 | The Tragedie of Cleopatra |  |
SCENA. I.
Cleopatra.Charmion. Eras.
Yet do I liue, and yet can breath extend
My life beyond my life: nor can my graue
Shut vp my griefes, to make my end my end?
Will yet confusion haue more then I haue?
Is th'honor, wonder, glory, pompe, and all
Of Cleopatra dead, and shee not dead?
Haue I outliu'd my selfe, and seene the fall
Of all vpon me, and not ruined?
Can yet these eyes indure the gastly looke
Of desolations darke and ougly face,
Woont but on fortunes fairest side to looke,
Where nought was, but applause, but smiles, & grace
Whil'st on his shoulders all my rest relyde.
On whom the burthen of my ambition lay,
My Atlas, and the Champion of my pride,
That did the world of all my glory sway:
Who here throwne downe, disgrac'd, confounded lies
Crusht with the weight of shame and infamie,
Following th'vnluckie partie of mine eyes,
The traines of lust and imbecillitie.
My life beyond my life: nor can my graue
Shut vp my griefes, to make my end my end?
Will yet confusion haue more then I haue?
Is th'honor, wonder, glory, pompe, and all
Of Cleopatra dead, and shee not dead?
Haue I outliu'd my selfe, and seene the fall
Of all vpon me, and not ruined?
Can yet these eyes indure the gastly looke
Of desolations darke and ougly face,
Woont but on fortunes fairest side to looke,
Where nought was, but applause, but smiles, & grace
Whil'st on his shoulders all my rest relyde.
On whom the burthen of my ambition lay,
My Atlas, and the Champion of my pride,
Who here throwne downe, disgrac'd, confounded lies
Crusht with the weight of shame and infamie,
Following th'vnluckie partie of mine eyes,
The traines of lust and imbecillitie.
Now who would thinke that I were she who late
With all the ornaments on earth inrich'd,
Enuirond with delights, ingyrt with state,
Glittering in pompe that hearts and eyes bewitc'h,
Should thus distrest cast downe from off the height,
Leueld with low disgrac'd calamitie.
Vnder the weight of such affliction sigh,
Reduc'd vnto th'extreamest misery?
With all the ornaments on earth inrich'd,
Enuirond with delights, ingyrt with state,
Glittering in pompe that hearts and eyes bewitc'h,
Should thus distrest cast downe from off the height,
Leueld with low disgrac'd calamitie.
Vnder the weight of such affliction sigh,
Reduc'd vnto th'extreamest misery?
Am I the woman whose inuentiue pride
Adorn'd like Isis skorn'd mortalitie?
Ist I would haue my frailtie so beli'd,
That flatterie could perswade I was not I?
Well now I see they but delude that praise vs,
Greatnes is mockt, prosperitie betraies vs.
And we are but our selues, although this cloud
Of enterpoised-smoake makes vs seeme more.
The spreading parts of pompe whereof w'are proud,
Are not our parts, but parts of other store.
Witnesse these gallant fortune following traines,
These summer-swallowes of felicitie,
Gone with the heat of all, see what remaines,
This monument, two maides, and wretched I.
And I t'adorne their triumphs am reseru'd
A captiue kept to honor others spoiles,
Whom Cæsar labours so to hold preseru'd,
And seekes to entertaine my life with wiles,
But Cæsar it is more then thou canst doe,
Promise, flatter, threaten extreamities,
Imploy thy wits, and all thy force thereto,
I haue both hands and will, and I can die.
Adorn'd like Isis skorn'd mortalitie?
Ist I would haue my frailtie so beli'd,
That flatterie could perswade I was not I?
Well now I see they but delude that praise vs,
Greatnes is mockt, prosperitie betraies vs.
And we are but our selues, although this cloud
Of enterpoised-smoake makes vs seeme more.
The spreading parts of pompe whereof w'are proud,
Are not our parts, but parts of other store.
Witnesse these gallant fortune following traines,
These summer-swallowes of felicitie,
Gone with the heat of all, see what remaines,
This monument, two maides, and wretched I.
And I t'adorne their triumphs am reseru'd
A captiue kept to honor others spoiles,
Whom Cæsar labours so to hold preseru'd,
And seekes to entertaine my life with wiles,
But Cæsar it is more then thou canst doe,
Promise, flatter, threaten extreamities,
Imploy thy wits, and all thy force thereto,
I haue both hands and will, and I can die.
Come Eras, shall we goe and interrupt
With some perswading words, this streame of mone?
Eras.
No Charmion, stay the current that is stopt
Will but swell vp the more: let her alone.
Time hath not brought this hot disease of griefe,
T' a Crisis fit to take a medicine yet;
Tis out of season to apply reliefe.
To sorrowes late begun, and in the fit
Calamitie is stubborne in the prime
Of new afflictions, we must giue it time.
Cle.
