[Applying another asp to her arm.

[Dies.

What should I stay---
Char. In this vile world? So, fare thee well.
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.

Enter the Guard, rushing in.
First Guard. Where is the queen?
Char.

First Guard. Cæsar hath sent→→→→
Char.

Speak softy, wake her not.

Too slow a messenger. [Applies an asp.

O, come apace, dispatch: I partly feel thee.

First Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæsar's beguiled. Sec. Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar; call him. First 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?

Sec. Guard.

Dol.

· Re-enter Dolabella.

All dead.

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.

[Dies.

[Within. A way there, a way for Cæsar!' Re-enter Cæsar and his train.

Dol. O sir, you are too sure an augurer;
That you did fear is done.

Cas.

Bravest at the last.

She levell'd at our purposes, and being royal
Took her own way. The manner of their deaths?

O Cæsar,

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!

If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear
By external swelling: but she looks like sleep,
As she would catch another Antony

In her strong toil of grace.

Dol.

Here, on her breast,

There is a vent of blood, and something blown :

The like is on her arm.

First Guard. This is an aspic's trail: and these fig-leaves
Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves

Upon the caves of Nile.

Cas.

Most probable

That so she died; for her physician tells me
She hath pursued conclusions infinite
Of easy ways to die. Take up her bed,

And bear her women from the monument:
She shall be buried by her Antony :
No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them; and their story is

No less in pity than his glory which

Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall
In solemn show attend this funeral,

And then to Rome. Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

[Exeunt.

Before the palace of Antioch.

To sing a song that old was sung,
From ashes ancient Gower is come,
Assuming man's infirmities,

To glad your ear and please your eyes.
It hath been sung at festivals,

On ember-eves and holy-ales;

And lords and ladies in their lives
Have read it for restoratives:

The purchase is to make men glorious;
Et bonum quo antiquius, eo melius.
If you, born in these latter times
When wit's more ripe, accept my rhymes,
And that to hear an old man sing
May to your wishes pleasure bring,
I life would wish, and that I might
Waste it for you like taper-light.

This Antioch then Antiochus the Great
Built up, this city, for his chiefest seat,
The fairest in all Syria:

I tell you what mine authors say:
This king unto him took a fere,
Who died and left a female heir,
So buxom, blithe and full of face
As heaven had lent her all his grace;
With whom the father liking took,
And her to incest did provoke:

Bad child, worse father! to entice his own
To evil should be done by none:

But custom what they did begin
Was with long use account no sin.
The beauty of this sinful damne
Made many princes thither frame
To seek her as a bed-fellow,
In marriage-pleasures play-fellow:
Which to prevent he made a law,
To keep her still and men in awe,
That whoso ask'd her for his wife,
His riddle told not, lost his life:
So for her many a wight did die,
As yon grim looks do testify.

What now ensues, to the judgement of your eye
I give, my cause who best can justify.

SCENE I

Antioch. A room in the palace.

Enter Antiochus, Prince Pericles and Followers.
Ant. Young prince of Tyre, you have at large received
The danger of the task you undertake.
Per. I have, Antiochus, and, with a soul
Embolden'd with the glory of her praise,
Think death no hazard in this enterprise.
Ant. Bring in our daughter, clothed like a bride,
For the embracements even of Jove himself;
At whose conception, till Lucina reign'd,
Nature this dowry gave, to glad her presence,
The senate-house of planets all did sit, cre
To knit in her their best perfections..

Music. Enter Antiochus' Daughter.
Per. See where she comes, apparell'd like the spring,
Graces her subjects, and her thoughts the king
Of every virtue gives renown to men!

Her face the book of praises, where is read
Nothing but curious pleasures, as from thence
Sorrow were ever razed, and testy wrath
Could never be her mild companion.

You gods that made me man and sway in love,
That have inflamed desire in my breast
To taste the fruit of yon celestial tree
Or die in the adventure, be my helps,
As I am son and servant to your will,
To compass such a boundless happiness!
Ant. Prince Pericles,→

Per. That would be son to great Antiochus.

[Exit.

Ant. Before thee stands this fair Hesperides,

With golden fruit, but dangerous to be touch'd;
For death-like dragons here affright thee hard:
Her face, like heaven, enticeth thee to view
Her countless glory, which desert must gain;
And which, without desert, because thine eye
Presumes to reach, all thy whole heap must die.
Yon sometimes famous princes, like thyself,
Drawn by report, adventurous by desire,

Tell thee, with speechless tongues and semblance pale,
That without covering, save yon field of stars,
Here they stand martyrs, slain in Cupid's wars;
And with dead cheeks advise thee to desist
For going on death's net, whom none resist.
Per. Antiochus, I thank thee, who hath taught
My frail mortality to know itself,

And by those fearful objects to prepare
This body, like to them, to what I must;
For death remember'd should be like a mirror,
Who tells us life 's but breath, to trust it error.
I'll make my will then, and, as sick men do,
Who know the world, see heaven, but feeling woe
Gripe not at earthly joys as erst they did,
So I bequeath a happy peace to you

And all good men, as every prince should do;
My riches to the earth from whence they came;
But my unspotted fire of love to you.

Thus ready for the way of life or death,

I wait the sharpest blow.

[To the Princess.

Ant. Scorning advice: read the conclusion then:
Which read and not expounded, 'tis decreed,
As these before thee thou thyself shalt bleed.
Daugh. Of all 'say'd yet, mayst thou prove prosperous!
Of all 'say'd yet, I wish thee happiness!

Per. Like a bold champion I assume the lists,
Nor ask advice of any other thought

But faithfulness and courage.

III

He reads the riddle.

'I am no viper, yet I feed

On mother's flesh which did me breed.
I sought a husband, in which labour
I found that kindness in a father:
He's father, son, and husband mild;
I mother, wife, and yet his child.
825

EE 155