Of my good purposes, and put your children
To that destruction which I'll guard them from,
If thereon you rely. I'll take my leave.

yours; and we

Cleo. My master, and my lord!

Cas. Not so: adieu. [exeunt Cæsar andhis Train. Cleo. He words me, girls, he words me, that I should not

Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made Cas. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra; I approve Your wisdom in the deed.

Cleo. See, Cæsar! O, behold,

How pomp is follow'd! 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 Than love that's hired!-What, goest thou back? thou shalt

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings: Slave, soul-less villain, O rarely base!

[dog!

Cas. Good queen, let us intreat you. Cleo. O Cæsar, what a wounding shame is this; That thou, vouchsafing here to visit me, Doing the honour of thy lordliness

[me

To one so meek, that mine own servant should
Parcel the sum of my disgraces by
Addition of his envy! Say, good Cæsar,
That I some lady trifles have reserv'd,
Immoment toys, things of such dignity
As we greet modern friends withal and say,
Some nobler token I have kept apart
For Livia, and Octavia, to induce
Their mediation; must I be unfolded
With one that I have bred? The gods! It smites
Beneath the fall I have. Pry'thee, go hence;
[to Seleucus.
Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits
Through the ashes of my chance:-)
-Wert thou a
Thou would'st have mercy on me.
[man,
Ces. Forbear, Seleucus. [exit Seleucus.
Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are
misthought

For things that others do; and, when we fall
We answer others' merits in our name,
Are therefore to be pitied.

[whispers Charmian.

Iras. Finish, good lady: the bright day is done, And we are for the dark.

Dol. Madam, as thereto sworn by your comWhich my love makes religion to obey, I tell you this: Cæsar 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.

Cleo. Dolabella,

I shall remain your debtor.
Dol. I your servant.

Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæsar.
Cleo. Farewell, and thanks. [exit Dol.] Now,
Iras, what think'st thou?

Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt 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 !

Cleo. 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'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 stronger than mine eyes.

Cleo. Why, that's the way

To fool their preparation, and to conquer Their most absurd intents.-Now, Charmian? Enter Charmian.

-Go fetch

Show me, my women, like a queen ;-
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 thes
leave

To play till doomsday.-Bring our crown and all.
Wherefore's this noise? [exit Iras; a noise within
Enter one of the Guard.
Guard. Ilere is a rural fellow,

That will not be denied your highness' presence; | He brings you figs.

Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instrument
[exit Guard.

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 Guard, with a Clown, bringing a basket.
Guard. This is the man.

Cleo. Avoid, and leave him.- [exit Guard. 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.

Cleo. Remember'st thou any that have died on't? Clown. Very many, men and women too. I heard 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'the worm: But he that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do: but this is most fallible, the worm's an odd worm. Cleo. Get thee hence; farewell.

Clown. I wish you all joy o'the worm. Cleo. Farewell. [Clown sets down the basket. Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind.

Re-enter Iras, with a robe, crown, &c. Cleo. Give me my robe, put on my crown; I Immortal longings in me: now no more [have 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 : 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 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 thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world
It is not worth leave-taking.

Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say The gods themselves do weep!

Cleo. This proves me base:

If she first meet the curled Antony,
He'll make demand of her; and spend that kiss,
Which is myheaven to have.-Come,mortal wretch,

[to the asp, which she applies to her breast.
With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate
Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool,
Be angry, and despatch. O, could'st thou speak!
That I might hear thee call great Cæsar, ass
Unpolicied!

Char. O eastern star!
Cleo. Peace, peace!

Dost thou not see my baby at my breast,
That sucks the nurse asleep?

Char. O, break! O break!

Cleo. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as

gentle,―

O Antony!-Nay, I will take thee too :

[applies another asp to her arm.
What, should I say- [falls on a bed, and dies.
Char. In this wild world?-So, fare thee well.—
Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies
A lass unparallel'd.-Downy windows, close;
And golden Phoebus never be beheld

Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry;
I'll mend it, and then play.

