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 ?3
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.
Char. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may

say, The gods themselves do weep! Cleo.

This proves me base: If she first meet the curled Antony, He'll make demand of her;and spend that kiss, Which is my heaven to have. Come, mortal

wretch,

[To the Asp, which she applies to her Breast. With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool, Be angry, and despatch. O, could'st thou speak ! That I might hear thee call great Cæsar, ass Unpolicied!

? Have I the aspick in my lips?] Are my lips poison'd by the aspick, that my kiss has destroyed thee?

E H. Geamet so. Act V.Sc.II./a room in the Monument enter guards, rushing in,

1.Guard. - Where is the Queen ?
Charmian. - Speak sofily wake her neto

Char. O eastern star !
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 gen

tle,O Antony!--Nay, I will take thee too :

[ Applying another Asp to her Arm. What should I stay- [Falls on a Bed, and dies.

Char. In this wild world?-So, fare thee well.Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies A lass unparallel'd.-Downy windows, close; 6 And golden Phæbus never be beheld Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry; I'll mend it, and then play.?

Enter the Guard, rushing in.

i Guard. Where is the queen ?
Char.

Speak softly, wake her not.
i Guard. Cæsar hath sent-
Char.

Too slow a messenger.

[Applies the Asp. O, come; apace, despatch: I partly feel thee. i Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæsar's

beguild. 2 Guard. There's Dolabella sent from Cæsar ;

call him.

" Downy windows, close ;] Charmian, in saying this must be conceived to close Cleopatra's eyes; one of the first ceremonies performed toward a dead body.

i 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 !

[Dies.

ABELLA.

Enler Dolabella. Dol. How goes it here? 2 Guard.

All dead. 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, way for Cæsar !

2

V

Enter CÆSAR, and Attendants.
Dol. O, sir, you are too sure an augurer;
That you did fear, is done.
Cæs.

Bravest at the last:
She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal,
Took her own way.-The manner of their deaths ?
I do not see them bleed.
Dol.

Who was last with them? 1 Guard. A simple countryman, that brought her

figs; This was his basket. Cres.

Poison'd then. 1 Guard.

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. Cæs.

O noble weakness! If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear