CLEOPATRA

To say, my Lord, that you are welcome hither Were to disparage you, who have the power To make your self so, what ere you see In Egypt is your own. Will't please you take Your place, and these your noble Roman friends? Great Julius Caesar Did love my father well; he oft was pleased At hours of leisure to confer with him About the nature of our Nile, of all The mysteries of Religion, and the wonders That Egypt breeds. My Lords, you Roman, whose victorious arms Have made you Master's of the world, possess Such full and high delights in Italy, That our poor Egypt can present no pleasure Worth your acceptance: but let me entreat You would be freely merry, and forgive Your entertainment. If I could think That ere great Jove did play such feats as those, I'de now believe that he were here disguised, And took the noble shape of Anthony My Lord, I dare not make excuse, or plead Unworthiness, where once Antonius wisdom Has made election to confer his favours. I ever thought My self much bound to brave Canidius Since I was happy in his company. You came Like Mars himself in threatening arm To ruin me, and my poor Country then. I took that shape, because I knew no strength No power on earth was able to resist The conquering fury of Antonius. oble Canidius, I'll entrust no more, or use more circumstances; for I know oh whom I have referred my business, and trust your wisdom. ready, worthy friend; he'll straight be here. Exit Can. one but Canidius has the power to work ntonius in this Actium, which the rest ll all oppose, I know; a thing on which y state, my Hope's, and Fortune's all depend. He must persuade Antonius to take Me with him to the war; for if I stay Behind him here, I run a desperate hazard; For should Octavia enterpose her self In this great war (as once before she did) And make her brother, and her husband friends Where's Cleopatra then? but here he comes. Cannot Antonius then be fortunate If Cleopatra go? S there in me So bade and Omen? did I think there were, Not for the world would I desire to bear You company but rather die at home. My life and Fortune's both depend on yours. As much in Egypt will my danger be, As in your army, and my torment more, To die each hour for fear: and to remain In sad suspense till messengers can bring The news so far: but if my company Distaste my Lord, I cannot wish his grief. f that should happen (which the Gods avert) What land, alas! could comfort me, or lend A safe retreat to vanquished Antony? Thou wouldst disdain to draw a wretched breath, And I as much should scorn captivity. But I had thought the Roman Antony Had loved so great a Queen with nobler love; Not as the pleasure of his wanton bed Or mistress only of some looser hours, But as a partner in his highest cares, And one whose soul he thought were fit to share In all his dangers, all his deeds of honour. Without that love I should disdain the other. How can you think it so, that could so long n times of peace and pleasure recreate Your self with me in Egypt Court; yet now When honour calls, reject my company? Let not my sex Disparage me, for which of all those Kings That now in person serve Antonius Have more experience in affairs of weight Then I, my Lord, which have so long been privy To your high counsels, and in love to you And your designs who should compare with me? wishes are effected. strengths are ready all, wait but your command. Leave it good Glaucus ; leave the potion too. 'Tis quick, thou sayest. Well leave them both with me. Exit Glaucus. Let none adventure on prosperity But with a spirit still prepared to die. Let them keep certain death still in their power That dare be great and happy, nought but that Frees states when they are fallen. Well did wise And liberal Nature on mankind bestow A gift so sovereign as power to die, And Antidote against Fortune's cruelty, That is the deer preservative, that must Control the spite of Fortune, and redeem A woeful life from loathed servitude. One venom's gentle; tother rough and cruel. But 'tis not safe to trust mine honour so, On doubtful props: the poisons both may fail Or differ far from what vain fame reports Their operation. 'Tis experience That must confirm me. Mardio is returned. Come nearer both, and tell me, dare you die? Dio. Dare you die A less dishonourable way, to escape The common hangman's hand, and from a Queen Receive your death, and that and easier death? Give them their lots, Mardio ; the shortest lot Is to die first. The Asp shall be thy fate: now Asp confirm What fame reports of thee; stay thou thy draught Till he be dead: feelest thou no pain? I think he's dead Already. Sure he feels but little pain. I am confirmed. Wee'll try no more, as for thy draught of poison Thus we discharge thee of it, and from death Doomed by the law our royal pardon frees thee. Publish it Mardio. I am resolved; nought but the Libyan Asp Shall be renowned for Cleopatra's death. Thou precious worm, that canst redeem alone The lose of honour at a rate so easy, That killest as gently as the hand of age, And art miscalled a plague of Africa, Since thou alone makest barren Africa envied, By other lands, though fruitful, wanting thee. Who cross the Seas, and hence at highest price Transporr the Asp as choicest Merchandise. On thee I trust, one gentle touch of thine Can free this life from loathed servitude, From Caesar's triumph, the base