ACT V, SCENE II

185

DOLABELLA

Cæsar, thy thoughts

Touch their effects in this: thyself art coming
To see perform'd the dreaded act which thou
So sought'st to hinder.

Within:

A way there, a way for Cæsar!

Re-enter CÆSAR and all his train, marching.

DOLABELLA

O sir, you are too sure an augurer;

That you did fear is done.

CÆSAR

Bravest at the last,

She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal,
Took her own way. The manner of their deaths?
I do not see them bleed.

DOLABELLA

Who was last with them?

FIRST GUARD

A simple countryman, that brought her figs:

This was his basket.

CÆSAR

Poison'd, then.

FIRST GUARD

O Cæsar,

This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood and spake :

I found her trimming up the diadem

On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood

And on the sudden dropp'd.

Antony and Cleopatra.

24

CÆSAR

O noble weakness!

If they had swallow'd poison, 't would appear By external swelling: but she looks like sleep, As she would catch another Antony

In her strong toil of grace.

DOLABELLA

Here, on her breast,

There is a vent of blood and something blown:

The like is on her arm.

FIRST GUARD

This is an aspic's trail and these fig-leaves Have slime upon them, such as th' aspic leaves Upon the caves of Nile.

CÆSAR

Most probable

That so she died; for her physician tells me
She hath pursu'd conclusions infinite
Of easy ways to die. Take up her bed;
And bear her women from the monument :
She shall be buried by her Antony:

No

grave upon the earth shall clip in it A pair so famous. High events as these Strike those that make them; and their story is No less in pity than his glory which

Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall
In solemn show attend this funeral;

And then to Rome. Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

Exeunt.

GLOSSARY AND NOTES

BY J. THOMSON

Page 1, line 8.

ACT I

Reneags an obsolete word properly spelt reneges, meaning renounces, sets aside, as in «< King Lear »>, act. II, sc. II, line 84. It is rhymed with a leagued » in Sylvester's Dubartas.

2, 2.

Gipsy's lust: gipsy is used in its original sense for an Egyptian, and in its accidental sense for a bad woman. 2, 10. The sum be brief, sum thy business in a few

words.

3, 5. Where's Fulvia's process: where's Fulvia's sum

mons.

3, 16. to know.

5, 4

To wit: or, as in the Folios, to weet, that is,

Charge his horns with garlands: make him a rich and honourable cuckold, having his horns hung about with

My children shall have no names: shall be bastards.

Work-a-day generally written, worky-day.

Euphrates here written with a short a, Eu

Earing ploughing, tilling.

Expedience haste, speed, meaning in this place,

sudden departure.