O, sir, pardon me. Ant. When I did make thee free, swor'st thou not then
To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once;
Or thy precedent services are all
But accidents unpurpos'd. Draw, and come.
Eros. Turn from me then that noble counte-
Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.
Ant. Lo thee.
[Turning from him.
Eros. My sword is drawn.
Then let it do at once
The thing why thou hast drawn it.
Eros.
My dear master,
My captain, and my emperor; let me say,
Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.
Ant. 'Tis said, man ;-and farewell.
Eros. Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?
Ant.
Now, Eros.
Bros. Why, there then-[Falls on his sword.]
Thus do I escape the sorrow
[Dies.
Thrice nobler than myself!
Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros, what [Eros
I should, and thou could'st not. My queen and
Have, by their brave instruction, got upon me
A nobleness in record: But I will be
A bridegroom in my death, and run into't
As to a lover's bed. Come then; and, Eros,
Thy master dies thy scholar; to do thus
'Tis the last service that I shall command you.
1 Guard. Woe are we, sir, you may not live to
All your true followers out.
[wear
All.
Ant. Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp
fate
To grace it with your sorrows: bid that welcome
Which comes to punish us, and we punish it
Seeming to bear it lightly. Take me up:
I have led you oft; carry me now, good friends,
And have my thanks for all.
[Exeunt, bearing Antony,
SCENE XIII.-The same. A Monument.
Enter above, Cleopatra, Charmian, and Iras.
Cleo. O Charmian, I will never go from hence.
Char. Be comforted, dear madam.
No, I will not
All strange and terrible events are welcome,
But comforts we despise; our size of sorrow,
Proportion'd to our cause, must be as great
Enter Diomedes.
As that which makes it.-How now? is he dead?
Dio. His death's upon him, but not dead.
Look out o' the other side your monument,
His guard have brought him thither.
Enter Antony, borne by the Guard.
Cleo.
O thou sun
Burn the great sphere thou mov'st in !-darkling
stand
[Falling on his sword. The varying shore o'the world!-0 Antony ! I learn'd of thee. How! not yet dead? not dead?-Antony, Antony!-Charmian, help; help, Iras; The guard!-ho!-O, despatch me.
Enter Dercetas and guard.
Help, friends below; let's draw him hither.
Not Cæsar's valour hath o'erthrown Antony,
But Antony's hath triumphed on itself.
Cleo. So it should be, that none but Antony
Should conquer Antony; but woe 'tis so!
Ant. I am dying, Egypt, dying; only
I here importune death a while, until
Of many thousand kisses the poor last
I lay upon thy lips.-
Cleo.
I dare not, dear
(Dear my lord, pardon,) I dare not,
Lest I be taken: not the imperious show
Of the full-fortun'd Cæsar ever shall
Be brooch'd with me; if knife, drugs, serpents,
Edge, sting, or operation, I am safe :
[have
Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes,
And still conclusion, shall acquire no honour
Demuring upon me.-But come, come, Antony,--
Help me, my women,-we must draw thee up ;-
Assist, good friends.
O, quick, or I am gone.
Cleo. Here's sport, indeed!-How heavy weighs
Our strength is all gone into heaviness, [my lord!
That makes the weight: Had I great Juno's power,
The strong-wing'd Mercury should fetch thee up,
And set thee by Jove's side. Yet come a little,-
Wishers were ever fools;-0, come, come, come;
[They dran Antony up.
And welcome, welcome! die, where thou hast
One word, sweet queen:
Of Cæsar seek your honour, with your safety.-O!
Cleo. They do not go together.
Ant.
Gentle, hear me ;
None about Cæsar trust, but Proculeius.
Cleo. My resolution, and my hands, I'll trust;
None about Cæsar.
Ant. The miserable change now at my end,
Lament nor sorrow at: but please your thoughts,
In feeding them with those my former fortunes
Wherein I liv'd, the greatest prince o' the world,
The noblest and do now not basely die,
Nor cowardly; put off my helmet to
My countryman, a Roman, by a Roman
Valiantly vanquish'd. Now, my spirit is going;
I can no more.
Cleo.
Noblest of men, woo't die?
Hast thou no care of me? shall I abide
In this dull world, which in thy absence is
No better than a stye ?-0, see my women,
The crown o' the earth doth melt-My lord!-
O, wither'd is the garland of the war,
The soldier's pole is fallen; young boys, and girls,
Are level now with men: the odds is gone,
And there is nothing left remarkable
Beneath the visiting moon.
[She faints.
Char.
O, quietness, lady!
Iras. She is dead too, our sovereign.
Char.
Char. O madam, madam, madam!
