Enter Cleopatra, Charmion and Iras.
Ant.Well, Madam, we are met.
Cleo.Is this a Meeting?
Then, we must part?
Ant.We must.
Cleo.Who sayes we must?
Ant.Our own hard fates.
Cleo.We make those Fates our selves.
Ant.Yes, we have made 'em; we have lov'd each other
Into our mutual ruin.
Cleo.The Gods have seen my Joys with envious eyes;
I have no Friends in Heav'n; and all the World,
(As 'twere the bus'ness of Mankind to part us)
Is arm'd against my Love: ev'n you your self
Joyn with the rest; you, you are arm'd against me.
Ant.I will be justify'd in all I do
To late Posterity, and therefore hear me.
If I mix a lye
With any truth, reproach me freely with it;
Else, favor me with silence.
Cleo.You command me,
And I am dumb:
Ven.I like this well: he shows Authority.
Ant.That I derive my ruin
From you alone———
Cleo.O Heav'ns! I ruin you!
Ant.You promis'd me your silence, and you break it
Ere I have scarce begun.
Cleo.Well, I obey you.
Ant.When I beheld you first, it was in Ægypt,
Ere Cæsar saw your Eyes; you gave me love,
And were too young to know it, that I setled
Your Father in his Throne, was for your sake,
I left th' acknowledgment for time to ripen.
Cæsar stept in, and with a greedy hand
Pluck'd the green fruit, ere the first blush of red
Yet cleaving to the bough. He was my Lord,
And was, beside, too great for me to rival,
But, I deserv'd you first, though he enjoy'd you.
