That I fome lady-trifles have referv'd,
Immoment toys, things of fuch Dignity
As we greet modern friends withal; and fay,
Some nobler token I have kept apart
For Livia and O&avia, 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;

[To Seleucus.

Or I fhall fhew the cinders of my fpirits

"Through th' afhes of my chance. Wert that a man, Thou wouldst have mercy on me.

Caf. Forbear, Seleucus.

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

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

when we fall

Caf.

We anfwer. Others' merits, in

our names

Are therefore to be pitied. i. e. We monarchs, while in power, are accufed and blamed for the mif.arriages of our minifters; and when any misfortune hath fubjeled us to the power of our enemies, we are fure to be punished for thofe faults. As this is the cafe, it is but reefonable that we should 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 she would hereby artfully infinuate was owing to her evil minifters. And as her prefent conduct, in concealing her treasures, appeared

Caf. Cleopatra,

Not what you have referv'd, nor what acknowledg'd,
Put we i' th' roll of Conqueft, ftill be 't yours;
Beftow 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

2

Queen;

For we intend fo to difpofe you, as

Yourself shall 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.

to be her own act, the being detected by her minifter; fhe begs, that as the now anfwers for her former minifter's mifcarriages, fo her prefent minifter's merit in this difcovery, might likewife be placed to her account: Which The thinks but reasonable. 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.

WARBURTON. I do not think that either of the criticks have reached the fenfe of the authour, which may be very commodiously explained thus;

We fuffer at our higheft ftate of elevation in the thoughts of mankind for that which others do,

[Exeunt Cæfar and his train.

5

SCENE

SCENE V.

Cleo. He words me, Girls, he words me, That I fhould not be noble to myself.

But hark thee, Charmion.

[Whispers Charmion.

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 haste.

Char. Madam, I will.

[Exit Charmion.

Enter Dolabella.

Dol. Where is the Queen?

Char. Behold, Sir.

Cleo. Dolabella.

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

I tell you this: Cæfar through Syria

Intends his journey, and, within three days,

You with your children will he fend before;
Make your beft ufe of this. I have perform'd
Your pleafure and my promife.

Cleo. Dolabella,

I fhall remain your debtor.

Dol. I your fervant.

Adieu, good Queen. I must attend on Cefar. [Exit.

Cleo. Farewel, and thanks.

think'it thou?

Now, Iras, what

Thou, an Egyptian puppet, fhalt be fhewn

In Rome as well as I: mechanick flaves

With greafy aprons, rules, and hammers, fhall
Uplift us to the view.

In their thick breaths,

Rank of grofs diet, fhall we be enclouded,

R 4

And

And forc'd to drink their vapour.

Iras. The Gods forbid!

3

Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras; faucy lictors Will catch at us like ftrumpets, and 3 scall'd rhimers Ballad us out o'-tune. The 4 * quick Comedians Extemp'rally will ftage us, and prefent

Our Alexandrian revels: Antony

Shall be brought drunken forth, and I fhall fee
Some fqueaking Cleopatra boy my Greatness,
I' th' pofture 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 ftronger than mine eyes.

Cleo. Why, that's the way

To fool their preparation, and to conquer

Their most abfurd intents.

Now, Charmion.

Enter Charmion.

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 Charmion, we'll difpatch indeed-

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

Enter a Guardfman.

Guard. 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: 7now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.

Enter Guardfman, and Clown with a basket.

Guards. This is the man.

Cleo. Avoid, and leave him.

8

[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 define you to touch him, for his biting is immortal; thofe, that do die of it, do feldom 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 honeft woman, but fomething given to lye, as a woman

7

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

8-the pretty worm of Nilus] Worm is the Teutonick word for

ferpent: we have the blind worm and flow worm still in our language, and the Norwegians call an enormous monfter, feen sometimes in the Northern ocean, the Sea-worm.

fhould