Iras.
Char. Peace, peace, Iras.
That nature must compel us to lament
Our most persisted deeds.
Waged equal with him.
Agr.
His taints and honours
A rarer spirit never
Did steer humanity: but you, gods, will give us
Some faults to make us men. Cæsar is touch'd.
Mec. When such a spacious mirror's set before
He needs must see himself.
[him,
Lady,-
Cæs.
O Antony!
Madam,-I have follow'd thee to this ;-But we do lance
Diseases in our bodies: I must perforce
Have shown to thee such a declining day,
Or look on thine; we could not stall together
In the whole world: But yet let me lament,
With tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts,
That thou, my brother, my competitor
In top of all design, my mate in empire,
Friend and companion in the front of war,
The arm of mine own body, and the heart
Where mine his thoughts did kindle, that our
Unreconciliable, should divide
(stars,
Royal Egypt!
[manded
Cleo. No more, but e'en a woman; and com-
By such poor passion as the maid that milks,
And does the meanest chares.-It were for me
To throw my scepter at the injurious gods;
To tell them, that this world did equal theirs,
Till they had stolen our jewel. All's but naught;
Patience is sottish; and impatience does
Become a dog that's mad: Then is it sin,
To rush into the secret house of death,
Ere death dare come to us ?-How do you, women?
What, what? good cheer! Why, how now, Char-
mian ?
My noble girls !-Ah, women, women! look,
Our lamp is spent, it's out :-Good sirs, take
heart :-
[To the Guard below.
We'll bury him and then, what's brave, what's
Let's do it after the high Roman fashion, [noble,
And make death proud to take us. Come, away:
This case of that huge spirit now is cold.
Ah, women, women! come; we have no friend
But resolution, and the briefest end.
[Exeunt; those above bearing off Antony's body.
SCENE I-Caesar's Camp before Alexandria. Enter Cæsar, Agrippa, Dolabella, Mecenas, Gallus, Proculeius, and others.
Cas. Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield; Being so frustrate, tell him, he mocks us by The pauses that he makes.
Cæsar, I shall. [Exit Dolabella.
Enter Dercetas, with the sword of Antony.
Cas. Wherefore is that? and what art thou, that
Appear thus to us?
[dar'st
Der.
I am call'd Dercetas ;
Mark Antony I serv'd, who best was worthy
Best to be serv'd: whilst he stood up, and spoke,
He was my master; and I wore my life,
To spend upon his haters: If thou please
To take me to thee, as I was to him
I'll be to Cæsar; if thou pleasest not,
I yield thee up my life.
Our equalness to this.-Hear me, good friends,-
But I will tell you at some meeter season;
Enter a Messenger.
The business of this man looks out of him,
We'll hear him what he says.-Whence are you?
Mess. A poor Egyptian yet. The queen my
Confin'd in all she has, her monument, [mistress,
Of thy intents desires instruction;
That she preparedly may frame herself
To the way she's forced to.
Cæs.
Bid her have good heart;
She soon shall know of us, by some of ours,
How honourable and how kindly we
Determine for her: for Cæsar cannot live
To be ungentle.
Mess.
So the gods preserve thee! [Exit.
Cæs. Come hither, Proculeius; Go, and say,
We purpose her no shame give her what comforts
The quality of her passion shall require ;
Lest, in her greatness, by some mortal stroke
She do defeat us: for her life in Rome
Would be eternal in our triumph: Go,
And, with your speediest, bring us what she says,
And how you find of her.
Pro.
Caesar, I shall. [Exit Proculeius.
Cæs. Gallus, go you along.-Where's Dolabella,
To second Proculeius ?
[Exit Gallus.
Agr. Mec.
Cas. Let him alone, for I remember now
How he's employed; he shall in time be ready.
Go with me to my tent: where you shall see
How hardly I was drawn into this war;
How calm and gentle I proceeded still
In all my writings: Go with me, and see
What I can show in this.
SCENE II.-Alexandria, A Room in the Monu
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, and Iras.
Cleo. My desolation does begin to make
A better life: 'Tis paltry to be Cæsar;
Not being fortune, he's but fortune's knave,
A minister of her will; And it is great
To do that thing that ends all other deeds;
Which shackles accidents, and bolts up change;
Which sleeps, and never palates more the dung,
The beggar's nurse and Cæsar's.
Enter, to the gates of the monument, Proculeius,
Gallus, and Soldiers.
Pro. Cæsar sends greeting to the queen of Egypt;
And bids thee study on what fair demands
Thou mean'st to have him grant thee.
Cleo. [Within.]
Pro. My name is Proculeius.
