 | The Tragedie of Cleopatra Queen of Aegypt |  |
Actus Quartus.
Cleopatra, Glaucus.GLA.
Madam, all drugs with pain and torment kill
That kill with speed. No easie way to death
Is wrought but by a slow and lingring course,
Where Natures strength is by degrees subdu'd,
And yielding so decayes insensibly.
No art at all can make a drug that's quick
And gentle too. No poyson but the Aspe
Of all the mortall brood of Libyaes Snakes
Kils with a suddain, and yet easie death
As if brought forth to contradict our skill
By envious Nature, who disdains frail man
Should hope to finde her secrets wholly out.
None but that Serpent, Madam, can effect
What you desire; of which I here have brought.
CLE.
Leave it good Glaucus; leave the potion too.
'Tis quick, thou sayst.
GLA.
Yes Madam; but too painfull
And violent.
Well leave them both with me.
Exit Glaucus.
Let none adventure on prosperity
But with a spirit still prepar'd to die.
Let them keep certain death still in their power
That dare be great and happy, nought but that
Frees states when they are fall'n. Well did wise
And liberall Nature on mankinde bestow
A gift so soveraigne as power to die,
An Antidote 'gainst Fortunes cruelty,
That is the deere preservative, that must
Controll the spite of Fortune, and redeem
A wofull life from lothed servitude.
One venome's gentle; tother rough and cruell.
But tis not safe to trust mine honour so,
On doubtfull props: the poysons both may fail,
Or differ farre from what vain fame reports
Their operation. Tis experience
That must confirme me. Mardio is return'd.
Enter Mardio with two prisoners.
MAR.
Here are two men, Madam, condemn'd for murder
To cruell death, and are to die to morrow.
CLE.
Come neerer both, and tell me, dare you die?
1 PRI.
Great Queen, necessities strict law imposes
That doom upon us; in forc'd actions
Courage can have no triall.
CLE.
Dare you die
A lesse dishonorable way, to scape
The common hangman's hand, and from a Queen
Receive your death, and that an easier death?
Most willingly, great Queen; we are prepar'd.
CLE.
Give them their lots, Mardio; the shortest lot
Is to die first.
2 PRI.
That lot is mine.
CLE.
The Aspe shall be thy fate: now Aspe confirme
What fame reports of thee; stay thou thy draught
Till he be dead: feel'st thou no pain?
2 PRI.
A faintnesse seizes me, and I would sleep.
MAR.
How gently he lies down? and scarcely strives
Against his death at all.
CLE.
I think he's dead
Already. Sure he feels but little pain.
I am confirm'd.
MAR.
He's dead and stiffe already.
CLE.
Wee'll try no more, as for thy draught of poyson
Thus we discharge thee of it, and from death
Doom'd by the law our royall pardon frees thee.
Publish it Mardio.
PRI.
The Gods preserve
Royall and gracious Cleoptrae's life.
Exeunt.
CLE.
I am resolvd'; nought but the Libyan Aspe
Shall be renown'd for Cleopatraes death.
Thou precious worme, that canst redeem alone
The losse of honour at a rate so easie,
That kill'st as gently as the hand of age,
Since thou alone mak'st barren Afrike envy'd,
By other lands, though fruitfull, wanting thee.
Who crosse the Seas, and hence at highest price
Transport the Aspe as choisest Merchandise.
On thee I trust, one gentle touch of thine
Can free this life from lothed servitude,
From Cæsar's triumph, the base peoples mocks,
Proud Liviaes scorn, and mad Octaviaes spight.
But why are all my thoughts turn'd to despair?
Why think I now of death? me thinks my Genius
Checks this cold fear, and Fortune chiding tels me
I am ungratefull to distrust, her now.
My race of life and glory is not run,
Nor Cleopatraes fortunes yet arriv'd
At that great height that must eternize her,
And fix her glorious name aboue the stars.
I long to hear what answer Cæsar sends.
I do not know his temper, but he's young;
And why should I despair? are Cupid's fires
Extinguish'd quite? are all his arrows spent?
