按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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。 ＇CLEOPATRA 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 sex。 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
93
… Page 94…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
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
94
… Page 95…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
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 whore。
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。
95
… Page 96…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
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。 Ta