Antony and Cleopatra (1606)

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Online Critical Edition in Progress - Version 1.b.
Date variant: 1606-7
Shakespeare Network - https://shakespearenetwork.net/

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Act IV, Scene 1

Before Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp.

OCTAVIUS
He calls me boy; and chides, as he had power
To beat me out of Egypt; my messenger
He hath whipp'd with rods; dares me to personal combat,
Caesar to Antony: let the old ruffian know
I have many other ways to die; meantime
Laugh at his challenge.

MECAENAS
Caesar must think,
When one so great begins to rage, he's hunted
Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now
Make boot of his distraction: never anger
Made good guard for itself.

OCTAVIUS
Let our best heads
Know, that to-morrow the last of many battles
We mean to fight: within our files there are,
Of those that served Mark Antony but late,
Enough to fetch him in. See it done:
And feast the army; we have store to do't,
And they have earn'd the waste. Poor Antony!

Act IV, Scene 2

Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace.

ANTONY
He will not fight with me, Domitius.

ANTONY
Why should he not?

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
He thinks, being twenty times of better fortune,
He is twenty men to one.

ANTONY
To-morrow, soldier,
By sea and land I'll fight: or I will live,
Or bathe my dying honour in the blood
Shall make it live again. Woo't thou fight well?

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
I'll strike, and cry 'Take all.'

ANTONY
Well said; come on.
Call forth my household servants: let's to-night
Be bounteous at our meal.
[Enter three or four Servitors]
Give me thy hand,
Thou hast been rightly honest;--so hast thou;--
Thou,--and thou,--and thou:--you have served me well,
And kings have been your fellows.

CLEOPATRA
[Aside to DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS] What means this?

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
[Aside to CLEOPATRA] 'Tis one of those odd
tricks which sorrow shoots
Out of the mind.

ANTONY
And thou art honest too.
I wish I could be made so many men,
And all of you clapp'd up together in
An Antony, that I might do you service
So good as you have done.

All
The gods forbid!

ANTONY
Well, my good fellows, wait on me to-night:
Scant not my cups; and make as much of me
As when mine empire was your fellow too,
And suffer'd my command.

CLEOPATRA
[Aside to DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS] What does he mean?

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
[Aside to CLEOPATRA] To make his followers weep.

ANTONY
Tend me to-night;
May be it is the period of your duty:
Haply you shall not see me more; or if,
A mangled shadow: perchance to-morrow
You'll serve another master. I look on you
As one that takes his leave. Mine honest friends,
I turn you not away; but, like a master
Married to your good service, stay till death:
Tend me to-night two hours, I ask no more,
And the gods yield you for't!

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
What mean you, sir,
To give them this discomfort? Look, they weep;
And I, an ass, am onion-eyed: for shame,
Transform us not to women.

ANTONY
Ho, ho, ho!
Now the witch take me, if I meant it thus!
Grace grow where those drops fall!
My hearty friends,
You take me in too dolorous a sense;
For I spake to you for your comfort; did desire you
To burn this night with torches: know, my hearts,
I hope well of to-morrow; and will lead you
Where rather I'll expect victorious life
Than death and honour. Let's to supper, come,
And drown consideration.

Act IV, Scene 3

The same. Before the palace.

First Soldier
Brother, good night: to-morrow is the day.

Second Soldier
It will determine one way: fare you well.
Heard you of nothing strange about the streets?

First Soldier
Nothing. What news?

Second Soldier
Belike 'tis but a rumour. Good night to you.

First Soldier
Well, sir, good night.

Second Soldier
Soldiers, have careful watch.

Third Soldier
And you. Good night, good night.

Fourth Soldier
Here we: and if to-morrow
Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope
Our landmen will stand up.

Third Soldier
'Tis a brave army,
And full of purpose.

Fourth Soldier
Peace! what noise?

First Soldier
List, list!

First Soldier
Music i' the air.

Third Soldier
Under the earth.

Fourth Soldier
It signs well, does it not?

First Soldier
Peace, I say!
What should this mean?

Second Soldier
'Tis the god Hercules, whom Antony loved,
Now leaves him.

First Soldier
Walk; let's see if other watchmen
Do hear what we do?

Second Soldier
How now, masters!

All
[Speaking together] How now!
How now! do you hear this?

First Soldier
Ay; is't not strange?

Third Soldier
Do you hear, masters? do you hear?

First Soldier
Follow the noise so far as we have quarter;
Let's see how it will give off.