Or is this beauty, that can boast the conquest
Of Julius Cæsar; and great Antony,
So waned now, it cannot move the temper
Of one, whom youth makes fit for Cupid's conquest?
Enter Euphronlus, Thyreus.
EUP.
Madam, your gifts were more graciously receiv'd,
And Cæsar with a smiling brow return'd
All seeming love and friendship; he has sent
His free'dman Thyreus to attend your highnesse,
And to impart his counsels to your eare.
He's welcome to us. What's great Cæsar's will.
Exit Euphro.
THY.
Cesar's best wishes, royall Cleopatra,
None but your fairest self can ratifie.
No power on earth can give what Cæsar wants
But you, great Queen. For let your Majesty
Give credit to poor Thyreus though the meanest
Of all the servants that attend on Cæsar,
Ther's none about him is more neer in trust
To whom he's pleased to impart his thoughts,
And secret wishes: nothing but your love
Can crown his happinesse.
CLE.
We are no subject
For Cæsar's mocks though in our worst of fortune.
THY.
You are the Queen of Fortune, and still hold
A lasting Scepter ore that fickle Goddesse
(Fickle to others, to you true and constant)
Your radiant light lends that blinde Goddesse eyes.
And guides her to your service, making all
Actions, nay losses steps to greater honour.
The late defeat at Actium, which your errour
Perchance miscals a losse, was Fortunes labour
To make you greater, and remove your brightnesse
Which was ill plac'd (as Diamonds coursly set)
From old Antonius to yong Cæsar's love,
A fitter sphere for those fair eys to shine in.
CLE.
Without these courtings, Thyreus, if great Cæsar
Please to embrace our friendship, we and Ægypt
Shall do him faithfull service.
THY.
Mighty Queen,
That you would please to think it zeal in me
To do my master service, and such service
As he esteems the best, to gain your love,
I oft have heard him (let your Majesty
Not be offended with that truth I utter)
Ravish'd with fame of your perfections,
And noble spirit; call Antonius happy,
Whom fortune brought to Ægypt, to behold
That Queen, whom he so much desir'd to see.
But when his eys beheld your portraiture
Drawn by a skilfull, and a faithfull hand;
He oft would say it was a likely seat
To hold those Graces. Such perfections
Were fit for none but Cæsar's to admire.
CLE.
There was a Cæsar, lov'd me once; but I
Am not so proud to think it was my merit,
Though he would say I did deserve farre more
Then he could utter, that great Julius,
Whose name and actions fill'd the triple world.
THY.
Though all in him were great, yet nothing greater
Then his adopting so divine an heire.
This Cæsar, Madam, for your dearest love,
Besides that power and greatnesse, which the world
Both knows and fears, brings such a youth and beautie
To plead for him, as in a mean estate
Might move a Princesse love: which that your eys
may better read, I here from him present
His true, and most unflatter'd portrairure.
CLE.
The fairest form that ere these eys beheld.
Where all the best of each best modell meets,
Cupid's sweet smiles, lodg'd in the eye of Mars,
Ganymed's check th'Imperiall brow of Jove
THY.
His age, great Queen, is yet not thirty yeers.
CLE.
I nere till now saw beautie: but Thyreus
May we repose a confidence in thee
As our true friend? we will deserve thy love.
THY.
To do divinest Cleopatra service
Is all poor Thyreus pride: in serving you
I best discharge my dutie to my master.
CLE.
Then briefly thus; because I would not have
Any take notice of long privacie
Twixt thee and me, and instantly w'expect
Antonius here, I will devise some means
How to deserve great Cæsar's love, and act
What he shall thank us for: mean while stay here
With us, good Thyreus, for we cannot yet
Dispatch thee with that message we entend.
THY.
I will attend your highnesse.
CLE.
Till anone
Farewell, good Thyreus: but be neer about us.
Exit Thyreus.
What more then this could all the fates contrive?
What more then Cæsars love could I have wish'd
On which all power, all state, and Glories wait.
But oh the weak and fluctuating state
Of humane frailty still too much deprest
Or rais'd too much 'twixt fears and flattring hopes!
But hence base fear; a Princely confidence
Fits Cleopatraes minde and beautie better.
My dearest Lord.
AN.
