Re-enter IRAS with a robe, crown, &c.

Cleo. 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.

290

[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 desired. Dost thou lie still?

If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world

It is not worth leave-taking.

300

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 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 Cæsar ass
Unpolicied!

Char

Cleo.

O eastern star!

Peace, peace!

Dost thou not see my baby at my breast,

That sucks the nurse asleep?

O, break! O, break!

Char.
Cleo. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle,-
O Antony!-Nay, I will take thee too:

What should I stay

310

[Applying another asp to her arm.

Char. 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 Phæbs never be beleld

[Dies

320

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

Enter the Guard, rushing in.

First Guard. Where is the queen?
Char.

Speak softly, wake her not

First Guard. Cæsar hath sent-
Char.

Too slow a messenger.
[Applies an asp.

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

First Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæsar's beguiled.

Sec. Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar; call him. First Guard. What work is here! Charmian, is this well done?

Char. It is well done, and nitting for a princess Descended of so many royal kings.

Ah, soldier!

330

[Dies.

Re-enter DOLABELLA.

All dead.

Cæsar, thy thoughts

Dol. How goes it here?

Sec. Guard.

Dol.

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 Cæsar!" Re-enter CESAR, and all his train, marching.

Dol. O sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear is done.

Bravest at the last,

Cas.
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?

340

First Guard. A simple countryman, that brought her

This Charmian lived 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.

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.

350

First Guard. This is an aspic's trail: and these fig-leaves Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves

Upon the caves of Nile.

Cæs.

Most probable

That so she died; for her physician tells me

She hath pursued 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.

360

[Exeunt.

SCENE I. Britain. The garden of Cymbeline's palace.

Enter tiro Gentlemen.

First Gent. You do not meet a man but frowns; our bloods

No more obey the heavens than our courtiers

Still seem as does the king.

But what's the matter?

First Gent. His daughter, and the heir of's kingdom,

He purposed to his wife's sole son-a widow

That late he married-hath referr'd herself

Unto a poor but worthy gentleman: she's wedded;

Her husband banish'd; she imprison'd: all

Is outward sorrow; though I think the king
Be touch'd at very heart.

Sec. Gent.

None but the king?

First Gent. He that hath lost her too; so is the queen, That most desired the match; but not a courtier, Although they wear their faces to the bent

Of the king's looks, hath a heart that is not
Glad at the thing they scowl at.

Sec. Gent.

And why so?

First Gent. He that hath miss'd the princess is a thing Too bad for bad report: and he that hath her—

I mean, that married her, alack, good man!
And therefore banish'd-is a creature such
As, to seek through the regions of the earth
For one his like, there would be something failing
In him that should compare. I do not think
So fair an outward and such stuff within
Endows a man but he.

Sec. Gent.

You speak him far.

First Gent. I do extend him, sir, within himself, Crush him together rather than unfold

His measure duly.

Sec. Gent. What's his name and birth?

First Gent. I cannot delve him to the root: his father

Was call'd Sicilius, who did join his honour

Against the Romans with Cassibelan,

But had his titles by Tenantius whom

10

20

30

He served with glory and admired success,

So gain'd the sur-addition Leonatus;

And had, besides this gentleman in question,

Two other sons, who in the wars o' the time

Died with their swords in hand; for which their father,
Then old and fond of issue, took such sorrow
That he quit being, and his gentle lady,

Big of this gentleman our theme, deceased
As he was born. The king he takes the babe

To his protection, calls him Posthumus Leonatus,
Breeds him and makes him of his bed-chamber,
Puts to him all the learnings that his time
Could make him the receiver of; which he took,
As we do air, fast as 'twas minister'd,
And in's spring became a harvest, lived in court-
Which rare it is to do-most praised, most loved,
A sample to the youngest, to the more mature
A glass that feated them, and to the graver
A child that guided dotards; to his mistress,
For whom he now is banish'd, her own price