These thoughts of horror further than you shall
Find cause in Cæsar.

What thou hast done thy master Cæsar knows,
And he hath sent for thee: for the queen,
I'll take her to my guard.

PRO.

So, Dolabella,

It shall content me best: be gentle to her.—
To Cæsar I will speak what you shall please,
If you'll employ me to him.

CLEO.

[TO CLEOPATRA.

Say, I would die.

[Exeunt PROCULEIUS and Soldiers.

DOL. Most noble empress, you have heard of me?
CLEO. I cannot tell.

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,-
CLEO. His legs bestrid the ocean; his rear'd arm
Crested the world; his voice was propertied
As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends;
But when he meant to quail and shake the orb,
He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty,
There was no winter in 't; an autumn* 't was,
That grew the more by reaping. His delights
Were dolphin-like; they show'd his back above
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 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
To viea strange forms with fancy; yet, to imagine
An Antony, were Nature's piece 'gainst fancy,
Condemning shadows quite.b

DOL.
Hear me, good madam:
Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it

As answering to the weight: would I might never
O'ertake pursu'd success, but I do feel,

By the rebound of yours, a grief that smites*
My very heart at root.

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.
CLEO. Nay, pray you, sir,-

DOL.

Though he be honourable,

[Flourish without.

CLEO. He'll lead me, then, in triumph?
DOL. Madam, he will; I know 't.

[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
To make it clear; but do confess I have

Been laden with like frailties which before
Have often sham'd our sex.

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
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: 't is yours; and we,
Your scutcheons and your signs of conquest, shall

Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.
CES. You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.

CLEO. This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels,
I am possess'd of: 't is exactly valu'd;

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 seala my lips, than, to my peril,
Speak that which is not.

CLEO.

What have I kept back?

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

Your wisdom in the deed.

See, Cæsar! O, behold,

CLEO.
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
Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes,

Though they had wings. Slave, soulless villain, dog!
O, rarely base!

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,
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;

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,
Thou wouldst have mercy on me.

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,
Put we i' the roll of conquest: (1) still be 't 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; 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!

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,
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 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

merits-] "Merits" is here employed for demerits or deserts.

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 forc'd to drink their vapour.

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
Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness

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,
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 doomsday.-Bring our crown and all.
Wherefore's this noise?

[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.
absurd intents.-] Theobald has, " assur'd intents.'

• What poor an instrument-] See note (b), p. 91, Vol. III.

VOL. VI.

M