CLEOPATRA

If it be Love indeed, tell me how much. I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved. Nay hear them Anthony. Fulvia perchance is angry: Or who knows, If the scarse-bearded Caesar have not sent His powerful Mandate to you. Do this, or this; Take in that Kingdom, and Infranchise that: Perform't, or else we damn thee. Perchance? Nay, and most Like: You must not stay here longer, your dismission Is come from Caesar, therefore hear it Anthony. Where's Fulvias Process? ( Caesars I would say) both? Call in the Messengers: As I am Egypt's Queen, Thou blushest Anthony, and that blood of thine Is Caesars homager: else so thy cheek pays shame, When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds. The Messengers. Excellent falsehood: Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her? I'll seem the Fool I am not. Anthony will be himself. Hear the Ambassadors. Save you, my Lord. Was he not here? He was disposed to mirth, but on the sudden A Roman thought hath struck him. Enobarbus ? Seek him, and bring him hither: where's Alexia's ? We will not look upon him: Go with us. Where is he? See where he is, Whose with him, what he does: I did not send you. If you find him sad, Say I am dancing: if in Mirth, report That I am sudden sick. Quick, and return. What should I do, I do not? Thou teachest Like a fool: the way to loose him. I am sick, and sullen. Help me away deer Charmian, I shall fallen, It cannot be thus long, the sides of Nature Will not sustain it. Pray you stand farther from me. I know by that same eye ther's some good news. What says the married woman you may go? Would she had never given you leave to come. Let her not say it's I that keep you here, I have no power upon you: Hers you are. O never was there Queen So mightily betrayed: yet at the first I saw the Treasons planted. Why should I think you can be mine, & true, (Though you in swearing shake the Throned Gods) Who have been false to Fulvia ? Riotous madness, To be entangled with those mouth-made vows, Which break themselves in swearing. Nay pray you seek no colour for your going, But bid farewell, and go: When you sued staying, Then was the time for words: No going then, Eternity was in our Lips, and Eyes, Bliss in our brows bent: none our parts so poor, But was a raze of Heaven. They are so still, Or thou the greatest Soldier of the world, Art turned the greatest Liar. I would I had thy inches, thou shouldst know There were a heart in Egypt. Though age from folly could not give me freedom It does from childishness. Can Fulvia die? Oh most false Love! Where be the Sacred Violles thou shouldst fill With sorrowful water? Now I see, I see, In Fulvias death, how mine received shall be. Cut my Lace, Charmian come, But let it be, I am quickly ill, and well, So Anthony loves. So Fulvia told me. I prithee turn aside, and weep for her, Then bid adieu to me, and say the tears Belong to Egypt. Good now, play one Scene Of excellent dissembling, and let it look Like perfect Honour. You can do better yet: but this is meetly. And Target. Still he mends. But this is not the best. Look prithee Charmian, How this Herculean Roman do's become The carriage of his chafe. Courteous Lord, one word: Sir, you and I must partly, but that's not it: Sir, you and I have loved, but there's not it: That you know well, something it is I would: O, my Oblivion is a very Anthony, And I am all forgotten. It's sweating Labour, To bear such Idleness so near the heart As Cleopatra this. But Sir, forgive me, Since my becommings kill me, when they do not Eye well to you. Your Honour calls you hence, Therefore be deaf to my unpitied Folly, And all the Gods go with you. Upon your Sword Fit Laurel victory, and smooth success Be strewed before your feet. Charmian. Would, would, give me to drink Mandragora. That I might sleep out this great gap of time: My Anthony is away. Oh it's Treason. Thou, Eunuch Mardian ? Not now to hear thee sing. I take no pleasure In ought and Eunuch ha: 'Tis well for thee, That being vnseminar'd, thy freer thoughts May not fly forth of Egypt. Hast thou Affections? Indeed? O Charmion : Where thinkest thou he is now? Stands he, or sits he? Or does he walk? Or is he on his Horse? O happy horse to bear the weight of Anthony ! Do bravely Horse, for wottedest thou whom thou moou'st, The demy Atlas of this Earth, the Arm And Burganet of men. He's speaking now, Or murmuring, where's my Serpent of old Nyle (For so he calls me:) Now I feed my self With most delicious poison. Think on me That am with Phœbus amorous pinches black, And wrinkled deep in time. Broad-fronted Caesar, When thou was't here above the ground, I was A morsel for a Monarch: and great Pompey Would stand and make his eyes grow in my brow, There would he anchor his Aspect, and die With looking on his