Page 2552 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3
P. 2552
Royal queen!
CHARMIAN
O Cleopatra, thou art taken, queen.
CLEOPATRA
Quick, quick, good hands.
(Drawing a dagger.)
PROCULEIUS
Hold, worthy lady, hold:
(Seizes and disarms her.)
Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this [40]
Reliev’d, but not betray’d.
CLEOPATRA
What, of death, too,
That rids our dogs of languish?
PROCULEIUS
Cleopatra,
Do not abuse my master’s bounty, by
The undoing of yourself: let the world see
His nobleness well acted, which your death [45]
Will never let come forth.
CLEOPATRA
Where art thou, death?
Come hither, come; come, come, and take a queen
Worth many babes and beggars!
PROCULEIUS
O, temperance, lady!
CLEOPATRA
Sir, I will eat no meat, I’ll not drink, sir, −
If idle talk will once be necessary, − [50]
