ue quietnesse,
and replenish vs with pleasures whiche shall neuer more perish.
Neyther ought we to flye death, for it is childish to feare it:
and in flieng from it, wee meete it. Much lesse to seeke it, for
that is temeritie: nor euery one that would die, can die. As
much despaire in the one, as cowardise in the other: in neither
any kinde of magnanimitie. It is enough that we constantly and
continually waite for her comming, that shee may neuer finde vs
vnprouided. For as there is nothing more certaine then
death, so is there nothing more vncertaine then
the houre of death, knowen onlie to God,
the onlie Author of life and death,
to whom wee all ought endeuour
both to liue and die.

_Die to liue,_
_Liue to die._

The 13. of May 1590.

At Wilton.

* * * * *
* * * *

[Transcriber's Note:

The play was printed in Italic type, with Roman for emphasis.
For this e-text, only the _emphasis_ is shown.

Acts 1 and 3 are unlabeled in the text. Act 1 can only be Antony's
soliloquy, with following Chorus, but Act 3 is ambiguous. Between
Act 2 and Act 4 are:
(scene) Cleopatra. Eras. Charmion. Diomede.
(soliloquy): Diomed.
Chorus
(scene) M. Antonius. Lucilius.
Chorus
Structurally the play seems to have six Acts, but Act 4 and Act 5 are
each labeled as such.]

[Decoration]

The Argument.

After the ouerthrowe of _Brutus_ and _Cassius_, the libertie of
_Rome_ being now vtterly oppressed, and the Empire setled in the
hands of _Octauius Caesar_ and _Marcus Antonius_, (who for knitting a
straiter bonde of amitie betweene them, had taken to wife _Octauia_
the sister of _Caesar_) _Antonius_ vndertooke a iourney against the
Parthians, with intent to regaine on them the honor wonne by them
from the Romains, at the discomfiture and slaughter of _Crassus_.
But comming in his iourney into Siria, the places renewed in his
remembrance the long intermitted loue of _Cleopatra_ Queene of
Aegipt: who before time had both in Cilicia and at Alexandria,
entertained him with all the exquisite delightes and sumptuous
pleasures, which a great Prince and voluptuous Louer could to the
vttermost desire. Whereupon omitting his enterprice, he made his
returne to Alexandria, againe falling to his former loues, withou