Though they had wings: Slave, soulless villain, dog! 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, Doing the honour of thy lordliness To one so meek, that mine own servant should Their mediation; must I be unfolded With one that I have bred? The gods! It smites me Beneath the fall I have. Prithee, go hence; [TO SELEUCUS. Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits Through the ashes of my chance:-Wert thou a man, Thou wouldst have mercy on me. Cæs. Forbear, Seleucus. [Exit SELEUCUS. Cleo. Be it known that we, the greatest, are mis thought For things that others do; and, when we fall, Are therefore to be pitied. Cæs. Cleopatra, Not what you have reserv'd, nor what acknowledg'd, Put we i' the roll of conquest: still be it 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 a Modern-common. Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep: Cæs. Not so: Adieu. [Exeunt CESAR 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; Char. Madam, I will. Dol. Madam, as thereto sworn by your command, Which my love makes religion to obey, I tell you this: Cæsar through Syria Cleo. I shall remain your debtor. Dol. Dolabella, I your servant. Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæsar. Cleo. Farewell, and thanks. [Exit DoL.] Now, Iras, what think'st thou? Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown In Rome, as well as I: mechanic slaves With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall Iras. The gods forbid ! Cleo. Nay, 't is most certain, Iras: Saucy lictors Will catch at us like strumpets; and scald rhymers Ballad us out o' tune: the quick comedians Extemporally will stage us, and present Our Alexandrian revels: Antony Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see I' the posture of a whore. Iras. O the good gods! Cleo. Nay, that is certain. Iras. I'll never see it; for, I am sure, my nails Are stronger than mine eyes. Cleo. Why, that's the way To fool their preparation, and to conquer Their most absurd intents.-Now, Charmian?— Enter CHARMIAN. Show me, my women, like a queen ;-Go fetch leave To play till doomsday. Guard. Bring our crown and all. [Exit IRAS. A noise within. 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. What poor an instrument May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty. 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, [Exit Guard. 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, 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. 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. Cleo. Well, get thee gone; farewell. Clown. Yes, forsooth; I wish you joy of the worm. Re-enter IRAs, with a robe, crown, &c. [Exit. Cleo. Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have To praise my noble act; 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? If thou and nature can so gently part, The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch, Which hurts, and is desir'd. Dost thou lie still? It is not worth leave-taking. Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say, The gods themselves do weep! |