Enter the Guard, rushing in.

1 Guard. Where is the queen? Char. Speak softly, wake her not. 1 Guard. Cæsar hath sent

Char. Too slow a messenger. [applies the asp. O come; apace, despatch: I partly feel thee. 1 Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well; Cæsar's beguil❜d.

2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar;— call him.

1 Guard. What work is here ?-Charmian, is this well done?

Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess Descended of so many royal kings. Ah, soldier!

Enter Dolabella.

Dol. How goes it here?

2 Guard. All dead.

Dol. Cæsar, thy thoughts

[dies.

Touch their effects in this: thyself art coming
To see perform'd the dreaded act, which thou
So sought'st to hinder.

[Within.] A way, there, way for Cæsar!
Enter Cæsar and Attendants.
Dol. O, sir, you are too sure an augurer
That you did fear, is done.

Cas. Bravest at the last:

She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal, Took her own way. The manner of their deaths?

I do not see them bleed.

Dol. Who was last with them?
R

1 found her trimming up the diadem

On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood, And on the sudden dropp'd.

Cæs. O noble weakness!

If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear By external swelling: but she looks like sleep, As she would catch another Antony

In her strong toil of grace.

Dol. Here, on her breast,

There is a vent of blood, and something blown: The like is on her arm.

She hath pursu'd conclusions infinite
Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed;
And bear her women from the monument:
She shall be buried by her Antony:

No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them; and their story is
No less in pity, than his glory, which
Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall,
In solemn show, attend this funeral;
And then to Rome.-Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

[exeunt.

SCENE I. NAVAERE, A PARK, WITH A PALACE IN IT.

Tedge

Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain.
King. LET fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live register'd upon our brazen tombs,
And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
When, spite of cormorant devouring time,
The endeavour of this present breath may buy
That honour, which shall bate his scythe's keen
And make us heirs of all eternity.
Therefore, brave conquerors!-for so you are,
That war against your own affections,
And the huge army of the world's desires,
Our late edict shall strongly stand in force :
Navarre shall be the wonder of the world;
Our court shall be a little academe,
Still and contemplative in living art.
You three, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville,
Have sworn for three years' term to live with me,
My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes,
That are recorded in this schedule here:

Your oaths are past, and now subscribe your names;
That his own hand may strike his honour down,
That violates the smallest branch herein:
If you are arm'd to do, as sworn to do,
Subscribe to your deep oath, and keep it too.
Long. I am resolv'd: 'tis but a three years' fast;
The mind shall banquet, though the body pine:
Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits
Make rich the ribs, but bank'rout quite the wits.
Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortified;
The grosser manner of these world's delights
He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves:
To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die;
With all these living in philosophy.

Bir. I can but say their protestation over.
So much, dear liege, I have already sworn,
That is, to live and study here three years.
But there are other strict observances:
As, not to see a woman in that term;
Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there:
And, one day in week to touch no food;
And but one meal on every day beside;

The which, I hope, is not enrolled there:
And then, to sleep but three hours in the night,
And not be seen to wink of all the day;
(When I was wont to think no harm all night,
And make a dark night too of half the day ;)
Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there:
O, these are barren, tasks, too hard to keep;
Not to see ladies, study, fast, not sleep.

King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these.

Bir. Let me say no, my liege, an if you please; I only swore, to study with your grace, And stay here in your court for three years' space. Long. You swore to that, Biron, and to the rest. Bir. By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest.What is the end of study? let me know. King. Why, that to know, which else we should

not know.

Bir. Things hid and barr'd, you mean, from

common sense;

King. Ay, that is study's godlike recompense. Bir. Come on then, I will swear to study so, To know the thing I am forbid to know: As thus-To study where I well may dine. When I to feast expressly am forbid; Or, study where to meet some mistress fine,

When mistresses from common sense are hid: Or, having sworn too hard-a-keeping oath, Study to break it, and not break my troth. If study's gain be thus, and this be so, Study knows that, which yet it doth not know: Swear me to this, and I will ne'er say, no.

