Caf. Cleopatra,

Not what you have referv'd, nor what acknowledg'd, Put We i'th' roll of Conqueft, ftill be't yours; Bestow it at your pleasure, and believe,

Cafar's no merchant to make prize with you

Of things that merchants fold. Therefore, be cheer'd: Make not your thoughts your prifons; no, dear Queen,

For we intend fo to dispose you, as

Your felf fhall give us counfel: feed, and sleep.
Our care and pity is fo much upon you,

That we remain your friend; and fo, adieu.
Cleo, My mafter, and my lord!

Caf. Not fo: adieu. [Exeunt Cæsar and his train.

SCENE V.

Cleo. He words me, Girls, he words me,

That I fhould not be noble to my self.

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've spoke already, and it is provided;

Go put it to the hafte,

Char. Madam, I will.

[Exit Charm.

Enter Dolabella.

Dol. Where is the Queen?

fters. And as her prefent conduct, in concealing her treasures,
appeared to be her own act, fhe being detected by her minifter;
fhe begs, that as fhe now answers for her former minister's miscar-
riages, fo her prefent minifter's merit in this difcovery, might
likewife be placed to her acconnt: Which the thinks but reafon-
able. The Oxford Editor is here again at his old work of altering
what he did not understand, and fo transforms the paffage thus,
• And when we fall,

We pander others' merits with our names ;
And therefore to be pitied.

Char.

Char. Behold, Sir.

Cleo. Dolabella.

Dol. Madam, as thereto fworn, by your Command, Which my love makes religion to obey,

I tell you this: Cefar through Syria

Intends his journey, and, within three days,
You with your children will he fend before;
Make your best use of this. I have perform'd
Your pleasure and my promise.

Cleo. Dolabella,

I fhall remain your debtor.
Dol. I your fervant.

Adieu, good Queen; I muft attend on Cefar. [Exit. Cleo. Farewel, and thanks. Now, Iras, what think'ft thou?

Thou, an Egyptian puppet, fhalt be shewn
In Rome as well as I: mechanick flaves
With greafie aprons, rules, and hammers, fhall
Uplift us to the view. In their thick breaths,
Rank of grofs diet, fhall we be enclouded,
And forc'd to drink their vapour.

Iras. The Gods forbid !

Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: faucy lictors Will catch at us like ftrumpets, and fcall'd rhimers Ballad us out-o'-tune. The quick Comedians Extemp'rally will ftage us, and present

Our Alexandrian revels: Antony

Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see
Some fqueaking Cleopatra boy my Greatness.
I'th' posture of a whore.

Iras. O the good Gods!

Cleo. Nay, that's certain.

Iras. I'll never fee it; for, I'm fure, my nails Are stronger than mine eyes.

Cleo. Why, that's the way

To fool their preparation, and to conquer
Their most abfurd intents. Now, Charmian,

Enter

Enter Charmian.

Shew me, my women, like a Queen: go fetch
My best attires. I am again for Cydnus,
To meet Mark Antony. Sirrah Iras, go-
Now, noble Charmian, we'll dispatch indeed;

And when thou'ft done this chare, I'll give thee leave
To play till dooms-day-bring our Crown, and all.
[A noife within.

Wherefore this noife?

Enter a Guardsman.

Guards. Here is a rural fellow,

That will not be deny'd your Highness' prefence;
He brings you figs.

Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an inftrument

[Exit Guardfman. May do a noble deed!-he brings me liberty. My refolution's plac'd, and I have nothing Of woman in me; now from head to foot I'm marble conftant: now the fleeting moon No planet is of mine.

1

Enter Guardfman and Clown with a basket.

Guardf. This is the man.

Cleo. Avoid and leave him.

[Exit Guardfman.

Haft thou the pretty worm of Nilus there,

That kills and pains not?

Clown. Truly, I have him: but I would not be 'the party fhould defire you to touch him, for his biting is immortal: thofe, that do die of it, do seldom

'or never recover.

Cleo. Remember'ft thou any that have dy'd on't? Clown. Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterday, a very ho

2

now the fleeting moon

No planet is of mine.] Alluding to the Egyptian devotion paid to the moon under the name of Ifis.

neft

6

• neft woman, but fomething given to lie, as a woman 'fhould not do, but in the way of honefty. How the dy'd of the biting of it, what pain fhe felt! truly, • fhe makes a very good report o'th' worm: 3 but he, • that will believe half that they fay, fhall never be ⚫ faved by all that they do: but this is moft fallible, the worm's an odd worm.

Cleo. Get thee hence, farewel.

Clown. I wish you all joy of the worm.
Cleo. Farewel.

Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind.

Cleo. Ay, ay, farewel.

Clown. Look you, the worm is not to be trufted but in the keeping of wife people; for, indeed, there ❝is no goodness in the worm.

Cleo. Take thou no care, it fhall be heeded.

6

Clown. Very good: give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding,

Cleo. Will it eat me?

Clown. You muft not think, I am fo fimple, but I know, the devil himself will not eat a woman: • I know, that a woman is a difh for the Gods, if the devil dress her not. But, truly, these fame ' whore-fon devils do the Gods great harm in their women! for, in every ten that they make, the • devils mar five.

Cleo. Well, get thee gone, farewel.

Clown. Yes, forfooth, I wifh you joy o' th' worm.

[Exit.

3-But he, that will believe all that they fay, fhail never be faved by half that they do] Shakespear's Clowns are always jokers, and deal in fly fatire. It is plain this must be read the contrary way, and all and half change places.

SCENE

Cleo. "Give me my Robe, put on my Crown;

"I have

"Immortal Longings in me. Now no more "The juice of Egypt's grape fhall moift this lip. "Yare, yare, good Iras; quick-methinks, I hear 66 Antony call, I fee him roufe himself

"To praise my noble act. I hear him mock "The luck of Caefar, which the Gods give men "Texcufe 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 bafer life. So-have you done? "Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips. "Farewel, kind Charmian; Iras, long farewel.

[Applying the afp. "Have I the afpick in my lips? doft fall? [To Iras. "If thou and nature can fo gently part, "The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch, "Which hurts, and is defir'd. Doft thou lye ftill? "If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'ft the world, "It is not worth leave taking.

[Iras dies. Char. Diffolve, thick Cloud, and rain, that I may fay, The Gods themselves do weep.

Cleo This proves me bafe

If the first meet the curled Antony,

He'll make demand of her, and spend that kifs, Which is my heav'n to have. "Come, mortal

❝ wretch,

"With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinficate

[To the ferpent.

"Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool,

4 -this knot intrinficate] The expreffion is fine; it fignifies a hidden, fecret [intrinfecus] knot, as that which ties foul and body together.

"Be