Gentle madam, no.

As this I dream'd of?

Dol.

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 stuff To vie strange forms3 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.

I thank you, sir.

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

Dol.

Cleo. He'll lead me then in triumph?

Dol.

I know it.

you knew.

Though he be honourable,—

Madam, he will;

Within. Make way there,-Cæsar.

Enter CESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECENAS, SELEUCUS, and Attendants.

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

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.

You shall not kneel:

I pray you, rise; rise, Egypt.

Cleo.

Arise,

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.

Sole sir o'the world,

Cleo.
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, Caes. 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.

Upon his peril, that I have reserv'd

To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.
Sel. Madam,

I had rather seel my lips, than, to my peril,
Speak that which is not.

Cleo.

What have I kept back? Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made

known.

Cas. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra ; I approve

Your wisdom in the deed.

Cleo.

See, Cæsar! O, behold, How pomp is follow'd! mine will now be yours; And, should we shift estates, yours would be mine. The ingratitude of this Seleucus does

Even make me wild:-O slave, of no more trust Than love that's hir'd!-What, goest thou back? thou shalt

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings: Slave, soul-less villain, dog! O rarely base !7

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
Parcel the sum of my disgraces by

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

seel my lips,] It means, close up my lips as effectually as the eyes of a hawk are closed. To seel hawks was the technical

term.

O rarely base!] i. e. base in an uncommon degree.

Parcel the sum of my disgraces by-] The meaning either is, "that this fellow should add one more parcel or item to the sum of my disgraces, namely, his own malice;" or, "that this fellow should tot up the sum of my disgraces, and add his own malice to the account."

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

With one' that I have bred? The gods! It smites me Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence;

[To SELEUCUS. Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits Through the ashes of my chance: 2-Wert thou a

man,

Thou would'st have mercy on me.

Cies.

Forbear, Seleucus.
Exit SELEUCUS.

Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are

misthought

For things that others do; and, when we fall,
We answer others' merits3 in our name,

Are therefore to be pitied.

Cas

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

Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep:

9 modern friends-] Modern means here, as it generally does in these plays, common or ordinary.

With one] With, in the present instance, has the power of by. *2 Through the ashes of my chance:] Or fortune. The meaning is, Begone, or I shall exert that royal spirit which I had in my prosperity, in spite of the imbecility of my present weak condition.

We answer others' merits-] As demerits was often used, in Shakspeare's time, as synonymous to merit, so merit might have been used in the sense which we now affix to demerit; or the meaning may be only, we are called to account, and to answer in our own names for acts, with which others, rather than we, desertĘ to be charged.

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. [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.

1

I have spoke already, and it is provided;
Go, put it to the haste.

Char.

Hie thee again:

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

Intends his journey; and, within three days,
You with your children will he send before:
Make your best use of this: I have perform'd
Your pleasure, and my promise.

Cleo.

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: mechanick slaves
With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall
Uplift us to the view; in their thick breaths,