Blow me into abhorring! rather make Pro. You do extend These thoughts of horror farther, than you shall What thou hast done thy master Cæsar knows, I'll take her to my guard. So, Dolabella, Pro. If you'll employ me to him. Cleo. [TO CLEOPATRA. Say, I would die. [Exeunt PROCULEIUS, and Soldiers. Dol. Most noble empress, you have heard of me? Cleo. I cannot tell. Dol. Assuredly, you know me. Cleo. No matter, sir, what I have heard, or known. You laugh, when boys, or women, tell their dreams; Is't not your trick? Dol. I understand not, madam. Cleo. I dream'd, there was an emperor Antony: O, such another sleep, that I might see But such another man! Dol. If it might please you,― Cleo. His face was as the heavens; and therein stuck A sun, and moon, which kept their course, and lighted The little O, the earth'. 1 The little O, the earth.] This is substantially Theobald's amendment, the folios reading, The little o' th' earth, and he altering it to The little O o' th' earth. There seems no necessity to add to the text, especially as The little o' th' earth may, after all, be the true reading. Dol. Most sovereign creature,— Cleo. His legs bestrid the ocean; his rear'd arm 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 'twas2, 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 pocket3. Dol. Cleopatra, Cleo. Think you, there was, or might be, such a man As this I dream'd of? Dol. Gentle madam, no. Cleo. You lie, up to the hearing of the gods: Dol. Hear me, good madam. Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it As answering to the weight: would I might never By the rebound of your's, a grief that smites 2 - an AUTUMN 'twas,] "An Anthony 'twas" in the old copies: one of Theobald's certain and happy emendations. The error, doubtless, arose from autumn having been written with a capital letter. 3 AS PLATES dropp'd from his pocket.] Plate was the term in use for silver money, plata being the Spanish word for it, which about this date seems to have been introduced into English. 4 TO VIE strange forms with fancy ;] To "vie" (as explained in Vol. iii. p. 147) was a term at cards, signifying to stake or challenge. 5 a grief that SMITES My very heart at root.] "Smites" is printed suites in the folio, 1623, and the commentators have supposed that it was an error of the press for shoots; but 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. Madam, he will; I know't. Within. Make way there!-Cæsar! Enter CESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECENAS, SeleuCUS, and Attendants. Cæs. Which is the queen of Egypt? Dol. It is the emperor, madam. [CLEOPATRA kneels. Cæs. Arise, you shall not kneel. I pray you, rise; rise, Egypt. Cleo. Sir, the gods Will have it thus: my master and my lord 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 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 surely, as Mr. Barron Field observes, it is much more likely to have been a misprint for "smites," which only varies in a single letter. The expression is then more natural, and it avoids the clash of shoots and "root.” Antony's course, you shall bereave yourself Cleo. And may through all the world: 'tis yours; and we Your scutcheons, and your signs of conquest, shall Not petty things admitted.—Where's Seleucus? 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. I had rather seal 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 Your wisdom in the deed. approve See, Cæsar! O, behold, Cleo. Even make me wild.-O slave, of no more trust shalt Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings. Slave, soul-less villain, dog! O rarely base! Cæs. Good queen, let us entreat you. • I had rather SEAL my lips,] This again is one of the instances in which the commentators have understood an allusion to seeling the eyes of a hawk; but the common expression of scaling the lips requires no such explanation. 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 Addition of his envy! Say, good Cæsar, Immoment toys, things of such dignity For Livia, and Octavia, to induce Their mediation, must I be unfolded With one that I have breds? The gods! it smites me Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence; Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits [TO SELEUCUS. Through th' ashes of my chance.-Wert thou a man, Thou would'st have mercy on me. Cæs. Forbear, Seleucus. [Exit SELEUCUS. Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are mis thought For things that others do; and when we fall, We answer others' merits in our name, Are therefore to be pitied. Cæs. 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: 7 MODERN friends-] i. e. common friends; a use of the word of which we have had various previous examples. See Vol. vi. p. 443, &c. WITH one that I have bred ?] We should now say, " By one," &c.: another instance of licence in the old use of prepositions. |