life. How much unlike art thou Mark Anthony ? Yet coming from him, that great Medicine hath With his Tinct gilded thee. How goes it with my brave Mark Anthony ? Mine ear must pluck it thence. What was he sad, or merry? O well divided disposition: Note him, Note him good Charmian, it's the man; but note him. He was not sad, for he would shine on those That make their looks by his. He was not merry, Which seemed to tell them, his remembrance lay In Egypt with his joy, but between both. O heavenly mingle! Be'st thou sad, or merry, The violence of either thee becomes, So do's it no men else. Mettest thou my Posts? Who's born that day, when I forget to send to Anthony, shall die a Beggar. Ink and paper Char mian. Welcome my good Alexas. Did I Charmian, e ver love Caesar so? Be choked with such another Emphasis, Say the brave Anthony. By Isis, I will give thee bloody teeth, If thou with Caesar Parago nagaine: My man of men. My Salad days, When I was green in judgement, cold in blood, To say, as I said then. But come, away, Get me Ink and Paper, he shall have every day a several greeting, or I'll vnpeo ple Egypt. Give me some Music: Music, moody food of us that trade in Love. Let it alone, let's to Billards: come Charmian. And when good will is showed, Thought come to short The Actor may plead pardon. I'll none now, Give me mine Angle, weel to the River there My Music playing far off. I will betray Tawny fine fish, my bent hook shall pierce Their slimy jaws: and as I draw them up, I'll think them every one and Anthony, And say, ah would; you are caught. That time? O times: I laughed him out of patience: and that night I laughed him into patience, and next morn, Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed: Then put my Tires and Mantles on him, while I wore his Sword Phillippan. O from Italy, Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears, That long time have been barren. Anthonyo's dead. If thou say so Villain, thou killest thy Mistress: But well and free, if thou so yield him. There is Gold, and here My blewest veins to kiss: a hand that Kings Have lipt, and trembled kissing. Why there's more Gold. But sirrah mark, we use To say, the dead are well: bring it to that, The Gold I give thee, will I melt and power Down thy ill uttering throat. Well, go too I will: But there's no goodness in thy face if Anthony Be free and healthful; so tart a favour To trumpet such good tidings. If not well, Thou shouldst come Like a Fury crowned with Snakes, Not Like a formal man. I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speakest: Yet if thou say Anthony lives, it's well, Or friends with Caesar, or not Captive to him, I'll set thee in a shower of Gold, and hail Rich Pearls upon thee. Well said. the art and honest man. Make thee a Fortune from me. I do not Like but yet, it does allay The good precedence, fie upon but yet, Burr yet is as a Jailer to bring forth Some monstrous Malefactor. Prithee Friend, Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear, The good and bade together: he's friends with Caesar, In state of health thou sayest, and thou sayest, free. For what good turn? I am pale Charmian. The most infectious Pestilence upon thee. What say you? Hence horrible Villain, oh le spurn thine eyes Like balls before me: I'll unhair thy head, Thou shalt be whipped with Wire, and stewed in brine, Smarting in lingering pickle. Say it's not so, a Province I will give thee, And make thy Fortune's proud: the blow thou hadst Shall make thy peace, for moving me to rage, And I will boot thee with what gift beside Thy modesty can beg. Rogue, thou hast lived too long. Some Innocents escape not the thunderbolt: Melt Egypt into Nyle: and kindly creatures Turn all to Serpents. Call the slave again, Though I am mad, I will not bite him: Call? I will not hurt him, These hands do lack Nobility, that they strike A meaner then my self: since I my self Have given my self the cause. Come hither Sir. Though it be honest, it is never good To bring bade news: give to a gracious Message And host of tongues, but let ill tidings tell Themselves, when they be felt. Is he married? I cannot hate thee worse then I do, If thou again say yes. The Gods confound thee, Dost thou hold there still? O, I would thou didst: So half my Egypt were submerged and made A Cistern for scaled Snakes. Go get thee hence, Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face to me, Thou wouldst appear most ugly: He is married? He is married? O that his fault should make a knave of thee, That art not what the art sure of. Get thee hence, The Merchandise which thou hast brought from Room Are all too deer for me: Lie they upon thy hand, and be undone by em. In praising Anthony, I have dispraised Caesar. I am paid for't now: led me from hence, I faint, o Iras, Charmian : it's no matter. Go to the Fellow, good Alexas bid him Report the feature of Octavia : her years, Her inclination, let him not leave out The colour of her hair. Bring me word quickly, Let him for ever go, let him not Charmian, Though he be painted one way Like a Gorgon, The other ways a Mars. Bid you Alexas Bring me word, how tall she is: pity me Charmian, But do not speak to me. Led me to my Chamber. Where is the Fellow? Go too, go too: Come hither Sir. That Herods head, I'll have: but how? When Anthony is gone, through whom I might command it: Come thou near. Didst thou behold Octavia ? Where? Is she as tall as me? Didst hear her speak? Is she shrill tongued or low? That's not so good: he cannot Like her long. I think so Charmian : dull of tongue, & dwarfish What Majesty is in her gate, remember If ere thou lookest on Majesty. Is this certain? He's very knowing, I do perceiu't, There's nothing in her yet. The Fellow ha good judgement. Guess at her years, I prithee. Widow? Charmian, hark. For the most partly too, they are foolish that are so. Her hair what colour? There's Gold for thee, Thou must not take my former sharpness ill, I will employ thee back again: I find thee Most fit for business. Go, make thee ready, Our Letters are prepared. Indeed he is so: I repent me much That so I harried him. Why me think's by him, This Creature's no such thing. The man hath seen some Majesty, and should know. I will be even with thee, doubt it not. Thou hast forespoke my being in these wars, And sayest it it not fit. If not, denounced against us, why should not we be there in person. What is't you say? Sink Room, and their tongues rot That speak against us. A Charge we bear in the War, And as the president of my Kingdom will Appear there for a man. Speak not against it, I will not stay behind. Celerity is never more admired, Then by the negligent. By Sea, what else? I have sixty Sails, Caesar none better. Let me fit down: O Juno. Ah stand by. Well then, sustain me: O. O my Lord, my Lord. Forgive my fearful sails, I little thought You would have followed. O my pardon. Pardon, pardon. What shall we do, Enobarbus ? Is Anthony, or we in fault for this? Prithee peace. That head my Lord? What no more Ceremony? See my Women, Against the blown Rose may they stop their nose, That kneeled unto the Buds. Admit him sir. Caesars will. None but Friends: say boldly. Go on, right Royal. O. He is a God, And knows what is most right. Mine Honour Was not yielded, but conquered merely. What's your name? Most kind Messenger, Say to great Caesar this in disputation, I kiss his conquering hand: Tell him, I am prompt To lay my Crown at's feet, and there to kneel. Tell him, from his all-obeying breath, I hear The doom of Egypt. Your Caesars Father oft, (When he hath mused of taking kingdoms in) Bestowed his lips on that unworthy place, As it rained kisses. Good my Lord. O, is't come to this? Wherefore is this? Have you done yet? I must stay his time? Not know me yet? Ah (Dear) if I be so, From my cold heart let Heaven engender hail, And poison it in the source, and the first stone Drop in my neck: as it determines so Dissolve my life, the next Caesarian smile, Till by degrees the memory of my womb, Together with my brave Egyptians all, By the discandering of this pelleted storm, Lie grauelesse, till the Flies and Gnats of Nyle Have buried them for prey. That's my brave Lord. It is my Birthday, I had thought to have held it poor. But since my Lord Is Anthony again, I will be Cleopatra. Call all his Noble Captains to my Lord. What means this? What does he mean? Sleep a little. Nay, I'll help too, Anthony. What's this for? Ah let be, let be, thou art The Armourer of my heart: False, false: This, this, Sooth-law I'll help: Thus it must be. Is not this buckled well? Led me: He goes forth gallantly: That he and Caesar might Determine this great War in single fight; Then Anthony ; but now. Well on. Lord of Lords. O infinite Virtue, comest thou smiling from The world's great snare uncaught. I'll give thee Friend And Armour all of Gold: it was a Kings. Why is my Lord enraged against his Love? Help me my women: O he's more mad Then Telamon for his Shield, the Boar of Thessaly Was never so embossed. To the Monument: Mardian, go tell him I have slain my self: Say, that the last I spoke was Anthony, And word it (prithee) piteously. Hence Mardian, And bring me how he takes my deam h to the Monument. O Charmian, I will never go from hence. No, I will not: All strange and terrible events are welcome, But comforts we despise; our size of sorrow Proportioned to our cause, must be as great As that which makes it. How now? is he dead? O Sun, Burn the great Sphere thou movest in, darkling stand The varying shore of the world. Oh Antony, Antony, Antony Help Charmian, help Iras help: help