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

Cas.

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
Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest, shall [we
Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.
Cas. 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.
Sel. Madam,

I had rather seel my Kps, than, to my peril,
Speak that which is not.

Cleo.

What have I kept back?

Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made known. Cas. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra; I approve

Your wisdom in the deed.

Cleo.

See, Cæsar! O, behold,

How pomp 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

x-seel my lips,] i. e. Close up my lips as effectually as the are closed. To seel hawks was the technical term.-STEEVENS.

eyes of a hawk

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

Cas.

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,
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'ythee, go hence;

[To SELEUCUS.

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

Cas.

Forbear, Seleucus.

[Exit SELEUCUS.

Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest are misFor things that others do; and, when we fall, [thought We answer others' meritsd in our name,

Are therefore to be pitied.

Cas.

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,

▾ O rarely base!] i. e. Base in an uncommon degree.-STEEVENS.

2 Parcel the sum of my disgraces-] 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 his fellow should tot up the sum of my disgraces, and add his own malice to the account."-MALONE.

modern-] i. e. Common, ordinary, trivial.

b With-] Here used for by.

c 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.--WARBURTON.

d -

merits-] i. e. Deserts, here used in a bad sense.

VOL. VII.

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!

Cas.

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.

Hie thee again:

I have spoke already, and it is provided;

Go, put it to the haste.

Char.

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

Make not your thoughts your prisons:] i. e. Be not a prisoner in imagination, when in reality you are free.-JOHNSON.

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

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 dooms-day.-Bring our crown and all.
Wherefore's this noise? [Exit IRAS. A noise within.

Guard.

Enter one of the Guard.

Here is a rural fellow,

That will not be denied your highness' presence;

He brings you figs.

8

h

Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instrument

scald-i. e. Mean, shabby, disgusting.-NARES.
quick-] i. e. Lively, inventive, quick-witted.

[Exit Guard.

boy my greatness-] The parts of women were acted on the stage by chare,] i. e. Task: the word has also occurred in act iv.

boys.-HANMER.

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.
Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus' there,
That kills and pains not?

[Exit Guard,

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.

1

- fleeting-] i. e. Inconstant.

the pretty worm of Nilus-] Worm is the Teutonick word for serpent ; we have the blind-worm and slow-worm still in our language, and the Norwegians call an enormous monster, seen sometimes in the northern ocean, the seaworm.-JOHNSON.

m

JOHNSON.

will do his kind.] The serpent will act according to his nature.