Shall Rome behold my scepter-bearing hand
Behinde me bound, and glory in my teares?
Shall I passe by whereas Octauia stands
To view my misery, that purchast hers?
No, I disdaine that head which wore a crowne
Should stoope to take vp that which others giue:
I must not be, vnlesse I be mine owne,
T'is sweet to die, when we are forc'd to liue.
Nor had I staid behind my selfe this space,
Nor paid such interest for my borrowed breath,
But that hereby I seeke to purchase grace
For my distressed seed after my death.
Its that which doth my deerest bloud controule,
Thats it alas detaines me from my tombe,
Whilst nature brings to contradict my soule,
The argument of mine vnhappy wombe.
Behinde me bound, and glory in my teares?
Shall I passe by whereas Octauia stands
To view my misery, that purchast hers?
No, I disdaine that head which wore a crowne
Should stoope to take vp that which others giue:
I must not be, vnlesse I be mine owne,
T'is sweet to die, when we are forc'd to liue.
Nor had I staid behind my selfe this space,
Nor paid such interest for my borrowed breath,
But that hereby I seeke to purchase grace
For my distressed seed after my death.
Its that which doth my deerest bloud controule,
Thats it alas detaines me from my tombe,
Whilst nature brings to contradict my soule,
The argument of mine vnhappy wombe.
But what know I if th'heauens haue decreed,
And that the sinnes of Egypt haue deseru'd
The Ptolomies should faile, and none succeed,
And that my weakenes was thereto reseru'd,
That I should bring confusion to my state,
And fill the measure of iniquitie:
And my luxuriousnes should end the date
Of loose and il-dispensed libertie.
If it be so, then what need these delayes,
Since I was made the meanes of miserie,
Why should I not but make my death my praise,
That had my life but for mine infamie?
And leaue ingrau'd in letters of my bloud,
A fit memoriall for the times to come,
To be example for such princes good,
As please themselues, and care not what become.
And that the sinnes of Egypt haue deseru'd
The Ptolomies should faile, and none succeed,
And that my weakenes was thereto reseru'd,
That I should bring confusion to my state,
And fill the measure of iniquitie:
And my luxuriousnes should end the date
Of loose and il-dispensed libertie.
If it be so, then what need these delayes,
Why should I not but make my death my praise,
That had my life but for mine infamie?
And leaue ingrau'd in letters of my bloud,
A fit memoriall for the times to come,
To be example for such princes good,
As please themselues, and care not what become.
Char.
Deare madam, do not thus afflict your heart
No doubt you may worke out a meane to liue,
And hold your state, and haue as great a part
In Cæsars grace, as Anthony could giue:
He that in this sort doth sollicit you,
And treates by all the gentle meanes he can,
Why should you doubt that he should proue vntrue,
Or thinke him so disnatured a man,
To wrong your royall trust or dignitie?
Cle.
Charmion, because that now I am not I,
My fortune, with my beauty, and my youth.
Hath left me vnto misery and thrall,
And Cæsar cares not now by wayes of truth,
But cunning, to get honor by my fall.
Ch.
You know not Cæsars dealing till you try.
Cle.
To try, were to be lost and then descry.
Ch.
You to Antonius did commit your selfe,
And why might not Antonius so haue done?
Cl.
I wonne Antonius, Cæsar hath me woone.
Er.
But madame, you might haue articuled
With Cæsar, when Thyrius he of late
Did offer you so kindly as he did.
Vpon conditions to haue held your state.
Cl.
Tis true, I know I might haue held my state,
If I would then haue Anthony betrai'd,
Er.
And why not now, since Anthony is dead,
And that Octauius hath the end he sought,
May not you haue what then was offered?
And that you would not teach him to deny,
By doubting him, or asking fearefully.
Cleop.
Fearefully Eras peace, I skorne to feare,
Who now am got out of the reach of wrath,
Aboue the power of pride. What should I feare
The might of men, that am at one with death?
Speake ye no more to me I charge you here.
What? will you two, who still haue tooke my part
In all my fortunes, now conspire with feare
To make me mutinie against my heart?
Who now am got out of the reach of wrath,
Aboue the power of pride. What should I feare
The might of men, that am at one with death?
Speake ye no more to me I charge you here.
What? will you two, who still haue tooke my part
In all my fortunes, now conspire with feare
To make me mutinie against my heart?
No Antony, because the world takes note
That t'was my weakenesse that hath ruin'd thee,
And my ambitious practises are thought
The motiue and the cause of all to be.
My constancie shall vndeceiue their mindes,
And I will bring the witnesse of my bloud
To testifie my fortitude, that binds
My equall loue, to fall with him I stood,
Though God thou knowst, this staine is wrongly laid
Vpon my soule, whom ill successe makes ill:
And my condemn'd misfortune hath no aide
Against prowd lucke that argues what it will.
