Page:Antony and Cleopatra (1921) Yale.djvu/14

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Att. News, my good lord, from Rome.

Ant. Grates me; the sum.

Cleo. Nay, hear them, Antony:

Fulvia, perchance, is angry; or, who knows

If the scarce-bearded Cæsar have not sent

His powerful mandate to you, 'Do this, or this;

Take in that kingdom, and enfranchise that; Perform 't, or else we damn thee.'

Ant. How, my love!

Cleo. Perchance! nay, and most like;

You must not stay here longer; your dismission

Is come from Cæsar; therefore hear it, Antony.

Where's Fulvia's process? Cæsar's I would say? both?

Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen,

Thou blushest, Antony, and that blood of thine

Is Cæsar's homager; else so thy cheek pays shame

When shrill-tongu'd Fulvia scolds. The messengers!

Ant. 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; 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.

Cleo. Excellent falsehood!

 18 Grates: irritates

23 Take in: conquer

enfranchise: set free

26 dismission: discharge from office

28 process: command

31 homager: humble servant

34 rang'd: ordered

35 dungy: vile

39 weet: know

