I am his fortune's vassal, and I send him
The greatness he has got." I hourly learn
A doctrine of obedience; and would gladly
Look him i' the face.

Pro.

This I'll report, dear lady. Have comfort; for, I know, your plight is pitied Of him that caus'd it.

Gal. You see how easily she may be surpriz'd; [Here PROCULEIUS, and two of the Guard, ascend the Monument by a Ladder placed against a Window, and having descended, come behind CLEOPATRA. Some of the Guard unbar and open the Gates.

Guard her till Cæsar come.

[TO PROCULEIUS and the Guard. Exit GALLUS. Iras. Royal queen!

Char. O Cleopatra! thou art taken, queen!!Cleo. Quick, quick, good hands.

Pro.

Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this

Reliev'd, but not betray'd.

Cleo.

[Drawing a Dagger.

Hold, worthy lady, hold:

[Seizes and disarms her.

What, of death too

Cleopatra,

That rids our dogs of languish?

Pro.

Do not abuse my master's bounty, by
The undoing of yourself: let the world see
His nobleness well acted, which your death
Will never let come forth.

Cleo.
Where art thou, death?
Come hither, come! come, come, and take a queen
Worth many
babes and beggars !

The greatness he has got.] i. e. her crown which he has won. 6 Worth many babes and beggars!] Why, death, wilt thou not rather seize a queen, than employ thy force upon babes and beggars.

Pro.

O, temperance, lady! Cleo. Sir, I will eat no meat, I'll not drink, sir; If idle talk will once be necessary,

I'll not sleep neither: This mortal house I'll ruin,
Do Cæsar what he can. Know, sir, that I
Will not wait pinion'd at your master's court;
Nor once be chástis'd with the sober eye
Of dull Octavia. Shall they hoist me up,
And show me to the shouting varletry
Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt
Be gentle grave to me! rather on Nilus' mud
Lay me stark naked, and let the water-flies
Blow me into abhorring! rather make
My country's high pyramides my gibbet,
And hang me up in chains!

Pro.

You do extend

These thoughts of horror further than you shall
Find cause in Cæsar.

What thou hast done thy master Cæsar knows,
And he hath sent for thee: as for the queen,
I'll take her to my guard.

Pro.

So, Dolabella,

It shall content me best: be gentle to her.-
To Cæsar I will speak what

If you'll employ me to him.

Cleo.

you

shall please,

[TO CLEOPATRA.

Say, I would die.

Exeunt PROCULEIUS, and Soldiers.

Dol. Most noble empress, you have heard of me? Cleo. I cannot tell.

Dol.

Assuredly, you know me.

Cleo. No matter, sir, what I have heard, or known.

9

· will once be necessary,] Once may mean sometimes.

You laugh, when boys, or women, tell their dreams; Is't not your trick?

Dol.

I understand not, madam.

Cleo. I dream'd, there was an emperor Antony;O, such another sleep, that I might see

But such another man!

Dol.

If it might please you,—

Cleo. His face was as the heavens; and therein

stuck

A sun, and moon; which kept their course, and

lighted

The little O, the earth.

;

Dol. Most sovereign creature,― Cleo. His legs bestrid the ocean: his rear'd arm Crested the world:' his voice was propertied As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends But when he meant to quail and shake the orb, He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty, There was no winter in't; an autumn 'twas, That grew the more by reaping: His delights Were dolphin-like; they show'd his back above The element they liv'd in: In his livery

Walk'd crowns, and crownets; realms and islands

were

As plates2 dropp'd from his pocket.

Dol.

Cleopatra,Cleo. Think you, there was, or might be, such a

Crested the world:] Alluding to some of the old crests in heraldry, where a raised arm on a wreath was mounted on the helmet. As plates-] Mr. Steevens justly interprets plates to mean silver money. It is a term in heraldry. The balls or roundels in an escutcheon of arms, according to their different colours, have different names. If gules, or red, they are called torteauxes; if or, or yellow, bezants; if argent, or white, plates, which are buttons of silver without any impression, but only prepared for the stamp.

As this I dream'd of?

Del

Gentle madam, no.

Cleo. You lie, up to the hearing of the gods But, if there be, or ever were one such, It's past the size of dreaming: Nature wants stu To vie strange forms with fancy: yet, to imagine An Antony, were nature's piece 'gainst fancy, Condemning shadows quite."

Dol.
Hear me, good madam:
Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it
As answering to the weight: 'Would I might never
O'ertake pursu'd success, but I do feel,

By the rebound of yours, a grief that shoots
My very heart at root.

Cleo.

I thank you, sir.

Know you, what Cæsar means to do with me?
Dol. I am loath to tell you what I would you knew.
Cleo. Nay, pray you, sir,-

Dol.

Though he be honourable,

Cleo. He'll lead me then in triumph?

Dol.

I know it.

Madam, he will;

Within. Make way there,-Cæsar.

Enter CAESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECENAS,

SELEUCUS, and Attendants.

4

To vie strange forms-] To vie was a term at cards.

yet, to imagine

An Antony, were nature's piece 'gainst fancy,

Condemning shadows quite.] The word piece, is a term appropriated to works of art. Here Nature and Fancy produce each their piece, and the piece done by Nature had the preference. Antony was in reality past the size of dreaming; he was more by Nature than Fancy could present in sleep.

Cæs.

Arise,

You shall not kneel :

I pray you, rise; rise, Egypt.
Cleo.

Sir, the gods

Will have it thus; my master and my lord

I must obey.

Cæs.

Take to you no hard thoughts:

The record of what injuries you did us,

Though written in our flesh, we shall remember
As things but done by chance.

Cleo.

Sole sir o'the world,

I cannot project' mine own cause so well
To make it clear; but do confess, I have
Been laden with like frailties, which before
Have often sham'd our sex.

Cæs.

Cleopatra, know,

We will extenuate rather than enforce :

If you apply yourself to our intents,

(Which towards you are most gentle,) you shall find A benefit in this change; but if you seek

To lay on me a cruelty, by taking

Antony's course, you shall bereave yourself
Of my good purposes, and put your children
To that destruction which I'll guard them from,
If thereon you rely. I'll take my leave.

Cleo. And may, through all the world: 'tis yours;

and we

Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest, shall
Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.
Cæs. You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.
Cleo. This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels,
I am possess'd of: 'tis exactly valued;
Not petty things admitted.-Where's Seleucus?
Sel. Here, madam.

Cleo. This is my treasurer; let him speak, my lord.

› I cannot project-] i. e. I cannot shape or form my cause, &c.