Enter CHARMIAN. Show me, my women, like a queen.-Go fetch 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 2 poor an instrument [Exit Guard. 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. 3 Re-enter Guard, with a Clown, bringing a basket. Guard. This is the man. Cleo. Avoid, and leave him. [Exit Guard. Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there, That kills and pains not? 4 Clown. Truly I have him; but I would not be the 1 Sirrah was not anciently an appellation either reproachful or injurious; being applied, with a sort of playful kindness, to children, friends, and servants, and what may seem more extraordinary, as in the present case, to women. It is nothing more than the exclamation, Sir, ha! and we sometimes find it in its primitive form, "A syr a, there said you wel." The Heus tu of Plautus is rendered, by an old translator, Ha Sirra. 2 The first folio has "What poor an instrument." 3 Fleeting, or flitting, is changeable, inconstant.. 4 Worm is used by our old writers to signify a serpent. The word is pure Saxon, and is still used in the north in the same sense. The worm of Nile was the asp of the ancients, which Dr. Shaw says is wholly unknown to us. 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 you, that the worm will do his kind.1 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 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. thee gone; farewell. Cleo. Well, get thee 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 1i. e. act according to his nature. The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip.- To praise my noble act; I hear him mock I give to baser life.-So,-have you done? [Kisses them. IRAS falls and dies. Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall? 2 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. Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may 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 the asp, which she applies to her breast. With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate Char. Cleo. O Eastern star! Peace, peace! Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, . 1 i. e. be nimble, be ready. See Act iii. Sc. 5. 2 Iras must be supposed to have applied an asp to her arm while her mistress was settling her dress, to account for her falling so soon. 3 i. e. an ass without more wit or policy than to leave the means of death within my reach, and thereby defeat his own purpose. 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 unparalleled.-Downy windows, close; And golden Phoebus never be beheld 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 beguiled. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar;-call him. 1 Guard. What work is here?-Charmian, is this well done? Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess Descended of so many royal kings. Ah, soldier! [Dies. Enter CESAR and Attendants. Dol. O sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear, is done. Cæs. Bravest at the last. She levelled at our purposes, and, being royal, Dol. Who was last with them? 1 Guard. A simple countryman, that brought her 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 dropped. Cæs. O noble weakness! If they had swallowed poison, 'twould appear In her strong toil of Dol. grace. Here, on her breast, There is a vent of blood, and something blown.' 1 Guard. This is an aspic's trail; and these figleaves Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves Upon the caves of Nile. Cæs. Most probable, That so she died; for her physician tells me, She hath pursued conclusions 2 infinite Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed; 1 i. e. swelled, puffed. 2 To pursue conclusions is to try experiments. |