Enter, to the gates of the Monument, PROCULEIUS, GALLUS, and Soldiers.

Pro. Cæsar sends greeting to the queen of Egypt; And bids thee study on what fair demands

Thou mean'st to have him grant thee.

I do not greatly care to be deceiv'd,

That have no use for trusting. If your master

Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell

him,

That majesty, to keep decorum, must
No less beg than a kingdom: if he please
To give me conquer'd Egypt for my son,
He gives me so much of mine own, as I
Will kneel to him with thanks.

Pro.

Be of good cheer;

You are fallen into a princely hand, fear nothing:
Make your full reference freely to my lord,

Who is so full of grace, that it flows over

On all that need: Let me report to him

Your sweet dependancy; and you shall find
A conqueror, that will pray in aid for kindness 57,
Where he for grace is kneel❜d to.

Cleo.

[Within.] Pray you, tell him 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 pity'd
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. [drawing a dagger. Pro.

Hold, worthy lady, hold:

[seizes and disarms her.

Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this

Reliev'd, but not betray'd.

Cleo.

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!

Pro.

VOL. XII.

O, temperance, lady!

L

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!

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 you shall please,

If you'll employ me to him.

Cleo.

[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. 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 sphères, 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 plates 5 dropp'd from his pocket.

Dol.

Cleopatra,

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

man

As this I dream'd of?

Dol.

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 stuff 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,—

Within. Make way there,-Cæsar.

Enter CESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECENAS,

SELEUCUS, and Attendants.

Cæs.
Of Egypt?

Which is the queen