I should, and thou could'st not. My queen and

Eros

Have, by their brave instruction, got upon me
A nobleness in record: but I will be
A bridegroom in my death, aud run into't
As to a lover's bed. Come then; and, Eros,
Thy master dies thy scholar to do thus
[Falling on his Sword.
How! not yet dead? not

I learn'd of thee. dead ?

The guard!-ho!-Oh! despatch me.

Enter DERCETAS and GUARD.

1 Guard. What's the noise?

All strange and terrible events are welcome,
But comforts we despise; our size of sorrow,
Proportion'd to our cause, must be as great
Enter DIOMEDES.

As that which makes it.-How now? is he dead?
Dio. His death's upon him, but not dead.
Look out o'the other side your monument,
His guard hath brought him thither.

Enter ANTONY, borne by the GUARD.
Cleo. O thou sun,

Burn the great sphere thou mov'st in!-darkling stand

Ant. I have done my work ill, friends; Oh! The varying shore o'the world!-0 Antony!

make an end

Of what I have begun.

2 Guard. The star is fallen.

1 Guard. And time is at his period.

All. Alas, and woe!

Ant. Let him that loves me, strike me dead.

1 Guard. Not I.

2 Guard. Nor I.

3 Guard. Nor any one.

[Exeunt GUARD.

Der. Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers
fly.

This sword but shown to Cesar, with this tidings,
Shall enter me with him.

Antony, Antony !-Charmian, help; help, Iras:
Help, friends below; let's draw him hither.
Ant. Peace:

Not Cesar's valour hath o'erthrown Antony,
But Antony's hath triumphed on itself.

Cleo. So it should be, that none but Antony
Should conquer Antony: but woe 'tis so!
Ant. I am dying, Egypt, dying; only

I here impórtune death a while, until
Of many thousand kisses the poor last
I lay upon thy lips.-

Cleo. I dare not, dear

(Dear my lord, pardon,) I dare not,
Lest I be taken not the imperious show
Of the full-fortun'd Cesar ever shall

Be brooch'd + with me: if knife, drugs, ser-
pents, have

Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes,
Edge, sting, or operation, I am safe:
And still conclusion, shall acquire no honour
Demuring upon me.-But come, come, An-

tony,

Help me, my women, we must draw thee up :-
Assist, good friends.

Ant. O quick, or I am gone.

Cleo. Here's sport, indeed!-How heavy weighs
my lord!

She had a Our strength is all gone into heaviness,
makes the weight: Had I great Juno's
power,

Of what hath come pass: for when she saw
(Which never should be found,) you did suspect
She had dispos'd with Cesar, and that your

rage

Would not be purg'd, she sent you word she was
dead;

But, fearing since how it might work, hath sent
Me to proclaim the truth; and I am come,
I dread, too late.

Ant. Too late, good Diomed :-Call my guard,
I pr'ythee.

Dio. What, ho! the emperor's guard! The
guard, what ho!

Come, your lord calls,

Enter some of the GUARD.

Ant. Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra
bides:

'Tis the last service that I shall command you.
1 Guard. Woe are we, Sir, you may not live
to wear

All your true followers out.

All. Most heavy day!

Ant. Nay, good my fellows, do not please
sharp fate

To grace it with your sorrows: bid that welcome
Which comes to punish us, and we punish it
Seeming to bear it lightly. Take me up:
I have led you oft; carry me now, good friends,
And have my thanks for all.

[Exeunt, bearing ANTONY. SCENE XIII.-The same.--A Monument. Enter above, CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, and

IRAS.

That

The strong-wing'd Mercury should fetch thee up,
And set thee by Jove's side. Yet come a
Wishers were ever fools;-0 come, come, come;
little,-
[They draw ANTONY up.
And welcome, welcome! die where thou hast
liv'd:

Quicken with kissing; had my lips that power,
Thus would I wear them out.

All. A heavy sight!

Ant. I am dying, Egypt, dying:

Give me some wine, and let me speak a little.
Cleo. No, let me speak; and let me rail so

high,

That the false housewife Fortune break her
Provok'd by my offence.
[wheel

Ant. One word, sweet queen :

Of Cesar seek your honour, with your safe

ty.0!

Cleo. They do not go together.
Ant. Gentle, hear me :

None about Cesar trust, but Proculeius.
Cleo. My resolution, and my hands, I'll trust;
None about Cesar.

Ant. The miserable change now at my end,
Lament nor sorrow at: but please your thoughts,
Wherein I liv'd, the greatest prince o'the world,
In feeding them with those my former fortunes
The noblest; and do now not basely die,
Nor cowardly; put off my helmet to
My countryman; a Roman, by a Roman,
Valiantly vanquish'd. Now, my spirit is going;
I can no more.
[Dies.

