That rids our dogs of languish ?
Pro.

Do not abuse my master's bounty, by
The undoing of yourself: let the world see
His nobleness well acted, which your death
Will never let come forth.
Cleo.
Where art thou, death?
Come hither, come! come, come, and take a queen
Worth many babes and beggars!
O temperance, lady!
Cleo. Sir, I will eat no meat, I'll not drink, sir;
If idle talk will once be necessary,

Pro.

I'll not sleep neither: This mortal house I'll ruin,
Do Cæsar what he can. Know, sir, that I

Will not wait pinion'd at your master's court;
Nor once be chastis'd with the sober eye
Of dull Octavia. Shall they hoist me up,
And show me to the shouting varletry

Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt
Be gentle grave to me! rather on Nilus' mud
Lay me stark naked, and let the water-flies
Blow me into abhorring! rather make
My country's high pyramides my gibbet,
And hang me up in chains!
Pro.

You do extend

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.

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 project3 mine own cause so well To make it clear; but do confess, I have Been laden with like frailties, which before Have often shamed our sex.

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

Antony's course, you shall bereave yourself
Of my good purposes, and put your children
To that destruction which I'll guard them from,
If thereon you rely. I'll take my leave.

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

and we

Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest, shal Hang in what place you please. Here, my good

lord.

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 'twas, 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

Cleo. You lie, up to the hearing of the gods.
But, if there be, or ever were one such,

It's past the size of dreaming: Nature wants stuff
To vie strange forms with fancy; yet, to imagine
An Antony, were nature's piece 'gainst fancy
Condemning shadows quite.
Dol.
Hear me, good madam:
Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it
As answering to the weight: Would I might never
'ei'ake pursued success, but I do feel,
By the rebound of yours, a grief that shoots
My very heart at root.

Sel. Here, madam.

Cleo. This is my treasurer; let him speak, my lord,
To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.
Upon his peril, that I have reserv'd
Sel. Madam,

I had rather seel4 my lips, than, to my peril,
Speak that which is not.

Cleo.
What have I kept back?
Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made
known.

Cæs. 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 hired!-What, goest thou back!

thou shalt

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes,
Though they had wings: Slave, soulless villain,dog!
O rarely base!
Cæs.
Good queen, let us entreat you.
Cleo. O Cæsar, what a wounding shame is this;
That thou, vouchsafing here to visit me,
Doing the honor of thy lordliness

To one so meek, that mine own servant should
Parcels the sum of my disgraces by
That I some lady trifles have reserv'd,
Addition of his envy! Say, good Cæsar,
Immoment toys, things of such dignity
As we greet modern friends withal: and say,
For Livia, and Octavia, to induce
Some nobler token I have kept apart
Their mediation; must I be unfolded
With one that I have bred? The gods! It smites me
Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence;
[TO SELEUCUS.

queen;

For we intend so to dispose you, as

Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep:
Our care and pity is so much upon you,
That we remain your friend; And so, adieu.
Cleo. My master, and my lord!
Cæs.
Not so: Adieu.
[Exeunt CESAR and his Train.
Cleo. He words me, girls, he words me, that I
should not

Be noble to myself; 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 have spoke already, and it is provided;
Go, put it to the haste.
Char.

Madam, I will.

Re-enter Dolabella.

Dol. Where is the queen?
Char.

Cleo.

Behold, sir. [Exit CHARMIAN.
Dolabella?

Dol. Madam, as thereto sworn by your command, Which my love makes religion to obey,

I tell you this: Cæsar through Syria
Intends his journey; and, within three days,
You with your children will he send before:
Make your best use of this: I have perform'd
Your pleasure and my promise.

Cleo.

I shall remain your debtor. Dol.

Dolabella,

I your servant.

Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæsar.
Cleo. Farewell, and thanks. [Exit DoL.] Now,
Iras, what think'st thou

Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown
In Rome, as well as I: mechanic slaves
With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall
Uplift us to the view; in their thick breaths,
Rank of gross diet, shall we be enclouded,
And forc'd to drink their vapor.
Iras.
The gods forbid!
Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: Saucy lictors
Will catch at us, like strumpets: and scald rhymers
Ballad us out o' tune: the quick comedians
Extemporally will stage us, and present
Our Alexandrian revels; Antony

Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see
Some squeaking Cleopatra boy9 my greatness
I' the posture of a whore.

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.

Why, that's the way
To fool their preparation, and to conquer
Their most absurd intents.-Now, Charmian ?-
Enter CHARMIAN.

Show 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 despatch indeed:
And, when thou hast done this chare, I'll give thee
leave

To play till doomsday.-Bring our crown and all.
Wherefore's this noise?
[Exit IRAS. A Noise within.
Enter one of the Guard.

Guard. Lively.

Here is a rural fellow, • Female characters were played by boys.

That will not be denied your highness' presence; He brings you figs.

Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instrument
[Exit Guard
May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.
My resolution's placed, and I have nothing
Of woman in me: Now from head to foot
I am marble-constant. now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.

Re-enter Guard, with a Clown bringing a Basket.
Guard.
This is the man.

Cleo. Avoid, and leave him.
[Exit Guard.
Hast thou the pretty worm 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 pains 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 doum the Basket. Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind.1

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 clements

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.

say,

Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may The gods themselves do weep! Cleo.

This proves me base: If she first meet the curled Antony, He'll make demand of her; and spend that kiss, Which is my heaven to have. Come, mortal wretch, [To the Asp, which she applies to her Breast. With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool, Be angry and despatch. O, couldst thou speak! That I might hear thee call great Cæsar, ass Unpolicied !3 Char. Cleo.

O eastern star!

Act according to his nature. Unpolitic, to leave me to myself

Peace, peace!

Make haste

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.

Speak softly, wake her not. Too slow a messenger. [Applies the Asp. 0, come; apace, despatch: I partly feel thee. 1 Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæsar's beguil'd.

1 Guard. Where is the queen?
Char.
1 Guard. Cæsar hath sent-
Char.

2 Guard. There's Doiabella sent from Cæsar;call him.

1 Guard. What work is here?-Charmian, is

this well done?

Cæs. Bravest at the lastShe levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal, Took her own way.-The manner of their deaths! I do not see them bleed. Dol.

Who was last with them? 1 Guard. A simple countryman, that brought her figs: This was his basket. Cæs.

1 Guard.

Poison'd, then.

O Cœsar,

This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood, and spake,
I found her trimming up the diadem
On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood,
And on the sudden dropp'd.
Cæs.

O noble weakness!
If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear
By external swelling: but she looks like sleep
As she would catch another Antony
In her strong toil of grace.
Dol.

Here, on her breast, There is a vent of blood, and something blown: The like is on her arm.

1 Guard. This is an aspic's trail: and these fig. leaves

Upon the caves of Nile.
Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves

Cæs.
Most probable,
That so she died; for her physician tells me,
She hath pursued conclusions infinite
Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed;
And bear her women from the monument:-
She shall be buried by her Antony:
No grave upon the earth shall clips in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them; and their story is
No less in pity than his glory, which
Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall.
In solemn show, attend this funeral;

And then to Rome.-Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

4 Graceful appearance.

[Exeunt Enfold.