Ant. Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword, and Sufficing strokes for death. [give me Most absolute lord, My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee. Ant. When did she send thee? Dio.
Ant. Where is she? [ing fear Dio. Lock'd in her monument. She had a prophesyOf 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. [pr'ythee. Ant. Too late, good Diomed:-Call my guard, I Dio. What, ho! the emperor's guard! The guard, Come, your lord calls. [what, ho!
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.
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.-The same. 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.
Enter ANTONY, borne by the Guard.
O, quick, or I am gone. Cleo. Here's sport, indeed!- How heavy weighs my Our strength is all gone into heaviness, [lord! 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 ;-Q, 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.
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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.
My countryman, a Roman, by a Roman
Nor cowardly; put off my helmet to
Valiantly vanquish'd. Now, my spirit is going;
I can no more.
[Dies.
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 stye ?-O, see my women,
The crown o' the earth doth melt:-My lord!-
O, wither'd is the garland of the war,
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.
[She faints. O, quietness, lady! Iras. She is dead too, our sovereign.
Char. O madam, madam, madam!
Char. Peace, peace, Iras.
Cleo. No more, but e'en a woman; and commanded By such poor passion as the maid that milks, And does the meanest chares.-It were for me To throw my scepter at the injurious gods; To tell them, that this world did equal theirs, Till they had stolen our jewel. All's but nought; Patience is sottish; and impatience does Become a dog that's mad: Then is it sin, 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, Charmain? My noble girls!-Ah, women, women! look, Our lamp is spent, it's out:-Good sirs, take heart:[To the Guard below.
Be brooch'd with me; if knife, drugs, serpents, have We'll bury him: and then, what's brave, what's noble.
Edge, sting, or operation, I am safe:
Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes,
And still conclusion, shall acquire no honour
Demuring upon me.-But come, come, Antony,
Help me, my women, we must draw thee up ;Assist, good friends.
Let's do it after the high Roman fashion,
And make death proud to take us.
Come, away
This case of that huge spirit now is cold.
Ah, women, women! come; we have no friend
But resolution, and the briefest end.
[Exeunt; those above bearing off ANTONY's body.
SCENE I.-Cæsar's Camp before Alexandria. Enter CESAR, AGRIPPA, DOLABELLA, MECENAS, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, and others.
Cas. Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield; Being so frustrate, tell him, he mocks us by The pauses that he makes.
[Exit DOLABELLA.
Enter DERCETAS, with the sword of ANTONY.
Cas. Wherefore is that? and what art thou, that dar'st
Appear thus to us?
Der.
I am call'd Dercetas ;
Mark Antony I serv'd, who best was worthy
Best to be serv'd: whilst he stood up, and spoke,
He was my master; and I wore my life,
To spend upon his haters: If thou please
To take me to thee, as I was to him
I'll be to Cæsar; if thou pleasest not,
I yield thee up my life.
Cas.
What is 't thou say'st?
Der. I say, O Cæsar, Antony is dead.
Cas. The breaking of so great a thing should make
• A greater crack: The round world should have shook
Lions into civil streets,
And citizens to their dens:-The death of Antony
Is not a single doom; in the name lay
He is dead, Cæsar; Not by a public minister of justice,
Nor by a hired knife; but that self hand, Which writ his honour in the acts he did,
She soon shall know of us, by some of ours,
How honourable and how kindly we
Determine for her: for Cæsar cannot live
To be ungentle.
Mess.
So the gods preserve thee! [Exit.
Cas. Come hither, Proculeius; Go, and say,
We
her no shame give her what comforts
purpose
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.
Cæsar, I shall. [Exit PROCULeius. Cas. Gallus, go you along.- Where's Dolabella, To second Proculeius ? [Exit GALLUS.
Agr. Mec. Cas. Let him alone, for I remember now How he's employed; he shall in time be ready. Go with me to my tent: where you shall see How hardly I was drawn into this war; How calm and gentle I proceeded still In all my writings; Go with me, and see What I can shew in this.
SCENE II.-Alexandria. A Room in the Monument
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
Hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it, To do that thing that ends all other deeds;
Splitted the heart.-This is his sword;
I robb'd his wound of it; behold it stain'd With his most noble blood.
Look you sad, friends? The gods rebuke me, but it is a tidings To wash the eyes of kings. Agr. And strange it is, That nature must compel us to lament Our most persisted deeds.
Waged equal with him.
Agr.
Did steer humanity: but you, gods, will give us
Some faults to make us men. Cæsar is touch'd.
