Wherefore's this noise? [Erit IRAS. A noise within, Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe, 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 : Cleo. My master, and my lord: Not so: Adieu. Madam, I will. I your servant. Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæsar. Cleo. Farewell, and thanks. [Erit DOL.] Now, Iras, what think'st thou? Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown And fore'd to drink their vapour. Iras. The gods forbid! Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: Saucy lictors Will catch at us, like strumpets; and scald rhymers Ballad us out o'tune: the quick comedians Extemp'rally 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 is certain. Iras. I'll never see it; for I'm sure, my nails Are stronger than mine eyes. Cleo. Ayoid, and leave him. 4 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, bnt something given to lie; as a woman should not do, but in the way of bonesty: 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 sayed 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, 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 simpts, 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. The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip:- To fool their preparation, and to conquer Their most absurd intents. Now, Charmian? Enter CHARMIAN. Show me, my women, like a queen;-Go fetch To play till dooms-day. Bring our crown and all. Antony call; I see him rouse himself Have I the aspick in my lips? Dost fall? If thou and nature can so gently part, Enter DOLABELLA. Dol. How goes it here? 2 Guard. Dol. The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch, If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world It is not worth leave-taking. All dead. Cæsar, thy thoughts Touch their effects in this: Thyself art coming Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may To see perform'd the dreaded act, which thou Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, That sucks the nurse asleep ? So sought'st to hinder. Within. A way there, a way for Cæsar! Enter CÆSAR and Attendants. Dol. O, sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear, is done. Cas. Bravest at the last: She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal, Who was last with them? 1 Guard. A simple countryman, that brought her figs. This was his basket. Cas. 1 Guard. Poison'd then. O Cæsar, This Charmian lived but now; she stood, and spake: O, break! O, break! I found her trimming up the diadem Cleo. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle,O Antony!-Nay, I will take thee too: [Applying another asp to her arm. Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry; Enter the Guard, rushing in. 1 Guard. Where is the queen? Char. Speak softly, wake her not. 1 Guard. Cæsar hath sentChar. Too slow a messenger. Applies the asp. O, come; apace, despatch: I partly feel thee. 1 Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæsar's 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar; beguil'd. call him. That so she died; for her physician tells me, [Exount ACT I. Unto a poor, but worthy, gentleman: She's wedded; Her husband banish'd; she imprison d: al Is outward sorrow; though, I think, the kin 2. Gent. None but the king? 1 Gent. He, that hath lost her, too: so is the queen, That most desir'd the match: But not a courtier, Although they wear their faces to the bent Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not Glad at the thing they scowl at. 2 Gent. And why so? 1 Gent. He that hath miss'd the princess, is a thing Too bad for bad report: and he that hath her, 2 Gent. You speak him far. 1 Gent. I do extend him, sir, within himself; Crush him together, rather than unfold His measure duly. 2 Gent. What's his name, and birth? 1 Gent. I cannot delve him to the root: His father Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour, Died with their swords in hand; for which, their father (Then old and fond of issue,) took such sorrow, SCENE I. Britain. The Garden behind Cym- To his protection; calls him Posthumus;.. beline's Palace. Breeds him, and makes him of his bed-chamber: Enter the QUEEN, POSTHUMUS, and IMOGEN. Queen. No, be assur'd, you shall not find me, daughter, After the slander of most step-mothers, I will be known your advocate: marry, yet The fire of rage is in him; and 'twere good, You lean'd unto his sentence, with what patience Your wisdom may inform you. Post. Please your highness, You know the peril: I'll fetch a turn about the garden, pitying Hath charg'd you should not speak together. Imo. [Exit QUEEN. 0 Dissembling courtesy! How fine this tyrant His rage can do on me: You must be gone; Post. My queen! my mistress! Than doth become a man! I will remain The loyal'st husband that did e'er plight troth. Known but by letter: thither write, my queen, When shall we see again? A neat-herd's daughter! and my Leonatus Our neighbour shepherd's son! Cym. Re-enter QUEEN. Thou foolish thing! They were again together: you have done [To the QUEEN To walk this way: I never do him wrong, But he does buy my injuries, to be friends; Pays dear for my offences. There might have been, haven, I am very glad on't. And I not have it, 'twere a paper lost, That he spake to thee? No harm, I trust, is done? But that my master rather play'd than fought, By gentlemen at hand. Queen. Enter IMOGEN and PISANIO. Imo. I would thou grew'st unto the shores o' the Ana question'dst every sail: if he should write, Imo. Your son's my father's friend; he takes his As offer'd mercy is. What was the last 1 Lord. Sir, I would advise you to shift a shirt; the violence of action hath made you reck as a sacrifice: Where air comes out, air comes in: there's none abroad so wholesome as that you vent. Clo. If my shirt were bloody, then to shift itHave I hurt him? 2 Lord. No, faith; not so much as his patience. [Aside. 1 Lord. Hurt him? his body's a passable carcass, if he be not hurt: it is a thoroughfare for steel, if it be not hurt. 2 Lord. His steel was in debt: it went o' the back side the town. Clo. The villain would not stand me. [Aside. Clo. I would, they had not come between us. long a fool you were upon the ground. [Aside "Twas, His queen, his queen! Imo. Then wav'd his handkerchief? And kiss'd it, madam. Imo. Senseless linen! happier therein than I! And that was all? No, madam; for so long As he could make me with this eye or ear As little as a crow, Thou should'st have made him or less, ere left Madam, so I did. Imo. I would have broke mine eye-strings; To look upon him; till the diminution Pis. With his next vantage. Be assur'd, madam, Imo. I did not take my leave of him, but had Mine interest, and his honour; or have charg'd him, Lady. Enter a Lady. The queen, madam, Desires your highness' company. spatch'd. Clo. And that she should love this fellow, and I will attend the queen. |