Though they had wings: Slave, soul-less villain, dog!
O rarely base !1

Caes. 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 SEL.
Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits

Through the ashes of my chance :-Wert thou a man,
Thou wouldst have mercy on me.

Cas. 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 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,3 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!

Cœs. Not so: Adieu. [Exe. CESAR, and his Train.
Cleo. He words me, girls, he words me, that I should not

STEEVENS.

Base in an uncommon degree. "We suffer at our highest state of elevation in the thoughts of mankind for that which others do, and when we fall, those that contented themselves only to think ill before, call us to answer in our own names for the merits of others. We are therefore to be pitied." Merits is in this place taken in an ill sense, for actions meriting censure.

JOHNSON.

[8] Be not a prisoner in imagination, when in reality you are free.

JOHNSON.

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. Behold, sir.

[Exit CHARMIAN.

Cleo. 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. Dolabella,

I shall remain your debtor.
Dol. 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 mechanic 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 forced 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. O the good gods!

Cleo. Nay, that is certain.

JOHNSON.

HANMER.

Scalda word of contempt implying poverty, disease, and filth.
The parts of women were acted on the stage by boys.

Iras. I'll never see it; for, I am sure, my nails Are stronger than mine eyes.

Cleo. Why, that is 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.

Enter one of the Guard. Guard. Here is a rural fellow,

A noise within.

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.

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.

[6] Worm is the Teutonick word for serpent; we have the blind-worm and slowworm still in our language, and the Norwegians call an enormous monster, seen sometimes in the northern ocean, the sea-worm. JOHNSON.

12

VOL. VIII.

H 2

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 worm. [Exit. 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 Iris; 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,

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.

Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say, The gods themselves do weep!

Cleo. This proves me base :

If she first meet the curled Antony,

He'll make demand of her; and spend that kiss,
Which is my heaven to have.

Come, mortal wretch,

[To the asp, which she applies to her breast.

With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate

Of life at once untie : poor venemous fool,
Be angry, and despatch. O, couldst thou speak!
That I might hear thee call great Cæsar, ass
Unpolicied!

Char. O eastern star!

Cleo. Peace, peace!

Dost thou not see my baby at my breast,

That sucks the nurse asleep?

Char. O, break! O, break!

Cleo. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle,O Antony !-Nay, I will take thee too:

What should I stay—

[Applying another asp to her arm. [Falls on a bed, and dies Char. In this wild world ?-So, fare thee well.Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies A lass unparallel'd.-Downy windows, close ;7 And golden Phoebus never be beheld

Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry;
I'll amend it, and then play.

Enter the Guard, rushing in.

1 Guard. Where is the queen ?
Char. Speak softly, wake her not.
1 Guard. Cæsar hath sent-
Char. Too slow a messenger.

[Applies the asp.

---O, come; apace, despatch: I partly feel thee.

1 Guard.Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæsar's beguil❜d. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar ;-call him. 1 Guard. What work is here ?-Charmian, is this well Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess [done? Descended of so many royal kings.

Ah, soldier!

Enter DOLABELLA.

Dol. How goes it here?

2 Guard. All dead.

Dol. Cæsar, thy thoughts

Touch their effects in this: Thyself art coming

[Dies.

[7] Charmian, in saying this, must be conceived to close Cleopatra's eyes: one of

the first ceremonies performed towards a dead body- RITSON.