This is the man. Cleo. Avoid, and leave him. [Exit Guard. Hast thou the pretty worm2 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. Cleo. 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'the worm: But he that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do: But this is most fallible, the worm's an odd worm. Cleo. Get thee hence; farewell. Clown. I wish you all joy of the worm. Cleo. Farewell. [Clown sets down the basket. Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind.3 Re-enter Iras, with a robe, crown, &c. Cleo. Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Immortal longings in me: Now no more The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip:Yare, yare, good Iras; quick.-Methinks, I hear Antony call; see him rouse himself To praise my noble act; I hear him mock The luck of Cæsar, which the gods give men To excuse their after wrath: Husband, I come; Now to that name my courage prove my title! I am fire, and air; my other elements I give to baser life.-So, have you done? Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips. Farewell, kind Charmian ;-Iras, long farewell. [Kisses them. Iras falls and dies. Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall? If thou and nature can so gently part, The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch, Which hurts, and is desir'd. Dost thou lie still? If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world It is not worth leave-taking. Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say, The gods themselves do weep! This proves me base: With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate Char. O eastern star! O Antony-Nay, I will take thee too : [Applying another asp to her arm. What should I stay- Falls on a bed, and dies. Char. In this wild world?-So, fare thee well.Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies A lass unparallel'd.-Downy windows, close; And golden Phoebus never be beheld Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry; I'll mend it, and then play. Enter the Guard, rushing in. 1 Guard. Where is the queen? Char. 1 Guard. Cæsar hath sentChar. Speak softly, wake her not. Too slow a messenger. [Applies the 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 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. Cæs. 1 Guard. Poison'd then. O Cæsar, This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood, and spake: I found her tri.nming up the diadem (4) Make haste. (5) Unpolitic, to leave me to myself. On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood, Cæs. In solemn show, attend this funeral ; O noble weakness!-High order in this great solemnity. If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear In her strong toil of grace. Dol. 1 Guard. This is an aspic's trail: and these leaves Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves Cæs. Most probable, (1) Graceful appearance. (3) Enfold. [Exeunt. This play keeps curiosity always busy, and the passions always interested. The continual hurry of the action, the variety of incidents, and the quick fig-succession of one personage to another, call the mind forward without intermission, from the first act to the last. But the power of delighting is derived principally from the frequent changes of the scene; for, except the feminine arts, some of which are too low, which distinguish Cleopatra, no character is very strongly discriminated. Upton, who did not easily miss what he desired to find, has discovered that the language of Antony is, with great skill and learning, made pompous and superb, according to his real practice. But I think his diction not distinguishable from that of others: the most tumid speech in the play is that which Cæsar makes to Octavia. The events, of which the principal are described according to history, are produced without any art of connection or care of disposition. JOHNSON. CYMBELINE. PERSONS REPRESENTED. Cymbeline, king of Britain. Belarius, a banished lord, disguised under the A French Gentleman, friend to Philario. Cornelius, a physician. Queen, wife to Cymbeline. Imogen, daughter to Cymbeline by a former queen. Lords, Ladies, Roman Senators, Tribunes, Appa ants. Scene, sometimes in Britain; sometimes in Italy. ACT I. SCENE I-Britain. The garden behind Cymbeline's palace. Enter Two Gentlemen. 1 Gentleman. His measure duly.3 What's his name, and birth? You do not meet a man, but frowns: our bloods! So gain'd the sur-addition, Leonatus: No more obey the heavens, than our courtiers; 2 Gent. He purpos'd to his wife's sole son (a widow, 2 Gent. queen, That most desir'd the match: But not a courtier, And why so? And had, besides this gentleman in question, Two other sons, who, in the wars o'the time, (Then old and fond of issue,) took such sorrow, I honour him 2 Gent. 1 Gent. His only child. |