I should, and thou could'st not. My queen and Have, by their brave instruction, got upon me I learn'd of thee. dead? [Falling on his Sword. How! not yet dead? not The guard !-ho !---Oh! despatch me. Enter DERCETAS and GUARD. 1 Guard. What's the noise? All strange and terrible events are welcome, Enter DIOMEDES. As that which makes it.-How now ? is he dead! Enter ANTONY, borne by the GUARD. Burn the great sphere thou mov'st in!-darkling stand Ant. I have done my work ill, friends; Oh! The varying shore o'the world !-O Antony! make an end Of what I have begun. 2 Guard. The star is fallen. 1 Guard. And time is at his period. All. Alas, and woe! Ant. Let him that loves me, strike me dead. Enter DIOMEDES. Dio. Where's Antony? Wilt thou not answer, man? [Exit DERCETAS. Sufficing strokes for death. Dio. Most absolute lord, My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee. Dio. Now, my lord. Ant. Where is she? Dio. Lock'd in her monument. prophesying fear Antony, Antony !-Charmian, help; help, Iras: Ant. Peace: Not Cesar's valour hath o'erthrown Antony, Cleo. I dare not, dear (Dear my lord, pardon,) I dare not, Be brooch'd with me: if knife, drugs, ser- Edge, sting, or operation, I am safe: tony, Help me, my women, we must draw thee up :- Ant. O quick, or I am gone. Cleo. Here's sport, indeed!-How heavy weighs She had a Our strength is all gone into heaviness, Of what hath come pass: for when she saw That the false housewife Fortune break ber Ant. One word, sweet queen: Of Cesar seek your honour, with your safety.0! Cleo. They do not go together. Ant. Gentle, hear me : None about Cesar trust, but Proculeius. Cleo. My resolution, and my hands, I'll trust; Ant. The miserable change now at my end, Cleo. Noblest of men, woo't die? Cleo. O Charmian, I will never go from hence. In this dull world, which in thy absence is Char. Be comforted, dear madam. Cleo. No, I will not: Made terms with No better than a stye?-O see, my women, • Without light. + Adorned. By such poor passion as the maid that milks, 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 : [To the GUARD below. We'll bury him and then, what's brave, what's noble, Let's do it after the high Roman fashion, [Exeunt: those above bearing off ANTONY'S Body. ACT V. Hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it, Splitted the heart.-This is his sword, I robb'd his wound of it: behold it stain'd Ces. Look you sad, friends? The gods rebuke me, but it is a tidings Agr. And strange it is, That nature must compel us to lament Mec. His taints and honours Waged equal with him. Agr. A rarer spirit never Did steer humanity: but you, gods, will give us He needs must see himself. I have foliow'd thee to this :-But we do lance Unreconcileable, should divide 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, Confin'd in all she has, her monument, That she preparedly may frame herself Ces. Bid her have good heart; SCENE 1.-CESAR'S Camp before Alexan-She soon shall know of us, by some of ours, dria. How honourable and how kindly we Determine for her for Cesar cannot live Enter CESAR, AGRIPPA, DOLABELLA, MECE-To be ungentle. Dol. Cesar, I shall. [Exit. Mess. So the gods preserve thee! The quality of her passion shall require; [Exit PROCULEIUS. Ces. Gallus, go you along.-Where's Dolabella, A minister of her will; And it is great Enter, to the Gates of the Monument, PROCU- Pro. Cesar sends greeting to the queen of And bids thee study on what fair demands Cleo. [Within.] What's thy name? Cleo. [Within.] Antony Did tell me of you, bade me trust you; but That have no use for trusting. If your master No less beg than a kingdom: if he please Pro. Be of good cheer: You are fallen into a princely hand; fear nothing; Make your full reference freely to my lord, Cleo. [Within.] Pray you, tell him I am his fortune's vassal, and I send him Pro. 