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

124

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes,

Though they had wings: slave, soulless villain, dog!

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

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,

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

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

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,

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.

