had by Iulius Caesar conuaied before vnto India out of the danger of the warrs was about the same time of her death murthered at Rhodes trained thether by the falshood of his Tutor corrupted by Caesar And so heereby came the race of the Ptolomies to be wholy extinct the florishing ritch Kingdome of Egipt vtterly ouer-throwne and subdued The Scaene supposed Alexandria THE ACTORS CLEOPATRA OCTAVIVS CAESAR PROCVLEIVS DOLABELLA TITIVS seruant to DOLABELLA ARIVS two Philosophers PHILOSTRATVS SELEVCVS Secretary to CLEOPATRA RODON Tutor to CAESARIO NVNTIVS The CHORVS all Egiptians ACTVS PRIMVS CLEOPATRA YET doe I liue and yet doth breath possesse This hatefull prison of a loathsome soule Can no calamitie nor no distresse Breake hart and all and end a life so soule Can Cleopatra liue and with these eyes Behold the deerest of her life bereft her Ah can shee entertaine the least surmise Of any hope that hath but horror left her Why should I linger longer griefes to try These eyes that sawe what honor earth could giue mee Doe now behold the worst of misery The greatest wrack wherto Fortune could driue mee Hee on whose shoulders all my rest relyde On whom the burthen of my ambition lay The Atlas and the Champion of my pride That did the world of my whole fortune sway Lyes falne confounded dead in shame and dolors Following th' vnlucky party of my loue Th' Ensigne of mine eyes th' vnhappy collours That him to mischiefe mee to ruine droue And now the modell made of misery Scorne to the world borne but for Fortunes foile My lusts haue fram'd a Tombe for mee to lie Euen in the ashes of my Countries spoyle Ah who would think that I were shee who late Clad with the glory of the worlds chiefe ritches Admir'd of all the earth and wondred at Glittring in pompe that hart and eye bewitches Should thus distress'd cast down from of that heigth Leuell'd with low disgrac'd calamitie Vnder the waight of such affliction sigh Reduc'd vnto th' extreamest misery Am I the woman whose inuentiue pride Adorn'd like Isis scornd mortalitie I st I that left my sence so without guide That flattery would not let him know t was I Ah now I see they scarce tell truth that praise vs Crownes are beguild prosperity betraies vs VVhat is become of all that statelie traine Those troopes that wont attend prosperitie See what is left what number doth remaine A tombe two maydes and miserable I And I t' adorne their tryumphes am reseru'd A captiue kept to beautifie their spoyles VVhom Caesar labours so to haue preseru'd And seekes to entertaine my life with wiles No Caesar no it is not thou canst doe it Promise flatter threaten extreamitie Imploy thy wits and all thy force vnto it I haue both hands and will and I can die Though thou of Country kingdom my Crowne Though thou of all my glory dost bereaue me Though thou hast all my Egipt as thine owne Yet hast thou left me that which will deceiue thee That courage with my blood and birth innated Admir'd of all the earth as thou art now Cannot by threates be vulgarly abated To be thy slaue that rul'd as good as thou Consider Caesar that I am a Queene And scorne the basenes of a seruile thought The world and thou dost know what I haue beene And neuer thinke I can be so low brought The Rome should see my scepter-bearing hands Behinde mee bounde and glory in my teares That I should passe whereas Octauia stands To view my misery that purchast hers No I disdaine that head that 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 forst to liue Nor had I troubled now the world thus long And beene indebted for this little breath But that I feare Caesar would offer wrong To my distressed seede after my death T is that which dooth my deerest blood controule T is that alas detaines mee from my Tombe Whilst Nature brings to contradict my soule The argument of mine vnhappy wombe O lucklesse issue of a wofull Mother Th' vngodly pledges of a wanton bed You Kings design'd must now be slaues to other Or els not bee I feare when I am dead It is for you I temporise with Caesar And liue this while for to procure your safetie For you I fayne content and soothe his pleasure Calamitie heerein hath made me crafty But t is not long I le see what may be done And come what will this stands I must die free I le be my selfe my thoughts doe rest thereon Blood chyldren nature all must pardon mee My soule yeelds honour vp the victory And I must bee a Queene forget a mother Yet mother would I be were I not I And Queene would I not now be were I other But what know I if th' heauens haue decreed And that the sinnes of Egipt haue deseru'd The Ptolomeyes 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 Licentiousnes in mee should end her date Begunne in ill-dispensed libertie If so it be and that my heedles waies Haue this so great a dissolation rais'd Yet let a glorious end conclude my dayes Though life were bad my death may yet be prais'd That I may write in letters of my blood A fit memoriall for the times to come To be example to such Princes good That please themselues and care not what become And Anthony because the world doth know That my mis-fortune hath procured thine And my improuidence brought thee folow To lose thy glory and to ruine mine By grapling in the Ocean of our pride To sinke each others greatnes both together Both equall shipwrack of our states t' abide And like destruction to procure to eyther If I should now our common faulte suruiue Then all the world must hate mee if I doe it Sith both our errors did occasion giue And both our faults haue brought vs both vnto it I beeing first inamour'd with thy greatnes Thou with my vanity bewitched wholy And both betrayd with th' outward pleasant sweetnes The one ambition spoyld th' other folly For which thou hast already duly paid The statute of thy errors dearest forfeit VVhereby thy gotten credite was decayd Procur'd thee by thy wanton deadly surfeit And next is my turne now to sacrifize To Death and thee the life that doth reproue mee Our like distresse I feele doth sympathize And euen affliction makes me truly loue thee VVhich Anthony I must confesse my fault I neuer did sincerely vntill now Now I protest I doe now am I taught In death to loue in life that knew not how For whilst my glory in that greatnes stood And that I saw my state and knew my beauty Saw how the world admir'd mee how they woode I then thought all men must loue me of dutie And I loue none for
