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A vapour, sometime, like a bear, or lion,
A tower'd citadel, a pendant rock,

A forked mountain, or blue promontory
With trees upon't, that nod unto the wind,

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 dislimus; and makes it indistinct,

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:
Which, whilst it was mine, had annex'd unto't
A million more, now lost,-she, Eros, has
Pack'd card with Cæsar, and false-play'd my glory"
Unto an enemy's triumph.

Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us
Ourselves to end ourselves.-O, thy vile lady!
Enter MARDIAN.

She has robb'd me of my sword.

Mar. No, Antony;

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

Ant. Hence, saucy eunuch; peace;

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

Mar. Death of one person can be paid but once; And that she hath discharg'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: she render'd life,
Thy name so bury'd in her.

Ant. Dead then?

Mar. Dead.

Ant. Unarm me, Eros; the long day's task is done,

And we must sleep:-That thou depart'st hence safe, Does pay thy labour richly; Go.-[Exit MAR.] Pluck off ;

sides!

The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep
The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my
Heart, once be stronger than thy continent,
Crack thy frail case!-Apace, Eros, apace.—
No more a soldier: Bruised pieces, go;
You have been nobly borne.-From me a while.
[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 labour
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 me:
Where souls do couch on flowers, we'll hand in hand;
And with our sprightly port make the ghosts gaze:
Dido and her Æneas shall want troops,
And all the haunt be ours.-Come, Eros, Eros.
Enter EROS.

Eros. What would my lord?
Ant. Since Cleopatra dy'd,

I have liv'd in such dishonour, that the gods
Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword
Quarter'd the world, and o'er green Neptune's back
With ships made cities, condemn myself, to lack
The courage of a woman; less noble-minded
Than she, which by her death, our Cæsar tells,
I am conqueror of myself. Thou art sworn, Eros,

That, when the exigent should come, (which now
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 strik'st not me, 'tis Cæsar thou defeat'st.
Put colour in thy cheek.

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Eros. The gods withhold me!

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

Ant. Eros,

Wouldst thou be window'd in great Rome, and see
Thy master thus with pleach'd arms, bending down
His corrigible neck, his face subdu'd

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

Eros. I would not see't.

Ant. Come, then; for with a wound I must be cur'd.

Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn Most useful for thy country.

Eros. O sir, pardon me.

Ant. When I did make thee free, swor'st thou not

then.

To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once;

Or thy precedent services 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 sword is drawn.

Ant. Then let it do at once

[Turning away his Face.

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?

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.

2 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 I.

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.

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 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 Diomede. Call my guard, I
pr'ythee.

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

Enter some of the GUARD.

Come, your 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.

Το

All. Most heavy day!

Ant. Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp
fate,

grace it with your sorrows: bid that welcome

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