Unto an enemy's triumph

Nay, weep not, gentle Eros, there is left us

Our felves to end our felves.

Oh thy vile lady!

Enter Mardian.

Sh' has robb'd me of my fword.

Mar. No, Antony,

My mistress lov'd thee, and her fortunes mingled
With thine intirely.

Ant. Hence, fawcy eunuch, peace,

She hath betray'd me, and fhall die the death.

Mar. Death of one perfon can be paid but once,
And that she has difcharg'd. What thou wouldst do
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; fhe rendred life,

Thy name fo buried in her.

Ant. Dead then?

Mar. Dead.

Ant. Unarm me, Eros, the long day's task is done, And we must fleep; that thou depart'ft hence fafe

[To Mardian.

Does pay thy labour richly; go. Pluck off; [Exit Mardian.

The feven-fold fhield of Ajax cannot keep

The battery from my heart. Oh cleave, my fides!
Heart, once be stronger than thy continent,

Crack thy frail cafe! apace, Eros, apace,

No more a foldier-bruifed pieces, go; [Unarming himself.
You have been nobly born,-from me a while,-[Ex. Eros,
I will o'er-take thee, Cleopatra, and

Weep for my pardon. So't must be, for now
All length is torture; fince thy torch is out,
Lye down and ftray no further. Now all labour
Marrs what it does, yea, very force entangles
It felf with ftrength; fleep then and all is done.
Eros !-I come, my Queen-Eros!-ftay for me,
Where fouls do couch on flowers, we'll hand in hand,
And with our fprightly port make the ghosts gaze;

Dido and her Sichæus * fhall want troops,

And all the haunt be ours. Come, Eros, Eros!
Enter Eros.

1

Eros. What would my Lord ?
Ant. Since Cleopatra died,

I live in fuch difhonour, that the Gods
Deteft my baseness. I, that with my fword
Quarter'd the world, and o'er green Neptune's back
With fhips, made cities; condemn my self, to lack
The courage of a woman; lefs noble-minded
Than fhe which, by her death, our Cæfar tells,
I'm conqueror of my felf. Thou art fworn, Eros,
That when the exigent fhould come, which now
Is come indeed, when I fhould fee behind me
Th' inevitable prosecution of disgrace

And horrour; that on my command thou then
Wouldft kill me. Do it, for the time is come:
Thou strik'ft not me, 'tis Cæfar thou defeat'st.
Put colour in thy cheek.

Eros. The Gods with-hold me!

Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts,
Though enemy, loft aim, and could not?

Ant. Eros,

Wouldst thou be window'd in great Rome, and fee
Thy mafter thus with pleacht arms, bending down
His corrigible neck, his face fubdu'd

To penetrative fhame, whilft the wheel'd feat
Of fortunate Cæfar drawn before him branded
His bafeness 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 Most useful for thy country.

Eros. Oh, Sir, pardon me.

Ant. When I did make thee free, fwor'ft thou not them To do this when I bad thee? do it at once,

Conjux ubi priftinus illi

Pefpondet curis, æquatque Sickaus amorem.

Virg. Æn. lib. vi, v. 473.

Or thy precedent fervices are all

But accidents unpropos'd. Draw, and come.

Eros. Turn from me then that noble countenance

Wherein the worship of the whole world lyes.

Ant. Lo thee.

Eros. My fword is drawn.

Ant. Then let it do

The thing why thou haft drawn it.

Eros. My dear master,

[Turning from him

My captain, and my Emp'ror! 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

Of Antony's death.

Ant. Thrice nobler than my self!

Thou teachest me, oh valiant Eros, what

[Eros kills himself

I fhould, and thou could'ft not; my Queen and Eros
Have by their brave inftruction 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 mafter dies thy fcholar; to do thus

[Falling on bis fword. I learnt of thee.-How, not yet dead? not dead? The guard-how!-oh dispatch me!

SCENE XII. Enter Dercetas and Guard,
1 Guard. What's the noife?

Ant. I've done my work ill, friends: O make an end

Of what I have begun.

2 Guard. The ftar is fall'n.

I Guard. And time is at his period.

All. Alas, and woe!

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

1 Guard. Not I.

2 Guard. Not I.'

3 Guard. Nor any one.

[Exeunt

Shall

Der. Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly. This sword but shewn to Cæfar, with these tidings,

Shall enter me with him.

Enter Diomedes.

Dio. Where's Antony?

Der. There, Diomed, there.

Dio. Lives he? wilt thou not answer?

Ant. Art thou there, Diomed? draw thy fword, and give Sufficing ftrokes for death.

Dio. Moft abfolute Lord,

My mistress Cleopatra fent me to thee.

Ant. When did fhe fend thee?

Dio. Now, my Lord.

Ant. Where is the ?

Dio. Lockt in her monument.
She had, alas! a prophefying fear

Of what hath come to pafs; for when the faw
(Which never shall be found) you did fufpect
She had difpos'd with Caefar, and that your rage
Would not be purg'd, fhe fent word fhe was dead:
But fearing fince how it might work, hath fent
Me to proclaim the truth, and I am come,
I dread, too late.

[me

Ant. Too late, good Diomed; call my guard I pr'ythee. Dio. What, ho! the Emperor's guard. The guard, what, Come, your Lord calls.

Enter the Guard.

[hoa !

Ant. Bear me, good friends, where 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 followers 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 XIII. A magnificent Monument.
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, and Iras, above.
Cleo. Oh Charmian, I will never go from hence.
Char. Be comforted, dear Madam.

Cleo.

Cleo. No, I will not :

All strange 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, his guard have brought him hither. Enter Antony born by the Guard,

Cleo. O thou fun,

Turn from the sphere thou mov'ft in! darkling ftand
The varying fhore o'th' world! O Antony!

Help, Charmian, help, Iras, help; help, friends,
Below there, let us draw him hither.

Ant. Peace.

Not Cæfar's valour hath o'er-thrown Antony,
But Antony hath triumpht 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
I here importune death a while, until
Of many thousand kiffes 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, operation, or fting, 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.

Ant. Oh quick, or I am gone.

Cleo. Here's fport indeed; how heavy weighs my Lord! Our strength is all gone into heavinefs,

That makes the weight. Had I great Juno's power,
The ftrong-wing'd Mercury should fetch thee up,

And