That thou, vouchfafing here to visit me,
Doing the honour of thy lordliness

To one fo meek, that mine own fervant fhould
Parcel the fum of my disgraces by

Addition of his envy! Say, good Cæfar,
That I fome lady trifles have reserv'd,
Immoment toys, things of fuch dignity
As we greet modern friends withal; and fay,
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 fmites me Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence; [To SELEUC. Or I shall show the cinders of my fpirits

Through the ashes of my chance :-Wert thou a man, Thou would't have mercy on me.

CES. Forbear, Seleucus.

[Exit SELEUCUs.

CLEO. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misFor things that others do; and, when we fall, [thought We answer others' merits in our name,

Are therefore to be pitied.

CAS. Cleopatra,

Not what you have referv'd, nor what acknowledg'd,
Put we i' the roll of conqueft: ftill be it yours,

Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe,

Cæfar's no merchant, to make prize with you

Of things that merchants fold. Therefore be cheer'd;
Make not your thoughts your prifons: no, dear queen;
For we intend fo to difpofe you, as

Yourself fhall give us counfel. Feed, and fleep:
Our care and pity is fo much upon you,

friend; And fo adieu.

That we remain your friend;

CLEO. My matter, and my lord!

C c iij

CES. Not fo: Adieu.

Exeunt CESAR and his train.

CLEO. He words me, girls, he words me, that I fhould Be noble to myself: but hark thee, Charmian.

[not

[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 fworn by your command, Which my love makes religion to obey,

I tell you this Cæfar 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 fhall remain your debtor.

DOL. I your fervant.

Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæfar.

CLEO. Farewell, and thanks. [Exit DOLA.] Now, Iras, what think'st thou?

Thou, an Egyptian puppet, fhalt be shown

In Rome, as well as I mechanick flaves
With greafy aprons, rules, and hammers, fhall
Uplift us to the view; in their thick breaths,
Rank of grofs diet, fhail we be enclouded,
And forc'd to drink their vapour,

IRAS. The gods forbid !

CLEO. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: Saucy lictors Will catch at us, like ftrumpets; and scald rhymers Ballad us out o' tune: the quick comedians Extemporally will stage us, and present

Our Alexandrian fevels; Antony

Shall be brought drunken forth, and I fhall fee
Some fqueaking Cleopatra boy my greatness
I' the posture of a whore.

IRAS. O the good gods!

CLEO. Nay, that is certain.

IRAS. I'll never fee it; for, I am fure, my nails Are ftronger than mine eyes.

CLEO. Why, that's the way

To fool their preparation, and to conquer
Their most abfurd intents.-Now, Charmian ?—

Enter CHARMIAN.

Show me, my women, like a queen ;-Go fetch
My beft attires;-I am again for Cydnus,
To meet Mark Antony :-Sirrah, Iras, go.-
Now, noble Charmian, we'll defpatch indeed:

And, when thou haft done this chare, I'll give thee leave To play till dooms-day.—Bring our crown and all. Wherefore's this noife? [Exit IRAS. A noife within. Enter one of the GUARD.

GUARD. Here is a rural fellow,

That will not be deny'd your highness' prefence;
He brings you figs.

CLEO. Let him come in. How poor an inftrument
[Exit GUARD.
May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.
My refolution's plac'd, and I have nothing
Of woman in me: Now from head to foot

Cc iiij

I am marble-conftant: 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.

Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there,

That kills and pains not?

[Exit GUARD.

CLOWN. Truly I have him: but I would not be the party that should defire you to touch him, for his biting is immortal; those, that do die of it, do seldom or never

recover.

CLEO. Remember'ft 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 fomething given to lie; as a woman fhould not do, but in the way of honesty: how she died of the biting of it, what pain fhe felt, Truly, fhe makes a very good report o' the worm: But he that will believe all that they say, fhall never be faved 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 fets 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 trufted, but in the keeping of wife people; for, indeed, there is no goodness in the worm.

CLEO. Take thou no care; it fhall 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 fo fimple, but I know the devil himself will not eat a woman: I know, that a woman is a difh for the gods, if the devil dress her not. But, truly, these fame whorefon 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, forfooth; 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 Immortal longings in me: Now no more

The juice of Egypt's grape fhall moist this lip
Yare, yare, good Iras; quick.Methinks, I hear
Antony call; I fee him roufe himself

To praise my noble act; I hear him mock
The luck of Cæfar, which the gods give men
To excufe 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 bafer life.-So,-have you done?
Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.
Farewell, kind Charmian ;-Iras, long farewell.

[Kifles them. IRAS falls and dies, Have I the afpick in my lips? Doft fall? If thou and nature can fo gently part,

The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch,

Which hurts, and is defir'd. Doft thou lie ftill?

If thus thou vanisheft, thou tell'ft the world

It is not worth leave-taking.

CHAR. Diffolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may fay, The gods themselves do weep!

CLEO. This proves me base :

If the first meet the curled Antony,