Friends Below, let's draw him hither. So it should be, That none but Anthony should conquer Anthony, But woe it's so. I dare not Dear, Dear my Lord pardon: I dare not, Least I be taken: not the Imperious show Of the full-Fortun'd Caesar, ever shall Be brooch'd with me, if Knife, Drug, Serpents have Edge, sting, or operation. I am safe: Your Wife Octavia, with her modest eyes, And still Conclusion, shall acquire no Honour Demurring upon me but come, come Anthony, Help me my women, we must draw that e up Assist good Friends. Here's sport indeed: How heavy weighs my Lord? Our strength is all gone into heaviness, That makes the weight. Had I great Juno is power, The strong winged Mercury should fetch thee up, And set thee by Jove's side. Yet come a little, Wishers were ever Fools. O come, come, come, And welcome, welcome. Die when thou hast lived, Quicken with kissing: had my lips that power, Thus would I wear them out. No, let me speak, and let me rail so hie, That the false Huswife Fortune, break her Wheel, Provoked by my offence. They do not go together. My Resolution, and my hands, I'll trust, None about Caesar. Noblest of men, wilt die? Hast thou no care of me, shall I abide In this dull world, which in thy absence is No better then a Stye? O see my women: The Crown of the earth does melt. My Lord? O withered is the Garland of the War, The Soldiers pole is fallen: young Boys and Girls Are level now with men: The odds is gone, And there is nothing left remarkable Beneath the visiting Moon. No more but in a Woman, and commanded By such poor passion, as the Maid that Milks, And doe's the meanest cham es. It were for me, To throw my Sceptre at the injurious Gods, To tell them that this World did equal theirs, Till they had stolen our Jewel. All's but nought: Patience is sottish, and impatience does Become a Dog that's mad: Then is it sin, To rush into the secret house of death, Ere death dare come to us. How do you Women? What, what good cheer? Why how now Charmian ? My Noble Girls? Ah Women, women! Look Our Lamp is spent, it's out. Good sirs, take heart, We'll bury him: And then, what's brave, what's Noble, Let's doo't after the high Roman fashion, And make death proud to take us. Come, away, This case of that huge Spirit now is cold. Ah Women, Women! Come, we have no Friend But Resolution, and the breefest end. My desolation does begin to make A better life: 'Tis paltry to be Caesar: Not being Fortune, he's but Fortune's knave, A minister of her will: and it is great To do that thing that ends all other deeds, Which shackles accidents, and bolts up change; Which sleeps, and never palates more the dung, The beggars Nurse, and Caesars. What's thy name? Anthony Did ell me of you, bade me trust you, but I do not greatly care to be deceived That have no use for trusting. If your Master Would have a Queece his beggar, you must tell him, That Majesty to keep decorum, must No less beg then a Kingdom: If he please To give me conquered Egypt for my Son, He gives me so much of mine own, as I Will kneel to him with thanks. Pray you tell him, I am his Fortune's Vassal, and I send him The Greatness he has God. I hourly learn A Doctrine of Obedience, and would gladly Look him in the Face. Quick, quick, good hands. What of death too that rids our dogs of languish Where art thou Death? Come hither come; Come, come, and take a Queen Worth many Babes and Beggars. 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 Caesar what he can. Know sir, that I Will not wait pinioned at your Master's Court, Nor once be chastised with the sober eye Of dull Octavia. Shall they hoist me up, And show me to the shouting Varlotarie Of censuring Room? Rather a ditch in Egypt. Be gentle graven unto me, rather on Nylus mud Lay me starke-nak'd, and let the water-Flies Blow me into abhorting; rather make My Countries high pyramids my Gibbet, And hang me up in Chains. Say, I would die. I cannot tell. No matter sir, what I have herd or known: You laugh when Boys or Women tell their Dreams, Is't not your trick? I dreamt there was and Emperor Anthony. O such another sleep, that I might see But such another man. His face was as the Heavens, and therein stuck A Sun and Moon, which kept their course, & lighted The little of the earth. His legs bestrid the Ocean, his reared 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. And Anthony it was, That grew the more by reaping: His delights Were Dolphin-like, they showed his back above The Element they lived in: In his Livery Walked Crowns and Crownets: Realms & Islands were As Plataeae dropped from his pocket. Think you there was, or might be such a man As this I dreamt of? You Lie up to the hearing of the Gods: But if there be, nor ever were one such It's passed the size of dreaming: Nature wants stuff To vie strange forms