To penetrative shame: 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 Most useful for thy Country. Eros. Oh, Sir, pardon me. Ant. When I did make thee free, fwor'ft thou not then To do this when I bade thee? do it at once, Or thy precedent services are all 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 bim. My Captain, and my Emp'ror! Let me fay, Ant. 'Tis faid, mañ, -and farewel. Eros. Farewel, great Chief. Shall I ftrike now? Thou teachest me, oh, valiant Eros, what I fhould, and thou could't not; my Queen and Eros [Falling on his 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 noife? 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, strike 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 Cæfar, 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 Miftrefs 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 fying fear Of what hath come to pafs; for when she saw, Ant. Too late, good Diomed; call my Guard, I pr'ythee. 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 shall 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 To 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. 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 5 Help, Help, Charmian; help, Iras, help; help, friends, Ant. Peace. Not Cæfar's valour hath o'er-thrown Antony, Cleo. So it fhould be, that none but Antony Cleo. I dare not, -Come down. (Dear, dear my Lord, your pardon, that I dare not;) Left I be taken; not th'imperious fhew Of the full-fortun'd Cafar ever shall Be brooch'd with me; if knife, drugs, ferpents, have Your Wife Octavia, with her modest eyes (31) I here importune Death a while, until Of many thousand Kiffes the poor laft Cleo. I dare not, dear, Dear my Lord, pardon; Idare not, Left I be taken.] What curious hobbling Verfification do we encounter here in the laft Line but one? Besides, how inconfiftently is the Lady made to reply? Antony says, he only holds Life, till he can give her one laft Kifs: and She cries, She dares not: What dares the not do? Kifs Antony? But how fhould She? She was above lock'd in her Monument; and He below, on the Outside 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 carry'd in his Men's "Arms into the Entry of the Monument : Notwithstanding, Cleo patra would not open the Gates, but came to the high Windows, "and caft out certain Chains and Ropes, &".- -So that Antony might very reasonably defire her to come down; and She as reasonably excufe her felf, for fear of being inInated by Cafar. Demuring Demuring upon me. But come, come, Antony, Help me, my women; we muft draw thee up- Ant. Oh, quick, or I am gone. Cleo. Here's fport, indeed! how heavy weighs my Lord! Our ftrength is all gone into heaviness, That makes the weight. Had I great Juno's power, [They draw Antony up to Cleopatra. All. O heavy fight! Ant. I am dying, Eygpt, dying. Give me fome wine, and let me fpeak a little. Ant. One word, fweet Queen.. Of Cæfar feek your honour, with your fafety-oh- Ant. Gentle, hear me; None about Cæfar truft, but Proculeius. Cleo. My refolution, and my hands, I'll truft; Ant. The miferable change, now at my end, My countryman: A Roman, by a Roman Cleo. Nobleft of men! -woo't die? [Antony dies. No |