Imatges de pàgina
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Nay, weep not, gentle Eros, there is left us
Our felves to end our felves. Oh the vile Lady!

She has robb'd me of

Mar. No, Antony,

Enter Mardian.

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My Mistress lov'd thee, and her Fortunes mingled
With thine intirely.

Ant. Hence, lawcy Eunuch, peace, the hath betraid me, And the fhall die the death.

Mar. Death of one Perfon can be paid but once, And that she has difcharg'd. What thou would'ft do Is done unto thy Hand; the laft fhe fpake

Was Antony! most noble Antony!

Then in the midft a tearing Groan did break
The Name of Antony; it was divided.

Between her Heart and Lips; the rendred Life
Thy Name fo buried in her.

Ant. Dead then?

Mar. Dead.

Ant. Unarm me, Eros, the long Day's task is done, And we must fleep; that thou depart'ft hence fafe Does pay thy labour richly; go. Oh, pluck off,

[Exit Mardian The feven-fold fhield of Ajax cannot keep

The battery from my Heart. Oh cleave my fides.
Heart, once be ftronger than thy Continent,[ Únarming himself.
Crack thy frail Cafe. Apace, Eros, apace,

No more a Soldier-bruifed pieces go,

You have been nobly born; from me a while. [Exit Eros.
I will o'er-take thee, Cleopatra, and

Weep for my pardon. So it must be, for now
All length is Torture; fince the Torch is out,
Lye down and ftray no farther. Now all labour
Marrs what it does, yea, very force entangles
It felf with ftrength; feal 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 Ghofts gaze;
Dido, and her Aneas fhall want Troops,
And all the haunt be ours. Come,. Eros, Eras!

Enter

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Ant. Since Cleopatra died,

I have liv'd in fuch difhonour, that the gods
Deteft my baseness. I, that with my Sword,
Quarter'd the World, and o'er green Neptune's Back
With Ships, made Cities, condemn my felf, to lack
The Courage of a Woman; lefs noble minded
Than the which, by her death, our Cafar tells,
I am Conqueror of my felf. Thou art fworn Eros,
That when the exigent fhould come, which now
Is come indeed, when I fhould fee behind me
Th' inevitable Profecution of difgrace

And horrour, that on my command, thou then
Wouldft kill me. Do't, the time is come:
Thou ftrik'ft not me, 'till Cafar thou defeat'st.
Put colour in my Cheek.

Eros. The Gods with-hold me,

Shall I do that which all the Parthian Darts,
Though Enemy, loft aim, and could not?

Ant. Eros,

Wouldst thou be window'd in great Rome, and fee
Thy Mafter thus with pleacht Arms, bending down
His corrigible Neck, his Face fubdu'd

To penetrative fhame; whilft the wheel'd feat
Of fortunate Cafar drawn before him, branded
His bafenefs that enfued.

Eros. I would not fee't.

Ant. Come then; for with a wound I must be cur'd. Draw that thy honeft Sword which thou haft worn Moft ufeful for thy Country.

Eros. Oh, Sir, pardon me.

Ant. When I did make thee free, fwor'ft thou not then To do this when I bad 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 countenance,
Wherein the worship of the whole World lyes.
Ant. Lo thee.

Eros. My Sword is drawn.

[Turning from him.

Ant.

Ant. Then let it do at once

The thing why thou haft drawn it.

Eros. My dear Master,

My Captain, and my Emperor. Let me fay
Before I ftrike this bloody ftroke, farewel.
Ant. 'Tis faid, Man, and farewel.

Eros. Farewel, great Chief. Shall I ftrike now?
Ant. Now, Eros.

Eros. Why there then

[Eros kills himself.

Thus I do escape the forrow of Antony's death.
Ant. Thrice nobler than my self,

Thou teacheft me, oh valiant Eros, what

I should, and thou could'ft not; my Queen and Eros
Have by their brave Inftruction got upon me
A noblencfs 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 Mafter dies thy Scholar; to do thus[ Falling on his Sword. I learnt of thee. How, not dead? not dead?

