To the monument !

Char. There lock yourself, and send him word you are dead.

The soul and body rive not more in parting Than greatness going off.

Cleo. 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!
[Exeunt. 10
SCENE XIV. The same. Another room.
Enter ANTONY and EROS.

Ant. Eros, thou yet behold'st me?
Eros.

Ant.

Ay, noble lord. Sometimes we see a cloud that's dragonish ;

A vapor 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,

Ant. That which is now a horse, even with a thought

The rack dislimns, and makes it indistinct, 10 As water is in water.

Eros.

It does, my lord.

Ant. 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;

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.

Ant.

Mar.

Dead, then?

Dead.

Ant. Unarm, Eros; the long day's task is done, And we must sleep. [To Mar.] That thou depart'st hence safe,

Does pay thy labor richly; go. [Exit Mardian. Öff, 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, 40
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 labor
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
50

me:

With ships made cities, condemn myself to lack

The conrage of a woman; less noble mind 60 Than she which by her death our Cæsar tells

'I am conqueror of myself.' Thou art sworn,
Eros,
[now
That, when the exigent should come, which
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 Cæsar thou defeat'st.
Put color in thy cheek.
Eros.
The gods withhold me !
Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts,70
Though enemy, lost aim, and could not?

Ant. Eros, Wouldst thou be window'd in great Rome and [down

see

Thy master thus with pleach'd arms, bending His corrigible neck, his face subdued

To penetrative shame, whilst the wheel'd seat Of fortunate Cæsar, drawn before him, branded His baseness that ensued ?

Eros. I would not see't. Ant. Come, then; for with a wound I must be cured. [worn Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast Most useful for thy country.

Eros.
O, sir, pardon me! 80
Ant. 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.
Ant. Lo thee !
[Turning from him.

Eros. My sword is drawn.
Ant.

90

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. Ant. 'Tis said, man; and farewell. Eros. Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?

Now, Eros.

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

[Kills himself. Ant. 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 100
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!

Enter DERCETAS and Guard.

What's the noise?

First Guard. Ant. I have done my work ill, friends: 0, make an end

Enter four or five of the Guard of ANTONY. Ant. 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! Ant. Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp fate [come

To grace it with your sorrows: bid that welWhich 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.

140

[Exeunt, bearing Antony. SCENE XV. The same. A monument.

Enter CLEOPATRA and her maids aloft, with CHARMIAN and IRAS.

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

Enter, below, ANTONY, borne by the Guard. Cleo. O sun, Burn the great sphere thou movest in! darkling stand

10

The varying shore o' the world. O Antony, Antony, Antony! Help, Charmian, help, Iras, help;

Help, friends below; let's draw him hither.
Ant.

Peace! Not Cæsar's valor hath o'erthrown Antony, But Antony's hath triumph'd on itself.

Cleo. So it should be, that none but Antony Should conquer Antony; but woe 'tis so! Ant. I am dying, Egypt, dying; only I here importune death awhile, until Of many thousand kisses the poor last I lay upon thy lips.

Cleo.

I dare not, dear,

Dear my lord, pardon,-I dare not,

Lest I be taken: not the imperious show

Of the full-fortuned Cæsar ever shall

20

Be brooch'd with me; if knife, drugs, serpents,

have

O, quick, or I am gone. Cleo. Here's sport indeed! How heavy weighs my lord!

power,

Our strength is all gone into heaviness, That makes the weight had I great Juno's [up, The strong-wing'd Mercury should fetch thee And set thee by Jove's side. Yet come a little,

Wishes were ever fools,-0, come, come, come; [They heave 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! 40
Ant. I am dying, Egypt, dying:
Give me some wine, and let me speak a little.
Cleo. No, let me speak; and let me rail so
high,

That the false housewife Fortune break her wheel, Provoked by my offence.

Ant.

One word, sweet queen:

Ant. The miserable change now at my end Lament nor sorrow at; but please your thoughts

tunes

In feeding them with those my former for-
[world,
Wherein I lived, the greatest prince o' the
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.

Cleo.
Noblest of men, woo't die?
Hast thou no care of me? shall I abide 60
In this dull world, which in thy absence is
No better than a sty? O, see, my women,
[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.

Char.

[Faints.

O, quietness, lady! Iras. She is dead too, our sovereign.

Char.

Iras.

Lady!

Madam!

Royal Egypt, 70

Char. O madam, madam, madam !

Iras.

