Worth many babes and beggars!

Pro.
O, temperance, lady!
Cleo. Sir, I will eat no meat, I'll not drink, sir;
If idle talk will once be necessary,

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 chástis'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!

The element they liv'd in: In his livery
Walk'd crowns, and crownets; realms and islands

were

As plates dropp'd from his pocket.

Dol.

Cleopatra,

Cleo. Think you, there was, or might be, such a

man

As this I dream'd of?

Gentle madam, no.

Dol.
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.

Though he be honourable,— Cleo. He'll lead me then in triumph?

Dol.

I know it.

Madam, he will;

Within. Make way there, - Cæsar.

Enter CESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECENAS, SELEUCUS, and Attendants.

Cas. Of Egypt?

Which is the queen

Dol.

Cæs.

Arise,

We will extenuate rather than enforce :
If you apply yourself to our intents,
(Which towards you are most gentle,) you shall final
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 conques shall

Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.

O rarely base!

Cæs.

Good queen, let us entreat you.
Cleo. O Caesar, 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,
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

[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 Go, put it to the haste. Char.

Hie thee again :

it is provided;

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: 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
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 boy 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.

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. But, truly, these same whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women; for in every ten that they make, the devils mar five.

Cleo. Well, get thee gone; farewell. Clown. Yes, forsooth; I wish you joy of the [Exit.

worm.

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 elements
I give to baser life. So,
Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.
Farewell, kind Charmian; Iras, long farewell.
[Kisses them. IRAS falls and dies.

-

have you done?

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,
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.

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

Cæs.

Most probable,

That so she died; for her physician tells me,
She hath pursu'd 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 clip 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.
In solemn show, attend this funeral ;
And then to Rome. - Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity. [Exeunt.

Our army shall,