deere to him made common But that he must in this sort tirannize Th' afflicted body of an wofull woman Tell him my frailty and the Gods haue giuen Sufficient glory if hee could content him And let him now with his desires make euen And leaue mee to this horror to lamenting Now hee hath taken all away from mee What must hee take mee from my selfe by force Ah let him yet in mercie leaue mee free The kingdom of this poore distressed corse No other crowne I seeke no other good Yet wish that Caesar would vouchsafe this grace To fauour the poore of-spring of my blood Confused issue yet of Roman race If blood and name be linkes of loue in Princes Not spurres of hate my poore Caesario may Finde fauour notwithstanding mine offences And Caesars blood may Caesars raging stay But if that with the torrent of my fall All must bee rapt with furious violence And no respect nor no regard at all Can ought with nature or with blood dispence Then be it so if needes it must be so There stayes and shrinkes in horror of her state VVhen I began to mitigate her woe And thy great mercies vnto her relate Wishing her not dispaire but rather come And sue for grace and shake off all vaine feares No doubt shee should obtaine as gentle doome As shee desir'd both for herselfe and hers And so with much a-doe well pacifide Seeming to bee shee shew'd content to lyue Saying shee was resolu'd thy doome t' abide And to accept what fauour thou would'st giue And heere-withall crau'd also that shee might Performe her last rites to her lost belou'd To sacrifize to him that wrought her plight And that shee might not bee by force remou'd I graunting from thy part this her request Left her for then seeming in better rest Caes. But doost thou thinke she will remaine so still Pro. I thinke and doe assure my selfe shee will Caes. Ah priuate men found not the harts of Princes VVhose actions oft beare contrarie pretences Pro. Why t is her safety for to yeeld to thee Caes. But t is more honour for her to die free Pro. Shee may thereby procure her childrens good Caes. Princes respect theyr honour more then blood Pro. Can Princes powre dispence with nature than Caes. To be a Prince is more then be a man Pro. There 's none but haue in time perswaded beene Caes. And so might shee too were shee not a Queene Pro. Diuers respects will force her be reclam'd Caes. Princes like Lyons neuer will be tam'd A priuate man may yeeld and care not how But greater harts will breake before they bow And sure I thinke sh'will neuer condiscend To lyue to grace our spoyles with her disgrace But yet let still a warie watch attend To guard her person and to watch the place And looke that none with her come to confer Shortly my selfe will goe to visite her CHORVS OPINION howe doost thou molest Th affected minde of restles man Who following thee neuer can Nor euer shall attaine to rest For getting what thou saist is best Yet loe that best hee findes farre wide Of what thou promisedst before For in the same hee lookt for more Which proues but small when once t is tride Then something els thou find'st beside To draw him still from thought to thought When in the end all proues but nought Farther from rest hee findes him than Then at the first when he began O malcontent seducing guest Contriuer of our greatest woes Which borne of winde and fed with showes Doost nurse thy selfe in thine vnrest Iudging vngotten things the best Or what thou in conceite design'st And all things in the world doost deeme Not as they are but as they seeme Which shewes their state thou ill defin'st And liu'st to come in present pin'st For what thou hast thou still doost lacke O minde's tormentor bodies wracke Vaine promiser of that sweet rest Which neuer any yet possest If wee vnto ambition tende Then doost thou draw our weakenes on With vaine imagination Of that which neuer hath an end Or if that lust we apprehend How doth that pleasant plague infest O what strange formes of luxurie Thou straight doost cast t' intice vs by And tell'st vs that is euer best Which wee haue neuer yet possest And that more pleasure rests beside In something that we haue not tride And when the same likewise is had Then all is one and all is bad This Anthony can say is true And Cleopatra knowes t is so By th' experience of their woe Shee can say shee neuer knew But that iust found pleasures new And was neuer satis-fide Hee can say by proofe of toyle Ambition is a Vulture vile That feedes vpon the hart of pride And findes no rest when all is tride For worlds cannot confine the one Th' other listes and bounds hath none And both subuert the minde the state Procure destruction enuie hate And now when all this is prou'd vaine Yet Opinion leaues not heere But sticks to Cleopatra neere Perswading now how she shall gaine Honour by death and fame attaine And what a shame it were to liue Her kingdome lost her Louer dead And so with this perswasion led Dispayre doth such a courage giue That naught els can her minde relieue Nor yet diuert her from that thought To this conclusion all is brought This is that rest this vaine world lends To end in death that all thing ends ACTVS TERTIVS PHILOSTRATVS ARIVS HOW deepely Arius am I bounde to thee That sau'dst frō death this wretched life of mine Obtayning Caesars gentle grace for mee When I of all helps els dispayr'd but thine Although I see in such a wofull state Life is not that which should be much desir'd Sith all our glories come to end theyr date Our Countries honour and our owne expir'd Now that the hand of wrath hath ouer-gone vs Liuing as 't were in th' armes of our dead mother With blood vnder our feete ruine vpon vs And in a Land most wretched of all other When yet we reckon life our deerest good And so we liue we care not how we liue So deepe we feel impressed in our blood That touch which nature with our breath did giue And yet what blasts of words hath learning found To blow against the feare of death and dying What comforts vnsicke Eloquence can sound And yet all fayles vs in the poynt of trying For whilst we reason with the breath of safety VVithout the compasse of destruction liuing VVhat precepts shew wee then what courage lofty In taxing others feares in counsell giuing VVhen all thys ayre of sweet-contriued words Prooues but weake armour to defend the hart For when this lyfe pale feare and terror boords Where are our precepts then where is our arte O who is he that from himselfe can turne That beares about the body of a man Who doth not toyle and labour to adiorne The day of death by any meanes he can All this I speake to
good and pleasant No no sayd they goe beare them to thy Queene Thinking mee some poore man that brought a Present Well in I went where brighter then the Sunne Glittering in all her pompous ritch aray Great Cleopatra sate as if she' had wonne Caesar and all the world beside this day Euen as shee was when on thy cristall streames O CYDNOS shee did shew what earth could shew VVhen Asia all amaz'd in wonder deemes VENVS from heauen was come on earth below Euen as shee went at first to meete her Loue So goes shee now at last againe to finde him But that first did her greatnes onely proue This last her loue that could not liue behind him Yet as shee sate the doubt of my good speed Detracts much from the sweetnes of her looke Cheere-marrer Care did then such passions breed That made her eye bewray the care shee tooke But shee no sooner sees mee in the place But straight her sorrow-clowded brow shee cleeres Lightning a smile from out a stormy face Which all her tempest-beaten sences cheeres Looke how a stray'd perplexed trauailer When chas'd by thieues and euen at poynt of taking Discrying suddainly some towne not far Or some vnlookt-for ayde to him-ward making Cheeres vp his tired sp'rits thrusts forth his strength To meete that good that comes in so good houre Such was her ioy perceiuing now at length Her honor was t' escape so proude a powre Foorth from her seate shee hastes to meet the present And as one ouer-ioyd shee caught it straight And with a smyling cheere in action pleasant Looking among the figges findes the deceite And seeing there the vgly venemous beast Nothing dismayde shee stayes and viewes it well At length th' extreamest of her passion ceast VVhen shee began with words her ioy to tell O rarest Beast sayth shee that Affrick breedes How deerely welcome art thou vnto mee The fayrest creature that faire Nylus feedes Mee thinks I see in now beholding thee VVhat though the euer-erring world doth deeme That angred Nature fram'd thee but in spight Little they know what they so light esteeme That neuer learn'd the wonder of thy might Better then Death Deathes office thou dischargest That with one gentle touch canst free our breath And in a pleasing sleepe our soule inlargest Making our selues not priuie to our death If Nature err'd ô then how happy error Thinking to make thee worst shee made thee best Sith thou best freest vs from our liues worst terror In sweetly bringing soules to quiet rest VVhen that inexorable Monster Death That followes Fortune flyes the poore distressed Tortures our bodies ere hee takes our breath And loades with paines th'already weake oppressed How oft haue I begg'd prayd intreated him To take my life and yet could neuer get him And when he comes he comes so vgly grim That who is he if he could chuse would let him Therefore come thou of wonders wonder chiefe That open canst with such an easie key The dore of life come gentle cunning thiefe That from our selues so steal'st our selues away VVell did our Priests discerne something diuine Shadow'd in thee and therefore first they did Offrings and worshyps due to thee assigne In whom they found such misteries were hid Comparing thy sweet motion to the Sunne That mou'st without the instruments that moue And neuer waxing old but alwaies one Doost sure thy strange diuinitie approue And therefore to the rather vnto thee In zeale I make the offring of my blood Calamitie confirming now in mee A sure beliefe that pietie makes good Which happy men neglect or hold ambiguous And onely the afflicted are religious And heere I sacrifize these armes to Death That Lust late dedicated to Delights Offring vp for my last this last of breath The complement of my loues deerest rites With that shee bares her arme and offer makes To touch her death yet at the touch with-drawes And seeming more to speake occasion takes Willing to die and willing to to pause Looke how a Mother at her sonnes departing For some far voyage bent to get him fame Doth intertaine him with an idle parling And still doth speake and still speakes but the same Now bids farewell and now recalls him back Tells what was told and bids againe fare-well And yet againe recalls for still doth lack Something that loue would faine and cannot tell Pleas'd hee should goe yet cannot let him goe So shee although shee knew there was no way But this yet this shee could not handle so But shee must shew that life desir'd delay Faine would shee entertaine the time as now And now would faine that Death would seaze vpō her Whilst I might see presented in her brow The doubtfull combat tryde twixt Life and Honor Life bringing Legions of fresh hopes with her Arm'd with the proose of Time which yeelds we say Comfort and Help to such as doe refer All vnto him and can admit delay But Honor scorning Life loe forth leades he Bright Immortalitie in shyning armour Thorow the rayes of whose cleere glory shee Might see Lifes basenes how much it might harm her Besides shee saw whole Armies of Reproches And base Disgraces Furies fearefull sad Marching with Life and Shame that still incroches Vppon her face in bloody collours clad Which representments seeing worse then death Shee deem'd to yeeld to Life and therfore chose To render all to Honour hart and breath And that with speede least that her inward foes False flesh and blood ioyning with lyfe and hope Should mutinie against resolution And to the end shee would not giue them scope Shee presently proceeds to th' execution And sharply blaming of her rebell powres False flesh sayth shee and what dost thou cōspire With Caesar to as thou wert none of ours To worke my shame and hinder my desire Wilt thou retaine in closure of thy vaines That enemy Base life to let my good No know there is a greater powre constraines Then can be countercheckt with fearefull blood For to the minde that 's great nothing seemes great And seeing death to be the last of woes And life lasting disgrace which I shall get What doe I lose that haue but life to lose This hauing said strengthned in her owne hart And vnion of her selfe sences in one Charging together shee performes that part That hath so great a part of glory wonne And so receiues the deadly poysning touch That touch that tryde the gold of her loue pure And hath confirm'd her honor to be such As must a wonder to all worlds endure Now not an yeelding shrinke or touch of feare Consented to bewray least sence of paine But still in one same sweete vnaltred cheere Her honor did her dying thoughts retaine Well now this work is done saith she here ends This act of life that part of Fates assign'd mee What glory or disgrace heere this world lends Both haue I had and both I leaue behinde mee And now ô Earth the Theater where I Haue acted this witnes I
my lasciuious Courte Fertile in euer-fresh and new-choyce pleasure Affoorded me so bountiful disport That I to thinke on loue had neuer leysure My vagabond desires no limits found For lust is endlesse pleasure hath no bound Thou comming from the strictnes of thy Citty The wanton pompe of Courts yet neuer learnedst Inur'd to wairs in womans wiles vnwittie Whilst others fayn'd thou fell'st to loue in earnest Not knowing women like them best that houer And make least reckning of a doting Louer And yet thou earn'st but in my beauties waine When new-appearing wrinkles of declining Wrought with the hand of yeeres 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 VVhen such as wee doe deeme in iealosie That men loue for them-selues and not for vs Then and but thus thou didst loue most sincerely O Anthony that best deseru'dst it better Thys Autumne of my beauty bought so deerely For which in more then death I stand thy debter VVhich I will pay thee with most faithfull zeale And that ere long no Caesar shall detaine me My death my loue and courage shall reueale The which is all the world hath left t' vnstaine me And to the end I may deceiue best Caesar Who dooth so eagerly my life importune I must preuaile mee of this little leisure Seeming to sute my minde vnto my fortune Whereby I may the better mee prouide Of what my death and honor best shall fit A seeming base content must warie hide My last disseigne till I accomplish it That heereby yet the world shall see that I Although vnwise to liue had wit to die Exit CHORVS BEhold what Furies still Torment their tortur'd brest Who by their doing ill Haue wrought the worlds vnrest Which when being most distrest Yet more to vexe their sp'rit The hidious face of sinne In formes they most detest Stands euer in their sight Their Conscience still within Th eternall larum is That euer-barking dog that calls vppon theyr miss No meanes at all to hide Man from himselfe can finde No way to start aside Out from the hell of mind But in himselfe confin'd Hee still sees sinne before And winged-footed paine That swiftly comes behind The which is euer more The sure and certaine gaine Impietie doth get And wanton loose respect that dooth it selfe forget And CLEOPATRA now Well sees the dangerous way Shee tooke and car'd not bow Which led her to decay And likewise makes vs pay For her disordred lust Th' int'rest of our blood Or liue a seruile pray Vnder a band vniust As others shall thinke good This hath her riot wonne And thus shee hath her state her selfe and vs vndunne Now euery mouth can tell What close was muttered How that shee did not well To take the course shee did For now is nothing hid Of what feare did restraine No secrete closely done But now is vttered The text is made most plaine That flattry glos'd vpon The bed of sinne reueal'd And all the luxurie that shame would haue concealed The scene is broken downe And all vncou'red lyes The purple Actors knowne Scarce men whom men despise The complots of the wise Proue imperfections smoake And all what wonder gaue To pleasure-gazing eyes Lyes scattered dasht all broke Thus much beguiled haue Poore vnconsider at wights These momentary pleasures fugitiue delights ACTVS SECVNDVS CAESAR PROCVLEIVS KIngdoms I see we winne we conquere Climates Yet cannot vanquish harts nor force obedience Affections kept in close-concealed limits Stand farre without the reach of sword or violence Who forc'd doe pay vs duety pay not loue Free is the hart the temple of the minde The Sanctuarie sacred from aboue Where nature keepes the keyes that loose and bind No mortall hand force open can that doore So close shut vp and lockt to all mankind I see mens bodies onely ours no more The rest anothers right that rules the minde Behold my forces vanquisht haue this Land Subdu'de that strong Competitor of mine All Egipt yeelds to my all-conquering hand And all theyr treasure and themselues resigne Onely this Queene that hath lost all this all To whom is nothing left except a minde Cannot into a thought of yeelding fall To be dispos'd as chaunce hath her assign'd But Proculei what hope doth shee now giue Will shee be brought to condiscend to liue Proc. My Lord what time being sent from you to try To win her foorth aliue if that I might From out the Monument where wofully Shee liues inclos'd in most afflicted plight No way I found no meanes how to surprize her But through a Grate at th' entry of the place Standing to treate I labour'd to aduise her To come to Caesar and to sue for grace Shee saide shee crau'd not life but leaue to die Yet for her children prayd they might inherite That Caesar would vouchsafe in clemency To pitty them though shee deseru'd no merite So leauing her for then and since of late With Gallus sent to try another time The whilst hee entertaines her at the grate I found the meanes vp to the Tombe to climbe Where in discending in the closest wise And silent manner as I could contriue Her woman mee descri'd and out shee cryes Poore Cleopatra thou art tane aliue With that the Queene raught frō her side her knife And euen in acte to stab her martred brest I stept with speed and held and sau'd her life And forth her trembling hand the blade did wrest Ah Cleopatra why should'st thou said I Both iniurie thy selfe and Caesar so Barre him the honour of his victory VVho euer deales most mildly with his foe Liue and relye on him whose mercy will To thy submission alwaies ready be With that as all amaz'd shee held her still Twixt maiestie confus'd and miserie Her proud grieu'd eyes held sorrow and disdaine State and distresse warring within her soule Dying ambition dispossest her raigne So base affliction seemed to controule Like as a burning Lampe whose liquor spent With intermitted flames when dead you deeme it Sendes foorth a dying flash as discontent That so the matter failes that should redeeme it So shee in spight to see her low-brought state When all her hopes were now consum'd to nought Scornes yet to make an abiect league with Fate Or once discend into a seruile thought Th' imperious tongue vnused to beseech Authority confounds with prayers so Words of commaund conioyn'd wish humble speech Shew'd shee would liue yet scorn'd to pray her foe Ah what hath Caesar heere to doe said shee In confines of the dead in darknes liuing Will hee not graunt our Sepulchers be free But violate the priuiledge of dying What must hee stretch forth his ambitious hand Into the right of Death and force vs heere Hath misery no couert where to stand Free from the storme of pryde i st safe no where Cannot my land my gold my Crowne suffise And all what I held
of death through trecherie VVayling his state thus to himselfe he sayd Loe heere brought back by subtile traine to death Betrayde by Tutors fayth or Traytors rather My faulte my blood and mine offence my birth For beeing sonne of such a mightie Father From INDIA whither sent by Mothers care To be reseru'd from Egypts common wracke To Rhodes so long the armes of Tyrants are I am by Caesars subtile reach brought back Heere to be made th' oblation for his feares him Who doubts the poore reuenge these handes may doe Respecting neyther blood nor youth nor yeeres Or how small safety can my death be to him And is this all the good of beeing borne great Then wretched greatnes proud ritch misery Pompous distresse glittering calamity Is it for this th' ambitious Fathers sweat To purchase blood and death for them and theirs Is this the issue that theyr glories get To leaue a sure destruction to theyr heyres O how farre better had it beene for mee From low discent deriu'd of humble birth To' haue eate the sweet-sowre bread of pouerty And drunke of Nilus streame in Nilus earth Vnder the cou'ring of some quiet Cottage Free from the wrath of heauen secure in minde Vntoucht when sad euents of Princes dotage Confounds what euer mighty it dooth find And not t' haue stoode in theyr way whose condition Is to haue all made deere and all thing plaine Betweene them and the marke of theyr ambition That nothing let the full sight of theyr raigne Where nothing stands that stands not in submission Where greatnes must all in it selfe containe Kings will be alone Competitors must downe Neere death he stands that stands too neer a Crowne Such is my case for Caesar will haue all My blood must seale th' assurance of his state Yet ah weake state that blood assure him shall Whose wrongfull shedding Gods and men do hate Iniustice neuer scapes vnpunisht still Though men reuenge not yet the heauens will And thou Augustus that with bloody hand Curt'st off succession from anothers race Maist find the heauens thy vowes so to withstand That others may depriue thine in like case When thou maist see thy proude contentious bed Yeelding thee none of thine that may inherite Subuert thy blood place others in theyr sted To pay this thy iniustice her due merite If it be true as who can that deny VVhich sacred Priests of Memphis doe fore-say Some of the of-spring yet of Anthony Shall all the rule of this whole Empire sway And then Augustus what is it thou gainest By poore Antillus blood or this of mine Nothing but thys thy victory thou stainest And pull'st the wrath of heauen on thee and thine In vaine doth man contende against the starrs For what hee seekes to make his wisdom marrs Yet in the mean-time we whom Fates reserue The bloody sacrifices of ambition VVe feele the smart what euer they deserue And wee indure the present times condition The iustice of the heauens reuenging thus Doth onely sacrifice it selfe not vs Yet t is a pleasing comfort that dooth ease Affliction in so great extreamitie To thinke theyr like destruction shall appease Our ghostes who did procure our misery But dead we are vncertaine what shall bee And lyuing wee are sure to feele the wrong Our certaine ruine wee our selues doe see They ioy the while and wee know not how long But yet Caesario thou must die content For men will mone God reuenge th' innocent Thus he cōplain'd thus thou hear'st my shame Sel. But how hath Caesar now rewarded thee Rod. As hee hath thee And I expect the same As fell to Theodor to fall to mee For he one of my coate hauing betrayd The young Antillus sonne of Anthony And at his death from of his necke conuayd A iewell which be'ing askt he did deny Caesar occasion tooke to hang him straight Such instruments with Princes liue not long Although they neede vs actors of deceit Yet still our sight seemes to vpbrayd their wrong And therefore we must needes this danger runne And in the net of our owne guile be caught Wee must not liue to bray what we haue done For what is done must not appeare theyr fault But heere comes Cleopatra wofull Queene And our shame will not that we should be seene Exeunt CLEOPATRA WHat hath my face yet powre to win a Louer Can this torne remnant serue to grace me so That it can Caesars secrete plots discouer What he intends with mee and mine to do VVhy then poore Beautie thou hast doone thy last And best good seruice thou could'st doe vnto mee For now the time of death reueal'd thou hast Which in my life didst serue but to vndoe mee Heere Dolabella far forsooth in loue Writes how that Caesar meanes forthwith to send Both mee and mine th' ayre of Rome to proue There his Tryumphant Chariot to attend I thanke the man both for his loue and letter Th' one comes fit to warne mee thus before But for th' other I must die his debter For Cleopatra now can loue no more But hauing leaue I must goe take my leaue And last farewell of my dead Anthony Whose deerely honour'd Tom be must heere receaue This sacrifice the last before I dye O sacred euer-memorable Stone That hast without my teares within my flame Receiue th' oblation of the wofull'st mone That euer yet from sad affliction came And you deere reliques of my Lord and Loue The sweetest parcells of the faithfull'st liuer O let no impious hand dare to remoue You out from hence but rest you heere for euer Let Egypt now giue peace vnto you dead That lyuing gaue you trouble and turmoyle Sleepe quiet in this euer-lasting bed In forraine land preferr'd before your soyle And ô if that the sp'rits of men remaine After their bodies and doe neuer die Then heare thy Ghost thy captiue Spouse complaine And be attentiue to her misery But if that laborsome mortalitie Found this sweet error onely to confine The curious search of idle vanity That would the deapth of darknes vndermine Or rather to giue rest vnto the thought Of wretched man with th' after-comming ioy Of those conceiued fieldes whereon we dote To pacifie the present worlds anoy If it be so why speake I then to th' ayre But t is not so my Anthony doth heare His euer-liuing ghost attends my prayer And I doe know his houering sp'rite is neere And I will speake and pray and mourne to thee O pure immortall loue that daign'st to heare I feele thou aunswer'st my credulitie VVith touch of comfort finding none elswhere Thou know'st these hands entomb'd thee heer of late Free and vnforst which now must seruile be Reseru'd for bands to grace proude Caesars state Who seekes in mee to tryumph ouer thee O if in life we could not seuerd be Shall Death deuide our bodies now a sunder Must thine in Egypt mine in Italie Be kept the Monuments of Fortunes wonder If any powres be there where as thou art
Sith our owne Country Gods betray our case O worke they may theyr gracious helpe impart To saue thy wofull wife from such disgrace Doe not permit shee should in tryumph shew The blush of her reproch ioyn'd with thy shame But rather let that hatefull Tyrant know That thou and I had powre t' auoyde the same But what doe I spend breath and idle winde In vaine invoking a conceiued ayde Why doe I not my selfe occasion find To breake the bounds wherein my selfe am stayd VVords are for them that can complaine and lyue VVhose melting harts compos'd of baser frame Can to theyr sorrowes time and leysure gyue But Cleopatra may not doe the same No Anthony thy loue requireth more A lingring death with thee deserues no merit I must my selfe force open wide a dore To let out life and so vnhouse my spirit These hands must breake the prison of my soule To come to thee there to enioy like state As doth the long-pent solitary Foule That hath escapt her cage and found her mate This Sacrifice to sacrifize my life Is that true incense that doth best beseeme These rites may serue a life-desiring wife Who dooing them t' haue done enough doth deeme My hart blood should the purple flowers haue beene Which heere vpon thy Tombe to thee are offred No smoake but dying breath should heere been seene And this it had beene to had I beene suffred But what haue I saue these bare hands to doe it And these weake fingers are not yron-poynted They cannot peirce the flesh be'ing put vnto it And I of all meanes els am disapoynted But yet I must a way and meanes seeke how To come vnto thee what so ere I doo O Death art thou so hard to come by now That wee must pray intreate and seeke thee too But I will finde thee where so ere thou lye For who can stay a minde resolu'd to die And now I goe to worke th' effect in deede I le neuer send more words or sighes to thee I le bring my soule my selfe and that with speed My selfe will bring my soule to Anthony Come goe my Maydes my fortunes sole attenders That minister to misery and sorrow Your Mistres you vnto your freedom renders And quits you from all charge yet ere to morrow And now by this I thinke the man I sent Is neere return'd that brings mee my dispatch God graunt his cunning sort to good euent And that his skill may well beguile my watch So shall I shun disgrace leaue to be sorie Fly to my loue scape my foe free my soule So shall I act the last act of my glory Dye like a Queene and rest without controule Exit CHORVS MIsterious Egipt wonder breeder strict religions strange obseruer State-ordrer Zeale the best rule-keeper fostring still in feruor O how cam'st thou to lose so wholy all religion law and order And thus become the most vnholy of all Lands that Nylus border How could confus'd Disorder enter where sterne Law sate so seuerely How durst weake lust and ryot venter th' eye of Iustice looking neerely Could not those means that made thee great Be still the meanes to keepe thy state Ah no the course of things requireth change and alteration euer That same continuaunce man desireth th vnconstant world yeeldeth neuer Wee in our counsels must be blinded and not see what dooth import vs And often-times the thing least minded is the thing that most must hurt vs Yet they that haue the stearne in guiding t is their fault that should preuent it For oft they seeing their Country slyding take their ease as though contented Wee imitate the greater powres The Princes manners fashion ours Th' example of their light regarding vulgar loosenes much incences Vice vncontrould growes wide inlarging Kings small faults be great offences And this hath set the window open vnto lycence lust and ryot This way Confusion first found broken whereby entred our disquiet Those lawes that Zoroaster founded and the Ptolomies obserued Heereby first came to be confounded which our state so long preserued The wanton luxurie of Court Dyd forme the people of like sort For all respecting priuate pleasure vniuersally consenting To abuse theyr time theyr treasure in theyr owne delights contenting And future dangers nought respecting whereby O howe easie matter Made this so generall neglecting Confus'd weakenes to disaster Caesar found th' effect true tryed in his easie entrance making Who at the sight of armes discryed all our people all forsaking For ryot worse then warre so sore Had wasted all our strength before And thus is Egipt seruile rendred to the insolent destroyer And all their sumptuous treasure tendred all her wealth that did betray her Which poyson O if heauens be rightfull may so far infect their sences That Egipts pleasures so delightfull may breed them the like offences And Romans learne our way of weaknes be instructed in our vices That our spoyles may spoyle your greatnes ouercome with our deuises Fill full your hands and carry home Inough from vs to ruine Rome ACTVS QVINTVS DOLABELLA TITIVS Dol. COme tell mee Titius eu'ry circumstaunce How Cleopatra did receiue my newes Tell eu'ry looke each gesture countenaunce That shee did in my Letters reading vse Tit. I shall my Lord so farre as I could note Or my conceite obserue in any wise It was the time when as shee hauing got Leaue to her Deerest dead to sacrifize And now was issuing out the Monument With Odors Incense Garlands in her hand When I approcht as one from Caesar sent And did her close thy message t' vnderstand Shee turnes her backe and with her takes mee in Reades in thy lynes thy strange vnlookt for tale And reades and smyles and stayes and doth begin Againe to reade then blusht and then was pale And hauing ended with a sigh refoldes Thy Letter vp and with a fixed eye Which stedfast her imagination holds Shee mus'd a while standing confusedly At length Ah friend saith shee tell thy good Lord How deere I hold his pittying of my case That out of his sweet nature can afford A miserable woman so much grace Tell him how much my heauy soule doth grieue Mercilesse Caesar should so deale with mee Pray him that he would all the counsell giue That might diuert him from such crueltie As for my loue say Anthony hath all Say that my hart is gone into the graue With him in whom it rests and euer shall I haue it not my selfe nor cannot haue Yet tell him he shall more commaund of mee Then any whosoeuer lyuing can Hee that so friendly shewes himselfe to be A right kind Roman and a Gentleman Although his Nation fatall vnto mee Haue had mine age a spoyle my youth a pray Yet his affection must accepted be That fauours one distrest in such decay Ah hee was worthy then to haue been lou'd Of Cleopatra whiles her glory lasted Before shee had declyning fortune prou'd Or scene her honor wrackt her flower blasted Now there is nothing left her
dye vnforst Witnes my soule parts free to Anthony And now proude Tyrant Caesar doe thy worst This sayd shee stayes and makes a suddaine pause As t were to feele whither the poyson wrought Or rather els the working might be cause That made her stay as likewise may be thought For in that instant I might well perceiue The drowsie humor in her falling brow And how each powre each part opprest did leaue Theyr former office and did sencelesse grow Looke how a new-pluckt branch against the Sunne Declynes his fading leaues in feeble sort So her disioyned ioyntures as vndonne Let fall her weake dissolued limmes support Yet loe that face the wonder of her life Retaines in death a grace that graceth death Couller so liuely cheere so louely rife That none wold think such beauty could want breath And in that cheere th' impression of a smile Did seeme to shew shee scorned Death and Caesar As glorying that shee could them both beguile And telling death how much her death did please her VVonder it was to see how soone shee went Shee went with such a will and did so haste it That sure I thinke shee did her paine preuent Fore-going paine or staying not to taste it And sencelesse in her sinking downe shee wryes The Diadem which on her head shee wore Which Charmion poore weake feeble mayd espyes And hastes to right it as it was before For Eras now was dead and Charmion too Euen at the poynt for both would imitate Theyr Mistres glory striuing like to doo But Charmion would in this exceede her mate For shee would haue this honour to be last That should adorne that head that must be seene To weare a Crowne in death that life held fast That all the world might know shee dyde a Queene And as shee stood setting if fitly on Lo in rush Caesars Messengers in haste Thinking to haue preuented what was doone But yet they came too late for all was past For there they found stretch'd on a bed of gold Dead Cleopatra and that proudly dead In all the riche attyre procure shee could And dying Charmion trymming of her head And Eras at her feete dead in like case Charmion is this well doone said one of them Yea well sayd shee and her that from the race Of so great Kings discends doth best become And with that word yeelds too her faithful breath To passe th' assurance of her loue with death Chor. But how knew Caesar of her close intent Nun. By Letters which before to him shee sent For when shee had procur'd this meanes to die Shee writes and earnestly intreates shee might Be buried in one Tombe with Anthony Whereby then Caesar gess'd all went not right And forth-with sends yet ere the message came Shee was dispatcht he crost in his intent Her prouidence had ordred so the same That shee was sure none should her plot preuent CHORVS THen thus we haue beheld Th' accomplishment of woes The full of ruine and The worst of worst of ills And seene all hope expeld That euer sweet repose Shall re-possess the Land That Desolations fills And where Ambition spills With vncontrouled hand All th' issue of all those That so long rule haue hell'd To make vs no more vs But cleane confound vs thus And canst O Nylus thou Father of floods indure That yellow Tyber should With sandy streames rule thee Wilt thou be pleas'd to bow To him those feete so pure Whose vnknowne head we hold A powre diuine to bee Thou that didst euer see Thy free banks vncontroul'd Liue vnder thine owne care Ah wilt thou beare it now And now wilt yeeld thy streams A pray to other Reames Draw backe thy waters floe To thy concealed head Rockes strangle vp thy waues Stop Cataractes thy fall And turne thy courses so That sandy Dezarts dead The world of dust that craues To swallow thee vp all May drinke so much as shall Reuiue from vastie graues A lyuing greene which spredd Far florshing may gro On that wide face of Death Where nothing now drawes breath Fatten some people there Euen as thou vs hast doone With plenties wanton store And feeble luxurie And them as vs prepare Fit for the day of mone Respected not before Leaue leuell'd Egipt dry A barraine pray to lye Wasted for euer-more Of plenties yeelding none To recompence the care Of Victors greedy lust And bring forth nought but dust And so O leaue to bee Sith thou art what thou art Let not our race possess Th' inheritance of shame The fee of sin that wee Haue left them for theyr part The yoke of whose distress Must still vpbraid our blame Telling from whom it came Our weight of wantonnes Lyes heauy on their hart Who neuer-more shall see The glory of that worth They left who brought vs forth O thou all seeing light High President of heauen You Magistrates the starres Of that eternall court Of Prouidence and Right Are these the bounds y'haue giuen Th' vntranspassable barres That limit pride so short Is greatnes of this sort That greatnes greatnes marres And wracks it selfe selfe driuen On Rocks of her owne might Doth Order order so Disorders ouer-thro FINIS AT LONDON Printed by Iames Roberts and Edward Allde for Simon VVaterson 1594