Cleo.

Sir, the gods

Will have it thus; my master and my lord

I must obey.
Cæs.

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

C'œs.

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, shall
Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.
Caes. You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.
Cleo. This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels,
I am possess'd of: 'tis exactly valued;

Not petty things admitted.-Where's Seleucus ?
Sel. Here, madam.

Cleo. This is my treasurer; let him speak, my lord, Upon his peril, that I have reserv'd

To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.

&c.

Sel. Madam,

I cannot project] i. e. I cannot shape or form my cause,

I had rather seel 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.

How pomp

See, Cæsar! O, behold,

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 hir'd!-What, goest thou back? thou

shalt

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings: Slave, soul-less villain, dog! O rarely base'!

C'œs.

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

8

Addition of his envy! Say, good Cæsar,
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

6

seel my lips,] It means, close up my lips as effectually as the eyes of a hawk are closed. To seel hawks was the technical term. 7 O rarely base!] i. e. base in an uncommon degree.

66

8 Parcel the sum of my disgraces by -] The meaning either is, 'that this fellow should add one more parcel or item to the sum of my disgraces, namely, his own malice;" or, "that this fellow should tot up the sum of my disgraces, and add his own malice to the account."

9

modern friends ] Modern means here, as it generally does in these plays, common or ordinary.

1

With one 1 that I have bred? The gods! It smites me Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence;

[TO SELEUCUS.

Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits
Through the ashes of my chance 2:-Wert thou a man,
Thou would'st have mercy on me.

Cæs.

Forbear, Seleucus.

[Exit SELEUCUS.

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

thought

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

We answer others' merits' in our name,

Are therefore to be pitied.

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

1 With one - With, in the present instance, has the power of by. 2 Through the ashes of my chance:] Or fortune. The meaning is, Begone, or I shall exert that royal spirit which I had in my prosperity, in spite of the imbecility of my present weak condition.

3 We answer others' merits -] As demerits was often used, in Shakspeare's time, as synonymous to merit, so merit might have been used in the sense which we now affix to demerit; or the meaning may be only,-we are called to account, and to answer in our own names for acts, with which others, rather than we, deserve to be charged.

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.

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: 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.

The gods forbid !

Iras.
Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: Saucy lictors
Will catch at us, like strumpets; and scald rhymers

4

4 and scald rhymers -] Scald was a word of contempt,

implying poverty, disease, and filth.

Ballad us out o'tune: the quick comedians'
Extemporally will stage us, and present
Our Alexandrian revels; Antony

6

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

Iras.

Cleo. Nay, that is certain.

O the good gods!

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?

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

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

5

[Exit Guard.

the quick comedians -] The lively, inventive, quickwitted comedians.

6

boy my greatness-] The parts of women were acted on the stage by boys.

"What poor," &c.—MALONE.