All
Content. 'Tis strange.

Act IV, Scene 4

The same. A room in the palace.

ANTONY
Eros! mine armour, Eros!

CLEOPATRA
Sleep a little.

ANTONY
No, my chuck. Eros, come; mine armour, Eros!
[Enter EROS with armour]
Come good fellow, put mine iron on:
If fortune be not ours to-day, it is
Because we brave her: come.

CLEOPATRA
Nay, I'll help too.
What's this for?

ANTONY
Ah, let be, let be! thou art
The armourer of my heart: false, false; this, this.

CLEOPATRA
Sooth, la, I'll help: thus it must be.

ANTONY
Well, well;
We shall thrive now. Seest thou, my good fellow?
Go put on thy defences.

EROS
Briefly, sir.

CLEOPATRA
Is not this buckled well?

ANTONY
Rarely, rarely:
He that unbuckles this, till we do please
To daff't for our repose, shall hear a storm.
Thou fumblest, Eros; and my queen's a squire
More tight at this than thou: dispatch. O love,
That thou couldst see my wars to-day, and knew'st
The royal occupation! thou shouldst see
A workman in't.
[Enter an armed Soldier]
Good morrow to thee; welcome:
Thou look'st like him that knows a warlike charge:
To business that we love we rise betime,
And go to't with delight.

Soldier
A thousand, sir,
Early though't be, have on their riveted trim,
And at the port expect you.

Captain
The morn is fair. Good morrow, general.

All
Good morrow, general.

ANTONY
'Tis well blown, lads:
This morning, like the spirit of a youth
That means to be of note, begins betimes.
So, so; come, give me that: this way; well said.
Fare thee well, dame, whate'er becomes of me:
This is a soldier's kiss: rebukeable
[Kisses her]
And worthy shameful cheque it were, to stand
On more mechanic compliment; I'll leave thee
Now, like a man of steel. You that will fight,
Follow me close; I'll bring you to't. Adieu.

Charmian
Please you, retire to your chamber.

CLEOPATRA
Lead me.
He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might
Determine this great war in single fight!
Then Antony,--but now--Well, on.

Act IV, Scene 5

Alexandria. MARK ANTONY's camp.

Soldier
The gods make this a happy day to Antony!

ANTONY
Would thou and those thy scars had once prevail'd
To make me fight at land!

Soldier
Hadst thou done so,
The kings that have revolted, and the soldier
That has this morning left thee, would have still
Follow'd thy heels.

ANTONY
Who's gone this morning?

Soldier
Who!
One ever near thee: call for Enobarbus,
He shall not hear thee; or from Caesar's camp
Say 'I am none of thine.'

ANTONY
What say'st thou?

Soldier
Sir,
He is with Caesar.

EROS
Sir, his chests and treasure
He has not with him.

ANTONY
Is he gone?

Soldier
Most certain.

ANTONY
Go, Eros, send his treasure after; do it;
Detain no jot, I charge thee: write to him--
I will subscribe--gentle adieus and greetings;
Say that I wish he never find more cause
To change a master. O, my fortunes have
Corrupted honest men! Dispatch.--Enobarbus!

Act IV, Scene 6

Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp.

OCTAVIUS
Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight:
Our will is Antony be took alive;
Make it so known.

AGRIPPA
Caesar, I shall.

OCTAVIUS
The time of universal peace is near:
Prove this a prosperous day, the three-nook'd world
Shall bear the olive freely.

Messenger
Antony
Is come into the field.

OCTAVIUS
Go charge Agrippa
Plant those that have revolted in the van,
That Antony may seem to spend his fury
Upon himself.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Alexas did revolt; and went to Jewry on
Affairs of Antony; there did persuade
Great Herod to incline himself to Caesar,
And leave his master Antony: for this pains
Caesar hath hang'd him. Canidius and the rest
That fell away have entertainment, but
No honourable trust. I have done ill;
Of which I do accuse myself so sorely,
That I will joy no more.

Soldier
Enobarbus, Antony
Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with
His bounty overplus: the messenger
Came on my guard; and at thy tent is now
Unloading of his mules.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
I give it you.

Soldier
Mock not, Enobarbus.
I tell you true: best you safed the bringer
Out of the host; I must attend mine office,
Or would have done't myself. Your emperor
Continues still a Jove.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
I am alone the villain of the earth,
And feel I am so most. O Antony,
Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paid
My better service, when my turpitude
Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart:
If swift thought break it not, a swifter mean
Shall outstrike thought: but thought will do't, I feel.
I fight against thee! No: I will go seek
Some ditch wherein to die; the foul'st best fits
My latter part of life.