Cleo. [Within.]
Did tell me of you, bade me trust you; but
I do not greatly care to be deceiv'd,
That have no use for trusting. If your master
Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him,
That majesty, to keep decorum, must
No less beg than a kingdom: if he please
To give me conquer'd Egypt for my son,
He gives me so much of mine own, as I
Will kneel to him with thanks.
Pro.
Be of good cheer;
You are fallen into a princely hand, fear nothing:
Make your full reference freely to my lord,
Who is so full of grace, that it flows over
On all that need: Let me report to him
Your sweet dependancy: and you shall find
A conqueror, that will pray in aid for kindness,
Where he for grace is kneel'd to.
Pray you, tell him
I am his fortune's vassal, and I send him
The greatness he has got. I hourly learn
A doctrine of obedience; and would gladly
Look him i'the face.
This I'll report, dear lady.
Have comfort; for, I know, your plight is pitied
Of him that caus'd it.
Gal. You see how easily she may be surpriz'd;
[Here Proculeius, and two of the Guard, ascend
the Monument by a ladder placed against a
windon, and having descended, come behind
Cleopatra. Some of the Guard unbar and
open the gates.
Guard her till Cæsar come.
[To Proculeius and the Guard. Exit Gallus. Iras. Royal queen!
Char. O Cleopatra! thou art taken, queen!-
Cleo. Quick, quick, good hands.
Pro.
[Drawing a dagger. Hold, worthy lady, hold: [Seizes and disarms her. Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this Reliev'd, but not betray'd.
What, of death too That rids our dogs of languish ?
Do not abuse my master's bounty, by
The undoing of yourself: let the world see
His nobleness well acted, which your death
Will never let come forth.
Cleo.
Where art thou, death?
Come hither, come! come, come, and take a queen
Worth many babes and beggars !
If it might please you,Cleo. His face was as the heavens; and therein stuck
A sun, and moon; which kept their course, and
The little O, the earth.
[lighted
Most sovereign creature,-
Cleo. His legs bestrid the ocean: his rear'd arm
Crested the world: his voice was propertied
As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends;
But when he meant to quail and shake the orb,
He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty,
There was no winter in't; an autumn 'twas,
That grew the more by reaping: His delights
Were dolphin-like; they show'd his back above
The element they liv'd in: In his livery
Walk'd crowns, and crownets; realms and islands
As plates dropp'd from his pocket.
[were
Cleo. Think you, there was, or might be, such a
As this I dream'd of?
[man
Gentle madam, no.
Cleo. You lie, up to the hearing of the gods.
But, if there be, or ever were one such,
It's past the size of dreaming: Nature wants stuff
To vie strange forms with fancy; yet, to imagine
An Antony, were nature's piece 'gainst fancy,
Condemning shadows quite.
Hear me, good madam:
Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it
As answering to the weight: 'Would I might never
O'ertake pursu'd success, but I do feel,
By the rebound of yours, à grief that shoots
My very heart at root.
O, temperance, lady! I
Cleo. Sir, I will eat no meat, I'll not drink, sir;
If idle talk will once be necessary,
I'll not sleep neither: This mortal house I'll ruin,
Do Cæsar what he can. Know, sir, that I
Will not wait pinion'd at your master's court;
Nor once be chastis'd with the sober eye
Of dull Octavia. Shall they hoist me up,
And show me to the shouting varletry
Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt
Be gentle grave to me! rather on Nilus' mud
Lay me stark naked, and let the water-flies
Blow me into abhorring! rather make
My country's high pyramides my gibbet,
And hang me up in chains!
We will extenuate rather than enforce :
If you apply yourself to our intents,
(Which towards you are most gentle,) you shall
A benefit in this change; but if you seek
To lay on me a cruelty, by taking
Antony's course, you shall bereave yourself
Of my good purposes, and put your children
To that destruction which I'll guard them from,
If thereon you rely. I'll take my leave. [and we
Cleo. And may, through all the world: 'tis yours;
Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest,
shall
[lord.
Hang in what place you please. Here, my good
Cas. You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.
Cleo. This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels,
I am possess❜d of: 'tis exactly valued;
Not petty things admitted.-Where's Seleucus ?
Sel. Here, madam.
Cleo. This is my treasurer; let him speak, my
Upon his peril, that I have reserv'd
[lord,
To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.
Sel. Madam,
I had rather seel my lips, than, to my peril,
Speak that which is not.
Cleo.
What have I kept back?
Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made]
known.
Cas. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra ; I approve
Your wisdom in the deed.
Cleo.
