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Are stronger than mine eyes.

Cleo. Why, that's the way (39)

To fool their preparation, and to conquer
Their most affur'd intents. Now, Charmian :

Enter Charmian.

Shew me, my women, like a Queen: go fetch
My best attires. I am again for Cydnus,
To meet Mark Antony. Sirrah Iras, go-
Now, noble Charmian, we'll difpatch indeed;
And when thou'ft done this chare, I'll give thee leave
To play till dooms-day-bring our Crown, and all.
Wherefore this noise?
[A noife within.

Enter a Guardfman.

Guards. 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 Guarafman.
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
I'm marble conftant: now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.

(39)

Why, that's the way

To fool their preparation, and to conquer
Their most abfurd Intents.]

As plaufible as this Epithet may at first Glance appear, I have great Sufpicions of it. Why Should Cleopatra call Cæfar's Defigns abfurd? She could not think his Intent of carrying her in Triumph, fuch, with regard to his own Glory; and her finding an Expedient to difappoint him, could not bring it under that predicament. I much rather think, the Poet wrote;

and to conquer

Their most affur'd Intents.

i. e. the Purposes, which they are most determin'd to put in prac make themfelves moft fure of accomplishing.

tice;

VOL. VI.

I

Enter

Enter Guardfman, and Clown with a basket.

Guards. This is the man.

Cleo. Avoid, and leave him.

[Exit Guardfman.

Haft thou the pretty worm of Nilus there,
That kills and pains not?

Clown. Truly, I have him but I would not be the party fhould 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 dy'd 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 lye, as a woman fhould not do, but in the way of honefty. How the dy'd of the biting of it, what pain fhe felt! truly, fhe makes a very good report o'th' worm: but he, that will believe all that they fay, fhall never be faved by half that they do: but this is most fallible, the worm's an odd worm. Cleo. Get thee hence, farewel.

Clown. I wish you all joy of the worm.

Cleo. Farewel.

Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind.

Cleo. Ay, ay, farewel.

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 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 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 drefs her not. But, truly, these fame whore-fon 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, farewel.

Clown.

[Exit.

Clown. Yes, forfooth, I wish you joy o'th' worm.

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 moift this lip.
Yare, yare, good Iras; quick-methinks, I hear
Antony call, I fee him rouse himself

To praise my noble act. I hear him mock
The luck of Cafar, which the Gods give men
T'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.
Farewel, kind Charmian; Iras, long farewel.

[Applying the a.

[To Iras.

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 vanishest, thou tell'it the world,

It is not worth leave-taking.

[Iras dies.

Char. Diffolve, thick Cloud, and rain, that I may fay,

The Gods themselves do weep.

Cleo. This proves me bafe

If fhe firft meet the curled Antony,

He'll make demand of her, and fpend that kifs,
Which is my heav'n to have. Come, mortal wretch,
With thy fharp teeth this knot intrinficate

[To the ferpent.
Of life at once untie : poor venomous fool,
Be angry, and difpatch. Oh, couldft thou fpeak,
That I might hear thee call great Cæfar afs,
Unpolicied!

Char. Oh eastern star!

Cleo. Peace, peace!

Doft thou not fee my baby at my breast,

That fucks the nurse asleep?

Char. O break! O break!

Cleo. As fweet as balm, as foft as air, as gentle,

[blocks in formation]

O Antony!Nay, I will take thee too.

What fhould I ftay

-(40)
[Applying another Afp to her Arm.
[Dies.

Char. In this wild world? fo, fare thee well:
Now, boaft thee, Death, in thy poffeffion lies
A lafs unparallel'd-Downy windows, clofe;
And golden Phebus never be beheld

Of eyes again fo royal! your Crown's awry ;
I'll mend it, and then play-

Enter the Guard, rushing in.

1 Guard. Where's the Queen? Char. Speak foftly, wake her not. 1 Guard. Cæfar hath fent

Char. Too flow a messenger.

[Charmian applies the afp.

Oh, come apace, difpatch, I partly feel thee.

1 Guard. Approach, ho! all's not well. Cafar's beguild.

2 Guard. There's Dolabella fent from Cæfar; call him. 1 Guard. What work is here, Charmian? is this well

done?

Char. It is well done, and fitting for a Princefs

Defcended of fo many royal Kings.

Ah, foldiers!

Enter Dolabella.

[Charmian dies.

Dol. How goes it here?

2 Guard. All dead!

Dol. Cæfar, thy thoughts

Touch their effects in this; thy felf art coming

(40) 0 Antony! nay I will take thee too.] As there has been hitherto no Break in this Verfe, nor any marginal Direction, thee neceffarily muft feem to refer to Antony. But 'tis certain, Cleopatra is here defigned to apply one Afpick to her Arm, as he had before clap'd one to her Breaft. And the laft Speech of Dolabella in the Play is a Confirmation of this.

Here, on her Breast,

There is a Vent of Blood, and fomething blown ;

The like is on her Arm.

To fee perform'd the dreaded act, which thou
So fought'ft to hinder.

Enter Cæfar and Attendants.

All. Make way there, make way for Cæfar. Dol. Oh, Sir, you are too fure an augurer; That, you did fear, is done.

Caf. Braveil at last:

She levell'd at our purpofe, and, being royal,

Took her own way.

The manner of their deaths?

I do not fee them bleed.

Dol. Who was laft with them?

1 Guard. A fimple countryman, that brought her figs: This was his basket.

Caf. Poifon'd then!

1 Guard. Oh Cæfar!

This Charmian liv'd but now, fhe flood and fpake:
I found her trimming up the diadem

On her dead miftrefs; tremblingly the flood,
And on the fudden dropt.

Caf. Oh noble weakness!

If they had fwallow'd poifon, 'twould appear
By external fwelling; but the looks like sleep;
As fhe would catch another Antony

In her ftrong toil of grace.

Dol. Here, on her breaft,

There is a vent of blood, and something blown:
The like is on her arm.

I Guard. This is an afpick's trail ;

And thefe fig-leaves have flime upon them, fuch
As th' afpick leaves upon the caves of Nile.
Caf. Moft probable,

That so she dy'd; for her physician tells me,

She has purfu'd conclufions infinite

Of eafy ways to die. Take up her bed,

And bear her women from the monument:

She fhall be buried by her Antony.

No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair fo famous. High events as these
Strike thofe that make them; and their story is

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