Dol. If it might please ye

Cleo. His face was as the Heau'ns, and therein stucke A Sunne and Moone, which kept their course, & lighted The little o'th' earth

Dol. Most Soueraigne Creature

Cleo. His legges bestrid the Ocean, his rear'd arme Crested the world: His voyce was propertied As all the tuned Spheres, and that to Friends: But when he meant to quaile, and shake the Orbe, He was as ratling Thunder. For his Bounty, There was no winter in't. An Anthony it was, That grew the more by reaping: His delights Were Dolphin-like, they shew'd his backe aboue The Element they liu'd in: In his Liuery Walk'd Crownes and Crownets: Realms & Islands were As plates dropt from his pocket

Dol. Cleopatra

Cleo. Thinke you there was, or might be such a man As this I dreampt of? Dol. Gentle Madam, no

Cleo. You Lye vp to the hearing of the Gods: But if there be, not euer were one such It's past the size of dreaming: Nature wants stuffe To vie strange formes with fancie, yet t' imagine An Anthony were Natures peece, 'gainst Fancie, Condemning shadowes quite

Dol. Heare me, good Madam: Your losse is as your selfe, great; and you beare it As answering to the waight, would I might neuer Ore-take pursu'de successe: But I do feele By the rebound of yours, a greefe that suites My very heart at roote

Cleo. I thanke you sir: Know you what Caesar meanes to do with me? Dol. I am loath to tell you what, I would you knew

Cleo. Nay pray you sir

Dol. Though he be Honourable

Cleo. Hee'l leade me then in Triumph

Dol. Madam he will, I know't.

Flourish.

Enter Proculeius, Caesar, Gallus, Mecenas, and others of his Traine.

All. Make way there Caesar

Caes Which is the Queene of Egypt

Dol. It is the Emperor Madam.

Cleo. kneeles.

Caesar. Arise, you shall not kneele: I pray you rise, rise Egypt

Cleo. Sir, the Gods will haue it thus, My Master and my Lord I must obey, Caesar. Take to you no hard thoughts, The Record of what iniuries you did vs, Though written in our flesh, we shall remember As things but done by chance

Cleo. Sole Sir o'th' World, I cannot proiect mine owne cause so well To make it cleare, but do confesse I haue Bene laden with like frailties, which before Haue often sham'd our Sex

Caesar. Cleopatra know, We will extenuate rather then inforce: If you apply your selfe to our intents, Which towards you are most gentle, you shall finde A benefit in this change: but if you seeke To lay on me a Cruelty, by taking Anthonies course, you shall bereaue your selfe Of my good purposes, and put your children To that destruction which Ile guard them from, If thereon you relye. Ile take my leaue

Cleo. And may through all the world: tis yours, & we your Scutcheons, and your signes of Conquest shall Hang in what place you please. Here my good Lord

Caesar. You shall aduise me in all for Cleopatra

Cleo. This is the breefe: of Money, Plate, & Iewels I am possest of, 'tis exactly valewed, Not petty things admitted. Where's Seleucus? Seleu. Heere Madam

Cleo. This is my Treasurer, let him speake (my Lord) Vpon his perill, that I haue reseru'd To my selfe nothing. Speake the truth Seleucus

Seleu. Madam, I had rather seele my lippes, Then to my perill speake that which is not

Cleo. What haue I kept backe

Sel. Enough to purchase what you haue made known Caesar. Nay blush not Cleopatra, I approue Your Wisedome in the deede

William Shakespeare
Classic Literature Library

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