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.

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
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.

The gods forbid!

Iras.
Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: Saucy lictors
Will catch at us, like strumpets; and scald rhymers

4

and scald rhymers] Scald was a word of contempt, implying poverty, disease, and filth.

Ballad us out o'tune: the quick comedians 5
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.

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

5 the quick comedians-] The lively, inventive, quick-witted comedians.

boy my greatness-] The parts of women were acted on the stage by boys.

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.

[Exit Guard.

Cleo. Avoid, and leave him.
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. 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 that the worm

will do his kind.?

Cleo. Ay, ay; farewell.

you,

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.

7 now the fleeting moon-] Fleeting is inconstant.

8

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.

9 — will do his kind.] The serpent will act according to his

nature.

VOL. VII.

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.

Re-enter IRAS, with a Robe, Crown, &c.

[Exit.

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, yarel, 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 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?2 Dost fall? 3
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?

1 Yare, yare,] i. e. make haste, be nimble, be ready.

2 Have I the aspick in my lips?] are my lips poison'd by the aspick, that my kiss has destroy'd thee?

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.

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 venomous fool,
Be angry, and despatch. O, could'st thou speak!
That I might hear thee call great Cæsar, ass
Unpolicied! 5

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;" And golden Phoebus never be beheld

+ He'll make demand of her;] He will enquire of her concerning me, and kiss her for giving him intelligence.

+"Come, thou mortal wretch," &c.-MALONE.

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.

6 — Downy windows, close ;] Charmian, in saying this must be conceived to close Cleopatra's eyes; one of the first ceremonies performed toward a dead body.