The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Chapter 40

Enter an EGYPTIAN

But I will tell you at some meeter season.

The business of this man looks out of him;

We'll hear him what he says. Whence are you?

EGYPTIAN. A poor Egyptian, yet the Queen, my mistress,

Confin'd in all she has, her monument,

Of thy intents desires instruction,

That she preparedly may frame herself

To th' way she's forc'd to.

CAESAR. Bid her have good heart.

She soon shall know of us, by some of ours,

How honourable and how kindly we

Determine for her; for Caesar cannot learn

To be ungentle.

EGYPTIAN. So the gods preserve thee! Exit

CAESAR. Come hither, Proculeius. Go and say

We purpose her no shame. Give her what comforts

The quality of her passion shall require,

Lest, in her greatness, by some mortal stroke

She do defeat us; for her life in Rome

Would be eternal in our triumph. Go,

And with your speediest bring us what she says,

And how you find her.

PROCULEIUS. Caesar, I shall. Exit

CAESAR. Gallus, go you along. Exit GALLUS

Where's Dolabella, to second Proculeius?

ALL. Dolabella!

CAESAR. Let him alone, for I remember now

How he's employ'd; he shall in time be ready.

Go with me to my tent, where you shall see

How hardly I was drawn into this war,

How calm and gentle I proceeded still

In all my writings. Go with me, and see

What I can show in this. Exeunt

ACT_5|SC_2

SCENE II.

Alexandria. The monument

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and MARDIAN

CLEOPATRA. My desolation does begin to make

A better life. 'Tis paltry to be Caesar:

Not being Fortune, he's but Fortune's knave,

A minister of her will; and it is great

To do that thing that ends all other deeds,

Which shackles accidents and bolts up change,

Which sleeps, and never palates more the dug,

The beggar's nurse and Caesar's.

Enter, to the gates of the monument, PROCULEIUS, GALLUS,

and soldiers

PROCULEIUS. Caesar sends greetings to the Queen of Egypt,

And bids thee study on what fair demands

Thou mean'st to have him grant thee.

CLEOPATRA. What's thy name?

PROCULEIUS. My name is Proculeius.

CLEOPATRA. Antony

Did tell me of you, bade me trust you; but

I do not greatly care to be deceiv'd,

That have no use for trusting. If your master

Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him

That majesty, to keep decorum, must

No less beg than a kingdom. If he please

To give me conquer'd Egypt for my son,

He gives me so much of mine own as I

Will kneel to him with thanks.

PROCULEIUS. Be of good cheer;

Y'are fall'n into a princely hand; fear nothing.

Make your full reference freely to my lord,

Who is so full of grace that it flows over

On all that need. Let me report to him

Your sweet dependency, and you shall find

A conqueror that will pray in aid for kindness

Where he for grace is kneel'd to.

CLEOPATRA. Pray you tell him

I am his fortune's vassal and I send him

The greatness he has got. I hourly learn

A doctrine of obedience, and would gladly

Look him i' th' face.

PROCULEIUS. This I'll report, dear lady.

Have comfort, for I know your plight is pitied

Of him that caus'd it.

GALLUS. You see how easily she may be surpris'd.

Here PROCULEIUS and two of the guard ascend the

monument by a ladder placed against a window,

and come behind CLEOPATRA. Some of the guard

unbar and open the gates

Guard her till Caesar come. Exit

IRAS. Royal Queen!

CHARMIAN. O Cleopatra! thou art taken, Queen!

CLEOPATRA. Quick, quick, good hands. [Drawing a dagger]

PROCULEIUS. Hold, worthy lady, hold, [Disarms her]

Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this

Reliev'd, but not betray'd.

CLEOPATRA. What, of death too,

That rids our dogs of languish?

PROCULEIUS. Cleopatra,

Do not abuse my master's bounty by

Th' undoing of yourself. Let the world see

His nobleness well acted, which your death

Will never let come forth.

CLEOPATRA. Where art thou, death?

Come hither, come! Come, come, and take a queen

Worth many babes and beggars!

PROCULEIUS. O, temperance, lady!

CLEOPATRA. Sir, I will eat no meat; I'll not drink, sir;

If idle talk will once be necessary,

I'll not sleep neither. This mortal house I'll ruin,

Do Caesar what he can. Know, sir, that I

Will not wait pinion'd at your master's court,

Nor once be chastis'd with the sober eye

Of dull Octavia. Shall they hoist me up,

And show me to the shouting varletry

Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt

Be gentle grave unto me! Rather on Nilus' mud

Lay me stark-nak'd, and let the water-flies

Blow me into abhorring! Rather make

My country's high pyramides my gibbet,

And hang me up in chains!

PROCULEIUS. You do extend

These thoughts of horror further than you shall

Find cause in Caesar.

Enter DOLABELLA

DOLABELLA. Proculeius,

What thou hast done thy master Caesar knows,

And he hath sent for thee. For the Queen,

I'll take her to my guard.

PROCULEIUS. So, Dolabella,

It shall content me best. Be gentle to her.

