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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.

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.