Ah sweetest Cleopatra,
In this embrace, and this Ambrosiake kisse
I am again possest of all my wealth,
Of all my fortunes. Had the angry Gods
Purpos'd to wreak their fury fully on me
They had not left my life so sweet a comfort.
CLE.
Possest of you I stand above the reach
Of Fortunes threatning, or proud Cæsar's power.
Nought but your grief, and melancholly had
Power to deject my spirits.
AN.
Thy true worth
Deserves a happier friend, that could bestow
Not take alone his happinesse from thee.
In thy sweet love, and these my faithfull friends
I still am happy, I have lost no friends.
All that are gone from me to Cæsar's side,
Ingratefull Titius and Domitius.
Plancus, Silanus, Dellius and Hipparchus,
Were Fortunes friends not mine.
CLE.
Let's in and feast,
This day we'll dedicate to mirth and freedome:
To crown your welcome hither.
AN.
Sweetly spoken.
Let not a woman teach us souldiers
To be magnanimous.
Thi? feast we'll stile
The feast of fellow-dyers: for no band
No tie of friendship is so firme as that
They live in love that mean to die together.
Exeunt.
Cæsar, Agrippa, Titius, Plancus, Arius.
Cæ.
Grave Arius, in thy troubled looks I read
Fear for thy native Alexandria;
But banish fear, and know thy power with Cæsar,
If they obey our summons, none shall die.
But though to th'utmost they resist, thy will
Shall rule our Justice.
AR.
Humble Arius.
Is too much honour'd in great Cæsar's favour.
Cæ.
We give but what we owe, a debt so great
As mine to thee can nere be overpay'd.
Great Alexander, whose victorious hand
Founded that City, whose eterniz'd name
For ever honours it, though in great deeds
He past our glory farre, shall not exceed
Cæsar in piety: he oft would say
He ought a better being to his Master
Then to father; one meer naturall,
The other mentall, and diviner farre.
Who's that?
EPA.
Fergusius the Philosopher
Condemn'd to death by you.
Cæ.
Dispatch him then.
EPA.
He craves a word with Arius ere he die.
ARI.
What is it brother?
FER.
Ah good Arius,
Wisemen, if truly wise, save wise men still.
ARI.
Most mighty Cæsar.
Cæ.
Arius, no more,
I know what thou desir'st; Fergusius live;
That thou know'st him has sav'd thee.
FER.
Victorie,
And fame still wait on Cæsar.
Cæ.
Let's away
And march with speed to Alexandria.
AGR.
Cæsar, your horse are weary: 'tis not fit
Too much to toil them, for I fear a sally
From Alexandria.
Cæ.
They dare not man.
AGR.
Antonius is strong in well-provided
And skilfull horsemen; and despair of favor
Will put another valour into him.
Cæ.
What conquest can Antonius hope for here?
AGR.
His hopes (as nere as I conjecture them)
Are to break through your troops, and get to Sea.
For yet he has a Fleet, that may transport him
To other lands, to gather new supplyes.
But any fortune would prove higher farre
To him, then staying here, without all hope
To be shut up in a besieged town.
In my opinion let your march be flew
And gentle; that the horse may be refresh'd.
And we prevent the worst.
Cæ.
Let it be so.
Exeunt.
Enter Lucilius, Aristocrates.
LU.
How formlesse is the forme of man the soul,
How various still how different from it self?
How falsly call'd Queen of this little world?
When she's a slave, and subject not alone
Unto the bodies temperature, but all
The storms of Fortune.
ARI.
What occasion
Make thee thus offer at Philosophy?
LU.
Where hast thou liv'd thou shouldst not know th'occasion?
The fits and changes of Antonius
Are theam enough: how strange a loving soule
Is the late hater of mankinde become!
That is not strange, he's out of breath with cursing
And now 'tis time to stop his mouth with kissing.
But what can he conceive of this same Thyreus
That holds such secret conference with her?
LU.
He cannot choose but see it.
ARI.
Unlesse love
Have blinded him, she carries it so plainly.
Well, I shall think if there be knavery in't,
(As knavery there must be) that Cleopatra
Is not so subtle as we took her for.