[To CLEOPATRA] To Caesar I will speak what you shall please,

If you'll employ me to him.

CLEOPATRA. Say I would die.

Exeunt PROCULEIUS and soldiers

DOLABELLA. Most noble Empress, you have heard of me?

CLEOPATRA. I cannot tell.

DOLABELLA. Assuredly you know me.

CLEOPATRA. No matter, sir, what I have heard or known.

You laugh when boys or women tell their dreams;

Is't not your trick?

DOLABELLA. I understand not, madam.

CLEOPATRA. I dreamt there was an Emperor Antony-

O, such another sleep, that I might see

But such another man!

DOLABELLA. If it might please ye-

CLEOPATRA. His face was as the heav'ns, and therein stuck

A sun and moon, which kept their course and lighted

The little O, the earth.

DOLABELLA. Most sovereign creature-

CLEOPATRA. His legs bestrid the ocean; his rear'd arm

Crested the world. His voice was propertied

As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends;

But when he meant to quail and shake the orb,

He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty,

There was no winter in't; an autumn 'twas

That grew the more by reaping. His delights

Were dolphin-like: they show'd his back above

The element they liv'd in. In his livery

Walk'd crowns and crownets; realms and islands were

As plates dropp'd from his pocket.

DOLABELLA. Cleopatra-

CLEOPATRA. Think you there was or might be such a man

As this I dreamt of?

DOLABELLA. Gentle madam, no.

CLEOPATRA. You lie, up to the hearing of the gods.

But if there be nor ever were one such,

It's past the size of drearning. Nature wants stuff

To vie strange forms with fancy; yet t' imagine

An Antony were nature's piece 'gainst fancy,

Condemning shadows quite.

DOLABELLA. Hear me, good madam.

Your loss is, as yourself, great; and you bear it

As answering to the weight. Would I might never

O'ertake pursu'd success, but I do feel,

By the rebound of yours, a grief that smites

My very heart at root.

CLEOPATRA. I thank you, sir.

Know you what Caesar means to do with me?

DOLABELLA. I am loath to tell you what I would you knew.

CLEOPATRA. Nay, pray you, sir.

DOLABELLA. Though he be honourable-

CLEOPATRA. He'll lead me, then, in triumph?

DOLABELLA. Madam, he will. I know't. [Flourish]

[Within: 'Make way there-Caesar!']

Enter CAESAR; GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MAECENAS, SELEUCUS,

and others of his train

CAESAR. Which is the Queen of Egypt?

DOLABELLA. It is the Emperor, madam. [CLEOPATPA kneels]

CAESAR. Arise, you shall not kneel.

I pray you, rise; rise, Egypt.

CLEOPATRA. Sir, the gods

Will have it thus; my master and my lord

I must obey.

CAESAR. Take to you no hard thoughts.

The record of what injuries you did us,

Though written in our flesh, we shall remember

As things but done by chance.

CLEOPATRA. Sole sir o' th' world,

I cannot project mine own cause so well

To make it clear, but do confess I have

Been laden with like frailties which before

Have often sham'd our s*x.

CAESAR. Cleopatra, know

We will extenuate rather than enforce.

If you apply yourself to our intents-

Which towards you are most gentle- you shall find

A benefit in this change; but if you seek

To lay on me a cruelty by taking

Antony's course, you shall bereave yourself

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.

CLEOPATRA. And may, through all the world. 'Tis yours, and we,

Your scutcheons and your signs of conquest, shall

Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.

CAESAR. You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.

CLEOPATRA. This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels,

I am possess'd of. 'Tis exactly valued,

Not petty things admitted. Where's Seleucus?

SELEUCUS. Here, madam.

CLEOPATRA. This is my treasurer; let him speak, my lord,

Upon his peril, that I have reserv'd

To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.

SELEUCUS. Madam,

I had rather seal my lips than to my peril

Speak that which is not.

CLEOPATRA. What have I kept back?

SELEUCUS. Enough to purchase what you have made known.

CAESAR. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra; I approve

Your wisdom in the deed.

CLEOPATRA. See, Caesar! O, behold,

How pomp is followed! 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 hir'd! What, goest thou back? Thou shalt

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes

Though they had wings. Slave, soulless villain, dog!

O rarely base!

CAESAR. Good Queen, let us entreat you.

CLEOPATRA. O Caesar, what a wounding shame is this,

That thou vouchsafing here to visit me,

Doing the honour of thy lordliness

To one so meek, that mine own servant should

Parcel the sum of my disgraces by

Addition of his envy! Say, good Caesar,

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 me

Beneath the fall I have. [To SELEUCUS] Prithee go hence;

Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits

Through th' ashes of my chance. Wert thou a man,

Thou wouldst have mercy on me.

CAESAR. Forbear, Seleucus. Exit SELEUCUS

CLEOPATRA. 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.

CAESAR. Cleopatra,

Not what you have reserv'd, nor what acknowledg'd,

Put we i' th' roll of conquest. Still be't 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 w***e.

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.