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ANTONY。 Are you my friend； Ventidius？ Or are you turned a Dolabella too； And let this fury loose？
VENTIDIUS。 Oh； be advised； Sweet madam； and retire。
OCTAVIA。 Yes； I will go； but never to return。 You shall no more be haunted with this Fury。 My lord； my lord； love will not always last； When urged with long unkindness and disdain： Take her again； whom you prefer to me； She stays but to be called。 Poor cozened man！ Let a feigned parting give her back your heart； Which a feigned love first got； for injured me； Though my just sense of wrongs forbid my stay； My duty shall be yours。 To the dear pledges of our former love My tenderness and care shall be transferred； And they shall cheer； by turns； my widowed nights： So； take my last farewell； for I despair To have you whole； and scorn to take you half。 ＇Exit。＇
VENTIDIUS。 I combat Heaven； which blasts my best designs； My last attempt must be to win her back； But oh！ I fear in vain。 ＇Exit。＇
ANTONY。 Why was I framed with this plain； honest heart； Which knows not to disguise its griefs and weakness； But bears its workings outward to the world？ I should have kept the mighty anguish in； And forced a smile at Cleopatra's falsehood： Octavia had believed it； and had stayed。 But I am made a shallow…forded stream； Seen to the bottom： all my clearness scorned； And all my faults exposed。See where he comes；
Enter DOLLABELLA
Who has profaned the sacred name of friend； And worn it into vileness！ With how secure a brow； and specious form； He gilds the secret villain！ Sure that face Was meant for honesty； but Heaven mismatched it； And furnished treason out with nature's pomp； To make its work more easy。
DOLABELLA。 O my friend！
ANTONY。 Well； Dolabella； you performed my message？
DOLABELLA。 I did； unwillingly。
ANTONY。 Unwillingly？ Was it so hard for you to bear our parting？ You should have wished it。
DOLABELLA。 Why？
ANTONY。 Because you love me。 And she received my message with as true； With as unfeigned a sorrow as you brought it？
DOLABELLA。 She loves you； even to madness。
ANTONY。 Oh； I know it。 You； Dolabella； do not better know How much she loves me。 And should I Forsake this beauty？ This all…perfect creature？
DOLABELLA。 I could not； were she mine。
ANTONY。 And yet you first Persuaded me： How come you altered since？
DOLABELLA。 I said at first I was not fit to go： I could not hear her sighs； and see her tears； But pity must prevail： And so； perhaps； It may again with you； for I have promised； That she should take her last farewell： And； see； She comes to claim my word。
Enter CLEOPATRA
ANTONY。 False Dolabella！
DOLABELLA。 What's false； my lord？
ANTONY。 Why； Dolabella's false； And Cleopatra's false； both false and faithless。 Draw near； you well…joined wickedness； you serpents； Whom I have in my kindly bosom warmed； Till I am stung to death。
DOLABELLA。 My lord； have I Deserved to be thus used？
CLEOPATRA。 Can Heaven prepare A newer torment？ Can it find a curse Beyond our separation？
ANTONY。 Yes； if fate Be just； much greater： Heaven should be ingenious In punishing such crimes。 The rolling stone； And gnawing vulture； were slight pains； invented When Jove was young； and no examples known Of mighty ills； but you have ripened sin； To such a monstrous growth； 'twill pose the gods To find an equal torture。 Two； two such！ Oh； there's no further name；two such！ to me； To me； who locked my soul within your breasts； Had no desires； no joys； no life； but you； When half the globe was mine； I gave it you In dowry with my heart； I had no use； No fruit of all； but you： A friend and mistress Was what the world could give。 O Cleopatra！ O Dolabella！ how could you betray This tender heart； which with an infant fondness Lay lulled betwixt your bosoms； and there slept； Secure of injured faith？
DOLABELLA。 If she has wronged you； Heaven； hell； and you revenge it。
ANTONY。 If she has wronged me！ Thou wouldst evade thy part of guilt； but swear Thou lov'st not her。
DOLABELLA。 Not so as I love you。
ANTONY。 Not so？ Swear； swear； I say； thou dost not love her。
DOLABELLA。 No more than friendship will allow。
ANTONY。 No more？ Friendship allows thee nothing： Thou art perjured And yet thou didst not swear thou lov'st her not； But not so much； no more。 O trifling hypocrite； Who dar'st not own to her； thou dost not love； Nor own to me； thou dost！ Ventidius heard it； Octavia saw it。
CLEOPATRA。 They are enemies。
ANTONY。 Alexas is not so： He； he confessed it； He； who； next hell； best knew it； he avowed it。 Why do I seek a proof beyond yourself？ ＇To DOLABELLA。＇ You； whom I sent to bear my last farewell； Returned； to plead her stay。
DOLABELLA。 What shall I answer？ If to have loved be guilt； then I have sinned； But if to have repented of that love Can wash away my crime； I have repented。 Yet； if I have offended past forgiveness； Let not her suffer： She is innocent。
CLEOPATRA。 Ah； what will not a woman do； who loves？ What means will she refuse； to keep that heart； Where all her joys are placed？ 'Twas I encouraged； 'Twas I blew up the fire that scorched his soul； To make you jealous； and by that regain you。 But all in vain； I could not counterfeit： In spite of all the dams my love broke o'er； And drowned by heart again： fate took the occasion； And thus one minute's feigning has destroyed My whole life's truth。
ANTONY。 Thin cobweb arts of falsehood； Seen； and broke through at first。
DOLABELLA。 Forgive your mistress。
CLEOPATRA。 Forgive your friend。
ANTONY。 You have convinced yourselves。 You plead each other's cause： What witness have you； That you but meant to raise my jealousy？
CLEOPATRA。 Ourselves； and Heaven。
ANTONY。 Guilt witnesses for guilt。 Hence； love and friendship！ You have no longer place in human breasts； These two have driven you out： Avoid my sight！ I would not kill the man whom I have loved； And cannot hurt the woman； but avoid me： I do not know how long I can be tame； For； if I stay one minute more； to think How I am wronged； my justice and revenge Will cry so loud within me； that my pity Will not be heard for either。
DOLABELLA。 Heaven has but Our sorrow for our sins； and then delights To pardon erring man： Sweet mercy seems Its darling attribute； which limits justice； As if there were degrees in infinite； And infinite would rather want perfection Than punish to extent。
ANTONY。 I can forgive A foe； but not a mistress and a friend。 Treason is there in its most horrid shape； Where trust is greatest； and the soul resigned； Is stabbed by its own guards： I'll hear no more； Hence from my sight for ever！
CLEOPATRA。 How？ for ever！ I cannot go one moment from your sight； And must I go for ever？ My joys； my only joys； are centred here： What place have I to go to？ My own kingdom？ That I have lost for you： Or to the Romans？ They hate me for your sake： Or must I wander The wide world o'er； a helpless； banished woman； Banished for love of you； banished from you？ Ay； there's the banishment！ Oh； hear me； hear me； With strictest justice： For I beg no favour； And if I have offended you； then kill me； But do not banish me。
ANTONY。 I m