Empress!

Char. Peace, peace, Iras!

Cleo. No more, but e'en a woman, and com

manded

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 80
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

Friend and companion in the front of war, The arm of mine own body, and the heart Where mine his thoughts did kindle,—that our stars,

Unreconciliable, should divide

Our equalness to this. Hear me, good friends,But I will tell you at some meeter season. Enter an Egyptian.

The business of this man looks out of him; 50 We'll hear him what he says. Whence are you? Egyp. A poor Egyptian yet. The queen my mistress,

Confined in all she has, her monument,

Of thy intents desires instruction,
That she preparedly may frame herself
To the way she's forced to.

Cæs.

Bid her have good heart: She soon shall know of us, by some of ours, How honorable and how kindly we Determine for her; for Cæsar cannot live To be ungentle.

Egyp. So the gods preserve thee! [Exit. 60 Cas. Come hither, Proculeius. Go and say, We purpose her no shame: give her what comforts

The quality of her passion shall require,
Lest, in her greatness, by some mortal stroke
She do defeat us; for her life in Rome
Would be eternal in our triumph: go,
And with your speediest bring us what she says,
And how you find of her.
Pro.

Cæsar, I shall. [Exit.
Cas. Gallus, go you along. [Exit Gallus.]
Where's Dolabella,
To second Proculeius ?

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, and IRAS. Cleo. My desolation does begin to make A better life. 'Tis paltry to be Cæsar; Not being Fortune, he's but Fortune's knave, A minister of her will: and it is great To do that thing that ends all other deeds; Which shackles accidents and bolts up change; Which sleeps, and never palates more the dug, The beggar's nurse and Cæsar's.

Enter, to the gates of the monument, PROCULEIUS, GALLUS and Soldiers.

Pro. Cæsar sends greeting to the Queen of
Egypt;

And bids thee study on what fair demands 10
Thou mean'st to have him grant thee.
What's thy name
Pro. My name is Proculeius.
Cleo.

Cleo.

Antony

Be of good cheer; You're fall'n into a princely hand, fear nothing: Make your full reference freely to my lord, Who is so full of grace, that it flows over On all that need: let me report to him Your sweet dependency; and you shall find A conqueror that will pray in aid for kindness, Where he for grace is kneel'd to.

30

Cleo. Pray you, tell him I am his fortune's vassal, and I send him The greatness he has got. I hourly learn A doctrine of obedience; and would gladly Look him i' the face. Pro. This I'll report, dear lady. Have comfort, for I know your plight is pitied Of him that caused it. [prised: Gal. You see how easily she may be sur[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. [To Proculeius and the Guard] Guard her till Cæsar come. [Exit. Royal queen!

Iras.

Char. O Cleopatra ! thou art taken, queen. Quick, quick, good hands.

Cleo.

Pro.

[Drawing a dagger. Hold, worthy lady, hold: [Seizes and disarms her. Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this Relieved, but not betray'd.

Cleo.

41 What, of death too, That rids our dogs of languish?

Pro.

Cleopatra,

Do not abuse my master's bounty by
The undoing of yourself: let the world see
His nobleness well acted, which your death
Will never let come fortli.

Cleo.
Where art thou, death?
Come hither, come! come, come, and take a
queen

Worthy many babes and beggars !

Pro.

O, temperance, lady! Cleo. Sir, I will eat no meat, I'll not drink, sir;

50

If idle talk will once be necessary,
I'll not sleep neither: this mortal house I'll
ruin,

Do Cæsar what he can. Know, sir, that I
Will not wait pinion'd at your master's court;
Nor once be chastised with the sober eye
Of dull Octavia. Shall they hoist me up
And show me to the shouting varletry
Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt
Be gentle grave unto me! rather on Nilus' mud

What thou hast done thy master Cæsar knows,
And he hath sent for thee; for the queen,
I'll take her to my guard.
Pro.

So, Dolabella,

It shall content me best be gentle to her.
[To Cleo.] To Cæsar I will speak what you
shall please.

If you'll employ me to him.
Cleo.

Say, I would die. 70 [Exeunt Proculeius and Soldiers, Dol. Most noble empress, you have heard of me? Cleo. I cannot tell. Dol.

Assuredly you know me. Cleo. No matter, sir, what I have heard or known. [dreams; You laugh when boys or women tell their Is't not your trick?

Dol.
I understand not, madam.
Cleo. I dream'd there was an Emperor