Mec. When such a spacious mirror's set before him,
He needs must see himself.
I have follow'd thee to this ;-But we do lance
Diseases in our bodies: I must perforce
Have shewn to thee such a declining day,
Or look on thine; we could not stall together
In the whole world: But yet let me lament,
With tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts,
That thou, my brother, my competitor
In top of all design, my mate in empire,
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 a Messenger.
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Did tell me of you, bade me trust you; but
I do not greatly care to be deceiv'd,
That have no use for trusting. If your master
Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him,
That majesty, to keep decorum, must
No less beg than a kingdom: if he please
To give me conquer'd Egypt for my son,
He gives me so much of mine own, as I
Will kneel to him with thanks.
Pro.
Be of good cheer;
You are fallen 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 dependancy: and you shall find
Where he for grace is kneel'd to.
A conqueror, that will pray in aid for kindness,
and having descended, come behind CLEOPATRA. Walk'd crowns, and crownets; realms and islands Some of the Guard unbar and open the gates. As plates dropp'd from his pocket. Guard her till Cæsar come. Dol. Cleopatra,Cleo. Think you, there was, or might be, such aman As this I dream'd of?
[TO PROCULEIUs and the Guard. Exit GALLUS. Iras. Royal queen!
Char. O Cleopatra! thou art taken, queen!— Cleo. Quick, quick, good hands. [Drawing a dagger. Pro. Hold, worthy lady, hold: [Seizes & disarms her. Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this Reliev'd, but not betray'd.
What, of death too
That rids our dogs of languish?
Pro.
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 forth.
Cleo.
Where art thou, death?
Come hither, come! come, come, and take a queen
Worth many babes and beggars!
Pro.
O, temperance, lady!
Cleo. Sir, I will eat no meat, I'll not drink, sir;
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 chastis'd with the sober eye
Of dull Octavia. Shall they hoist me up,
And shew me to the shouting varletry
Of censuring Rome? Rather a ditch in Egypt
Be gentle grave to me! rather on Nilus' mud
Lay me stark naked, and let the water flies
Blow me into abhorring! rather make
My country's high pyramides my gibbet,
And hang me up in chains!
It shall content me best: be gentle to her.-
To Cæsar I will speak what you shall please,
If you'll employ me to him. [To CLEOPATRA.
Cleo. Say, I would die. [Exeunt PRO. and Sold.
Dol. Most noble empress, you have heard of me?
Cleo. I cannot tell.
Dol.
Cleo. You lie, up to the hearing of the gods.
But, if there be, or ever were one such,
It's past the size of dreaming: Nature wants stuf
To vie strange forms with tancy; yet, to imagine
An Antony, were nature's piece 'gainst fancy,
Condemning shadows quite.
Dol.
Hear me, good madam:
Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it
As answering to the weight: 'Would I might never
O'ertake pursu'd success, but I do feel,
By the rebound of yours, a grief that s::oots
My very heart at root.
I thank you, sir.
Know you, what Cæsar means to do with me?
Dol. I am loath to tell you what I would you knew.
Cleo. Nay, pray you, sir,—
Dol.
Though he be honourable,—
Cleo. He'll lead me then in triumph?
Dol.
Madam, he will;
Take to you no hard thoughts:
The record of what injuries you did us,
Though written in our flesh, we shall remember
As things but done by chance.
Sole sir o' the world
I cannot project mine own cause so well
To make it clear; but do confess, I have
Been laden with like frailties, which before
Have often sham'd our sex.
Cas.
Cleopatra, know,
We will extenuate rather than enforce:
If you apply yourself to our intents,
(Which towards you are most gentle,) you shall find
A benefit in this change; but if you seek
To lay on me a cruelty, by taking
Antony's course, you shall bereave yourself
Of my good purposes, and put your children
;-To that destruction which I'll guard them from,
If thereon you rely. I'll take my leave. [and we
Dol.
Assuredly, you know me.
Cleo. No matter, sir, what I have heard, or known.
You laugh, when boys, or women, tell their dreams;
Is't not your trick?
Dol.
I understand not, madam.
Cleo. I dream'd, there was an emperor Antony
O, such another sleep, that I might see
But such another man!
Dol.
If it might please you,-
Cleo. His face was as the heavens; and therein stuck
A sun, and moon ; which kept their course, and lighted
The little O, the earth.
