Cleo. 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 my heart again; fate took the occasion;
And thus one minute’s feigning has destroyed
My whole life’s truth.

Ant. Thin cobweb arts of falsehood; Seen, and broke through at first.

Dola. Forgive your mistress.

Cleo. Forgive your friend.

Ant. You have convinced yourselves.  You plead each other’s cause:  What witness have you, That you but meant to raise my jealousy?

Cleo. Ourselves, and heaven.

Ant. 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.

Dola. 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.

Ant. 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!

Cleo. How? for ever! 
I cannot go one moment from your sight,
And must I go for ever? 
My joys, my only joys, are centered 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.

Ant. I must not hear you.  I have a fool within me, takes your part; But honour stops my ears.

Cleo. For pity hear me! 
Would you cast off a slave who followed you? 
Who crouched beneath your spurn?—­He has no pity! 
See, if he gives one tear to my departure;
One look, one kind farewell:  Oh iron heart! 
Let all the gods look down, and judge betwixt us. 
If he did ever love!

Ant. No more:  Alexas!