Act IV, Scene 7

Field of battle between the camps.

AGRIPPA
Retire, we have engaged ourselves too far:
Caesar himself has work, and our oppression
Exceeds what we expected.

SCARUS
O my brave emperor, this is fought indeed!
Had we done so at first, we had droven them home
With clouts about their heads.

ANTONY
Thou bleed'st apace.

SCARUS
I had a wound here that was like a T,
But now 'tis made an H.

ANTONY
They do retire.

SCARUS
We'll beat 'em into bench-holes: I have yet
Room for six scotches more.

EROS
They are beaten, sir, and our advantage serves
For a fair victory.

SCARUS
Let us score their backs,
And snatch 'em up, as we take hares, behind:
'Tis sport to maul a runner.

ANTONY
I will reward thee
Once for thy spritely comfort, and ten-fold
For thy good valour. Come thee on.

SCARUS
I'll halt after.

Act IV, Scene 8

Under the walls of Alexandria.

ANTONY
We have beat him to his camp: run one before,
And let the queen know of our gests. To-morrow,
Before the sun shall see 's, we'll spill the blood
That has to-day escaped. I thank you all;
For doughty-handed are you, and have fought
Not as you served the cause, but as 't had been
Each man's like mine; you have shown all Hectors.
Enter the city, clip your wives, your friends,
Tell them your feats; whilst they with joyful tears
Wash the congealment from your wounds, and kiss
The honour'd gashes whole.
[To SCARUS]
Give me thy hand
[Enter CLEOPATRA, attended]
To this great fairy I'll commend thy acts,
Make her thanks bless thee.
[To CLEOPATRA]
O thou day o' the world,
Chain mine arm'd neck; leap thou, attire and all,
Through proof of harness to my heart, and there
Ride on the pants triumphing!

CLEOPATRA
Lord of lords!
O infinite virtue, comest thou smiling from
The world's great snare uncaught?

ANTONY
My nightingale,
We have beat them to their beds. What, girl!
though grey
Do something mingle with our younger brown, yet ha' we
A brain that nourishes our nerves, and can
Get goal for goal of youth. Behold this man;
Commend unto his lips thy favouring hand:
Kiss it, my warrior: he hath fought to-day
As if a god, in hate of mankind, had
Destroy'd in such a shape.

CLEOPATRA
I'll give thee, friend,
An armour all of gold; it was a king's.

ANTONY
He has deserved it, were it carbuncled
Like holy Phoebus' car. Give me thy hand:
Through Alexandria make a jolly march;
Bear our hack'd targets like the men that owe them:
Had our great palace the capacity
To camp this host, we all would sup together,
And drink carouses to the next day's fate,
Which promises royal peril. Trumpeters,
With brazen din blast you the city's ear;
Make mingle with rattling tabourines;
That heaven and earth may strike their sounds together,
Applauding our approach.

Act IV, Scene 9

OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp.

First Soldier
If we be not relieved within this hour,
We must return to the court of guard: the night
Is shiny; and they say we shall embattle
By the second hour i' the morn.

Second Soldier
This last day was
A shrewd one to's.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
O, bear me witness, night,--

Third Soldier
What man is this?

Second Soldier
Stand close, and list him.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Be witness to me, O thou blessed moon,
When men revolted shall upon record
Bear hateful memory, poor Enobarbus did
Before thy face repent!

First Soldier
Enobarbus!

Third Soldier
Peace!
Hark further.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
O sovereign mistress of true melancholy,
The poisonous damp of night disponge upon me,
That life, a very rebel to my will,
May hang no longer on me: throw my heart
Against the flint and hardness of my fault:
Which, being dried with grief, will break to powder,
And finish all foul thoughts. O Antony,
Nobler than my revolt is infamous,
Forgive me in thine own particular;
But let the world rank me in register
A master-leaver and a fugitive:
O Antony! O Antony!

Second Soldier
Let's speak To him.

First Soldier
Let's hear him, for the things he speaks
May concern Caesar.

Third Soldier
Let's do so. But he sleeps.

First Soldier
Swoons rather; for so bad a prayer as his
Was never yet for sleep.

Second Soldier
Go we to him.

Third Soldier
Awake, sir, awake; speak to us.

Second Soldier
Hear you, sir?

