صور الصفحة
PDF
النشر الإلكتروني
[blocks in formation]

O sun! thy uprise shall I see no more:
Fortune and Antony part here; even here
Do we shake hands. All come to this?-The hearts
That spaniel'd me at heels, to whom I gave
Their wishes, do discandy, melt their sweets
On blossoming Cæsar; and this pine is bark'd,
That overtopp'd them all. Betray'd I am.
O this false spell of Egypt! this great charm,-
Whose eye beck'd forth my wars, and call'd them
home;

Whose bosom was my crownet, my chief end,
Like a right gipsy, hath, at fast and loose,
Beguil'd me to the very heart of loss.-
What, Eros! Eros!

Enter CLEOPATRA.

Ah, thou spell! Avaunt!

Cleo. Why is my lord enrag'd against his love? Ant. Vanish, or I shall give thee thy deserving, And blemish Cæsar's triumph. Let him take thee, And hoist thee up to the shouting plebeians: Follow his chariot, like the greatest spot Of all thy sex; most monster-like, be shown For poor'st diminutives, for 2 doits; and let Patient Octavia plough thy visage up With her prepared nails.

[Exit CLEO. 'Tis well thou'rt gone, If it be well to live; but better 'twere Thou fell'st under my fury, for one death Might have prevented many.-Eros, ho!The shirt of Nessus is upon me teach me, Alcides, thou mine ancestor, thy rage: Let me lodge Lichas on the horns o' the moon; And with those hands, that grasp'd the heaviest club, Subdue my worthiest self. The witch shall die: To the young Roman boy she hath sold me, and I full Under this plot; she dies for't.-Eros, ho! [Exit. SCENE XI.-Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and MARDIAN. Cleo. Help me, my women! O! he is more mad Than Telamon for his shield; the boar of Thessaly Was never so emboss'd.

Char.

To the monument!

[blocks in formation]

Ay, noble lord.

Ant. Eros, thou yet behold'st me. Eros. Ant. Sometime, we see a cloud that's dragonish, A vapor, 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 world, [signs; And mock our eyes with air: thou hast seen these

"My crownet," i. e., the crown of my endeavors."Fast and loose," a juggling game, practised by the gipsies, now called pricking at the belt - For poor'st diminutives," i. e. for the smallest piece of money.- Lichas, the boy that brought the poisoned shirt to Hercules.-" Emboss'd," Le, foaming at the mouth.

[blocks in formation]

The rack 'dislimns, 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 cards with 'Cæsar's, 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 has discharg'd. What thou would'st 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 buried in her.

[blocks in formation]

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

And we must sleep.-That thou depart'st hence safe, Does pay thy labor richly; go.-[Exit MARDIAN. Off, pluck off:

h

The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep
The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my sides!
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 labor
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'
Re-enter EROS.

Eros. What would my lord?

Ant. Since Cleopatra died I have liv'd in such dishonor, 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 Than she, which by her death our Cæsar tells, courage of a woman; less noble minded

The

[ocr errors][merged small]
[blocks in formation]

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! [ Turning 1his face from him. Eros. My sword is drawn. Ant.

Then, let it do at once 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? Now, Eros. Eros. Why, there then.-[Falls on his Sword.] Thus do I escape the sorrow

Ant.

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 dead? not dead ?— The guard!-how 1-O, despatch me!

Enter DERCETAS and Guard.

1 Guard. What's the noise? Ant. I have done my work ill, friends: O! make Of what I have begun. [an end

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.

2 Guard. Nor I.

Not 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.

■"Pleach'd," i, e., folded. "Corrigible," i, e., corrected. Penetrative for penetrating." His baseness that en sued," i. e., the baseness of him that followed. -"The worship," ie., the dignity; the honor.

[blocks in formation]

SCENE XIII.-The Same. A Monument. Enter, above, CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, and ĪRAS.

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, below, 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, below, ANTONY, borne by the Guard.
Cleo. O sun,

Burn the great sphere thou mov'st_in!-darkling
stand,
[tony, Antory!
5 Thou varying shore o' th' world. O Antony, Aa-
Help, Charmian, help, Iras, help: help, friends
Below; let's draw him hither.
Peace!
Not Cæsar's valor hath o'erthrown Antony,
But Antony's hath triumph'd on itself.

Ant.

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 importune death a while, until

{ "Compos'd,” i. c., arranged; agreed.

[blocks in formation]

Bebrooch'd with me; if knife, drugs, serpents, have What, what! good cheer! Why, how now, Charmian!

Edge, sting, or operation, I am safe.

Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes,
And still condition, shall acquire no honor
d Demurring upon me.-)
-But come, come, Antony,-
Help me, my women, we must draw thee up.-
Assist, good friends.

Ant.

O! quick, or I am gone. Cleo. Here's port, indeed!-How heavy weighs Our strength is all gone into heaviness, [my 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.-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.

е

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 housewife Fortune break her wheel, Provok'd by my offence.

Ant.
One word, sweet queen.
Of Cesar seek your honor with your safety.-0!

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.-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.3

Char.
O, quietness, lady!
Iras. She is dead too, our sovereign.
Char.

[blocks in formation]

Lady!

Madam!

My noble girls!-Ah, women, women! look,
Our lamp is spent, it's out.-Good sirs, take heart:
[To the Guard below.
We'll bury him; and then, what's brave, what's noble,
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.

[blocks in formation]

The gods rebuke me, but it is tidings
To wash the eyes of kings.

