prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear. 56
Prithee, tell her but a worky-day fortune.
Sooth. Your fortunes are alike.
Iras. But how? but how? give me particulars.
Sooth. I have said. 60
Iras. Am I not an inch of fortune better
than she?
Char. Well, if you were but an inch of for-
tune better than I, where would you choose it? 64
Iras. Not in my husband's nose.
Char. Our worser thoughts heaven mend!
Alexas,—come, his fortune, his fortune. O!
let him marry a woman that cannot go, sweet 68
Isis, I beseech thee; and let her die too, and give
him a worse; and let worse follow worse, till the
worst of all follow him laughing to his grave,
fifty-fold a cuckold! Good Isis, hear me this 72
prayer, though thou deny me a matter of more
weight; good Isis, I beseech thee!
Iras. Amen. Dear goddess, hear that prayer
of the people! for, as it is a heart-breaking to see 76
a handsome man loose-wived, so it is a deadly
sorrow to behold a foul knave uncuckolded:
therefore, dear Isis, keep decorum, and fortune
him accordingly! 80
Char. Amen.
Alex. Lo, now! if it lay in their hands to
make me a cuckold, they would make themselves
whores, but they'd do 't! 84
Enter Cleopatra.
Eno. Hush! here comes Antony.
57 worky-day: ordinary
68 that cannot go: that cannot have children
72 cuckold: husband with an unfaithful wife; cf. n. on I. ii. 4–6