Most sovereign creature,-
Cleo. His legs bestrid the ocean his rear'd arm
Crested the world: his voice was propertied
As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends;
But when he meant to quail and shake the orb,
He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty,
There was no winter in't; an autumn 'twas,
That grew the more by reaping: His delights
Were dolphin-like; they shew'd his back above
The element they liv'd in: In his livery
Cleo. And may, through all the world: 'tis yours,
Your 'scutcheons, and your signs of conquest shall
Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord
Cas. You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.
Cleo. This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels
I am possess'd of: 'tis exactly valued;
Not petty things admitted.-Where's Seleucus ?
Sel. Here, madam.
Cleo. This is my treasurer; let him speak, my lord-
Upon his peril, that I have reserv'd
To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.
Sel. Madam,
I had rather seel my lips, than, to my peril,
Speak that which is not.
Go back, I warrant thee; I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings: Slave, soul-less villain, dog! O rarely base!
Good queen, let us entreat you.
Cleo. O Cæsar, what a wounding shame is this;
That thou, vouchsafing here to visit me,
Doing the honour of thy lordliness
To one so meek, that mine own servant should
Parcel the sum of my disgraces by
Addition of his envy! Say, good Cæsar,
That I some lady trifles have reserv'd,
Immoment toys, things of such dignity
As we greet modern friends withal; and say,
Some nobler token I have kept apart
For Livia, and Octavia, to induce
Their mediation; must I be unfolded
With one that I have bred? The gods! It smites me
Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence;
Or I shall shew the cinders of my spirits [To SELEU.
Through the ashes of my chance:-Wert thou a man,
Thou would'st have mercy on me.
Cas. Forbear, Seleucus.
[Exit SELEUCUS.
Cleo. Be it known, that we, the greatest, are mis-
For things that others do? and, when we fall, [thought
We answer others' merits in our name,
Are therefore to be pitied.
Not what you have reserv'd, nor what acknowledg'd,
Put we i' the roll of conquest: still be it yours,
Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe,
Cæsar's no merchant, to make prize with you
Of things that merchants sold. Therefore be cheer'd;
Make not your thoughts your prisons: no, dear queen,
For we intend so to dispose you, as
Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep
Our care and pity is so much upon you,
That we remain your friend; And so adieu.
Cleo My master, and my lord!
Cas. Not so: Adieu. [Exeunt CESAR, and his Train.
Cleo. He words me, girls, he words me, that I should|
Be noble to myself: but hark thee, Charmian. [not
[Whispers CHARMIAN.
Iras. Finish, good lady; the bright day is done,
And we are for the dark.
Cleo.
Hie thee again:
I have spoke already, and it is provided ;
Go, put it to the haste.
Char.
Madam, I will.
Re-enter DOLABELLA.
Dol. Where is the queen?
Char.
Behold, sir. [Exit CHARMIAN. Dolabella? Dol. Madam, as thereto sworn by your command, Which my love makes religion to obey, I tell you this: Cæsar through Syria Intends his journey; and, within three days, You with your children will he send before: Make your best use of this: I have perform'd Your pleasure, and my promise.
I shall remain your debtor
Cleo. Nay, that is certain.
Iras. I'll never see it; for, I am sure, my nails
Are stronger than mine eyes.
Cleo.
Why, that's the way
To fool their preparation, and to conquer
Their most absurd intents.-Now, Charmian ?—
Enter CHARMIAN.
Shew me, my women, like a queen ;-Go fetch
My best attires;-I am again for Cydnus,
To meet Mark Antony:-Sirrah, Iras, go.—
Now, noble Charmian, we'll despatch indeed:
And, when thou hast done this chare, I'll give thee leave
To play till dooms-day.-Bring our crown and all.
Wherefore's this noise? [Exit IRAS. A noise within.
Enter one of the Guard.
That will not be denied your highness' presence; He brings you figs.
Cleo. Let him come in. How poor an instrument [Exit Guard.
May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.
of woman in me: Now from head to foot
My resolution's plac'd, and I have nothing
I am marble-constant: now the fleeting moon
No planet is of mine.
Re-enter Guard, with a Clown bringing a basket.
Guard.
This is the man.
Cleo. Avoid, and leave him. [Exit Guard.
Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there,
That kills and pains not?
Clown. Truly I have him: but I would not be the party that should desire you to touch him, for his biting is immortal; those, that do die of it, do seldom
Cleo. Remember'st thou any that have died on 't? Clown. Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of them no longer than yesterday: a very honest woman, but something given to lie; as a woman should not do, but in the way of honesty. how she died of the biting of it, what pain she felt,-Truly, she makes a very good report o' the worm: But he that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do: But this is most fallible, the worm's an odd worm.