Agr.
And strange it is,
That nature must compel us to lament
Royal Egypt! Our most persisted deeds.

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 sceptre at the injurious gods;

Cleopatra means that she dare not come down out of the monument to Antony.-b" Be brooch'd," i. e.. be ornamented, adorned.-" Still condition," i. e., sedate disposition.-"Demurring," i. e., looking gravely." Quicken," i e., revive. "Chares," i. e., chores.

Mec.

6 Weighed equal with him. Agr.

His taints and honors

A rarer spirit never 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,

[blocks in formation]

Diseases in our bodies. I must perforce
Have shown 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,
Unreconcileable should divide

Our equalness to this.-Hear me, good friends,-
But I will tell you at some meeter season:

Enter a Messenger.

[tress,

The business of this man looks out of him;
We'll hear him what he says.-Whence are you?
Mess. A poor Egyptian yet. The queen my mis-
Confin'd in all she has, her monument,
Of thy intents desires instruction,
That she preparedly may frame herself
To the way she's forced to.

Cæs.

Bid her have good heart: She soon shall know of us, by some of ours, How honorable 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 purpose her no shame: give her what comforts
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.

Pro.
Cæsar, I shall. [Exit PROCULEIUS.
Cæs. Gallus, go you along.-Where's Dolabella,
To second Proculeius?
[Exit GALLUS.

Dolabella!

All. Cæs. 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 show in this.

[Exeunt.

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
A conqueror, that will pray in aid for kindness,
Where he for grace is kneel'd to.

Cleo.5

d

Pray you, tell him I am his fortune's vassal, and I send him A doctrine of obedience, and would gladly The greatness he has got. I hourly learn Look him i' the face.

Pro.

This I'll report, dear lady. Have comfort; for, I know, your plight is pitied Of him that caus'd it.

Gal. You see how easily she may be surpris'd. [PROCULEIUS, and two of the Guard, ascend the Monument by a ladder, and come behind CLEOPATRA. Some of the Guard unbar

Guard her till Cæsar come.

and open the Gates.

[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! [Disarms her. Do not yourself such wrong, who are in this Reliev'd, but not betray'd.

Cleo.

What, of death, too, That rids our dogs of languish?

Pro.

Cleopatra,

Do not abuse my master's bounty, by
Th' undoing of yourself: let the world see
His nobleness well aeted, 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; SCENE II.-Alexandria. A Room in the Monu- If idle talk will once be accessary,

ment.

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, and IRAS.

knave,

Cleo. My desolation does begin to make
A better life. 'Tis paltry to be Cæsar:
Not being fortune, he's but fortune's
A minister of her will; and it is great
To do that thing that ends all other deeds,
Which shackles accidents, and bolts up change;
Which sleeps, and never palates more the dug,
The beggar's nurse and Cæsar's.

Enter, to the Gates of the Monument, PROCULEIUS,
GALLUS, and Soldiers.

Pro. Cæsar sends greeting to the queen of Egypt; And bids thee study on what fair demands Thou mean'st to have him grant thee.

[blocks in formation]

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 show 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 nak'd, and let the water flies
Blow me into abhorring! father make
My country's high pyramides my gibbet,
And hang me up in chains!
Pro.

You do extend These thoughts of horror farther, than you shall Find cause in Cæsar.

[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]
[blocks in formation]

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.
Cleo. And may through all the world: 'tis yours;
Your scutcheons, and your signs of conquest, shall

[and we

A sun, and moon, which kept their course, and lighted Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord. The little O, the earth.

Dol.

b

Most sovereign creature,Cleo. His legs bestrid the ocean; his rear'd arm a 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 show'd his back above The element they liv'd in: in his livery [were Walk'd crowns, and crownets; realms and islands As plates dropp'd from his pocket. Dol.

Cleopatra,

Cleo. Think you, there was, or might be, such a As this I dream'd of? [man

Gentle madam, no.

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 stuff
To vie strange forms with fancy; 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 1 smites My very heart at root.

Cleo. 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 honorable, Cleo. He'll lead me, then, in triumph?

[blocks in formation]

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;

2[Showing a Paper. 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 seal my lips, than to my peril
Speak that which is not.
Cleo.

What have I kept back? Sel. Enough to purchase what you have made known.

Cas. Nay, blush not, Cleopatra; I approve Your wisdom in the deed.

Cleo.

See, Cæsar! O, behold, How pomp is follow'd! mine will now be yours, And should we shift estates, yours would be mine. The ingratitude of this Seleucus does

Even make me wild.-O slave, of no more trust Than love that's hir'd!-What! goest thou back? thou shalt

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes, Though they had wings. Slave, soul-less villain, dog! O'rarely base!

Cæs.

Good queen, let us entreat you.
Cleo. O Cæsar! what a wounding shame is this;
That thou, vouchsafing here to visit me,
Doing the honor 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 1Octavia, to induce
Their mediation, must I be unfolded

[me

m With one that I have bred? Ye gods! it smites
Beneath the fall I have. Pr'ythee, go hence;
[To SELEUCUS.

Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits
Through th' ashes of mischance.-Wert thou a man,
Thou would'st have mercy on me.
Cæs.

Forbear, Seleucus. [Exit SELEUCUS.

"Project," i. e., delineate; shape; form.-"Rarely base," i. e., base beyond example.-"Parcel," i. e., add up. His envy," i. e., his malice. "Immoment," i. e, trifling.- "Modern," i. e., common; ordinary.-"Livia and Octavia," Cæsar's wife and sister. With for by.

« السابقةمتابعة »