These thoughts of horror further than you shall What thou hast done thy master Cæsar knows, PRO. So, Dolabella, It shall content me best: be gentle to her.— CLEO. [TO CLEOPATRA. Say, I would die. [Exeunt PROCULEIUS and Soldiers. DOL. Most noble empress, you have heard of me? DOL. 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. CLEO. I dreamt there was an emperor Antony ;O, such another sleep, that I might see But such another man! DOL. If it might please ye, CLEO. His face was as the heavens; and therein stuck A sun and moon, which kept their course, and lighted The little O, the earth. DOL. Most sovereign creature,- Walk'd crowns and crownets; realms and islands were DOL. Cleopatra, CLEO. Think you there was, or might be, such a man As this I dreamt of? 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 DOL. As answering to the weight: would I might never By the rebound of yours, a grief that smites* CLEO. I thank you, sir Know you what Cæsar means to do with me? DOL. I am loth to tell you what I would you knew. DOL. Though he be honourable, [Flourish without. CLEO. He'll lead me, then, in triumph? [Without.] Make way there,-Cæsar! Enter CESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECENAS, SELEUCUS, 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 Been laden with like frailties which before CES. 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 (*) Old text, suites; corrected by Capell. To vie-] To vie was a term at cards, and meant, particularly, to increase the stakes, and, generally, to challenge any one to a contention, bet, wager, &c. b Condemning shadows quite.] We are not sure of having mastered the sense of this, or indeed that the text exhibits precisely what Shakespeare wrote, but the meaning apparently is, ". - Nature lacks material to compete with fancy in unwonted shapes, yet the conception of an Antony was a masterpiece of Nature over fancy, abasing phantoms quite." Antony's course, you shall bereave yourself Of my good purposes, and put your children If thereon you rely. I'll take my leave. CLEO. And may, through all the world: 't is yours; and we, Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord. CLEO. This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels, Not petty things admitted.-Where's Seleucus? CLEO. This is my treasurer; let him speak, my lord, To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus. I had rather seala my lips, than, to my peril, CLEO. What have I kept back? SEL. Enough to purchase what you have made known. Your wisdom in the deed. See, Cæsar! O, behold, CLEO. Even make me wild:-O, slave, of no more trust Than love that's hir'd!-What, goest thou back? thou shalt Though they had wings. Slave, soulless villain, dog! 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 Cæsar That I some lady trifles have reserv'd, 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'ythee, go hence; Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits [To SELEUCUS. - seal my lips,-] The old reading is, "seele my lippes," but here there is no allusion to the practice of seeling a hawk's eyes, as some editors suppose; to seal one's lips was a familiar expression ages before Shakespeare lived. modern friends-] Ordinary, common friends. Through the ashes of my chance:-wert thou a man, CES. Forbear, Seleucus. [Exit SELEUCUS. CLEO. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misthought For things that others do; and, when we fall, We answer others' meritsa in our name, Are therefore to be pitied. CES. Cleopatra, Not what you have reserv'd, nor what acknowledg'd, Cæsar's no merchant, to make prize with you Of things that merchants sold. Therefore be cheer'd; Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep: That we remain your friend; and so adieu. CLEO. My master, and my lord! CÆS. Not so. Adieu. 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, 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, CLEO. Dolabella, I your servant. Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæsar. [Exit DOL. Now, Iras, what think'st thou ? Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown merits-] "Merits" is here employed for demerits or deserts. In Rome, as well as I: mechanic slaves IRAS. The gods forbid! CLEO. Nay, 't is most certain, Iras:-saucy lictors Will catch at us, like strumpets; and scald rhymers Ballad us out o' tune: the quicka comedians Extemporally will stage us, and present Our Alexandrian revels; Antony Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see I' the posture of a whore. IRAS. O, the good gods! CLEO. Nay, that's certain. IRAS. I'll never see 't; 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. Re-enter CHARMIAN. Now, Charmian !— Show me, my women, like a queen :-go fetch My best attires;-I am again for Cydnus, And, when thou hast done this chare, I'll give thee leave [Exit IRAS. [A noise without. That will not be denied your highness' presence; He brings you figs. CLEO. Let him come in. What 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. GUARD. Re-enter Guard, with Clown, bringing in a basket. This is the man. CLEO. Avoid, and leave him. Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there, That kills and pains not? b [Exit Guard. the quick comedians-] The lively, quick-witted comedians. • What poor an instrument-] See note (b), p. 91, Vol. III. VOL. VI. M |