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 fword, 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 bade thee? do it at once,

Or thy precedent fervices are all

But accidents unpurpos'd. Draw, and come.

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

Ant. Lo thee.

Eros. My fword is drawn.

Ant. Then let it do at once

The thing why thou haft drawn it.

Eros. My dear Master,

[Turning from him.

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 strike now?

Ant. Now, Eros.

Eros. Why, there then

Thus do I escape the forrow

Of Antony's death.

Ant. Thrice-nobler than myself!

[Eros kills himself.

[Dies.

Thou teacheft me, oh, valiant Eros, what

I fhould, and thou couldft not; my Queen and Eros
Have by their brave inftruction got upon me
A noblenefs 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 fcholar; to do thus

[Falling on his fword. I learnt of thee. How, not yet dead? not dead? The Guard-ho!-oh, difpatch me.

Ant. I've done my work ill, friends: O, make an end of what I have begun, 2 Guard. The ftar is fall'n.

1 Guard. And time is at his period! All. Alas, and woe!

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

1 Guard. Not I.

2 Guard. Nor I.

3

Guard. Nor any one.

[Exeunt.

Der. Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly. This fword but fhewn to Cafar, with this tidings, Shall enter me with him.

Enter Diomedes.

Dio. Where's Antony?

Der There, Diomed, there.

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

Ant. Art thou there, Diomed? draw thy fword, and give me

Sufficing ftrokes for death.

Dio. Moft abfolute Lord,

fi

My Mistress Cleopatra fent me to thee.

Ant. When did she send thee?

Dio. Now, my Lord.

Ant. Where is the am

Dio. Lock'd in her Monument. She had a prophefy

ing fear

Of what hath come to pafs; for when the faw, (Which never fhall be found) you did fufpect

She had difpos'd with Cafar; and that your rige af
Would not be Phe fent word he was dead.
But fearing fince how it might work, hath fent
Me to proclaim the truth, and I am come,

I dread, too late m

Ant. Too late, good Diomed's call my guaid, I pr'ythee:

Dio. What, ho! the Emperor's guard. The guard, what, hoa!

Come, your Lord calls.

Enter a Guard.

Ant. Bear me, good friends, were Cleopatra 'bides, 'Tis the last service that I fhall command you.

Guard. Woe are we, Sir! you may not live to wear All your true follow'rs out.

All. Moft heavy day!

Ant. Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp fate
To grace it with your forrows. 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 changes to a magnificent Monument.

Cleo.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, and Iras, above.

OH

H Charmian, I will never go from hence.
Char. Be comforted, dear Madam.

Cleo. No, I will not:

All ftrange and terrible events are welcome,
But comforts we defpife; our fize of forrow,
Proportion'd to our caufe, must be as great
As that which makes it.

Enter Diomedes,

How now? is he dead?

Dio. His death's upon him, but not dead. Look out o'th' other fide your monument, His guard have brought him thither.

Enter Antony, borne by the Guard.

Cleo. O thou fun,

Burn the great fphere thou mov'ft in!—darkling stand«, The varying shore o'th' world! O Autony !

H 5

Help,

影

Help, Charmian; help, Iras, help; help, friends,"
Below; let's draw him hither.

Ant. Peace.

Not Cefar's valour hath o'er-thrown Antony,
But Antony háth triumph'd 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 yet
(31) I here importune death a while, until
Of many thousand kisses the poor laft
I lay upon thy lips,

Cleo. I dare not,

-Come down.

(Dear, dear my Lord, your pardon, that I dare not ;) Left I be taken; not th' imperious fhew

Of the full-fortun'd Cæfar ever fhall

Be brooch'd with me; if knife, drugs, ferpents, have Edge, fting, or operation, I am fafe:

Your wife Octavia, with her modeft eyes

And ftill conclufion, fhall acquire no honour,

Demuring upon me.

But come, come, Antony,

Help me, my women; we must draw thee up
Affift, good friends.

(31) I bere importune Death a while, until

Of many thousand Kiffes the poor laft
I lay upon thy Lips.

Cleo. I dare not, dear,

Dear my Lord, pardon; "I dare not,

Left I be taken. What curious hobbling Verfification do we encounter here in the laft Line but one? Befides, howl inconfiftently: is the Lady made to reply? Antony fays, he only holds Life, till he can give her one laft Kifs: and he cries, the dares not: What dares the not do kifs Antory? But how should he? fhe was above locked in her Monument; and be below, on the Outfide of it. With a very flight Addition, I think, I can cure the whole; and have a Warrant from Plutarch for it into the Bargainį s Now Plutarch fays, that "Antony was carried in his Men's Arms

into the Entry of the Monument: Notwithftanding, Cleopatra, would "not open the Gates, but came to the bigb Windows, and caft out " certain Chains and Ropes, &c." So that Antony might very reasonably defire her to come down; and the as reafonably excufe) herself, for fear of being infrared by Cefaris. top Jars 201

Ant

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'd-wing'd Mercury fhould fetch thee up,
And fet thee by Jove's fide. Yet,come a little,-
Wishers were ever fools. Oh come, come, come-
[They draw Antony up to Cleopatra.
And welcome, welcome. Die, where thou hast liv'd;
Quicken with kiffing; had my lips that power,
Thus would I wear them out.

All. O heavy fight!

Ant. I am dying, Egypt, dying.

Give me fome wine, and let me speak a little.
Cleo. No, let me fpeak, and let me rail fo high,
That the falfe hufwife fortune break her wheel,
Provok'd by my offence.

Ant. One word, fweet Queen.

Of Cæfar feek your honour, with your fafety-oh-
Cleo. They do not go together.

Ant. Gentle, hear me ;

None about Cæfar truft, but Proculeius...

Cleo. My refolution, and my hands, I'll truft; None about Cæfar.

Ant. The miferable change, now at my end,
Lament nor forrow at: but please your thoughts
In feeding them with those my former fortunes,
Wherein I liv'd the greateft prince o'th world,
The nobleft once; and do not now bafely die,
Nor cowardly put off my helmet to

My countryman; A Roman, by a Roman
Valiantly vanquifh'd. Now, my spirit is going;
I can no more-

[Antony dies.

Gleo. Nobleft of men!-woo't die ?
Haft thou no care of me? fhall I abide
In this dull world, which in thy abfence is
No better than a flye? O fee, my women!
The crown o'th' earth doth melt-my Lord!
Oh, wither'd is the garland of the war, i 722836
The foldier's pole is fall'n: young boys and girls

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