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 dreamt, there was an Emp❜ror Antonys Oh fuch another fleep, that I might fee

But fuch another man!

Dol. If it might please ye

Cleo. His face was as the heav'ns; and therein stuck A Sun and Moon, which kept their course, and lighted.

The little "O o'th' Earth.

Dol. Most fovereign creature!.

Cleo. His legs beftrid the ocean, his rear'd arm
Crefted the world: his voice was propertied
As all the tuned Spheres, when that to friends:
But when he meant to quail, and fhake the Orb,
He was as ratling thunder. For his bounty,
There was no winter in't: An (a) Autumn 'twas,
That grew the more by reaping. His delights
Were dolphin-like, they fhew'd his back above
The element they liv'd in; in his livery

Walk'd Crowns and Coronets, realms and iflands were
As plates dropt from his pocket.

Dol. Cleopatra

Cleo. Think you, there was, or might be, such a

man

As this I dreamt 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 paft the fize of dreaming: Nature wants stuff

6 A round O reftored by Mr. Theobald.

[(a) Autumn. Mr. Theobald.Vulg. Antony.]

Το

7

To vye ftrange forms with Fancy, yet t'imagine
An Antony, were Nature's Prize 'gainst Fancy,
Condemning fhadows quite.

Dol. Hear me, good Madam:

Your lofs is as your felf, great; and you bear it,
As anfw'ring to the weight: 'would, I might never
O'er-take purfu'd fuccefs, 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 Cæfar means to do with me?
Dol. I'm loth to tell you, what I would you knew.
Cleo. Nay, pray you, Sir.

Dol. Though he be honourable

Cleo. He'll lead me in triumph?
Dol. Madam, he will, I know't.
All. Make way there,--Cafar.

7

-yet t'imagine

An Antony were Nature's PIECE 'gainst Fancy,

Condemning fhadows quite.] This is a fine fentiment; but by the falfe reading and pointing become unintelligible. Though when fet right, obscure enough to deserve a comment. Shakespear wrote,

-yet t'imagine

An Antony, were Nature's PRIZE 'gainft Fancy,
Condemning fhadows quite.

The fenfe of which is this, Nature, in general, has not materials enough to furnish out real forms, for every model that the boundless power of the imagination can sketch out: [Nature wants matter to vye ftrange forms with Fancy] But tho this be true in general, that nature is more poor, narrow, and confined than fancy, yet it must be owned, that when nature prefents an Antony to us, he then gets the better of fancy, and makes even the imagination appear poor and narrow: Or, in our author's phrafe, [condemns Shadows quite.] The word PRIZE, which I have restored, is very pretty, as figuring a contention between nature and imagination about the larger extent of their powers; and nature gaining the PRIZE by producing Antony.

SCE NE IV.

Enter Cæfar, Gallus, Mecænas, Proculeius, and
Attendants.

Caf. Which is the Queen of Egypt?

Dol. It is the Emperor, Madam.

Caf. Arife, you shall not kneel:

I pray you, rife, rife, Egypt.
Cleo. Sir, the Gods

[Cleo. kneels,

Will have it thus; my mafter and my lord
I must obey.

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

Cleo. Sole Sir o'th' world,

* I cannot procter mine own cause so well
To make it clear, but do confess, I have
Been laden with like frailties, which before
Have often fham'd our Sex.
Caf. Cleopatra, know,

We will extenuate rather than inforce :
If you apply your felf to our intents,

(Which tow'rds you are moft gentle) you shall find A benefit in this Change; but if you feek

To lay on me a cruelty, by taking

Antony's courfe, you fhall bereave your felf
Of my good purposes, and put your children
To that deftruction which I'll guard them from,
If thereon you relie. I'll take my leave.

8 1 cannot project mine own caufe fo well] Project fignifies to invent a caufe, not to plead it; which is the fenie here required. It is plain then we should read,

I cannot PROCTER my own cause so well. The technical term, to plead by an advocate.

Cleo.

Cleo. And may, through all the world: 'tis yours;

and we,

Your fcutcheons, and your figns of Conqueft, fhall
Hang in what place you pleafe. Here, my good lord.
Caf. You fhall advise me in all for Cleopatra.
Cleo. This is the brief of mony, plate, and jewels
I am poffeft of 'tis exactly valued,

Not petty things omitted-where's Seleucus?
Sel. Here, Madam.

Cleo. This is my treasurer, let him fpeak, my lord, Upon his peril, that I have referv'd

To my felf nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.
Sel. Madam, I had rather feal my lips,
Than to my peril fpeak that which is not.
Cleo. What have I kept back?

Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made known.

Caf. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra ; I

Your wisdom in the deed.

Cleo. See, Cafar! Oh, behold,

approve

How Pomp is follow'd: mine will now be yours, And, fhould we fhift eftates, yours would be mine. Th' ingratitude of this Seleucus do's

Ev'n make me wild. Oh flave, of no more Trust Than love that's hir'd-What, goest thou back? thou fhalt

Go back, I warrant thee: but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings. Slave, foul-lefs villain, dog, O rarely bafe!

Cef. Good Queen, let us intreat you.

Cleo. O Cafar, what a wounding fhame is this, That thou, vouchfafing here to vifit me,

Doing the honour of thy lordliness

To one fo weak, that mine own fervant should
Parcel the sum of my difgraces by
Addition of his envy! Say, good Cafar,
That I fome lady-trifles have reserv❜d,

Im

Immoment toys, things of fuch Dignity
As we greet modern friends withal; and say,
Some nobler token I have kept apart
For Livia and Octavia, to induce
Their mediation, muft I be unfolded

By one that I have bred? the Gods !-it fmites me
Beneath the Fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence;
Or I fhall fhew the cinders of my spirits

Through th' afhes of my chance: wert thou a man, Thou would't have mercy on me.

Caf. Forbear, Seleucus.

1

Cleo. Be't known, that we, the Greateft, are mifthought

For things that others do. And when we fall
We answer. Others' merits, in our names
Are therefore to be pitied.

Caf.

9 Through th' ashes of my chance:] Or fortune. Alluding to an imperial edifice burnt down and reduced to afhes. So that the meaning is, Begone, or I fhall exert that royal fpirit which I had in my profperity, in fpite of the imbecillity of my present weak condition. This taught the Oxford Editor to alter it to mifchance.. 1 Be't known, that we the Greatest are mifthought For things that others do; and when we fall,

We answer others' merits, in our names

Are therefore to be pitied.] This falfe pointing has rendered the fentiment, which was not very eafy at beft, altogether unintelligible. The lines fhould be pointed thus,

Be't known, that we, the Greateft, are misthought
For things that others do. And when we fall

We answer. Others' merits, in our names

Are therefore to be pitied.

i. e. We monarchs, while in power, are accused and blamed for the miscarriages of our minifiers; and when any misfortune bath fubjected us to the power of our enemies, we are fure to be punished for thofe faults. As this is the cafe, it is but reafonable that we fhould have the merit of our minifters' good actions, as well as bear the blame of their bad. But the foftens the word merit into pity. The reafon of her making the reflexion was this: Her former conduct was liable to much cenfure from Octavius, which The would hereby artfully infinuate was owing to her evil mini

fters,