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?
Ant.
Now, Eros.
Eros. Why, there then : -[Falls on his Sword.
Thus do I escape the sorrow

Of Antony's death.

Ant.

[Dies.

Thrice nobler than myself!

Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros, what

I should, and thou could'st 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; and, Eros,
Thy master dies thy scholar; to do thus

[Falling on his Sword. I learn'd of thee. How! not yet dead? not dead?— The guard!-ho!- O, despatch me.

1 Guard.

Enter DERCETAS and Guard.

What's the noise?

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

1 Guard. And time is at his period.

All.

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

1 Guard.

2 Guard. Nor I.

3 Guard. Nor any one.

The star is fallen.

Alas, and woe!

Not I.

[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.

Wilt thou not answer, man?

[Exit DERCETAS.

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

and give me

Sufficing strokes for death.

Dio.

My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.
Ant. When did she send thee?

Dio.

Ant.

Most absolute lord,

Now, my lord.

Where is she?

She had a pro

Dio. Lock'd in her monument.

phesying fear

Of what hath come to pass: for when she saw
(Which never shall be found,) you did suspect
She had dispos'd 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 Diomed:
I pr'y thee.

Call my guard,

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

Come, your lord calls,

Enter some of the Guard.

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 XIII.

A Monument.

Enter 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, Proportion'd to our cause, must be as great

Enter DIOMedes.

As that which makes it. - 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.

Cleo.

Enter ANTONY born by the Guard.

O thou sun, 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.

こ

Ant.

Not Cæsar's valour hath o'erthrown Antony,

But Antony's hath triumphed on itself.

Peace :

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 impórtune death a while, 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-fortun'd Cæsar ever shall

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

Edge, sting, or operation, I am safe:

Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes,

And still conclusion, shall acquire no honour

Demuring upon me.
Help me, my women,
Assist, good friends.
Ant.

But come, come, Antony,

we must draw thee up;

O, quick, or I am gone. 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;
[They draw ANTONY up.
And welcome, welcome! die, where thou hast liv'd :
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.

6

s Ornamented. Sedate determination. Revive.

Cleo. No, let me speak; and let me rail so high, That the false housewife Fortune break her wheel, Provok'd by my offence.

One word, sweet queen:

Ant. 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, Nor 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.

[Dies.

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 stye?

O, see, my women, The crown o' the earth doth melt:

O, wither'd is the garland of the war,

My lord!

The soldier's pole is fallen; young boys, and girls, Are level now with men: the odds is gone,

And there is nothing left remarkable

Beneath the visiting moon.

Char.

Iras. She is dead too, our sovereign.

Char.

Iras.

[She faints.

O, quietness, lady !

Char. O madam, madam, madam !

Iras.

Empress !

Char. Peace, peace, Iras.

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

manded