Our care and pity is so much upon you, Cæs. 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. Dol. Madam, as thereto sworn by your command, Which my love makes religion to obey, I tell you this: Cæsar through Syria 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, Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown Rank of gross diet, shall we be enclouded, Iras. The gods forbid! Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: Saucy lictors Will catch at us, like strumpets; and scald rhymers1 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 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. Show me, my women, like a queen ;-Go fetch leave To play till dooms-day.-Bring our crown and all. Wherefore's this noise? [Exit IRAS. A Noise within. and scald rhymers] Scald was a word of contempt implying poverty, disease, and filth. 5 the quick comedians-] The lively, inventive, quickwitted comedians. 6 boy my greatness-] The parts of women were acted on the stage by boys. Enter one of the Guard. 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 [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. 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 7 now the fleeting moon— -] Fleeting is 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 sea-worm. 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 worm. [Exit. Re-enter IRAs, with a Robe, Crown, &c. Cleo. Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have To praise my noble act; I hear him mock nature. will do his kind.] The serpent will act according to his Yare, yare.] i. e. make haste, be nimble, be ready, To excuse their after wrath: Husband, I come: I give to baser life.-So,-have you done? The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch, Which hurts, and is desir'd. Dost thou lie still? Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may 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 venomous fool, Be angry, and despatch. O, could'st thou speak! That I might hear thee call great Cæsar, ass Unpolicied!5 2 Have I the aspick in my lips?] Are my lips poison'd by the aspick, that my kiss has destroyed thee? 3-Dost fall?] Iras must be supposed to have applied an asp to her arm while her mistress was settling her dress, or I know not why she should fall so soon. STEEVENS. • He'll make demand of her;] He will enquire of her concerning me, and kiss her for giving him intelligence. ass Unpolicied!] i. e. an ass without more policy than to leave the means of death within my reach, and thereby deprive his triumph of its noblest decoration. |