius priz'd 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 to-morrow. Rest you happy! Exeunt