Enter an Ægyptian. Egypt. A poor Ægyptian yet; the Queen my mistress, Confin'd in all she has, (her monument) Of thy intents defires inftruction; That the preparedly may frame herself Caf. Bid her have good heart; She foon fhall know of us, by fome of ours, Egypt. May the Gods preferve thee! [Exit. Caf. Come hither, Proculeius; go, and fay, We purpose her no fhame; give her what comforts The quality of her paffion fhall require ; Left in her greatness by fome mortal stroke She do defeat us: for her life in Rome (4) Would be eternaling our triumph. Go, And with your fpeediest bring us what the fays, Pro. Cæfar, I fhall. [Exit Proculeius. Caf. Gallus, go you along ;-where's Dolabella, To fecond Proculeius? All. Dolabella! [Exit Gallus. Caf. Let him alone; for I remember now, [Exeunt. [(a) avould be eternaling. Oxford Editor.Vulg. would be eternal in] VOL. VII. P SCENE Changes to the Monument. Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, Mardian, and Seleucus, above. Cleo. MA better life; 'tis paltry to be Cafar; (Which fleeps, and never palates more the Dugg :) I and it is great To do that thing, that ends all other deeds; The beggar's nurfe, and Cæfar's] The action of Suicide is here faid, to hackle accidents; to bolt up change; to be the beggar's nurfe, and Cæfar's. So far the delcription is intelligible. But when it is faid, that it fleeps and never palates more the Dung, we find neither fenfe nor propriety which is occafion'd by the lofs of a whole line between the third and fourth, and the corrupt reading of the laft word in the fourth. We fhould read the paffage thus, : and it is great To do that thing, that ends all other deeds;, (Which fleeps, and never palates more the DuGG :) That this line in hooks was the substance of that loft, is evident from its making fenfe of all the reft: which are to this effect, It is great to do that which frees us from all the accidents of humanity, lulls our over-wearied nature to repofe (which now fleeps, and has no more appetite for worldly enjoyments,) and is equally the nurfe of Cæfar and the beggar. Enter Enter Proculeius. Pro. Cæfar fends Greeting to the Queen of Egypt, And bids thee study on what fair demands Thou mean'ft to have him grant thee. Cleo. What's thy name? Pro. My name is Proculeius. Glee. Antony Did tell me of you, badé me truft you, but That have no ufe for trufting. If your mater No lefs beg than a Kingdom; if he please Pro. Be of good cheer: 1 You're fal'n into a princely hand, fear nothing; 2 Gleo. Pray you, tell him, I am his fortune's vaffal, 3 and I send him 2 Pro. This I'll report, dear lady. 1 that will pray in aid for kindness,] Praying in aid is a law term, ufed for a petition made in a court of justice for the calling in of help from another that hath an intereft in the caufe in queftion. Oxford Editor. and I fend him 3 The Greatnefs he has got.] i. e. I have nothing to fend him, alluding to the prefents fent by vaffals to their lords. P 2 Have A Have comfort, for, I know, your plight is pity'd [Here Gallus, and Guard, afcend the Monument by Gall. You fee, how easily she may be surpriz❜d. Iras. O Royal Queen! Char. Oh Cleopatra! thou art taken, Queen, Cleo. Quick, quick, good hands. [Drawing a Dagger. [The Monument is open'd; Proculeius rushes in, and difarms the Queen. Pro. Hold, worthy lady, hold: Do not your self fuch wrong, who are in this Cleo. What, of death too, that rids our dogs of Pro. Do not abuse my mafter's bounty, by Cleo. Where art thou, Death? Come hither, come: oh come, and take a Queen Pro. Oh, temperance, lady! Cleo. Sir, I will eat no meat, I'll not drink, Sir: 4 who are in this RELIEV'D, but not betray'd.] As plaufible as this reading is, it is corrupt. Had Shakespear ufed the word reliev'd, he would have added, and not betray'd. But that he used another word the reply fhews, What, of death too: which will not agree with relieved; but will direct us to the genuine word, which is, BEREAV'D, but not betray'd. j. e. If idle time will once be neceffary, I'll not fleep neither. This mortal house I'll ruin, Of cens'ring Rome? rather a ditch in Ægypt Pro. You do extend These thoughts of horror further than Find cause in Cafar. SCENE III. Enter Dolabella. Dol. Proculeius. What thou haft done thy mafter Cafar knows, Pro. So, Dolabella, It fhall content me beft; be gentle to her; To Cæfar I will speak what you fhall please, If you'll employ me to him. Cleo. Say, I would die. [Exit Proculeius. Dol. Most noble Emprefs, you have heard of me. Cleo. I cannot tell. Dol. Affuredly, you know me. 5 If idle TALK will once be necessary,】 This nonfenfe should be reform'd thus, If idle TIME will once be neceffary. i. e, if repose be neceffary to cherish life, I will not fleep. |