Page:Antony and Cleopatra (1921) Yale.djvu/21

Antony and Cleopatra, I. ii

By revolution lowering, does become

The opposite of itself: she's good, being gone;

The hand could pluck her back that shov'd her on.

I must from this enchanting queen break off;

Ten thousand harms, more than the ills I know,

My idleness doth hatch. How now! Enobarbus!

Eno. What's your pleasure, sir?

Ant. I must with haste from hence.

Eno. Why, then, we kill all our women. We

see how mortal an unkindness is to them; if

they suffer our departure, death's the word.

Ant. I must be gone.

Eno. Under a compelling occasion let women

die. It were pity to cast them away for nothing;

though between them and a great cause they

should be esteemed nothing. Cleopatra, catch-

ing but the least noise of this, dies instantly; I

have seen her die twenty times upon far poorer

moment. I do think there is mettle in death

which commits some loving act upon her, she

hath such a celerity in dying.

Ant. She is cunning past man's thought.

Eno. Alack! sir, no; her passions are made

of nothing but the finest part of pure love. We

cannot call her winds and waters sighs and

tears; they are greater storms and tempests

than almanacs can report: this cannot be

cunning in her; if it be, she makes a shower of

rain as well as Jove.

Ant. Would I had never seen her!

Eno. O, sir! you had then left unseen a won-

derful piece of work which not to have been

blessed withal would have discredited your travel.