with fancy, yet to imagine And Anthony were Nature's piece, against Fancy, Condemning shadows quite. I thank you sir: Know you what Caesar means to do with me? Nay pray you sir. He'll lead me then in Triumph. Sir, the Gods will have it thus, My Master and my Lord I must obey, Sole Sir of the World, I cannot project mine own cause so well To make it clear, but do confess I have Be laden with Like frailties, which before Have often shamed our Sex. And may through all the world: 'tis yours, & we your Scutcheons, and your signs of Conquest shall Hang in what place you please. Here my good Lord. This is the brief: of Money, Plate, & Jewels I am possessed of, it's exactly valued, Not petty things admitted. Where's Seleucus ? This is my Treasurer, let him speak (my Lord) Upon his peril, that I have reserved To my self nothing. Speak the truth Seleucus. What have I kept back. See Caesar: O behold, How pomp is followed: 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 Then love that's hyt'd? What goest thou back, y u shalt Go back I warrant thee: but I'll catch thine eyes Though they had wings. Slave, Soulless, Villain, Dog. Oh rarely base! Oh Caesar, 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 Caesar ) That I some Lady trifles would e reserved, Immoment toys, things of such Dignity As we greet modern Friends withal, and say Some Nobler token I have kept apart For Li I and Octavia, to induce Their mediation, must I be unfolded With one that I have bred: The Gods! it smites me Beneath the fallen I have. Prithee go hence, Or I shall show the Cinders of my spirits Through the Ashes of my chance: Were't thou a man, Thou wouldst have mercy on me. Be it known, that we the greatest are mis-thoght For things that others do: and when we fallen, We answer others merits, in our name Are therefore to be pitied. My Master, and my Lord. He words me Girls, he words me, That I should not be Noble to my self. But hark thee Charmian. High that e again, I have spoke already, and it is provided, Go put it to the haste. Dolabella. Dolabella, I shall remain your debtor. Farewell, and thanks. Now Iras, what thinkest thou? Thou, and Egyptian Puppet shall be shown In Room aswell as I: Mechanic Slaves With greasy Aprons, Rules, and Hammers shall Uplift us to the view. In their thick breathes, Rank of gross diet, shall we be enclowded, And forced to drink their vapour. Nay, it's most certain Iras : saucy Lictors Will catch at us Like Strumpets, and scald Rhymers Ballads us out a Tune. The quick Comedians Extemporally will stage us, and present Our Alexandrian Revels: Anthony Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see Some squeaking Cleopatra Boy my greatness In the posture of a Whore. Nay that's certain. Why that's the way to fool their preparation, And to conquer their most absurd intents. Now Charmian. Show me my Women Like a Queen: Go fetch My best Attires. I am again for Cidrus, To meet Mark Anthony. Sirrah Iras, go (Now Noble Charmian, we'll dispatch indeed,) And when thou hast done this chare, I'll give thee leave To play till Doomsday: bring our Crown, and all. Wherefore's this noise? Let him come in. What poor and Instrument 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. Avoid, and leave him. Hast thou the pretty worm of Nylus there, That kills and pains not? Rememberest thou any that have died on't? Get thee hence, farewell. Farewell. I, I, farewell. Take thou no care, it shall be heeded. Will it eat me? Well, get thee gone, farewell. 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: Me thinks I hear Anthony call: I see him rouse himself To praise my Noble Act. I hear him mock The luck of Caesar, 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. Have I the Aspic in my lips? Dost fallen? If thou, and Nature can so gently partly, The stroke of death is as a Lovers pinch, Which hurts, and is desired. Dost thou lie still? If thus thou vanishest, thou tellest the world, It is not worth leave-taking. This proves me base: If she first meet the Curled Anthony. He'll make demand of her, and spend that kiss Which is my heaven to have. Come thou mortal wretch, With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate, Of life at once untie: Poor venomous Fool, Be angry, and dispatch. O couldst thou speak, That I might hear thee call great Caesar Ass, unpolicied. Peace, peace: Dost thou not see my Baby at my breast, That sucks the Nurse asleep. As sweet as Balm, as soft as Air, as gentle. Oh Anthony ! Nay I will take thee too. What should I stay— As well a woman with and Eunuch played, as with a woman. Come you'll play with me Sir? I have one thing more to ask him yet good Charmian : but it's no matter, thou shalt bring him to me where I will write; all may be well enough. Bearest thou her face in mind? is't long or round?