Cleo. I dream'd, there was an emperor An- Will have it thus; my master and my lord

The little O, the earth.

Dol. Most sovereign creature,

Cleo. His legs bestrid the ocean: his rear'darm
Crested the world: his voice was propertied
As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends;
But when he meant to quail and shake the orb,
He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty,
There was no winter in't; an autumn 'twas,
That grew the more by reaping: His delights
Were dolphin-like; they show'd his back above
The element they liv'd in: In his livery
Walk'd crowns, and crownets; realms and islands

were

As plates dropp'd from his pocket.

Dol. Cleopatra,

I must obey.

Cæs. Take to you no hard thoughts:
The record of what injuries you did us,
Though written in our flesh, we shall remember
As things but done by chance.

Cleo. Sole sir o'the world,

I cannot project mine own cause so well
To make it clear; but do confess, I have
Been laden with like frailties, which before
Have often sham'd our sex.

Cæs. Cleopatra, know,

We will extenuate rather than enforce:
If you apply yourself to our intents,
(Which towards you are most gentle,) you shall
find

A benefit in this change; but if you seek
To lay on me a cruelty, by taking
Antony's course, you shall bereave yourself
Of my good purposes, and put your children
To that destruction which I'll guard them from,
If thereon you rely. I'll take my leave.
Cleo. And may, through all the world: 'tis
yours; and we,

Cleo. Think you, there was, or might be, Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest,

such a man

As this I dream'd of?

Dol. Gentle madam, no.

Cleo. You lie, up to the hearing of the gods.
But, if there be, or ever were one such,
It's past the size of dreaming: Nature wants
stuff

To vie strange forms with fancy; yet, to imagine
An Antony, were nature's piece 'gainst fancy,
Condemning shadows quite.

Dol. Hear me, good madam:

Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it
As answering to the weight: 'Would I might

never

shall

Hang in what place you please. Here, my good

lord.

Caes. You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.
Cleo. This is the brief of money, plate, and
jewels,

I am possess'd of: 'tis exactly valued;
Not petty things admitted.-Where's Seleucus?
Sel. Here, madam.

Cleo. This is my treasurer; let him speak,
my lord,

Upon his peril, that I have reserv'd

To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.
Sel. Madam,

I had rather seel my lips, than, to my peril,
Speak that which is not.

Cleo. What have I kept back?

Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made known.

O rarely base!

Cæs. Good queen, let us entreat you.
Cleo. O Cæsar, what a wounding shame is this;
That thou, vouchsafing here to visit me,
Doing the honour of thy lordliness

To one so meek, that mine own servant should
Parcel the sum of my disgraces by
Addition of his envy! Say, good Cæsar,
That I some lady's trifles have reserv'd,
Immoment toys, things of such dignity
As we greet modern friends withal; and say,
Some nobler token I have kept apart
For Livia, and Octavia, to induce
Their mediation; must I be unfolded
With one that I have bred? The gods! it

smites me

Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence;
To Sele ucus.
Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits
Through the ashes of my chance:-Wert thou

a man,

Thou would'st have mercy on me.
Cæs. Forbear, Seleucus.

[Exit Seleucis. Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, a re misthought

For things that others do; and, when we fall,
We answer others' merits in our name,
Are therefore to be pitied.

Cas. Cleopatra,

Not what you have reserv'd, nor what acknow

ledg'd,

Put we i'the roll of conquest: still be it yours,
Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe,
Cæsar's no merchant, to make prize with you
Of things that merchants sold. Therefore be
cheer'd;

Make not your thoughts your prisons: no, dear

queen;

For we intend so to dispose you, as
Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep:
Our care and pity is so much upon you,
That we rem ain your friend; And so adieu.
Cleo. Mynaster, and my lord!

Cas. Not so: Adieu.

[Exeunt Cæsar, and his Train. Cleo. He vords me, girls, he 'words me, that I should not

་

Dol. Madam, as thereto sworn by your com
mand,

Whith my love makes religion to obey,
I tell you this: Cæsar through Syria
Intends his journey; and, within three days,
You with your children will he send before:
Make your best use of this: I have perform'd
| Your ple asure, and my promise.
Cleo. Dolabella,

Be noble to myself: but hark thee, Charmian.
[Whispers Charmian. I

I shall remain your debtor.
Dol. I your servant.

Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæsar.
Cleo. Farewell, and thanks. [Exit Dol.] Now,
I ras, what think'st thou ?

Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown
In Rome, as well as I: mechanic slaves,
With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall
Uplift us to the view; in their thick breaths,
Rank of gross diet, shall we be enclouded,
And forc'd to drink their vapour.
forbid !

rhymers

Ballad us out o'tune: the quick comedians
Extemporally will stage us, and present
Our Alexandrian revels; Antony

Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see
Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness
I'the posture of a whore.