LU.
He must be told it, if he will not see
Upon my life there is some plot of treason
Which yet may be discover'd.
ARI.
Heer they come
Let us go fetch Antonius if we can.
Cleopatra, Thyreus.
CLE.
Pelusium shall be rendred up to Cæsar
By our command to our Lievtenant there
Selencus, whose obedience we not doubt.
THY.
Noblest of Queens, you make Imperiall Cæsar
As much a debtor to your courtesie
As he's already captive to your beauty.
CLE.
Nor do we wrong Antonius at all
In giving up a town which is our own.
It may be thought tis done to weaken him;
So low, that nothing can redeem him now
Nor make him able to contest with Cæsar.
He has not only lost his armies strength
But lost the strength of his own soul, and is not
That Antony he was when first I knew him.
I can do Cæsar now no greater service.
Though I shall never want a heart to do it.
But we shall quickly see th'event of things;
Antonius now is desperate, and puts
His hopes upon the fortune of one sally,
Which will be suddenly perform'd, before
That thou canst bear a message back to Cæsar.
Antonius, Lucilius, Aristocrates.
AN.
Hands on that Thyreus there, to prison with him.
THY.
To prison!
ANT.
Yes; away with him I say.
THY.
Cæsar would not have us'd your messenger
So ill.
AN.
Thou wert no Messenger to me.
CLE.
For my sake dearest Lord.
AN.
Oh for your sake?
I cry you mercy Lady, bear him hence.
Exit Thyreus.
I had forgot that Thyreus was your servant.
But what strange act should he perform for you?
CLE.
Can you suspect it? was my truest love
So ill bestow'd? Can he, for whose dear sake
A Queen so highly born as I preferr'd
Love before fame, and fondly did neglect
All names of honour when false Fulvia,
And proud Octavia had the name of wives,
Requite me thus? ungratefull Anthony;
For now the fury of a wronged love
Justly provokes my speech.
ANT.
Oh Cleopatra,
It is not Thyreus but this heart of mine
That suffers now, deep wounded with the thought
Of thy unconstancie: did Fortune leave
One only comfort to my wretched state
And that a false one? for what conference
Couldst thou so oft, and in such privacie
With Cæsar's servant hold, if true to me?
Which with the rack I could enforce from him.
But that I scorn to do.
CLE.
You do not scorn
To wrong with base unworthy jealousies
A faithfull heart: but if you think me false
Heer sheath your sword: make me the subject rather
Of manly rage then childish jealousie.
It is a nobler crime, and fitter farre
For you to act, easier for me to suffer.
For live suspected I nor can nor will.
The lovely Aspe, which I with care have kept
And was intended a preservative
'Gainst Cæsar's crueltie, I now must use
Against Antonius basenesse a worse fo
That I was true, and you unjust in love.
ANT.
Stay Cleopatra, dearest Love, forgive me
Let not so small a winde have power to shake
A love so grown as ours: I did not think
That thou wert false: my heart gave no consent
To what my tongue so rashly uttered.
Nor could I have out-liv'd so sad a thought.
Let Thyreus be releast, and sent to Cæsar.
Enter Canidius.
Now is the time to sally forth, my Lord,
The fo is tir'd with marching, and your horse
Are readie all, and wait the signall only.
The least delay loses the action.
ANT.
I come Canidius; dearest Love farewell.
Few houres will tell thee what Antonius is.
Exeunt.
CLE.
How timorous is guilt? how are my thoughts
Distracted sadly now? on every side
My dangers grow: for should Antonius
Return in safety home, and know what past
'Twixt me and Thyreus, I have lost his heart,
And cannot choose but fear him: if he die
I am not confident of Cæsar's love.
'Twas but a servants tongue I built upon.
'Tis best to make all sure: within there, Eira.
EIRA.
Madam!
CLE.
Are all things readie in the tombe?
Yes, Madam; Carmio's there and Mardio.
CLE.
Then thither will I go, if fate contrive
A future state of happinesse for me,
It is my castle: if my death they doom,
I am possest already of a tombe.
Exit.
| The Tragedie of Cleopatra Queen of Aegypt | |