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
O'ertake pursu'd success, but I do feel,

By the rebound of yours, a grief that shoots
My very heart at root.

Cleo.
I thank you, sir.
Know you, what Cæsar means to do with me?
Dol. I am loath to tell you what I would you knew.
Cleo. Nay, pray you, sir, -
Dol.
Though he be honourable, ·
Cleo: He'll lead me then in triumph?
Dol.

I know it.

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

Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest, shall Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.

Cæs. 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 5 my lips, than, to my peril,
Speak that which is not.

Cas. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra ; I approve Your wisdom in the deed.

Cleo. See, Cæsar! O, behold, How pomp is follow'd! mine will now be yours; And, should we shift estates, yours would be mine The ingratitude of this Seleucus does

Even make me wild; - O slave, of no more trust Than love that's hir'd! What, goest thou back? thou shalt

[Within.] Make way there, - Cæsar. Enter CESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECENAS, SELEUCUS, and Attendants.

Cæs.

Cæs.

You shall not kneel

I pray you, rise; rise, Egypt.

Cleo.

To one so meek, that mine own servant should
Parcel the sum of my disgraces by
That I some lady trifles have reserv'd,
Addition of his envy! Say, good Cæsar,
Immoment toys, things of such dignity
As we greet modern 7 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;

Of Egypt? Dol.

Which is the queen 'Tis the emperor, madam. [CLEOPATRA kneels. Arise,

Cæs.

Forbear, Seleucus. [Exit SELEUCUS.

[TO SELEUCUS.

Sir, the gods Will have it thus; my master and my lord

I must obey.

Take to you no hard thoughts: The record of what injuries you did us,

Though written in our flesh, we shall remember

Sole sir o' the world,

As things but done by chance.
Cleo.
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.

man,

Thou wouldst have mercy on me. Cæs.

Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are mis

Caes.

Cleopatra, Not what you have reserv'd, nor what acknowledg'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 remain your friend; And so, adieu.
Cleo. My master, and my lord!
Cæs.

Not so: Adieu. [Exeunt CÆSAR and his Train. Cleo. He words me, girls, he words me, that I should not

Be noble to myself; but hark thee, Charmian. [Whispers CHARMIAN.

Iras. Finish, good lady; the bright day is done, And we are for the dark.

Cleo.

Hie thee again : I have spoke already, and it is provided; Go, put it to the haste. Char.

Madam, I will.

Re-enter DOLABELLA.

Dol. Where is the queen?

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

Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shall be shown
In Rome, as well as I: mechanick 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.
Iras.
The gods forbid
Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: Saucy lictors
Will catch at us, like strumpets: and scald rhymers
Ballad us out o' tune: the quick 9 comedians
Extemporally will stage us, and present
Our Alexandria revels; Antony

Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see
Some squeaking Cleopatra boy

Iras.

my greatness.

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, Charinian?

Guard.

[Exit IRAS. A Noise wuhin.

Enter one of the Guard.

Here is a rural fellow, That will not be denied your highness' presence; He brings you figs.

Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instrument
[Erit 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 died on'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 pains 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 of the worm.

Cleo. Farewell. [Clown sets down the Basket. Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind. 2

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, I hear Antony call; I see him rouse himself To praise my noble act; I hear him mock The luck of Cæsar, which the gods give men To excuse their after wrath: Husband, I come Now to that name my courage prove my title!

2 Act according to his nature.

3 Make haste

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,
If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world
It is not worth leave-taking.

Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may

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: Cæsar's beguil'd.

2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar; · call him.

1 Guard. What work is here? — Charmian. is this

well done?

5

Dol. Here, on her breast, There is a vent of blood, and something blown : The like is on her arm.

1 Guard. This is an aspick's trail: and these figleaves

Have slime upon them, such as the aspick leaves Upon the caves of Nile.

Cæs.

Most probable,

That so she died; for her physician tells me,
She hath pursu'd conclusions infinite
Of easy ways to die. Take
her bed;
up
And bear her women from the monument: -
She shall be buried by her Antony;
No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them: and their story is
No less in pity than his glory, which
In solemn show, attend this funeral;
Brought them to be lamented.
And then to Rome. O Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

Graceful appearance.

Our army shall,

[Exeunt.

6 Enfold.