Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say, The gods themselves do weep! 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 Unpolicied! Char. Cleo. O eastern star! Peace, peace! 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: What should I stay [Applying another asp to her arm. [Falls on a bed, and dies. Char. In this wild world?-So, fare thee well.Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies A lass unparallel'd.-Downy windows, close; Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry; Enter the Guard, rushing in. 1 Guard, Where is the queen? Char. Speak softly, wake her not. 1 Guard. Cæsar hath sentChar. 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. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar; call him. 1 Guard. What work is here?-Charmian, is this well done? Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess Descended of so many royal kings. Touch their effects in this: Thyself art coming Within. A way there, way for Cæsar! Enter CESAR, and Attendants. Dol. O, sir, you are too sure an augurer; That you did fear, is done. Cœs. Brav'st at the last: She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal, This Charmian liv'd but now; she stood, and spake: I found her trimming up the diadem On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood, And on the sudden dropp'd. Cæs. O noble weakness! If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear In her strong toil of grace. Here, on her breast, 64: Dol. 1 Guard. This is an aspick's trail: and these fig leaves Have slime upon them, such as the aspick leaves Cæs. Most probable, That so she died; for her physician tells me, She hath pursu'd conclusions infinite Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed; 152 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. And bear her women from the monument:- Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall, [Exeunt. ANNOTATIONS UPON ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. 1 RENEGES-] Renounces. 2 The triple pillar-] Triple is here used improperly for third, or one of three. One of the triumvirs, one of the three masters of the world. 3 -to weet,] To know. WARBURTON. 4-belike, my children shall have no names:] A fairer fortune, I believe, means-a more reputable one. Her answer then implies, that belike all her children will be bastards, who have no right to the name of their father's family. 5 When our quick winds lie still ;] The sense is, that man, not agitated by censure, like soil not ventilated by quick winds, produces more evil than good. JOHNSON. 6 Which, like the courser's hair-] Alludes to an old idle notion that the hair of a horse dropt into corrupted water, will turn to an animal. 7 POPE. a race of heaven :] i. e. had a smack or flavour of heaven. WARBURTON. This word is well explained by Dr. Warburton; the |