Ant. Nay, my good fellows, do not please sharp Of Cæsar seek your honour, with your safety.-' fate Cleo. They do not go together. To grace it with your sorrows: bid that welcome Ant. Gentle, hear me Which comes to punish us, and we punish it None about Cæsar trust, but Proculeius. Seeming to bear it lightly. Take me up: Cleo. My resolution, and my hands, I'll trust; I have led you oft; carry me now, good friends, None about Cæsar. And have my thanks for all. [Exeunt bearing Antony. SCENE XIII.-The same. A monument. Enter above, Cleopatra, Charmian, and Iras. Cleo. O Charmian, I will never go from hence. Char. Be comforted, dear madam. Cleo. No, I will not: All strange and terrible events are welcome, But comforts we despise; our size of sorrow, Proportion'd to our cause, must be as great Enter Diomedes. As that which makes it.-How now? is he dead? Enter Antony, borne by the Guard. Cleo. The varying shore o'the world!-0 Antony! Not Cæsar's valour hath o'erthrown Antony, Cleo. So it should be, that none but Antony Cleo. Of the full-fortun'd Cæsar ever shall Ant. The miserable change now at my end, Lament nor sorrow at: but please your thoughts, Wherein I liv'd, the greatest prince o'the world, In feeding them with those my former fortunes The noblest: and do now not basely die, Nor cowardly; put off my helmet to My countryman, a Roman, by a Roman Valiantly vanquish'd. Now, my spirit is going; I can no more. [Dies Cleo. Noblest of men, woo't die ? In this dull world, which in thy absence is The soldier's pole is fallen; young boys, and girls, [She faints. Iras. Char. O madam, madam, madam! Iras. Peace: Empress! Be brooch'd' with me; if knife, drugs, serpents, have Edge, sting, or operation, I am safe: Ant. O, quick, or I am gone. Cleo. Here's sport, indeed!-How heavy weighs my lord! Our strength is all gone into heaviness, All. Cleo. No, let me speak; and let me rail so high, One word, sweet queen: Char. Peace, peace, Iras. Madam, Royal Egypt! Cleo. No more, but e'en a woman; and commanded By such poor passion as the maid that milks, Ere death dare come to us?-How do you, women? What, what? good cheer! Why, how now, Charmian? My noble girls!-Ah, women, women! look, Let's do it after the high Roman fashion, [Exeunt; those above bearing off An- ACT V. SCENE I-Caesar's camp before Alexandria. Enter Cæsar, Agrippa, Dolabella, Mæcenas, Gallus, Proculeius, and others. Cæs. Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield; Being so frustrate, tell him, he mocks us by The pauses that he makes.” 276 Dol. Cæsar, I shall. [Exit Dolabella. I have follow'd thee to this;-But we do lance To the way she's forc'd to. Mess. Dolabella! And, with your speediest, bring us what she says, [Exeunt. SCENE II.-Alexandria. A room in the monu- Pro. Cæsar sends greeting to the queen of Egypt; And bids thee study on what fair demands Thou mean'st to have him grant thee. Cleo. [Within.] Pro. My name is Proculeius. Cleo. [Within.] What's thy name? Antony Did tell me of you, bade me trust you; but No less beg than a kingdom: if he please Be of good cheer; Where mine his' thoughts did kindle,-that our You are fallen into a princely hand, fear nothing: Make your full reference freely to my lord, Pray you, tell him Pro. Gal. You see how easily she may be surpris'd: Scene II. Do not abuse my master's bounty, by Pro. O, temperance, lady! Cleo. Sir, I will eat no meat, I'll not drink, sír; Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt Pro. You do extend These thoughts of horror further than you shall What thou hast done thy master Cæsar knows, Pro. So, Dolabella, If shall content me best: be gentle to her.- [To Cleopatra. If you'll employ me to him. Dol. I understand not, madam. Dol. Most sovereign creature, Cleo. His legs bestrid the ocean: his rear'd arm were As plates dropp'd from his pocket. Dol. Cleopatra, Cleo. Think you, there was, or might be, such a Cleo. You lie, up to the hearing of the gods. It's past the size of dreaming: Nature wants stuff Dol. By the rebound of yours, a grief that shoots Cleopatra, know, Cleo. And may, through all the world: 'tis yours; and we Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest, shall Cleo. This is my treasurer; let him speak, my lord. Upon his peril, that I have reserved To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus. I had rather seel' my lips, than, to my peril, Cleo. What have I kept back? Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made known. 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 Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings: Slave, soul-less villain, dog! O rarely base! Cas. Good queen, let us entreat you. Cleo. O Cæsar, what a wounding shame is this; To one so meek, that mine own servant should G As we greet modern friends withal; and say, Cæs. Cleopatra, Not what you have reserv'd nor what acknowledg'd, Make not your thoughts your prisons: no, dear queen; For we intend so to dispose you, as (1) Sew up. (2) Uncommonly. (3) Add to. (6) Caesar's sister. (7) Fire. (8) Merits or demerits. I your servant, Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæsar. Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown Iras. Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see 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. Show me, my women, like a queen;-Go fetch To play till dooms-day.-Bring our crown and all. 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 instru-| ment [Exit Guard. I am marble-constant: now the fleeting' moon Re-enter Guard, with a Clown bringing a basket. Guard. Cleo. Avoid, and leave him. [Exit Guard. Hast thou the pretty worm2 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 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 of the worm. Cleo. Farewell. [Clown sets down the basket. Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind." 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! 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 aspic 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! This proves me base, Char. Cleo. O eastern star! 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 stay- [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. 1 Guard. Cæsar hath sentChar. Speak softly, wake her not. O, come; apace, despatch: 1 Guard. Approach, ho! sar's beguil'd. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar ;call him. 1 Guard. What work is here ?-Charmian, is this well done, Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess Descended of so many royal kings. Ah, soldier ! Enter Dolabella. Dol. How goes it here? [Dies. All dead. Cæsar, thy thoughts Touch their effects in this Thyself art coming To see perform'd the dreaded act, which thou So sought's to hinder. [Within.] A way there, way for Cæsar! Enter Cæsar, and Attendants. Dol. O, sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear, is done. Cæs. Bravest at the last: She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal, Took her own way.-The manner of their deaths? I do not see them bleed. Dol. 1 Guard. A simple figs; This was his basket. Cæs. 1 Guard. Who was last with them? countryman, that brought her Poison'd then. O Cæsar, This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood, and spake : I found her trimming up the diadem. |