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Eros. Farewell, great chief.

Shall I strike now?

Ant. Now, Eros.

Eros. Why, there then: [Falling on his sword.]

Thus I do escape the sorrow

Of Antony's death.

Ant. Thrice nobler than myself!

Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros, what

[Dies.

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

As to a lover's bed. Come, then; [Taking Eros' Sword.] and, Eros,

Thy master dies thy scholar; to do thus

[Running on it. I learnt of thee. How! not yet dead? not dead?

Enter Guard and Dercetas.

The guard? how! -O despatch me.

1 Guard. What's the noise?

Ant. I have done my work ill, friends; O, make

an end

Of what I have begun.

1 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.

1 Guard. Not I.

2 Guard. Nor 1.

3 Guard. Nor any one.

[Exeunt Guard.

Der. Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly. This sword but shown to Cæsar, with this tidings,

Shall enter me with him.

Enter Diomede.

Diom. Where's Antony?

Der. There, Diomede, there,

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Diom. Lives he?—Wilt thou not answer, man?

[Exit Dercetas, with the Sword.

Ant. Art thou there, Diomede? Draw thy sword,

and give me

Sufficing strokes for death.

Diom. Most absolute lord,

The empress Cleopatra sent me to thee?

Ant. When did she send thee?

Diom. Now, my lord.

Ant. Where is she?

Diom. Lock'd in her monument. She had a pro-
phesying fear

Of what hath come to pass: for when she saw
(Which never shall be found) you did suspect
She had disposed with Cæsar, and that your rage
Would not be purg'd, she sent you word she was
dead;

But, fearing since how it might work, hath sent
Me to proclaim the truth; and I am come,

I dread, too late.

Ant. Too late, good Diomede. Call my guard, I pr'y thee.

Diom. What ho, the emperor's guard! The guard, what ho!

Come, your

Enter some of the GUARD.

lord calls.

Ant. Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides;

"Tis the last service that I shall command you.

1 Guard. 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,

To grace it with your sorrows: 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 VIII.

The same.—A Monument.

Enter, at a Window above, Cleopatra, 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,
Proportioned to our cause, must be as great

Enter Diomede.

As that which makes it.—How now? is he dead?
Diom. His death's upon him, but not dead.

out

O'the other side your monument.—But see,
His guard have brought him hither.

Enter Antony, borne by the Guard.

Cleo. O sun, sun,

Look

Burn the great sphere thou mov'st in! darkling stand The varying shore o'the world!—O Antony,

Antony, Antony !—Charmian, help; help, Iras;

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

Ant. Peace:

Not Cæsar's valour hath o'er-thrown Antony,
But Antony's hath triumphed 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 yet
I here importune death awhile, until
Of many thousand kisses, the

poor last I lay upon thy lips :—Come down.

Cleo. I dare not,

(Dear, dear, my lord; your pardon that I dare not) Lest I be taken: Not the imperious show

Of the tull-fortun'd Cæsar ever shall

Be broocht with me: if knives, drugs, serpents, have Edge, sting, or operation, I am safe:

Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes,

And still conclusion, shall acquire no honour Demurring upon me. But come, come, Antony,— Help me, my women, we must draw thee up ;— Assist, good friends.

[cleopatra and her Women throw out certain Tackle, into which the people below put ANTONY, and he is drawn up.

Ant. O, quick, or I am gone.

SCENE IX.

Inside of the Monument.

Cleo. Here's sport, indeed! How heavy weighs my lord!

Our strength is all gone into heaviness,

That makes the weight: Had I great Juno's power, The strong-wing'd Mercury should fetch thee up, And set thee by Jove's side. Yet come a little,—

Wishers were ever fools;—O come, come, come;
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!

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 huswife fortune break her wheel,
Provok'd by my offence.

Ant. One word, sweet queen;

Of Cæsar seek your honour, with your safety. O! Cleo. They do not go together.

Ant. Gentle, hear me:

None about Cæsar trust but Proculeius.

Cleo. My resolution, and my hands, I'll trust;
None about Cæsar.

Ant. The miserable change now at my end
Lament nor sorrow at; but please your thoughts
In feeding them with those my former fortunes,
Wherein I liv'd; the greatest prince o' the world,
The noblest and do now not basely die,
Not cowardly put off my helmet to
My countryman; a Roman by a Roman
Valiantly vanquished. 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
In this dull world, which in thy absence is
No better than a sty ?—O, see, my women,

[Sinks.

[ANTONY dies.
The crown o'the earth doth melt:—My lord!--
Oh! 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

And there is nothing left remarkable
Beneath the visiting moon.

Char. O, quietness, lady.

gone,

[CLEOPATRA Swoons.

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