1 Guard. Where is the queen ? Char.

1 Guard. Cæsar hath sent, Char.

Speak softly, wake her not.

Too slow a messenger.

[Applies an asp.

O, come apace, despatch: I partly feel thee.

1 Guard. Approach, ho! all's not well: Cæsar's beguil'd.

2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar; call him.

1 Guard. What work is here!-Charmian, is this well

done?

Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess

Descended of so many royal kings.

Ah, soldier!

[Dies.

Re-enter DOLABELLA.

All dead.

Cæsar, 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 Cæsar!

Re-enter CÆSAR and his Train.

Dol. O, sir, you are too sure an augurer;

That you did fear is done.
Cæs.

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.

Dol.

Who was last with them?

1 Guard. A simple countryman that brought her figs.

This was his basket.

O Cæsar,

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.

Cæs.

O noble weakness!

310

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.

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.

Dol.

Here on her breast

There is a vent of blood, and something blown:

The like is on her arm.

ACT V.

1 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.

Cœs.

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;

And then to Rome.-Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

[Exeunt.

CYMBELINE.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

CYMBELINE, King of Britain.

CLOTEN, Son to the Queen by a former Husband.

POSTHUMUS LEONATUS, a Gentleman, Husband to IMOGEN. BELARIUS, a banished Lord, disguised under the name of MORGAN.

GUIDERIUS,

ARVIRAGUS,

Sons to CYMBELINE, disguised under the
names of POLYDORE and CADWAL, Sup-
posed Sons to BELARIUS.

PHILARIO, Friend to POSTHUMUS, Italians.
IACHIMO, Friend to PHILARIO,

A French Gentleman, Friend to PHILARIO.
CAIUS LUCIUS, General of the Roman Forces.
A Roman Captain.

Two British Captains.

PISANIO, Servant to POSTHUMUS.

CORNELIUS, a Physician.

Two Lords of CYMBELINE'S Court.

Two Gentlemen of the same.

Two Gaolers.

QUEEN, Wife to CYMBELINE.

IMOGEN, Daughter to CYMBELINE by a former Queen.
HELEN, Woman to IMOGEN.

Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, Apparitions, a Soothsayer, a Dutch Gentleman, a Spanish Gentleman, Musicians, Officers, Captains, Soldiers, Messengers, and

other Attendants.

SCENE,-Sometimes in BRITAIN; sometimes in ITALY.

SCENE I.- BRITAIN. The Garden behind CYMBELINE'S

Palace.

Enter two Gentlemen.

1 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.

2 Gent.

But what's the matter?

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

He purpos'd 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.

2 Gent.

None but the king?

1 Gent. He that hath lost her too: so is the queen,
That most desir'd 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.

2 Gent.

And why so?

1 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.

2 Gent.

You speak him far.

1 Gent. I do extend him, sir, within himself;