Iras. Finish, good lady; the bright day is done, And we are for the dark. Cleo. Hie thee again: I have spoke already, and it is provided; Go, put it to the hafte. Dol. Madam, as thereto fworn by your command, I tell you this: Cæfar through Syria Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæfar. Cleo. Farewell, and thanks. [Exit DOLA.] Now, Iras, what think'st thou ? Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown Iras. The gods forbid ! Cleo. Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: Saucy lictors Will catch at us, like ftrumpets; and scald rhymers Our Alexandrian revels; Antony Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see I' the posture of a whore. Iras. O the good gods! Cleo. Nay, that is certain. Iras. I'll never see it; for, I am sure, my nails Are ftronger than mine eyes. Cleo. Why, that's the way To fool their preparation, and to conquer Their most abfurd intents.-Now, Charmian ?— Enter CHARMIAN. Show me, my women, like a queen ;—Go fetch And, when thou haft done this chare, I'll give thee leave Guard. [Exit IRAS. A noise within. Enter one of the Guard. Here is a rural fellow, That will not be deny'd your highness' presence; He brings you figs. Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an inftrument May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty. [Exit Guard. Of Of woman in me: Now from head to foot I am marble-constant: now the fleeting moon Re-enter Guard, with a Clown bringing a basket. [Exit Guard. Cleo. Avoid, and leave him. Haft 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 defire you to touch him, for his biting is immortal; thofe, that do die of it, do feldom or never recover. Cleo. 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 fomething 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' the worm: But he that will believe all that they say, shall never be faved by half that they do: But this is moft fallible, the worm's an odd worm. Cleo. Get thee hence; farewell. Clown. I wish you all joy of the worm. Cleo. Farewell. [Clown fets down the basket. Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind. Cleo. Ay, ay; farewell. Clown. Look you, the worm is not to be trusted, but in the keeping of wife people; for, indeed, there is no goodness in the worm. Cleo. Take thou no care; it shall be heeded. Clown. Clown. Very good: give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding. Cleo. Will it eat me? Clown. You must not think I am so fimple, but I know the devil himself will not eat a woman: I know, that a woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil drefs her not. But, truly, thefe fame whorefon devils do the gods great harm in their women; for in every ten that they make, the devils mar five. Cleo. Well, get thee gone; farewell. Clown. Yes, forfooth; I wish you joy of the worm. Re-enter IRAS, with a robe, crown, &c. [Exit. Cleo. 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 :- To praise my noble act; I hear him mock I give to bafer life.-So,-have you done? [Kifles them. IRAS falls and dies. Have I the afpick in my lips? Dolt fall? The ftroke of death is as a lover's pinch, Doft thou lie ftill? |