Cleo. Noblest of men, woo't die
Hast thou no care of me? shall I abide

Cleo. O Charmian, I will never go from hence. In this dull world, which in thy absence 's
Char. Be comforted, dear madain.

Cleo. No, I will not:

• Made terms with

No better than a stye ?-O see, my women,
The crown o'the earth doth melt:-My lord 1-

• Without light.

1 Adorned.

SCENE I-CESAR'S Camp before Alexan- She soon shall know of us, by some of ours,

Enter CESAR, AGRIPPA, DOLABELLA, MECE-To be ungentle.
NAS, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, and others.
Ces. Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield;
Being so frustrate, ‡ tell him, he mocks us by
The pauses that he makes.

no-You laugh, when boys, or women, tell their dreams;

Come hither, come! come, come, and take a queen Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it

O'ertake pursu'd success, but I do feel,
By the rebound of yours, a grief that shoots
'My very heart at root.

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

Ces. Which is the queen

Of Egypt?

With one that I have bred? The gods! It smites

me

Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence; [70 SELEUCUS. Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits [CLEOPATRA kneels. Through the ashes of my chance:-Wert thou a

Dol. 'Tis the emperor, madam.

Ces. Arise :

You shall not kneel:

I pray you, rise: rise, Egypt.
Cleo. Sir, the gods

Will have it thus; my master and my lord
I must obey.

Ces. Take to yon 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 to 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,

man,

Thou would'st have mercy on me.

Ces. Forbear, Seleucus.

[Exit SELEUCus.

Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are

queen;

(Which towards you are most gentle,) you shall For we intend so to dispose you, as

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 we

shall

Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest,
[lord.
Hang in what place you please. Here, my good
Ces. 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 lips, than, to my peril,
Speak that which is not.

Cleo. What have I kept back?

Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made

The ingratitude of this Seleucus does
Even make me wild :-O slave, of no more trust
Than love that's hir'd-What, goest

back ?-thou shalt

thou

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings: Slave, soulless villain, dog!

O rarely base!

Ces. Good queen, let us entreat you.

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!
Ces. 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.

Dol. Madam, as thereto sworn by your com.
mand,

Which my love makes religion to obey,
I tell you this: Cesar 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 Cesar.
Cleo. Farewell, and thanks.

[Exit DoL.

Now, Iras, what think'st thou?
Thon, 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,

Cleo. O Cesar, what a wounding shame is And forc'd to drink their vapour.

Iras. I'll never for it; for, I am sure, my Immortal longings in me: Now no more
The juice of Egypt's grape shail moist this

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 Cyduus,
To meet Mark Antony :-Sirrab, Iras, go.-
Now, noble Charmian, we'll despatch indeed:
Aud, 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 within.

Enter one of the GUARD.

Guard. Here is a rural fellow,

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 Cesar, which the gods give men
To excuse their after wrath: Husband, I come:
Now to that name my courage prove my title!
I am tire, and air; my other elements
I give to baser life. -So,-have you done?
Come then, and take the last warmth of my
Farwell, kind Charmian;-Iras, long farewell.
lips.
[Kisses them.
Have I the aspic in my lips? + Dost fall?
IRAS falls and dies.
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?

That will not be denied your highness' pre- If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world

sence:

He brings you figs.

Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instru-
ment

[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
Nɔ 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. Remembers't thou any that have died on't?

Clown. Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterdaya 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

worm.

[Exit.

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.

wretch,

Come, mortal

[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. Oh! could'st thou

speak!
That I might hear thee call great Cesar, Ass
Unpolicied!

Char. O eastern star!

Cleo. Peace, peace!

Dost thou not see my baby at my breast,
That sucks the nurse asleep?

O

Char. O break! O break!

Cleo. As sweet as balm, is soft as air, as gentle,

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;
And golden Phoebus never be beheld
Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry
I'll mend it, and then play. I

Enter the GUARD, rushing in.

1 Guard. Where is the queen ?
Char. Speak softly, wake her not.
1 Guard. Cesar 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: Ce-
sar's beguil'd.

2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cesar-call him.

1 Guard. What work is here ?-Charmian, is

this well done?

Char. It is well done, and fitting for a prin

Cess

Descended of so many royal kings.
Ah, soldier!

Enter DOLABELLA.

Dol. How goes it here?
2 Guard. All dead.

Make haste.

+ Are my lips already poisoned by the aspic?

[Dies.

1 An ass without common policy, thus to leave me to

myself.

Play my part in this tragedy.