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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 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
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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;
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And then to Rome。 Come; Dolabella; see High order in this great
solemnity。 Exeunt
THE END
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