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 Window, and having descended, come behind CLEOPATRA. Some of the Guard unbar and open the Gates. Guard her till Cesar come. (To PROCULEIUS and the Guard. Exit. Iras. Royal queen! [Drawing a Dagger. Crested the world: his voice was propertied He was as ratling thunder. For his bounty, As plates + dropp'd from his pocket. Cleo. Think you there was, or might be, such Come hither, come ! coine, come, and take a queen Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it Worth many babes and beggars ! Pro. O temperance, lady! Cleo. Sir, I will eat no meat, I'll not drink, If idle talk will once be necessary, [Sir; I'll not sleep neither: This mortal house I'll ruin, Do Cesar what he can. Know, Sir, that I As answering to the weight: 'Would I might Enter CESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECENAS, Ces. Which is the queen You shall not kneel: With one that I have bred? The gods! It smites me Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence; [To SELEUCUS. Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits [CLEOPATRA kneels. Through the ashes of my chance-Wert thou a madam. I pray you, rise: rise, Egypt. Will have it thus; my master and my lord Ces. Take to you no hard thoughts: Cleo. Sole Sir o'the world, I cannot project⚫ mine own canse so well Ces. Cleopatra, know, We will extenuate rather than enforce : (Which towards you are most gentle,) you shall find A benefit in this change: but if you seek Cleo. And may, through all the world: 'tis shall Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest, I am possess'd of: 'tis exactly valued; Cleo. This is my treasurer: let him speak, my Upon his peril, that I have reserv'd To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus. I had rather seel my lips, than, to my peril, Cleo. What have I kept back? Sel. Enough to purchase what you have inade known. Ces. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra ; I approve Your wisdom in the deed. Cleo. See, Cesar! O behold How pomp is follow'd! mine will now be yours; The ingratitude of this Seleucus does back f-thou shalt Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings: Slave, soulless villain, dog! O rarely base! Ces. Good queen, let us entreat you. man, Thou would'st have mercy on me. Ces. Forbear, Seleucus. [Exit SELEUCUS. Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misthought For things that others do; and, when we fall, in our names, Not what you have reserv'd, nor what acknow ledg'd, Put we i'the roll of conquest: still be it yours, cheer'd; Make not your thoughts your prisons: no, dear queen; For we intend so to dispose you, as Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep: Exeunt CESAR, and his Train. Be noble to myself: but hark thee, Charmian. Now, Iras, what think'st thou? Cleo. O Cesar, what a wounding shame is And forc'd to drink their vapour. Iras. I'll never for it; for, I am sure, my | Immortal longings in me: Now no more nails The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip : Are stronger than mine eyes. Cleo. Why that's the way Yare, yare, good fras; quick.-Methinks, I To fool their preparation, and to conquer Enter CHARMIAN. Show me, my women, like a queen ;-Go fetch To play till doomsday.-Bring our crown and all. [Exit IRAS. A Noise within. Enter one of the GUARD. Guard. Here is a rural fellow, To praise my noble act; I hear him mock Farwell, kind Charmian ;-Iras, long farewell. That will not be denied your highness' pre- If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world sence: He brings you figs. Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instru- [Exit GUARD. Re-enter GUARD, with a CLOWN bringing a Guard. This is the man. [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. Remembers't thou any that have died on't f Clown. Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterdaya 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 sets down the Basket. Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind. † It is not worth leave-taking. Char. Dissolve, thick cloud and rain; that I What should I stay [Falls on a Bed and Dies. Char. In this wild world?-So fare thee well. Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry; Enter the GUARD, rushing in. 1 Guard. Where is the queen ? [Applies the Asp. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cesar-call him. 1 Guard. What work is here?-Charmian, is Re-enter IRAs, with a Robe, Crown, &c. Cleo. Give me my robe, put on my crown; have 2 Guard. All dead. I Make haste. Are my lips already poisoned by the aspic ? 1 An ass without common policy, thus to leave me to myself. Play my part in this tragedy. |