First Soldier
The hand of death hath raught him.
[Drums afar off]
Hark! the drums
Demurely wake the sleepers. Let us bear him
To the court of guard; he is of note: our hour
Is fully out.

Third Soldier
Come on, then;
He may recover yet.

Act IV, Scene 10

Between the two camps.

ANTONY
Their preparation is to-day by sea;
We please them not by land.

SCARUS
For both, my lord.

ANTONY
I would they'ld fight i' the fire or i' the air;
We'ld fight there too. But this it is; our foot
Upon the hills adjoining to the city
Shall stay with us: order for sea is given;
They have put forth the haven [--]
Where their appointment we may best discover,
And look on their endeavour.

Act IV, Scene 11

Another part of the same.

OCTAVIUS
But being charged, we will be still by land,
Which, as I take't, we shall; for his best force
Is forth to man his galleys. To the vales,
And hold our best advantage.

Act IV, Scene 12

Another part of the same.

ANTONY
Yet they are not join'd: where yond pine
does stand,
I shall discover all: I'll bring thee word
Straight, how 'tis like to go.

SCARUS
Swallows have built
In Cleopatra's sails their nests: the augurers
Say they know not, they cannot tell; look grimly,
And dare not speak their knowledge. Antony
Is valiant, and dejected; and, by starts,
His fretted fortunes give him hope, and fear,
Of what he has, and has not.

ANTONY
All is lost;
This foul Egyptian hath betrayed me:
My fleet hath yielded to the foe; and yonder
They cast their caps up and carouse together
Like friends long lost. Triple-turn'd whore!
'tis thou
Hast sold me to this novice; and my heart
Makes only wars on thee. Bid them all fly;
For when I am revenged upon my charm,
I have done all. Bid them all fly; begone.
[Exit SCARUS]
O sun, thy uprise shall I see no more:
Fortune and Antony part here; even here
Do we shake hands. All come to this? The hearts
That spaniel'd me at heels, to whom I gave
Their wishes, do discandy, melt their sweets
On blossoming Caesar; and this pine is bark'd,
That overtopp'd them all. Betray'd I am:
O this false soul of Egypt! this grave charm,--
Whose eye beck'd forth my wars, and call'd them home;
Whose bosom was my crownet, my chief end,--
Like a right gipsy, hath, at fast and loose,
Beguiled me to the very heart of loss.
What, Eros, Eros!
[Enter CLEOPATRA]
Ah, thou spell! Avaunt!

CLEOPATRA
Why is my lord enraged against his love?

ANTONY
Vanish, or I shall give thee thy deserving,
And blemish Caesar's triumph. Let him take thee,
And hoist thee up to the shouting plebeians:
Follow his chariot, like the greatest spot
Of all thy sex; most monster-like, be shown
For poor'st diminutives, for doits; and let
Patient Octavia plough thy visage up
With her prepared nails.
[Exit CLEOPATRA]
'Tis well thou'rt gone,
If it be well to live; but better 'twere
Thou fell'st into my fury, for one death
Might have prevented many. Eros, ho!
The shirt of Nessus is upon me: teach me,
Alcides, thou mine ancestor, thy rage:
Let me lodge Lichas on the horns o' the moon;
And with those hands, that grasp'd the heaviest club,
Subdue my worthiest self. The witch shall die:
To the young Roman boy she hath sold me, and I fall
Under this plot; she dies for't. Eros, ho!

Act IV, Scene 13

Alexandria. Cleopatra's palace.

CLEOPATRA
Help me, my women! O, he is more mad
Than Telamon for his shield; the boar of Thessaly
Was never so emboss'd.

Charmian
To the monument!
There lock yourself, and send him word you are dead.
The soul and body rive not more in parting
Than greatness going off.

CLEOPATRA
To the monument!
Mardian, go tell him I have slain myself;
Say, that the last I spoke was 'Antony,'
And word it, prithee, piteously: hence, Mardian,
And bring me how he takes my death.
To the monument!

Act IV, Scene 14

The same. Another room.

ANTONY
Eros, thou yet behold'st me?

EROS
Ay, noble lord.

ANTONY
Sometimes we see a cloud that's dragonish;
A vapour sometime like a bear or lion,
A tower'd citadel, a pendent rock,
A forked mountain, or blue promontory
With trees upon't, that nod unto the world,
And mock our eyes with air: thou hast seen
these signs;
They are black vesper's pageants.

EROS
Ay, my lord,

ANTONY
That which is now a horse, even with a thought
The rack dislimns, and makes it indistinct,
As water is in water.