peoples mocks, Proud Livia's scorn, and mad Octavia's spite. But why are all my thoughts turned to despair? Why think I now of death? me thinks my Genius Checks this cold fear, and Fortune chiding tells me I am ungrateful to distrust, her now. My raze of life and glory is not run, Nor Cle patraes Fortune's yet arrived At that great height that must eternise her, And fix her glorious name above the stars. I long to hear what answer Caesar sends. I do not know his temper, but he's young; And why should I desp ir? are Cupid's fires Extinguished quite? are all his arrows spent? Or is this beauty, that can boast the conquest Of Julius Caesar ; and great Antony, So waned now, it cannot move the temper Of one, whom youth makes fit for Cupid's conquest? He's welcome to us. What's great Caesar's will. We are no subject For Caesar's mocks though in our worst of fortune Without these courtings, Thyreus, if great Caesar Please to embrace our friendship, we and Egypt Shall do him faithful service. There was a Caesar, loved me once; but I Am not so proud to think it was my merit, Though he would say I did deserve far more Then he could utter, that great Julius, Whose name and actions filled the triple world. The fairest from that ere these eyes beheld. Where all the best of each best model meets, Cupid's sweet smiles, lodged in the eye of Mars, Gam ymed's I k the Imperial brow of Jove Where love and majesty are proud to dwell. I never till now saw beauty: but Thyreus May we repose a confidence in thee As our true friend? we will deserve thy love. Then briefly thus; because I would not have Any take notice of long privacy Betwixt thee and me, and instantly w'expect Antonius here, I will devise some means How to deserve great Caesar's love, and act What he shall thank us for: mean while stay here With us, good Thyreus, for we cannot yet Dispatch thee with that message we intend. Till anon Farewell, good Thyreus : but be near about us. What more then this could all the fates contrive? What more then Caesars love could I have wished On which all power, all state, and Glories wait. But o the weak and fluctuating state Of humane frailty still too much depressed Or raised too much betwixt fears and flattering Hope's! But hence base fear; a Princely confidence Fits Cleopatra's mind and beauty better. My dearest Lord. Possessed of you I stand above the reach Of Fortune's threatening, or proud Caesar's power. Nought but your grief, and melancholy had Power to deject my spirits. Let's in and feas This day we'll dedicate to mirth and freedom: To crown your welcome hither. Thy? feast we'll style The feast of fellow-dyers: for no band Plutarch. No tie of friendship is so firm as that They live in love that mean to die together. Exeunt. Pelusium shall be rendered up to Caesar Dio. Plutarch. By our command to our Lieutenant there Seleucus, whose obedience we not doubt. Nor do we wrong Antonius at all In giving up a town which is our own It may be thought 'tis done to weaken him Alas, Antonius is already fallen So low, that nothing can redeem him now Nor make him able to contest with Caesar. He has not only lost his armies strength But lost the strength of his own soul, and is not That Antony he was when first I knew him. I can do Caesar now no greater service. Though I shall never want a hear to do it. But we shall quickly see the event of things; Antonius now is desperate, and puts His Hope's upon the fortune of one sally, Which will be suddenly performed, before That thou canst bear a message back to Caesar. For my sake dearest Lord. Can you suspect it? was my truest love So ill bestowed? Can he, for whose dear sake A Queen so highly born as I preferred Love before fame, and fondly did neglect All names of honour when false Fulvia, And proud Octavia had the name of wives, Plutarch. Requite me thus? ungrateful Anthony ; For now the fury of a wronged love Justly provokes my speech. You do not scorn To wrong with base unworthy jealousies A faithful heart: but if you think me false Her sheath your sword: make me the subject rather Of manly rage then childish jealousy. It is a nobler crime, and fitter far For you to act, easier for me to suffer. For live suspected I nor can nor will. The lovely Asp, which I with care have kept And was intended a preservative against Caesar's cruelty, I now must use Against Antonius baseness a worse foe Then Caesur is: farewell, till death approve That I was true, and you unjust in love. How timorous is gilded? how are my thoughts Distracted sadly now? on every side My dangers grow: for should Antonius Return in safety home, and know what passed betwixt me and Thyreus, I have lost his heart, And cannot choose but fear him: if he die I am not confident of Caesar's love. 