Iras. O the good gods!
Cleo. Nay, that is certain.

Iras. I'll never see it; for, I am sure, my nails
Are stronger than mine eyes.

Cleo. Why, that's the way

To fool their preparation, and to conquer
Their most absurd intents.-Now, Charmian?—
Enter CHARMIAN.

Show me, my women, like a queen ;-Go fetch
My best attires;-I am again for Cydnus,
To meet Mark Antony :-Sirrah, Iras, go.-
Now, noble Charmian, we'll despatch indeed:
And, when thou hast done this chare, I'll give
thee leave

To play till dooms-day.-Bring our crown and all.
Wherefore's this noise?

[Exit Iras. A noise within.
Enter one of the Guard.
Guard. Here is a rural fellow,

ACT V.]

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

That will not be denied your highness' presence;
He brings you figs.

ment

Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instru-
[Exit Guard.
May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.
My resolution's plac'd, and I have nothing
Of woman in me: Now from head to foot
I am marble-constant: now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.

Re-enter Guard, with a Clown bringing a
basket.

Guard. This is the man.

Cleo. Avoid, and leave him.- [Exit Guard.
Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there,
That kills and pains not?

Clown. Truly I have him: but I would not be the party that should desire you to touch him, for his biting is immortal; those, that do die of it, do seldom or never recover.

Cleo. Remember'st thou any that have diedon't? Clown. Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterday: a very honest woman, but something given to lie; as a woman should not do, but in the way of honesty: how she died of the biting of it, what pain she felt,-Truly, she makes a very good report o'the worm: But he that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do: But this is most fallible, the worm's an odd worm.

Cleo. Get thee hence; farewell.
Clown. I wish you all joy o'the worm.

Cleo. Farewell. [Clown sets down the basket. Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind.

Cleo. Ay, ay; farewell.

Clown. Look you, the worm is not to be trusted, but in the keeping of wise people; for, indeed, there is no goodness in the worm.

Cleo. Take thou no care; it shall be heeded. Clown. Very good give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding.

Cleo. Will it eat me?

Clown. You must not think I am so simple, but I know the devil himself will not eat a woman :-I know, that a woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her not. But, truly, these same whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women; for in every ten that they make, the devils mar five.

Cleo. Well, get thee gone; farewell.
Clown. Yes, forsooth; I wish you joy o'the
[Exit.

worm.

Re-enter IRAS, with a robe, crown, &c.
Cleo. Give me my robe, put on my crown; I

have

Immortal longings in me: Now no more
The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip :-
Yare, yare, good Iras; quick.-Methinks, Thear
Antony call; I see him rouse himself
To praise my noble act; I hear him mock

367

The luck of Caesar, which the gods give men
To excuse their after wrath: Husband, I come:
Now to that name my courage prove my title!
I am fire, and air; my other elements
I give to baser life.-So,-have you done?
Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.
Farewell, kind Charmian ;-Iras, long farewell.
[Kisses them. Iras falls and dies.
Have I the aspick in my lips? Dost fall?
If thou and nature can so gently part,
The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch,
Which hurts, and is desir'd. Dost thou lie still?
If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world
It is not worth leave-taking.

Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I
may say,
The gods themselves do weep!

Cleo. This proves me base :
If she first meet the curled Antony,
He'll make demand of her: and spend that kiss,
wretch,
Which is my heaven to have. Come, mortal

To the Asp, which she applies to her breast.
With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate
Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool,
Be angry, and despatch. O, could'st thou speak!
That I might hear thee call great Cæsar, ass
Unpolicied!

Char. O eastern star!

Cleo. Peace, peace!

Dost thou not see my baby at my breast,
That sucks the nurse asleep?

Char. O, break! O, break!

Cleo. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as
gentle,-

O Antony!-Nay, I will take thee too :---
[Applying another Asp to her arm.
What should I say-[Falls on a bed, and dies.
Char. In this wild world?-So, fare thee

well.

Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies
A lass unparallel'd.-Downy windows, close;
And golden Phoebus never be beheld
Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry ;
I'll mend it, and then play.

Enter the Guard, rushing in.
1 Guard. Where is the queen?
Char. Speak softly, wake her not.
1 Guard. Cæsar hath sent-
Char. Too slow a messenger.

[Applies the Asp.
O, come; apace, despatch: I partly feel thee.
1 Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæ-
sar's beguil'd.

2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæ-
sar ;-call him.

1 Guard. What work is here?-Charmian, is this well done?

Char. It is well done, and fitting for a prin

1 Guard. A simple countryman, that brought She shall be buried by her Antony:

This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood, and Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall,