Page:Antony and Cleopatra (1921) Yale.djvu/136

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124
The Tragedy of

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes,
Though they had wings: slave, soulless villain, dog! 156
O rarely base!

Cæs. Good queen, let us entreat you.

Cleo. O Cæsar! what a wounding shame is this,
That thou, vouchsafing here to visit me,
Doing the honour of thy lordliness 160
To one so meek, that mine own servant should
Parcel the sum of my disgraces by
Addition of his envy. Say, good Cæsar,
That I some lady trifles have reserv'd, 164
Immoment toys, things of such dignity
As we greet modern friends withal; and say,
Some nobler token I have kept apart
For Livia and Octavia, to induce 168
Their mediation; must I be unfolded
With one that I have bred? The gods! it smites me
Beneath the fall I have. [To Seleucus.] Prithee, go hence;
Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits 172
Through the ashes of my chance. Wert thou a man,
Thou wouldst have mercy on me.

Cæs. Forbear, Seleucus.

[Exit Seleucus.]

Cleo. Be it known that we, the greatest, are misthought
For things that others do; and, when we fall, 176
We answer others' merits in our name,
Are therefore to be pitied.

Cæs. Cleopatra,

162 Parcel the sum: sum up
164 lady: feminine
165 Immoment toys: trifles of no importance
166 modern: ordinary
168 Livia; cf. n.
169 unfolded: betrayed
170 With: by
173 chance: fortune
176–178 and, when we fall . . . pitied; cf. n.