Defects I grant I had, but this was worst,
That being the first to fall, I d'id not first.
That t'was my weakenesse that hath ruin'd thee,
And my ambitious practises are thought
The motiue and the cause of all to be.
My constancie shall vndeceiue their mindes,
And I will bring the witnesse of my bloud
To testifie my fortitude, that binds
My equall loue, to fall with him I stood,
Though God thou knowst, this staine is wrongly laid
Vpon my soule, whom ill successe makes ill:
And my condemn'd misfortune hath no aide
Against prowd lucke that argues what it will.
Defects I grant I had, but this was worst,
That being the first to fall, I d'id not first.
Though I perhaps could lighten mine owne side
With some excuse of my constrained case
Drawne downe with power: but that were to diuide
My shame, to stand alone in my disgrace.
To cleare me so, would shew my affections naught,
And make th'excuse more hainous then the fault.
Since if I should our errors disvnite,
I should confound afflictions onely rest,
That from sterne death euen steales a sad delight
To die with friends, and with the like distrest.
And I confesse me bound to sacrifice
To death and thee the life that doth reproue me.
Our like distresse I feele doth simpathize,
And now affliction makes me truely loue thee.
When heretofore my vaine lasciuious Cort
Fertile in euery fresh and new-choyce pleasure,
Affoarded me so bountifull disport,
That I to stay on loue, had neuer leisure.
My vagabound desires no limits found,
For lust is endlesse, pleasure hath no bound.
When thou bred in the strictnesse of the citie,
The ryotous pompe of monarchs neuer learnedst
Invr'd to warres, in womens wiles vnwitty,
Whilst others faind, thou felt'st to loue in earnest
Not knowing women loue them best that houer,
And make least reckoning of a doting louer.
With some excuse of my constrained case
Drawne downe with power: but that were to diuide
My shame, to stand alone in my disgrace.
To cleare me so, would shew my affections naught,
And make th'excuse more hainous then the fault.
Since if I should our errors disvnite,
I should confound afflictions onely rest,
That from sterne death euen steales a sad delight
To die with friends, and with the like distrest.
To death and thee the life that doth reproue me.
Our like distresse I feele doth simpathize,
And now affliction makes me truely loue thee.
When heretofore my vaine lasciuious Cort
Fertile in euery fresh and new-choyce pleasure,
Affoarded me so bountifull disport,
That I to stay on loue, had neuer leisure.
My vagabound desires no limits found,
For lust is endlesse, pleasure hath no bound.
When thou bred in the strictnesse of the citie,
The ryotous pompe of monarchs neuer learnedst
Invr'd to warres, in womens wiles vnwitty,
Whilst others faind, thou felt'st to loue in earnest
Not knowing women loue them best that houer,
And make least reckoning of a doting louer.
And yet thou camst but in by beauties waine,
When new appearing wrinckles of declining
Wrought with the hand of yeares, seem'd to detaine
My graces light, as now but dimly shining,
Euen in the confines of mine age, when I
Fayling of what I was and was but thus,
When such as we doe deeme in iealousie,
That men loue for themselues, and not for vs.
Then and but thus thou didst loue most sincerely.
(O Antony that best deserud'st it better)
This Autumne of my beauty, bought so deerely,
For which in more then death I stand thy debtor
Which I will pay thee with so true a minde,
Casting vp all these deepe accounts of mine
As both our soules, and all the world shall find
All reckonings cleer'd betwixt my loue and thine.
But to the end I may preuent prowd Cæsar,
Who doth so eagerly my life importune:
I must preuaile me of this little leisure,
Seeming to suite my mind vnto my fortune:
Thereby with more conuenience to prouide,
For what my death, and honor best shall fit,
An yeelding base content must wary hide
My last designe, till I accomplish it:
That hereby yet the world shall see that I,
Although vnwise to liue, had wit to die.
When new appearing wrinckles of declining
Wrought with the hand of yeares, seem'd to detaine
My graces light, as now but dimly shining,
Euen in the confines of mine age, when I
Fayling of what I was and was but thus,
When such as we doe deeme in iealousie,
That men loue for themselues, and not for vs.
Then and but thus thou didst loue most sincerely.
(O Antony that best deserud'st it better)
This Autumne of my beauty, bought so deerely,
For which in more then death I stand thy debtor
Which I will pay thee with so true a minde,
Casting vp all these deepe accounts of mine
As both our soules, and all the world shall find
All reckonings cleer'd betwixt my loue and thine.
But to the end I may preuent prowd Cæsar,
Who doth so eagerly my life importune:
I must preuaile me of this little leisure,
Thereby with more conuenience to prouide,
For what my death, and honor best shall fit,
An yeelding base content must wary hide
My last designe, till I accomplish it:
That hereby yet the world shall see that I,
Although vnwise to liue, had wit to die.
| The Tragedie of Cleopatra | |