Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 18 (salic, caius, flewellen, coronel, mamon, crimes…). Matches are highlighted.
to cut off all obstacles of fear: All whatsoever seems but to withstand Their least conceit of quiet, held so deer; And so entrench themselves with blood, w to crimes, With all injustice as their fears dispose: Yet for all this we see, how oftentimes The means they work to keep, are means to loose. And sure I cannot see, how
Full speech
Philostratus, that self same care to live, Possesses all alike, and grieve not then Nature doth us no more then others give: Though we speak more then men, we are but men. And yet (in truth) these Misery's to see, Wherein we stand in most extreme distress: Might to our selves sufficient motives be To loathe this life, and weigh our death the less. For never any age hath better taught, What feeble footing pride and greatness hath. How 'improuident prosperity is caught, And clean confounded in the day of wrath. See how dismayed Confusion keeps those streets, That nought but mirth & Music late resounded, How nothing with our eye but horror meets, Our state, our wealth, our pride & all confounded. Yet what weak sighed did not discern from far This black-arising tempest, all confounding? Who did not see we should be what we are, When pride and riot grew to such abounding. When dissolute impiety possessed, Unrespective minds of such a people: When insolent Security found rest In wanton thoughts, with lust and ease made feeble. Then when unwary peace with fat-fed pleasure, New-fresh invented riots still detected, Purchased with all the Ptolemy's rich treasure, Our laws, our Gods, our mysteries neglected. Who saw not how this confluence of vice, This innondation of disorders, must At length of force pay back the bloody price Of sad destruction, (a reward for lust.) Oh thou and I have herd, and read, and known Of like proud states, as woefully encumbered, And framed by them, examples for our own: Which now among examples must be numbered. For this decree a law from high is given, And ancient Canon, of eternal date, In Consistory of the stars of heaven, Entered the book of unavoided Fate; That no state can in heighth of happiness, In exaltation of their glory stand: But thither once arrived, declining less, Ruin themselves, or fallen by others hand. Thus does the everchanging course of things, Run a perpetual circle, ever turning: And that same day that highest glory brings, Brings us unto the point of back-returning. For senseless sensuality, does ever Accompany felicity and greatness. A fatal witch, whose charms do leave us never, Till we leave all in sorrow for our sweetness; When yet our selves must be the cause we fallen, Although the same be first decreed on High: Our errors still must bear the blame of all, This must it be, earth ask not heaven why. Yet mighty men with wary jealous hand, Strive to cut off all obstacles of fear: All whatsoever seems but to withstand Their least conceit of quiet, held so deer; And so entrench themselves with blood, w to crimes, With all injustice as their fears dispose: Yet for all this we see, how oftentimes The means they work to keep, are means to loose. And sure I cannot see, how this can stand With great Augustus safety and his honour, To cut off all succession from our land, For her offence that pulled the wars upon her. The price is life that they are rated at. Plurality of Caesars are not good. Not for it doth, but that it may do harm. 'Tis best to quench a spark before it flame. Such innocents, seldom remain so still. And sure his death may best procure our peace, Competitors the subject dearly buys: And so that our affliction may surcease, Let geat men be the peoples sacrifice. But see where Caesar comes himself, to try And work the mind of our distressed Queen, To apprehend some falsed hope: whereby She might be drawn to have her fortune seen. But yet I think, Room will not see that face (That quel her cham ̄ pions,) blush in base disgrace.
Plot summary
Plot — Cleopatra
Antony is dead, but Cleopatra still lives, holed up in her monument. She wants to join her lover in death, but is restrained by fear of how her children will be treated afterwards. Egypt has been conquered by Caesar, who visits the defeated Queen; she asks for mercy and hands over an inventory of her treasure, but her secretary Seleucus betrays her by notifying Caesar that she has kept some items back. Attempting to get her son Caesario out of Egypt, she entrusts him to his tutor Rhodon; but Rhodon is bribed by Caesar’s agents and hands the boy over to be killed by the Romans. Charmed by her beauty, Dolabella warns Cleopatra that Caesar intends to display her in his triumph, so she procures two asps and kills herself with them. ‘ —— ° ; 1593 B-Text In this version, more is told of the death of Antony before the start of the action: how Cleopatra sent him a false report of her death, which precipitated his attempted suicide, and how he was hoisted up into the monument to die. Cleopatra’s wish to kill herself is initially kept secret: she is first seen making arrangements to send Caesario to India, intending that he should one day return to supplant Caesar as the ruler of the Roman Empire.