EROS
It does, my lord.

ANTONY
My good knave Eros, now thy captain is
Even such a body: here I am Antony:
Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave.
I made these wars for Egypt: and the queen,--
Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine;
Which whilst it was mine had annex'd unto't
A million more, now lost,--she, Eros, has
Pack'd cards with Caesar, and false-play'd my glory
Unto an enemy's triumph.
Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us
Ourselves to end ourselves.
[Enter MARDIAN]
O! thy vile lady!
She has robb'd me of my sword.

MARDIAN
No, Antony;
My mistress loved thee, and her fortunes mingled
With thine entirely.

ANTONY
Hence, saucy eunuch; peace!
She hath betray'd me and shall die the death.

MARDIAN
Death of one person can be paid but once,
And that she has discharged: what thou wouldst do
Is done unto thy hand: the last she spake
Was 'Antony! most noble Antony!'
Then in the midst a tearing groan did break
The name of Antony; it was divided
Between her heart and lips: she render'd life,
Thy name so buried in her.

ANTONY
Dead, then?

MARDIAN
Dead.

ANTONY
Unarm, Eros; the long day's task is done,
And we must sleep.
[To MARDIAN]
That thou depart'st hence safe,
Does pay thy labour richly; go.
[Exit MARDIAN]
Off, pluck off:
The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep
The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my sides!
Heart, once be stronger than thy continent,
Crack thy frail case! Apace, Eros, apace.
No more a soldier: bruised pieces, go;
You have been nobly borne. From me awhile.
[Exit EROS]
I will o'ertake thee, Cleopatra, and
Weep for my pardon. So it must be, for now
All length is torture: since the torch is out,
Lie down, and stray no farther: now all labour
Mars what it does; yea, very force entangles
Itself with strength: seal then, and all is done.
Eros!--I come, my queen:--Eros!--Stay for me:
Where souls do couch on flowers, we'll hand in hand,
And with our sprightly port make the ghosts gaze:
Dido and her AEneas shall want troops,
And all the haunt be ours. Come, Eros, Eros!

EROS
What would my lord?

ANTONY
Since Cleopatra died,
I have lived in such dishonour, that the gods
Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword
Quarter'd the world, and o'er green Neptune's back
With ships made cities, condemn myself to lack
The courage of a woman; less noble mind
Than she which by her death our Caesar tells
'I am conqueror of myself.' Thou art sworn, Eros,
That, when the exigent should come, which now
Is come indeed, when I should see behind me
The inevitable prosecution of
Disgrace and horror, that, on my command,
Thou then wouldst kill me: do't; the time is come:
Thou strikest not me, 'tis Caesar thou defeat'st.
Put colour in thy cheek.

EROS
The gods withhold me!
Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts,
Though enemy, lost aim, and could not?

ANTONY
Eros,
Wouldst thou be window'd in great Rome and see
Thy master thus with pleach'd arms, bending down
His corrigible neck, his face subdued
To penetrative shame, whilst the wheel'd seat
Of fortunate Caesar, drawn before him, branded
His baseness that ensued?

EROS
I would not see't.

ANTONY
Come, then; for with a wound I must be cured.
Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn
Most useful for thy country.

EROS
O, sir, pardon me!

ANTONY
When I did make thee free, sworest thou not then
To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once;
Or thy precedent services are all
But accidents unpurposed. Draw, and come.

EROS
Turn from me, then, that noble countenance,
Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.

ANTONY
Lo thee!

EROS
My sword is drawn.

ANTONY
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.

ANTONY
'Tis said, man; and farewell.

EROS
Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?

ANTONY
Now, Eros.

EROS
Why, there then: thus I do escape the sorrow
Of Antony's death.

ANTONY
Thrice-nobler than myself!
Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros, what
I should, and thou couldst not. My queen and Eros
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
[Falling on his sword]
I learn'd of thee. How! not dead? not dead?
The guard, ho! O, dispatch me!

First Guard
What's the noise?

ANTONY
I have done my work in, friends: O, make an end
Of what I have begun.

Second Guard
The star is fall'n.

First Guard
And time is at his period.

All
Alas, and woe!

ANTONY
Let him that loves me strike me dead.

Third Guard
Nor any one.

DERCETAS
Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly.
This sword but shown to Caesar, with this tidings,
Shall enter me with him.

DIOMEDES
Where's Antony?

DERCETAS
There, Diomed there.