Cleo. Get thee hence; farewell.
Clown. I wish you all joy of the worm.
Cleo. Farewell.
[Clown sets down the basket Clown. You must think this, look you, that the worm will do his kind.
but in the keeping of wise people: for, indeed, there
is no goodness in the worm.
Cleo. Take thou no care; it shall be heeded.
Clown. Very good give it nothing, I pray you, for
it is not worth the feeding.
Cleo. Will it eat me?
Clown. You must not think I am so simple, but I
know the devil himself will not eat a woman: I know,
that a woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress
her not. But, truly, these same whoreson devils do
the gods great harm in their women; for in every ten
that they make, the devils mar five.
Cleo. Well, get thee gone: farewell.
Clown. Yes, forsooth; I wish you joy of the worm.
Re-enter IRAS, with a robe, crown, &c.
Clen. Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have
Immortal longings in me: Now no more
The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip:-
Yare, yare, good Iras; quick.-Methinks, I hear
Antony call; I see him rouse himself
To praise my noble act; I hear him mock
The luck of Cæsar, which the gods give men
To excuse their after wrath: Husband, I come :
Now to that name my courage prove my title'
I am fire, and air; my other elements
I give to baser life.-So,-have you done?
Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.
Farewell, kind Charmian ;-Iras, long farewell.
[Kisses them. IRAS falls and dies.
Have I the aspick in my lips? Dost fall?
If thou and nature can so gently part,
The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch,
Which hurts, and is desir'd. Dost thou lie still?
If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world
It is not worth leave-taking.
Enter the Guard, rushing in.
1 Guard. Where is the queen?
Char.
Speak softly, wake her not.
Char. Too slow a messenger. [Applies the asp.
O, come; apace, despatch: I partly feel thee.
1 Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæsar's
beguil'd.
1 Guard. Cæsar hath sent
[call him. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar;1 Guard. What work is here?-Charmian, is this well done?
Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess
Descended of so many royal kings.
Ah, soldier!
Dol. How goes it here?
2 Guard.
Dol.
Cæsar, thy thoughts
Touch their effects in this: Thyself art coming
To see perform'd the dreaded act, which thou
So sought'st to hinder.
Within.
A way there, a way for Cæsar.
Enter CESAR, and Attendants.
Dol. O, sir, you are too sure an augurer;
That you did fear, is done.
1 Guard.
This Charmian lived but now; she stood, and spake
I found her trimming up the diadem
On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood,
And on the sudden dropp'd.
Cas.
O noble weakness!—
Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may
The gods themselves do weep!
[say,
Clen.
This proves me base:
If she first meet the curled Antony,
If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear
He'll make demand of her; and spend that kiss, By external swelling: but she looks like sleep,
Which is my heaven to have. Come, mortal wretch, As she would catch another Antony
[To the asp, which she applies to her breast. In her strong toil of grace.
With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate
Of life at once untie: poor venemous fool,
Be angry, and despatch. O, could'st thou speak!
That I might hear thee call great Cæsar, ass
Unpolicied!
Cleo.
Peace, peace!
Dost thou not see my baby at my breast,
That sucks the nurse asleep?
Char.
O, break! O, break!
Cleo. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle,-
O Antony !-Nay, I will take thee too :-
[Applying another asp to her arm.
[Falls on a bed, and dies.
Dol.
Here, on her breast,
There is a vert of blood, and something blown :
The like is on her arm.
[leaves 1 Guard. This is an aspick's trail: and these figHave slime upon them, such as the aspick leaves Upon the caves of Nile.
Most probable,
That so she died; fe her physician tells me,
She hath pursu'd conclusions infinite
Of easy ways to die.-ake up her bed;
And bear her women from the monument :-
She shall be buried by he Antony:
No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Char. In this wide world?-So, fare thee well.-Strike those that make them; ad their story is
Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies
A lass unparallel'd.-Downy windows, close;
And golden Phoebus never be beheld
Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry ;
I'll mend it, and then play.
THIS play keeps curiosity always busy, and the passions always interested. The continual hurry of the action, the variety of incidents, and the quick succession of one personage to another, call the mind forward without intermission from the first act to the last. But the power of delighting is derived principally from the frequent changes of the scene; for, except the feminine arts, some of which are too low, which distin guish Cleopatra, no character is very strongly discriminated. Upton, who did not easily miss what he desired to find, has
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