The ingratitude of this Seleucus does
Even make me wild: O slave, of no more trust
Than love that's hired! What, goest thou
back? thou shalt

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine
eyes,
[lain, dog!
Though they had wings: slave, soulless vil-
O rarely base!

Cæs. Good queen, let us entreat you. Cleo. O Cæsar, what a wounding shame is this,

That thou, vouchsafing here to visit me, 160 Doing the honor of thy lordliness

To one so meek, that mine own servant should
Parcel the sum of my disgraces by

Addition of his envy! Say, good Cæsar,
That I some lady trifles have reserved,
Immoment toys, things of such dignity

As we greet modern friends withal; and say,
Some nobler token I have kept apart
For Livia and Octavia, to induce
Their mediation; must I be unfolded

170

Put we' the roll of conquest: still be 't yours, Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe, Cæsar's no merchant, to make prize with you Of things that merchants sold. Therefore be

cheer'd ;

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 :

Our care and pity is so much upon you, That we remain your friend; and so, adieu.

Cleo. My master, and my lord! Cæs. Not so. Adieu. 190 [Flourish. Exeunt Cæsar 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.

Cleo.
Hie thee again :
I have spoke already, and it is provided;
Go put it to the haste.

Char.

Madam, I will.

Cleo. Let him come in. [Exit Guardsman.
What poor an instrument
May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.
My resolution's placed, and I have nothing
Of woman in me now from head to foot
I am marble-constant ; now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.
241

Re-enter Guardsman, with Clown bringing in
a basket.
This is the man.
Cleo. Avoid, and leave him.

Guard.

[Exit Guardsman. 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. Rememberest thou any that have died on't? 249

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. [Setting down his basket.

Cleo. Farewell.

260

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?

271

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. 280 Clown. Yes, forsooth: I wish you joy o' 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 shall moist this lip:
Yare, yare, good Iras; quick. Methinks I
hear

Antony call; 1 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 aspic in my lips? Dost fall?
If thou and nature can so gently part,
The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch,
Which hurts, and is desired. Dost thou lie
still?

If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world It is not worth leave-taking.

301

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, thou
mortal wretch,

[To an 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 dispatch. O, couldst thou speak,
That I might hear thee call great Cæsar ass 310
Unpolicied!

Char. O eastern star !
Cleo.

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.
[Applying another asp to her arm.
What should I stay-
[Dies.

Char. In this vile 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 320
Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry;
I'll mend it, and then play.

Enter the Guard, rushing in.
First Guard. Where is the queen?
Char.
Speak softly, wake her not.
First Guard. Cæsar hath sent-
Char.

Too slow a messenger. [Applies an asp. , come apace, dispatch! I partly feel thee. First Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well Cæsar's beguiled.

Dol. How goes it here? Sec. Guard. All dead. Dol. 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 CESAR and all his train marching. Dol. O sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear is done. Cæs. 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.

Dol.

340

Who was last with them? First Guard. A simple countryman, that brought her figs :

This was his basket.

Cæs.

First Guard.

Poison'd, then.

O Cæsar, This Charmian lived 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.

Cæs.
O noble weakness !
If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear
By external swelling: but she looks like sleep,
As she would catch another Antony
350
In her strong toil of grace.

Dol. 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 the aspic leaves Upon the caves of Nile.

Most probable

Cæs. That so she died; for her physician tells me She hath pursued 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

361

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.