See, Cæsar! O, behold,
How pomp is follow'd! mine will now be yours;
And, should we shift estates, yours would be
The ingratitude of this Seleucus does [mine.
Even make me wild: O slave, of no more trust
Than love that's hir'd!-What, goest thou back?
thou shalt
Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes,
Though they had wings: Slave, soul-less villain,
O rarely base!
[dog!
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
Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence; [me
[To Seleucus.
Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits
Through the ashes of my chance :-Wert thou a
Thou would'st have mercy on me.
[man,
Cæs.
Forbear, Seleucus.
[Exit Seleucus.
Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are mis-
thought
For things that others do; and, when we fall,
We answer others' merits in our name,
Are therefore to be pitied.
Cæs.
Not what you have reserv'd, nor what acknow-
Put we i' the roll of conquest: still be it yours,
Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe,
Cæsar's no merchant, to make prize with you
Behold, sir. [Exit Charmian.
Dolabella?
Which my love makes religion to obey,
Dol. Madam, as thereto sworn by your command,
I tell you this: Cæsar through Syria
Intends his journey and, within three days,
You with your children will he send before:
Make your best use of this: I have perform'd
Your pleasure, and my promise.
I shall remain your debtor.
Dol.
I your servant.
Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Cæsar.
Cleo. Farewell, and thanks. [Exit Dol.] Now,
Iras, what think'st thou ?
Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown
In Rome, as well as I: mechanick slaves
With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall
Uplift us to the view; in their thick breaths,
Rank of gross diet, shall we be enclouded,
And forc'd to drink their vapour.
Iras.
Cleo. Nay, tis most certain, Iras Saucy lictors
Will catch at us, like strumpets; and scald rhymers
Ballad us out o' tune: the quick comedians
Extemporally will stage us, and present
Our Alexandrian revels; Antony
Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see
Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness
I' the posture of a whore.
Iras.
O the good gods!
Cleo. Nay, that is certain.
Iras. I'll never see it; for, I am sure, my nails
Are stronger than mine eyes.
Why, that's the way
To fool their preparation, and to conquer
Their most absurd intents.-Now, Charmian ?—
Enter Charmian.
Show me, my women, like a queen ;-Go fetch
My best attires;-I am again for Cydnus,
To meet Mark Antony :-Sirrah, Iras, go.
Now, noble Charmian, we'll despatch indeed :
And, when thou hast done this chare, I'll give thee
leave
To play till dooms-day. Bring our crown and all.
Wherefore's this noise?
[Exit Iras. A noise ruithin. Enter one of the Guard.
Here is a rural fellow,
That will not be denied your highness' presence;
He brings you figs.
Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instrument
[Erit Guard.
May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.
My resolution's plac'd, and I have nothing
Of woman in me: Now from head to foot
Of things that merchants sold Therefore be I am marble-constant: now the fleeting moon
Re-enter Guard, with a Clown bringing in a basket.
This is the man. Cleo. Avoid, and leave him. [Exit Guard. Hast thou the pretty worm 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.
[Clown sets down the basket.
Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind.
Clown. Look you, the worm is not to be trusted, but in the keeping of wise people: for, indeed, there is no goodness in the worm.
Cleo. Take thou no care; it shall be heeded. Clown. Very good give it nothing, I pray you, for it is not worth the feeding.
Clown. You must not think I am so simple, but know the devil himself will not eat a woman: know, that a woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her not. But, truly, these same whoreson devils do the gods great harm in their women; for in every ten that they make, the devils mar five. Cleo. Well, get thee gone; farewell. Clown. Yes, forsooth; I wish you joy of the [Exit.
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; I 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 aspick 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 The gods themselves do weep! [may say, Cleo. This proves me base: If she first meet the curled Antony, He'll make demand of her; and spend that kiss, Which is my heaven to have. Come, mortal wretch,
[To the asp, which she applies to her breast. With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool, Be angry, and despatch. O, could'st thou speak! That I might hear thee call great Cæsar, ass Unpolicied!
Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, That sucks the nurse asleep?
Char. O, break! O, break Cleo. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle,-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 wide 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. [call him. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar ;1 Guard. What work is here ?-Charmian, is this
Here, on her breast, There is a vent of blood, and something blown: The like is on her arm.
1 Guard. This is an aspick's trail: and these figleaves
Have slime upon them, such as the aspick leaves Upon the caves of Nile.
Most probable,
That so she died; for her physician tells me,
She hath pursued conclusions infinite
Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed;
And bear her women from the monument :-
She shall be buried by her Antony:
No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them; and their story is
No less in pity, than his glory, which
Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall,
In solemn show, attend this funeral;
And then to Rome.-Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.
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