Act 1. Scene II - Page 2

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 worser thoughts heavens mend! 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 worst
follow worse, till the worst of all follow him
laughing to his grave, fifty-fold a cuckold! Good
Isis, hear me this prayer, though thou deny me a
matter of more weight; good Isis, I beseech thee!

IRAS
Amen. Dear goddess, hear that prayer of the people!
for, as it is a heartbreaking to see a handsome man
loose-wived, so it is a deadly sorrow to behold a
foul knave uncuckolded: therefore, dear Isis, keep
decorum, and fortune him accordingly!

CHARMIAN
Amen.

ALEXAS
Lo, now, if it lay in their hands to make me a
cuckold, they would make themselves whores, but
they'ld do't!

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Hush! here comes Antony.

CHARMIAN
Not he; the queen.

Enter CLEOPATRA

CLEOPATRA
Saw you my lord?

DOMITIUS 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!

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Madam?

CLEOPATRA
Seek him, and bring him hither.
Where's Alexas?

ALEXAS
Here, at your service. My lord approaches.

CLEOPATRA
We will not look upon him: go with us.

Exeunt

Enter MARK ANTONY with a Messenger and Attendants

Messenger
Fulvia thy wife first came into the field.

MARK ANTONY
Against my brother Lucius?

Messenger
Ay:
But soon that war had end, and the time's state
Made friends of them, joining their force 'gainst Caesar;
Whose better issue in the war, from Italy,
Upon the first encounter, drave them.

MARK ANTONY
Well, what worst?

Messenger
The nature of bad news infects the teller.

MARK ANTONY
When it concerns the fool or coward. On:
Things that are past are done with me. 'Tis thus:
Who tells me true, though in his tale lie death,
I hear him as he flatter'd.

Messenger
Labienus--
This is stiff news--hath, with his Parthian force,
Extended Asia from Euphrates;
His conquering banner shook from Syria
To Lydia and to Ionia; Whilst--

MARK ANTONY
Antony,