CLEOPATRA   Excellent falsehood!

Why did he marry Fulvia and not love her?

I’ll seem the fool I am not. Antony

Will be himself.

ANTONY                     But stirred by Cleopatra.

Now, for the love of Love and her soft hours

Let’s not confound the time with conference harsh.

There’s not a minute of our lives should stretch

Without some pleasure now. What sport tonight?

CLEOPATRA   Hear the ambassadors.         (1.1.42-50)

Antony has just made the most swoon-worthy speech, protesting his love for Cleopatra above all else, and especially above his political obligations—but Cleopatra’s having none of it; she has to have the last word. Acquiescing to him, being pleased or reassured or flattered by his devotion also makes her vulnerable. And so, excellent falsehood! liar! Why did he marry Fulvia and not love her? surely he must have loved her to marry her; surely, therefore, Antony does not, cannot love Cleopatra? Does he think I was born yesterday? But I’ll seem the fool I am not; I might as well go along with it. Whatever, Antony will be himself, an adulterer, a deceiver of women—and a fool. Yes, I’ll be myself, he says, I’ll do what I want—but stirred by Cleopatra. You’re still the one that I want, my inspiration, my motivation in everything I do. But let’s not quarrel, let’s not just banter the time away. For the love of Love and her soft hours let’s not confound the time with conference harsh. Why are we talking, let alone fighting, when we could be far more pleasurably occupied? There’s not a minute of our lives should stretch without some pleasure now. (On one level, simply, let’s go—back—to bed.) At the least: what sport tonight? What’s the planned entertainment this evening? What’s the next wild scheme of fun? Hear the ambassadors, she retorts, the polar opposite of fun, getting boring news from Rome. That’s what you’re meant to be doing, Antony the triumvir, Antony the Roman…