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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
yours； Bestow it at your pleasure； and believe Caesar's no merchant； to
make prize with you Of things that merchants sold。 Therefore be cheer'd；
Make not your thoughts your prisons。 No； dear Queen； For we intend so to
dispose you as Yourself shall give us counsel。 Feed and sleep。 Our care
and pity is so much upon you That we remain your friend； and so； adieu。
CLEOPATRA。 My master and my lord！ CAESAR。 Not so。 Adieu。 Flourish。
Exeunt CAESAR and his train CLEOPATRA。 He words me； girls； he
words me； that I should not Be noble to myself。 But hark thee； Charmian！
＇Whispers CHARMIAN＇ IRAS。 Finish； good lady； the bright day is done；
And we are for the dark。 CLEOPATRA。 Hie thee again。 I have spoke
already； and it is provided； Go put it to the haste。 CHARMIAN。 Madam； I
will。
Re…enter DOLABELLA
DOLABELLA。 Where's the Queen？ CHARMIAN。 Behold； sir。 Exit
CLEOPATRA。 Dolabella！ DOLABELLA。 Madam； as thereto sworn by
your command； Which my love makes religion to obey； I tell you this：
Caesar through Syria Intends his journey； and within three days You with
your children will he send before。 Make your best use of this； I have
perform'd Your pleasure and my promise。 CLEOPATRA。 Dolabella； I shall
remain your debtor。 DOLABELLA。 I your servant。 Adieu； good Queen； I
must attend on Caesar。 CLEOPATRA。 Farewell； and thanks。 Exit
DOLABELLA Now； Iras； what think'st thou？ Thou an Egyptian puppet
shall be shown In Rome as well as I。 Mechanic slaves； With greasy aprons；
rules； and hammers； shall Uplift us to the view； in their thick breaths；
Rank of gross diet； shall we be enclouded； And forc'd to drink their vapour。
IRAS。 The gods forbid！ CLEOPATRA。 Nay； 'tis most certain； Iras。 Saucy
lictors Will catch at us like strumpets； and scald rhymers Ballad us out o'
tune； the quick comedians Extemporally will stage us； and present Our
Alexandrian revels； Antony Shall be brought drunken forth； and I shall see
Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness I' th' posture of a whore。
IRAS。 O the good gods！ CLEOPATRA。 Nay； that's certain。 IRAS。 I'll
never see't； for I am sure mine nails Are stronger than mine eyes。
CLEOPATRA。 Why； that's the way To fool their preparation and to
conquer Their most absurd intents。
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Enter CHARMIAN
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 dispatch indeed； And when thou hast done
this chare； I'll give thee leave To play till doomsday。 Bring our crown and
all。 Exit IRAS。 A noise within Wherefore's this noise？
Enter a GUARDSMAN
GUARDSMAN。 Here is a rural fellow That will not be denied your
Highness' presence。 He brings you figs。 CLEOPATRA。 Let him come in。
Exit GUARDSMAN What poor an instrument May do a noble deed！ He
brings me liberty。 My resolution's plac'd； 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 GUARDSMAN and CLOWN； with a basket
GUARDSMAN。 This is the man。 CLEOPATRA。 Avoid； and leave
him。 Exit GUARDSMAN Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there 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。 CLEOPATRA。 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' th' worm。 But he that will believe all that they
say shall never be saved by half that they do。 But this is most falliable； the
worm's an odd worm。 CLEOPATRA。 Get thee hence； farewell。 CLOWN。 I
wish you all joy of the worm。 ＇Sets down the basket＇ CLEOPATRA。
Farewell。 CLOWN。 You must think this； look you； that the worm will do
his kind。 CLEOPATRA。 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。 CLEOPATRA。 Take thou no care； it shall be
heeded。 CLOWN。 Very good。 Give it nothing； I pray you； for it is not
worth the feeding。 CLEOPATRA。 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
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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 five。 CLEOPATRA。 Well；
get thee gone； farewell。 CLOWN。 Yes； forsooth。 I wish you joy o' th'
worm。 Exit
Re…enter IRAS； with a 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 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。
＇Kisses them。 IRAS falls and dies＇ Have I the aspic in my lips？ Dost fall？
If thus thou and nature can so gently part； The stroke of death is as a
lover's pinch； Which hurts and is desir'd。 Dost thou lie still？ If thou
vanishest； thou tell'st the world It is not worth leave…taking。 CHARMIAN。
Dissolve； thick cloud； and rain； that I may say The gods themselves do
weep。 CLEOPATRA。 This proves me base。 If she first meet the curled
Antony； He'll make demand of her； and spend that kiss Which