The Complete Works of William Shakespeare

Chapter 41

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 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 is my heaven to have. Come, thou mortal wretch,

[To an 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 dispatch. O couldst thou speak,

That I might hear thee call great Caesar ass

Unpolicied!

CHARMIAN. O Eastern star!

CLEOPATRA. Peace, peace!

Dost thou not see my baby at my breast

That sucks the nurse asleep?

CHARMIAN. O, break! O, break!

CLEOPATRA. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle-

O Antony! Nay, I will take thee too:

[Applying another asp to her arm]

What should I stay- [Dies]

CHARMIAN. In this vile 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

FIRST GUARD. Where's the Queen?

CHARMIAN. Speak softly, wake her not.

FIRST GUARD. Caesar hath sent-

CHARMIAN. Too slow a messenger. [Applies an asp]

O, come apace, dispatch. I partly feel thee.

FIRST GUARD. Approach, ho! All's not well: Caesar's beguil'd.

SECOND GUARD. There's Dolabella sent from Caesar; call him.

FIRST GUARD. What work is here! Charmian, is this well done?

CHARMIAN. It is well done, and fitting for a princes

Descended of so many royal kings.

Ah, soldier! [CHARMIAN dies]

Re-enter DOLABELLA

DOLABELLA. How goes it here?

SECOND GUARD. All dead.

DOLABELLA. Caesar, thy thoughts

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, a way for Caesar!']

Re-enter CAESAR and all his train

DOLABELLA. O sir, you are too sure an augurer:

That you did fear is done.

CAESAR. 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.

DOLABELLA. Who was last with them?

FIRST GUARD. A simple countryman that brought her figs.

This was his basket.

CAESAR. Poison'd then.

FIRST GUARD. O Caesar,

This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood and spake.

I found her trimming up the diadem

On her dead mistress. Tremblingly she stood,

And on the sudden dropp'd.

CAESAR. 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.

DOLABELLA. Here on her breast

There is a vent of blood, and something blown;

The like is on her arm.

FIRST GUARD. This is an aspic's trail; and these fig-leaves

Have slime upon them, such as th' aspic leaves

Upon the caves of Nile.

CAESAR. Most probable

That so she died; for her physician tells me

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

THE END

1601

AS YOU LIKE ITby William Shakespeare