And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!

We will here part.

Cæsar.

Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well.

The elements be kind to thee, and make

Thy spirits all of comfort! fare thee well.

My noble brother!

Octavia.. Antony. The April's in her eyes: it is love's spring, And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful. Octavia. Look well to my husband's house; and, sirCæsar. What, Octavia?

Octavia. I'll tell you in your ear.

Antony. Her tongue will not obey her heart,3 nor can Her heart inform her tongue; the swan's down feather That stands upon the swell at full of tide,

And neither way

inclines.

ACT III. SCENE III.

Cleopatra. Did'st thou behold Octavia ?

Messenger. Ay, dread queen.

Cleopatra.

Messenger.

Where?

Madam, in Rome.

I look'd her in the face, and saw her led
Between her brother and Mark Antony.
Cleopatra. Is she as tall as me ?1

Messenger.

She is not, madam.

Cleopatra. Didst hear her speak? Is she shrill-tongu'd or low?

Messenger. Madam, I heard her speak; she is lowvoic'd.

Cleopatra. That's not so good.-He cannot like her long. Charmian. Like her? O, Isis! 'tis impossible.

Cleopatra. I think so, Charmian; dull of tongue and

dwarfish!

What majesty is in her gait? Remember,

If e'er thou look'dst on majesty.

Messenger.

She creeps;

Her motion and her station are as one;
She shows a body, rather than a life;

A statue, than a breather.

I do perceive 't. There's nothing in her yet.
The fellow has sound judgment.

Charmian.

Excellent.

Cleopatra. Guess at her years, I pr'ythee.

Messenger.

She was a widow.

Cleopatra.

Madam,

Widow? Charmian, hark.

Messenger. And I do think she's thirty.

Cleopatra. Bear'st thou her face in mind? is 't long or

Messenger. Brown, madam; and her forehead is as low

As she would wish it.

Cleopatra.

There is gold for thee;

Thou must not take my former sharpness ill.
I will employ thee back again: I find thee
More fit for business. Go, make thee ready;
Our letters are prepar'd.

Charmian.

A proper man.

Cleopatra. Indeed, he is so: I repent me much That I so harry'd him. Why, methinks, by him The creature's no such thing.

Charmian.

O, nothing, madam.

Cleopatra. The man hath seen some majesty, and should

know.

Charmian. Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend. And serving you so long!

Cleopatra. I have one thing more to ask him yet, good
Charmian,

But 'tis no matter; thou shalt bring him to me
Where I will write. All may be well enough.
Charmian. I warrant you, madam.

ACT IV. SCENE XIII.

Antony. The miserable change now at my end
Lament nor sorrow at: but please your thoughts
In feeding them with those my former fortunes
Wherein I liv'd, the greatest prince o' the world,
The noblest and do now not basely die,
Nor cowardly; put off my helmet to

My countryman, a Roman, by a Roman
Valiantly vanquish'd. Now, my spirit is going;
I can no more.

Cleopatra.

Noblest of men, woo't die?

Hast thou no care of me? Shall I abide
In this dull world, which in thy absence is
No better than a sty? O see, my women,
The crown o' the earth doth melt. My lord!
O, wither'd is the garland of the war,

The soldier's pole is fallen; young boys and girls

[Dies.

Are level now with men: the odds is gone,

And there is nothing left remarkable

Beneath the visiting moon.

Charmian.

Iras. She is dead too, our sovereign.

Charmian.

Iras.

[She faints.

O, quietness, lady!

Lady!

Madam!

Royal Egypt!

Charmian. O, madam, madam, madam!

Iras.

Empress !

Charmian. Peace, peace, Iras.

Cleopatra. No more, but e'en a woman; and com

manded

By such poor passion as the maid that milks,

And does the meanest chares. 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 naught;
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?

What, what? Good cheer!

How do you, women?

Why, how now, Charmian ?

My noble girls! Ah, women, women! look,

Our lamp is spent, it's out :-Good sirs, take heart :

[To the guard below.

We'll bury him: and then, what's brave, what's noble,

Let's do it 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 briefest end.

[Exeunt, those above bearing off Antony's body.

ACT V. SCENE II.

Cleopatra. My desolation does begin to make
A better life: 'Tis paltry to be Cæsar;
Not being fortune, he's but fortune's knave,
A minister of her will; And it is great

5

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 beggar's nurse and Cæsar's.

*

Cleopatra.

*

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 Cydnus,

To meet Mark Antony: Sirrah, Iras, go.—
Now, noble Charmian, we'll despatch 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?

Re-enter IRAS, with robe, crown, &c.

Cleopatra. 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 :

F