'Twas but a servants tongue I built upon. It's best to make all sure: within there, Ei a. Are all things ready in the tomb? Then thither will I go, if fate contrive A future state of happiness for me, It is my castle: if my death they doom, I am possessed already of a tomb. Exit. Hail mighty Prince; for that high name the Gods. Dio. Plutarch. Who reft me of it, have bestowed on thee. O let me never rise Till Caesar grant my suit. I beg A boon but small, which Caesar never denied His greatest enemies. That thou wouldst kill me Caesar ; I have lived These many years too long: I should have died Dio. When that great Worthy, that renowned Caesar Was basely murdered in Rome's Capitol. Surviving him was my unhappiness. But I have lived to see his son inherit Dio. His state and Empire, and control the world. Death is no wrong at all. I have deserved it, Sir. That's soon excused. If 'twere a crime to love Antonius Dio. Plutarch. (Which I confess I did, and his large favours Truly deserved it) think it was not mine But fates own crime, that first allotted me To his protection: had your share of rule In Egypt lyen, I had been Caesars friend. Caesar, as false as truth it self is true. I was accused to Antonius Plutarch. Appian. For that before; but in Cilicia I quickly cleared those causeless jealousies, Witness thou glorious star, which the great soul Of noble Julius, when he left the earth, Added to heaven, how innocent I am From any fault in that: but Caesar know Dio. Against thy father not the act alone, But even suspicion shall be purged with death. I can no longer live. All the payment That my poor Fortune's can return to Caesar Is thanks and service. Yes. whisper on; you cannot overreach My jealousies: no signs of love at all, Exit Caesar. No smile, nor amorous glance, I was deceived, And merely coosen'd by base Thyreus. But I must hide my fears, and clear this brow The better to effect my purposes. Never so well As now I am, I did not think great Caesar Had been so full of love and courtesy. Thanks good Epaphroditus. That love is true that's showed in miss ry. But what have I forgotten? I had a note Of some particulars I meant to give To Caesar's hand and quite forgotten it here. Nor would I trust the carriage of a thing Of so great consequence to every hand. I shall rest Indebted to your love; Caesar will thank you. It much concerns both his estate and mine. Dio. Be speedy good Epaphroditus, for I long to hear his answer. So now my trouble is removed, I come, I come my dearest Lord Antonius, Never till now thy true and faithful love. My much abused Lord, do not disdain Or blush t'acknowlege Cleopatra's name When tears and blood have washed her spotted soul Wertenberg thou alive again, not all the world Should shake my constancy, or make divorce Betwixt thee and me: but since too late, alas, My tears of sorrow come, I'll follow thee, And beg thy pardon in the other world. All crimes are there for evermore forgotten. There Ariadne pardons Theseus falsehood. Dido forgives the perjured Prince of Troy, And Troilus repentant Cressida. Though false to thee alive, I now am come A faithful lover of thy dust and comb. Exit. This is my second Coronation day; But nobler then the first, and fuller far Of real honour, and magnificence. Nor till this pompous hour was Cleopatra A perfect Queen, alas, I did not sway A Sceptre over fortune, or command As now I do, the destinies themselves. I wore a painted honour, a mere shadow Of Royal state, and such a feeble Crown As war could threaten, treason undermine, And every puff of Fortune blow it off. My state is constant now, my thoughts above The fear of dangers or opposing foes. Glaucus and Mardio, leave the room a while. Come hither Girls, I will no longer hide My joys from you; in such attire as this I go to meet my dear Antonius. Alas, thou art deceived. He lives my Charmio in the other world, And stays for me; I have been too too slack In coming to him: this that here lies dead Was but the house that lodged my dearest Lord, That earthly Mansion, that did once contain The kindest, noblest, and the truest soul That ever lived; and this our second meeting Is far more sweet, and full of noble love Then when we first met in Cilicia, When our magnificence and pomp did fill The world with wonder and astonishment. Why weep you girls? is it to see your Mistress Greater then ere in Glory? if you loved me, You'd weep to see great Cleopatra led A wretched captive through the streets of Room Before proud Caesar's chariot, mocked and flouted, And from a Queen become Octavia's drudge. No, no, my girls, I will be still my self And from this seat of state look down in scorn On Room, and Caesar's threats as things below me. My earthly raze is run, and I descend As great a ghost as Theban Semele, When her ambitious love had sought and met The Thunderers embraces, when no Pile Of earthly wood, but Jove's celestial fire Consumed her beauty's relics, and sent down Her soul from that Majestic funeral. Farewell thou fading remnant of my Love. When I am gone, I'll leave these earthly parts To keep thee company: never to partly, But dwell together, and dissolve together. Come Asp, possess thy mansion; freely feed On these two hills, upon whose snowy tops The winged Cupid oft has taken stand, And shot from thence the proudest hearts on earth. Corruption now, and rottenness must seize This once admired fabric, and dissolve This flesh to common elements again When skilful nature, were she strictly bound To search through all her storehouse would be posed To tell which piece was Cleopatra once. Sweet Asp, I feel thy touch, and life begins From these cold limbs to take her gentle flight. A slumber seizes me; farewell my girls. Thus let the Roman find me dead, and know Maugre the power of Room, and Caesar's spleen That Cleopatra lived, and died a Queen. have Roman, wear this jewel for my sake; and be possessed of Cleopatra's love. cond my suit, there lies not in my power thing to grant I should deny Canidius.