The Guard-how!-oh dispatch me.

Enter Decretas and Guard.

I Guard, What's the noife?

Ant. I have done my work, ill Friends:

O make an end of what I have begun.

2 Guard. The Star is faln.

I Guard. And time is at his Period.

All. Alas, and woe!

Ant. Let him that loves me, ftrike me dead.

I Guard. Not I.

2 Guard. Not I.

3 Guard. Nor any one.

Exeunt.

Dec. Thy death and fortunes bid thy Followers Ay. This Sword but fhewn to Cafar with this tidings,

Shall enter me with him.

Enter Diomedes.

Dio. Where's Antony?

Dec. There, Diomed, there.

Dio. Lives he? wilt thou not anfwer, Man?

Ant. Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy Sword, and

give me

Sufficing ftrokes for death.

VOL. VI.

F

Dio.

Dio. Moft abfolute Lord,

My Mistress Cleopatra fent me to thee.

Ant. When did the fend thee?

Dio. Now, my Lord.

Ant. Where is the?

Dio. Lockt in her Monument. She had a prophefying Fear Of what hath come to pass; for when the faw, Which never shall be found, you did suspect She had difpos'd with Cafar, and that your rage Would not be purg'd, the fent you word fhe was dead: But fearing fince how it might work, hath sent Me to proclaim the truth, and I am come,

I dread, too late.

Ant. Too late, good Diomed; call my Guard I prethee.
Dio. What ho! the Emperor's Guard.

The Guard, what hoa! Come, your Lord calls.
Enter the Guard.

Ant. Bear me, good Friends, where Cleopatra bides, 'Tis the laft fervice that I fhall command you.

Guard. Woe! woe are we, Sir! you may not live to wear All your true Followers out.

Το

All. Moft heavy day!

Ant. Nay, good my Fellows, do not please sharp Fate grace it with your Sorrows. Bid that welcome Which comes to punifh 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.

Cleo.

[Exeunt bearing Antony.

ACT V.
V. SCENE I
SCENE A magnificent Monument.
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, and Iras, above.
H Charmian, I will never go from hence.
Char. Be comforted, dear Madam.

Cleo. No, I will not:

All strange and terrible Events are welcome,
But Comforts we defpife; our fize of forrow

Propor

Proportion'd to our caufe, must be as great

As that which makes it.

How now? Is he dead?

Enter Diomedes.

Dio. His Death's upon him, but not dead. Look out o'th' other-fide your Monument, His Guard have brought him hither.

Enter Antony, born by the Guard.

Cleo. O Sun,

Burn the great Sphere thou mov'ft in, darkling ftand
The varying Shore o'th' World. O Antony! Antony! Antowy!
Help, Charmian, help, Iras, help; help, Friends,
Below, let's draw him hither.

Ant. Peace,

Not Cafar's Valour hath o'er-thrown Antony,
But Antony hath triumpht on himself.

Cleo. So it fhould be, that none but Antony
Should conquer Antony, but woe 'tis fo.
Ant. I am dying, Egypt, dying; only
I here importune Death awhile, until
Of many thousand kisses the poor laft
I lay upon thy Lips.

Cleo. I dare not, Dear,

Dear my Lord, pardon; I dare not,
Left I be taken; not th' imperious fhew
Of the full-fortun'd Cafar, ever fhall

Be brooch'd with me; if Knife, Drugs, Serpents have,
Edge, Sting, or Operation, I am fafe:

Your Wife Octavia, with her modest Eyes,
And ftill conclufion, fhall acquire no honour,
Demuring upon me. But, come, come, Antony,
Help me, my Women, we muft draw thee up
Affift, good Friends..

Ant. Oh quick, or I am gone.

Cleo. Here's fport indeed; how heavy weighs my Lord! Our ftrength is all gone into heaviness,

That makes the weight. Had I great Juno's Power,
The ftrong wing'd Mercury fhould fetch thee up,
And fet thee by Jove's fide. Yet come a little,
Withers were ever Fools. Oh come, come, come-

[They draw Antony up to Cleopatra.

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