It is more worthy to leap in ourselves,

Than tarry, 'till they pufh us. Good Volumnius,
Thou know'ft, that we two went to fchool together;
Even for that, our love of old, I pr'ythee,

Hold thou my fword's hilt, while I run on it.
Vol. That's not an office for a Friend, my Lord.
[Alarm Gill.
Cli. Fly, fly, my Lord; there is no tarrying here.
Bru. Farewel to you, and you, and you, Volum

nius.

Strato, thou hast been all this while afleep;
9 Farewel to thee too, Strato.Countrymen,
My heart doth joy, that yet, in all my life,
I found no man, but he was true to me.
I fhall have Glory by this lofing day,
More than Octavius, and Mark Antony,
By this vile Conqueft fhall attain unto.
So, fare you well at once; for Brutus' tongue
Hath almost ended his life's Hiftory.

Night hangs upon mine eyes, my bones would rest,
That have but labour'd to attain this hour.

[Alarm. Cry within, Ely, fly, fly.

Cli. Fly, my Lord, fly.

Bru. Hence; I will follow thee.

I pr'ythee, Strato, stay thou by thy Lord;
Thou art a fellow of a good refpect;

Thy life hath had fome finatch of honour in't.
Hold then my fword, and turn away thy face,
While I do run upon it. Wilt thou, Strato?
Stra. Give me your hand first. Fare you well, my
Lord..

Bru. Farewel, good Strato.-Cæfar, now be still;
I kill'd not thee with half fo good a will.

[He runs on his fword, and dies.

9 Farewel to thee too. Strato.] reads, Thus the modern editions, I

think, rightly. The old folio

Farewel to thee, to Strato, countrymen.

SCENE

Alarm Retreat. Enter Antony, Octavius, Meffala, Lucilius, and the army.

Otta. What man is that?

Mef. My Mafter's Man. Strato, where is thy Mafter?

Stra. Free from the bondage you are in, Meffala:

The Conqu❜rors can but make a fire of him,
For Brutus only overcame himfelf;

And no man else hath honour by his death.

Luc. So Brutus fhould be found. I thank thee, Brutus,

That thou haft prov'd Lucilius' Saying true.

Ota. All that ferv'd Brutus, I will entertain them.
-Fellow, wilt thou bestow thy time with me?
Stra. Ay, if Messala will prefer me to you.
Ota. Do fo, good Meffala.

Mef. How died my Lord, Strato?

Stra. I held the fword, and he did run on it. Mef. Octavius, then take him to follow thee That did the latest service to my Master.

Ant. This was the nobleft Roman of them all:

All the Confpirators, fave only he,

Did that they did in envy of great Cæfar,
He, only, in a general honest thought,
And common Good to all, made one of them.
His life was gentle, and the elements

So mix'd in him, that Nature might ftand up,
And fay to all the world; This was a Man!

Ota. According to his virtue, let us ufe him;
With all respect, and rites of burial.

Within my Tent his bonès to-night shall lie,
Moft like a Soldier, order'd honourably.

1

So call the field to Reft; and let's away,

To part the Glories of this happy day. [Exeunt omnes.

4

ΑΝΤΟΝΥ

AND

CLEOPATRA.

H 4

Varrius,

Silius, an Officer in Ventidius's Army.

Taurus, Lieutenant General to Cæfar.

Alexas,

Mardian,

Servants to Cleopatra,

Diomedes,

A Soothsayer.

Clown.

Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.

Octavia, Sifter to Cæfar, and Wife to Antony.

Charmian,

Iras,

} Ladies waiting on Cleopatra.

Ambaffadors from Antony to Cæfar, Captains, Soldiers, Meffengers, and other Attendants.

The SCENE is difperfed in feveral Parts of the Roman Empire.

Of this Tragedy there is no ancient edition but that of the

Folio 1623.