No more a Soldier. bruifed pieces, go; [Unarming himself. You have been nobly borne ;- from me a while [Exit Eros. I will o'ertake thee, Cleopatra, and 1 -Eros!! -stay for me, Where fouls do couch on flowers, we'll hand in hand, And all the haunt be ours. -Come, Eros, Eròs ! Enter Eros. Eros. What would my Lord? I've liv'd in fuch difhonour, that the Gods And horrour, that on my command thou then Eros. The Gods with-hold me! Shall I do That, which all the Parthian darts, Ant. Eros, Would'ft thou be window'd in great Rome, and fee To To penetrative fhame: whilft the wheel'd feat 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 Moft ufeful for thy Country. Eros. Oh, Sir, pardon me. Ant. When I did make thee free, fwor'st thou not then To do this when I bade thee? do it at once, 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 fword is drawn. Ant. Then let it do at once The thing why thou haft drawn it. Eros. My dear Master, [Turning from him. My Captain, and my Emp'ror! Let me fay, Ant. 'Tis faid, man, -and farewel. Eros. Farewel, great Chief. Shall I ftrike how? Ant. Now, Eros. Eros. Why, there then Thus do I efcape the forrow Of Antony's death. Ant. Thrice nobler than myself! [Eros kills himself. [Dias. Thot teacheft me, oh, valiant Eros, what I should, and thou could't not; my Queen and Eros Have by their brave inftruction got upon me [Falling on bis fword. I learnt of thee. How, not yet dead ? not dead?The Guard-ho!-oh, dispatch me. Enter Dercetas, and Guard. 1 Guard. What's the noise ? Ant. I've done my work ill, friends : O, make an end of what I have begun. 2 Guard. The ftar is faln. 1 Guard. And time is at his period! All. Alas, and woe! Ant. Let him, that loves me, ftrike me dead. 1 Guard. Not I. 2 Guard. Nor I. 3 Guard. Nor any one. [Exeunt. Der. Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly. This fword but fhewn to Cafar, with this tidings, Shall enter me with him. Enter Diomedes. Dio. Where's Antony? Der. There, Diomed, there. Dio. Lives he? wilt thou not answer, man? Ant. Art thou there, Diomed? draw thy fword, and give me 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 a prophe Of what hath come to pafs; for when she saw, Ant. Too late, good Diomed; call my Guard, I Dio. What, ho! the Emperor's Guard. The Guard, what, hoa! Come, your Lord calls. Enter the Guard. Ant. Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides, 'Tis the laft fervice that I fhall command you. Guard. Woe are we, Sir! you may not live to wear All your true follow'rs out. All. Moft heavy day! Ant. Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp Το grace it with your forrows. Bid That welcome I have led you oft; carry me now, good friends, [Exeunt, bearing Antony. SCENE changes to a magnificent Monument. Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, and Iras, above. Cleo. OH Charmian, I will never go from hence. Char. Be comforted, dear Madam. Cleo. No, I will not: All strange and terrible events are welcome, Enter Diomedes. How now? is he dead? Dio. His death's upon him, but not dead. Look out o' th' other fide your Monument, His Guard have brought him thither. Enter Antony, borne by the Guard. Cleo. O thou Sun, Burn the great Sphere thou mov'ft in !-darkling ftand H S Help, Help, Charmian; help, Iras, help; help, friends, Ant. Peace. Not Cafar's valour hath o'er thrown Antony, Cleo. So it should be, that none but Antony Cleo. I dare not, (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 shall Be brooch'd with me; if knife, drugs, ferpents, have Your Wife Octavia, with her modeft eyes (31) I bere importune Death a while, until Of many thousand Kiffes the poor laft Cleo. I dare not, dear, Dear my Lord, pardon; I dare not, Left I be taken.] What curious hobbling Verfification de we encounter here in the laft Line but one? Befides, how inconfiftently is the Lady made to reply? Antony fays, he only holds Life, 'till he can give her one last Kifs: and She cries, She dares not: What dares the not do? Kifs Antony? But how fhould the? She was above lock'd in her Monument; and He below, on the Outfide of it. With a very flight Addition, I think, I can cure the whole; and have a Warrant from Plutarch for it into the Bargain. Now Plutarch fays that "Antony was carried in his Men's "Arms into the Entry of the Monument: Notwithstanding, Cleopatra would not open the Gates, but came to the high Windows, "and caft out certain Chains and Ropes, &c."- So that Antony might very reasonably defire her to come down; and She as reasonably excufe herself, for fear of being infnared by Cafar. Demuring |