cheer'd;

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.

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 despatch indeed:
Aud, when thou hast done this chare, I'll give
thee leave

To play till doomsday.-Bring our crown and all.
Wherefore's this noise?
[Exit Iras.-A Noise within.
Enter one of the GUARD.
Guard. Here is a rural fellow,

That will not be denied your highness' presence ;
He brings you figs.

Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instrument [Exit Guard.

May do a noble deed! He brings me liberty.
My resolution's placed, and I have nothing
Of woman in me: Now from head to foot
I am marble-constant: now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.

Re-enter GUARD, with a CLOWN bringing a Basket.
Guard. This is the man.
Cleo. Avoid, and leave him.

[Exit Guard.

'or we intend so to dispose you, as

'ourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep: Our care and pity is so much upon you, hat we remain your friend; and so adieu. Cleo. My master, and my lord! Cas. Not so: Adieu.

[Exeunt Casar, and his Train. Cleo. He words me, girls, he words me, that I should not

e noble to myself: but hark thee, Charmian. [Whispers Charmian. Iras. Finish, good lady: the bright day is done, nd we are for the dark.

Cleo. Hie thee again:

have spoke already, and it is provided;

o, put it to the haste.

Char. Madam, I will.

Iras, what think'st thou ?

Now,

tou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shewn
Rome, as well as I: mechanic slaves
ith greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall
lift us to the view; in their thick breaths,
ink of gross diet, shall we be enclouded,
id forced to drink their vapour.
Iras. The gods forbid !

Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: Saucy lictors **
ill catch at us, like strumpets; and scald rhymers
tilad us out o' tune: the quick + comedians
<temporally will stage us, and present
ir Alexandrian revels; Antony

all be brought drunken forth, and I shall see me squeaking Cleopatra boy ‡‡ my greatness the posture of a whore.

Iras. O the good gods!

Cleo. Nay, that is certain.

That kills and pains not?

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 tive.

Cleo. Well, get thee gone; farewell. Clown. Yes, forsooth; I wish you joy of the [Exit.

worm.

Re-enter IRAs, with a Robe, Crown, &c.
Cleo. Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have
Immortal longings in me now no more
The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip:-
Yare, yare, good Iras; quick.-Methinks, I hear
Antony call; I see him rouse himself

To praise my noble act; I hear him mock
The luck of Cæsar, which the gods give men
To excuse 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 baser life.-So,-have you done?
Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.
Farewell, kind Charmian;-Iras, long farewell.
[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 desired. Dost thou lie still?
If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world

It is not worth leave-taking,

Enter DOLABELLA,

Dol. How goes it here?

2 Guard. All dead.

Dol. Cæsar, thy thoughts

Touch their effects in this: thyself art coming

Char. O eastern star!

Cleo. Peace, peace!

Dost thou not see my baby at my breast,
That sucks the nurse asleep?

Char. O, break! O, break!

Cleo. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle,O Antony!-Nay, I will take thee too:

[Applying another Asp to her Arm.
What should I stay- [Falls on a Bed, and dies.
Char. In this wild world?-So, fare thee well.-
Now boast thee, death! In thy possession lies
A lass unparallel'd.-Downy windows, close;
And golden Phoebus never be beheld

Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry :
I'll mend it, and then play.

Enter the GUARD, rushing in.

1 Guard. Where is the queen? Char. Speak softly, wake her not. 1 Guard. Cæsar hath sent

Char. Too slow a messenger. [Applies the Asp. O, come; apace, despatch: I partly feel thee. 1 Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæsar's beguiled.

So sought'st to hinder.

Within. A way there, way for Cæsar!

Enter CASAR, and Attendants.

Dol. O, Sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear, is done.

Cas. Bravest at the last:

She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal, Took her own way.-The manner of their deaths! I do not see them bleed.

Dol. Who was last with them?

1 Guard. A simple country man, that brought her This was his basket. [ags;

Cas. Poison'd then.

1 Guard. O Cæsar,

This Charmian lived but now; she stood, and spuke:
I found her trimming up the diadem
On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood,
And on the sudden dropp'd.

Cas. O noble weakness!

If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear
By external swelling: but she looks like sleep,
As she would catch another Antony
In her strong toil of grace",

Dol. Here, on her breast,

There is a vent of blood, and something blown; The like is on her arm. [leaves 1 Guard. This is an aspic's trail: and these ig Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves Upon the caves of Nile.

Cas. Most probable,

That so she died; for her physician tells me,
She hath pursued conclusions + infinite
Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed;
And bear her women from the monument:-
She shall be buried by her Antony:
No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair so famous. High events as these

call him.

1 Guard. What work is here!-Charmian, is this

well done?

Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess Descended of so many royal kings.

Ah, soldier!

[Dies.

No less in pity, than his glory, which
Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall,
In solemn show, attend this funeral;
And then to Rome.-Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity-

• Graceful appearance.

Tried experiments.

[Excent

Enfold.

Enter KENT, GLOSTER, and EDMUND. Kent. I thought, the king had more affected the duke of Albany, than Cornwall.

Glo. It did always seem so to as: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety.

Kent. Is not this your son, my lord?

Glo. His breeding, Sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blush'd to acknowledge him, that 10w I am brazed to it.

Kent. I cannot conceive you.

Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: thereupon she grew round-womb'd; and had, inleed, Sir, a son for her cradle, ere she had a husand for her bed. Do you smell a fault?

Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue if it being so proper 1.

Glo. But I have, Sir, a son by order of law, ome year elder than this, who yet is no dearer n my account: though this knave came somewhat aucily into the world before he was sent for, yet vas his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledg d.-Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund? Edm. No, my lord.

Glo. My noble of Kent: remember him hereafter is my honourable friend.

Edm. My services to your lordship.

Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you jetter.

Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving. Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he ball again :-The king is coming.

[Trumpet sound within. Enter LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants.

Lear. Attend the lords of France and Burgundy, Gloster.

Glo. I shall, my liege.
[Exeunt Gloster and Edmund.
Lear. Mean-time we shall express our darker
purpose §.

Give me the map there.-Know, that we have divided,

in thre, our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent || To shake all cares and business from our age; Conferring them on younger strengths, while we + Part or division.

• Most scrupulous nicety.
Handsome.

Determined resolution.

§ More secret.

Unburden'd crawl toward death.-Our son of
Cornwall,

And you, our no less loving son of Albany,
We have this hour a constant will to publish
Our daughters' several dowers, that future strife
May be prevented now. The princes, France and
Burgundy,

Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love,
Long in our court have made their amorous sojourn,
And here are to be answer'd.-Tell me, my daugh

ters,

(Since now we will devest us, both of rule,
Interest of territory, cares of state,)
Which of you, shall we say, doth love us most?
That we our largest bounty may extend
Where merit doth most challenge it.-Goneril,
Our eldest-born, speak first.

to this,

With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd,
With plenteous rivers and wide-skirted meads,
We make thee lady to thine and Albany's issue
Be this perpetual.-What says our second daughter,
Our dearest Regan, wife to Cornwall? Speak.

Reg. I am made of that self metal as my sister,
And prize me at her worth. In my true heart
I find, she names my very deed of love;
Only she comes too short,-that I profess
Myself an enemy to all other joys,
Which the most precious squaret of sense pos-