King. These be the stops that hinder study quite, And train our intellects to vain delight.. [vain, Bir. Why, all delights are vain; but that most Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain: As, painfully to pore upon a book,

To seek the light of truth: while truth the while Doth falsely blind the eyesight of his look:

Light, seeking light, doth light of light beguile: So, ere you find where light in darkness lies, Your light grows dark by lesing of your eyea

Too much to know, is, to know nought but fame, And every godfather can give a name.

King. How well he's read, to reason against reading!

[ing! Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good proceedLong. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the weeding!

Bir. The spring is near, when green geese are a breeding.

Dum. How follows that?

Biron. Fit in his place and time.
Dum. In reason nothing.

Bir. Something then in rhyme.

Long. Biron is like an envious sneaping frost, That bites the first-born infants of the spring.

Bir. Well, say anı; why should proud sumBefore the birds have any cause to sing? [mer boast, Why should I joy in an abortive birth?

At Christmas I no more desire a rose
Than wish a snow in May's new-fangled shows;
But like of each thing, that in season grows.
So you, to study now it is too late,
Climb o'er the house to unlock the little gate.
King. Well, sit you out: go home, Biron; adieu!
Bir. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay

with you;

And, though I have for barbarism spoke more,
Than for that angel knowledge you can say,
Yet confident I'll keep what I have swore,

And bide the penance of each three years' day.
Give me the paper, let me read the same;
And to the strict'st decrees I'll write my name.
King. How well this yielding rescues thee from
shame!

Bir. [reads.] Item, "That no woman shall come within a mile of my court.'

"

And hath this been proclaim'd?

Long. Four days ago.

Bir. Let's see the penalty.

[reads.]-"On pain of losing her tongue. Who devis'd this?

Long. Marry, that did I.

Bir. Sweet lord, and why?

Long. To fright them hence with that dread pen'Bir. A dangerous law against gentility. [alty. [reads.] Item, "If any man be seen to talk with a woman within the term of three years, he shall endure such public shame as the rest of the court can possibly devise."

This article, my liege, yourself must break:

For, well you know, here comes in embassy The French king's daughter, with yourself to speak,

A maid of grace, and complete majesty,— About surrender-up of Aquitain

To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father: Therefore this article is made in vain,

Or vainly comes the admired princess hither. King. What say you, lords? why, this was quite

forgot.

Bir. So study evermore is overshot; While it doth study to have what it would, It doth forget to do the thing it should: And when it hath the thing it hunteth most, 'Tis won, as towns with fire; so won, so lost. King. We must, of force, dispense with this deShe must lie here on mere necessity. [cree; Bir. Necessity will make us all forsworn Three thousand times within this three years' space:

For every man with his affects is born;

Not by might master'd, but by special grace: If I break faith, this word shall speak for me,— I am forsworn on mere necessity.— So to the laws at large I write my name:

[subscribes.

And he that breaks them in the least degree, Stands in attainder of eternal shame:

Suggestions are to others, as to me; But, I believe, although I seem so loth, I am the last that will last keep his oath, But there is no quick recreation granted? King. Ay, that there is: our court you know, is haunted

With a refined traveller of Spain; A man in all the world's new fashion planted, That hath a mint of phrases in his brain: One, whom the music of his own vain tongue Doth ravish, like enchanting harmony; A man of complements, whom right and wrong Have chose as umpire of their mutiny: This child of fancy, that Armado hight,

For interim to our studies, shall relate, In high-born words, the worth of many a knight From tawny Spain, lost in the world's debate. How you delight, my lords, I know not, I; But I protest, I love to hear him lie, And I will use him for my minstrelsy.

Bir. Armado is a most illustrious wight, A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight. Long. Costard the swain, and he, shall be our sport;

And so to study, three years is but short.

Enter Dull, with a letter and Costard.
Dull. Which is the Duke's own person?
Biron. This, fellow; what would'st?

Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for i am his grace's tharborough: but I would see his own person in flesh and blood.