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Cleo.

How

See Cæsar! O, behold,

is follow'd! mine will now be yours; pomp 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 hir'd!
What, goest thou back?

thou shalt

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Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings: Slave, soul-less 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 honour of thy lordliness

To one so meek, that mine own servant should
Parcel the sum of my disgraces by
Addition of his envy! Say, good Cæsa
That I some lady trifles have reserv'd,
Immoment toys, things of such dignity
As we greet modern & friends withal: and say,
Some nobler token I have kept apart
For Livia, and Octavia to induce
Their mediation; must I be unfolded

With one that I have bred? The gods! It smites me
Beneath the fall I have. Pr'y thee, go hence;

[TO SELEUCUS.

Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits
Through the ashes of my chance.

a man,

Thou would'st have mercy on me.

Cæs.

Wert thou

Forbear, Seleucus. [Exit SELEUCus.

Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are mis

thought

For things that others do; and, when we fall,

7 Add to. 8 Common. 9 Cæsar's wife.

We answer others' merits in our name,
Are therefore to be pitied.

Cæs.

Cleopatra,

Not what you have reserv'd, nor what acknowledg'd, Put we i' the roll of conquest: still be it yours, Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe,

Cæsar's no merchant, to make prize with you

Of things that merchants sold. Therefore be cheer'd;

Make not your thoughts your prisons: no, dear

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.

I have spoke already, and it is provided;
Go, put it to the haste.

Char.

Hie thee again:

Madam, I will. ·

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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.

Dolabella,

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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, shall be shown
In Rome, as well as I: mechanick 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 vapour.

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

2

Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see
Some squeaking Cleopatra boy3 my greatness.
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

2

Lively.

3 Female characters were played by boys.

VOL. VIII.

To play till dooms-day.-Bring our crown and all.

Wherefore 's this noise?

Guard.

[Exit IRAS. A Noise within.

Enter one of the Guard.

Here is a rural fellow,

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 plac'd, 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 pain 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 down the Basket.

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

Cleo. Ay, ay;

farewell.

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

Cleo. Take thou no care; it shall be heeded. Clown. Very good: give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding.

Cleo. Will it eat me?

Clown. You must not think I am so simple, but I know the devil himself will not eat a woman: I know, that a woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her not.

Cleo. Well, get thee gone; farewell.

Clown: Yes, forsooth; I wish you joy of the worm.

Re-enter IRAS, with a Robe, Crown, &c.

[Exit.

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 elements

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 aspick in my lips? Dost fall? If thou and nature can so gently part, The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch,

4 Act according to his nature,

s Make haste.

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