DIOMEDES
Lives he?
Wilt thou not answer, man?

ANTONY
Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword, and give me
Sufficing strokes for death.

DIOMEDES
Most absolute lord,
My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.

ANTONY
When did she send thee?

DIOMEDES
Now, my lord.

ANTONY
Where is she?

DIOMEDES
Lock'd in her monument. She had a prophesying fear
Of what hath come to pass: for when she saw--
Which never shall be found--you did suspect
She had disposed with Caesar, and that your rage
Would not be purged, she sent you word she was dead;
But, fearing since how it might work, hath sent
Me to proclaim the truth; and I am come,
I dread, too late.

ANTONY
Too late, good Diomed: call my guard, I prithee.

DIOMEDES
What, ho, the emperor's guard! The guard, what, ho!
Come, your lord calls!

ANTONY
Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides;
'Tis the last service that I shall command you.

First Guard
Woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wear
All your true followers out.

All
Most heavy day!

ANTONY
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.

Act IV, Scene 15

The same. A monument.

CLEOPATRA
O Charmian, I will never go from hence.

Charmian
Be comforted, dear madam.

CLEOPATRA
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
As that which makes it.
[Enter, below, DIOMEDES]
How now! is he dead?

DIOMEDES
His death's upon him, but not dead.
Look out o' the other side your monument;
His guard have brought him thither.

CLEOPATRA
O sun,
Burn the great sphere thou movest in!
darkling stand
The varying shore o' the world. O Antony,
Antony, Antony! Help, Charmian, help, Iras, help;
Help, friends below; let's draw him hither.

ANTONY
Peace!
Not Caesar's valour hath o'erthrown Antony,
But Antony's hath triumph'd on itself.

CLEOPATRA
So it should be, that none but Antony
Should conquer Antony; but woe 'tis so!

ANTONY
I am dying, Egypt, dying; only
I here importune death awhile, until
Of many thousand kisses the poor last
I lay up thy lips.

CLEOPATRA
I dare not, dear,--
Dear my lord, pardon,--I dare not,
Lest I be taken: not the imperious show
Of the full-fortuned Caesar ever shall
Be brooch'd with me; if knife, drugs,
serpents, have
Edge, sting, or operation, I am safe:
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.

ANTONY
O, quick, or I am gone.

CLEOPATRA
Here's sport indeed! How heavy weighs my lord!
Our strength is all gone into heaviness,
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,--
Wishes were ever fools,--O, come, come, come;
[They heave MARK ANTONY aloft to CLEOPATRA]
And welcome, welcome! die where thou hast lived:
Quicken with kissing: had my lips that power,
Thus would I wear them out.

All
A heavy sight!

ANTONY
I am dying, Egypt, dying:
Give me some wine, and let me speak a little.

CLEOPATRA
No, let me speak; and let me rail so high,
That the false housewife Fortune break her wheel,
Provoked by my offence.

ANTONY
One word, sweet queen:
Of Caesar seek your honour, with your safety. O!

CLEOPATRA
They do not go together.

ANTONY
Gentle, hear me:
None about Caesar trust but Proculeius.

CLEOPATRA
My resolution and my hands I'll trust;
None about Caesar.

ANTONY
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 lived, the greatest prince o' the world,
The noblest; and do now not basely die,
Not 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.

CLEOPATRA
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 sty? O, see, my women,
[MARK ANTONY dies]
The crown o' the earth doth melt. My lord!
O, wither'd is the garland of the war,
The soldier's pole is fall'n: young boys and girls
Are level now with men; the odds is gone,
And there is nothing left remarkable
Beneath the visiting moon.

Charmian
O, quietness, lady!

IRAS
She is dead too, our sovereign.

IRAS
Madam!

Charmian
O madam, madam, madam!

IRAS
Royal Egypt, Empress!

Charmian
Peace, peace, Iras!

CLEOPATRA
No more, but e'en a woman, and commanded
By such poor passion as the maid that milks
And does the meanest chares. It were for me
To throw my sceptre at the injurious gods;
To tell them that this world did equal theirs
Till they had stol'n our jewel. All's but naught;
Patience is scottish, 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, Charmian!
My noble girls! Ah, women, women, look,
Our lamp is spent, it's out! Good sirs, take heart:
We'll bury him; and then, what's brave,
what's noble,
Let's do it after the high Roman fashion,
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.

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© Copyright 2017-2023 Shakespeare Network - Maximianno Cobra - All rights reserved.