Antony and Cleopatra Part 21

Ah, thou Spell! Auaunt

Cleo. Why is my Lord enrag'd against his Loue?

Ant. Vanish, or I shall giue thee thy deseruing, And blemish Caesars Triumph. Let him take thee, And hoist thee vp to the shouting Plebeians, Follow his Chariot, like the greatest spot Of all thy s.e.x. Most Monster-like be shewne For poor'st Diminitiues, for Dolts, and let Patient Octauia, plough thy visage vp With her prepared nailes.

exit Cleopatra.

'Tis well th'art gone, If it be well to liue. But better 'twere Thou fell'st into my furie, for one death Might haue preuented many. Eros, hoa!

The s.h.i.+rt of Nessus is vpon me, teach me Alcides, thou mine Ancestor, thy rage.

Let me lodge Licas on the hornes o'th' Moone, And with those hands that graspt the heauiest Club, Subdue my worthiest selfe: The Witch shall die, To the young Roman Boy she hath sold me, and I fall Vnder this plot: She dyes for't. Eros hoa?

Enter.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, Mardian.

Cleo. Helpe me my women: Oh hee's more mad Then Telamon for his s.h.i.+eld, the Boare of Thessaly Was neuer so imbost

Char. To'th' Monument, there locke your selfe, And send him word you are dead: The Soule and Body riue not more in parting, Then greatnesse going off

Cleo. To'th' Monument: Mardian, go tell him I haue slaine my selfe: Say, that the last I spoke was Anthony, And word it (prythee) pitteously. Hence Mardian, And bring me how he takes my death to'th' Monument.

Exeunt.

Enter Anthony, and Eros.

Ant. Eros, thou yet behold'st me?

Eros. I n.o.ble Lord

Ant. Sometime we see a clowd that's Dragonish, A vapour sometime, like a Beare, or Lyon, A toward Cittadell, a pendant Rocke, A forked Mountaine, or blew Promontorie With Trees vpon't, that nodde vnto the world, And mocke our eyes with Ayre.

Thou hast seene these Signes, They are blacke Vespers Pageants

Eros. I my Lord

Ant. That which is now a Horse, euen with a thoght the Racke dislimes, and makes it indistinct As water is in water

Eros. It does my Lord

Ant. My good Knaue Eros, now thy Captaine is Euen such a body: Heere I am Anthony, Yet cannot hold this visible shape (my Knaue) I made these warres for Egypt, and the Queene, Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine: Which whil'st it was mine, had annext vntoo't A Million moe, (now lost:) shee Eros has Packt Cards with Caesars, and false plaid my Glory Vnto an Enemies triumph.

Nay, weepe not gentle Eros, there is left vs Our selues to end our selues.

Enter Mardian.

Oh thy vilde Lady, she has rob'd me of my Sword

Mar. No Anthony, My Mistris lou'd thee, and her Fortunes mingled with thine intirely

Ant. Hence sawcy Eunuch peace, she hath betraid me, And shall dye the death

Mar. Death of one person, can be paide but once, And that she ha's discharg'd. What thou would'st do Is done vnto thy hand: the last she spake Was Anthony, most n.o.ble Anthony.

Then in the midd'st a tearing grone did breake The name of Anthony: it was diuided Betweene her heart, and lips: she tendred life Thy name so buried in her

Ant. Dead then?

Mar. Dead

Ant. Vnarme Eros, the long dayes taske is done, And we must sleepe: That thou depart'st hence safe Does pay thy labour richly: Go.

exit Mardian.

Off, plucke off, The seuen-fold s.h.i.+eld of Aiax cannot keepe The battery from my heart. Oh cleaue my sides.

Heart, once be stronger then thy Continent, Cracke thy fraile Case. Apace Eros, apace; No more a Soldier: bruised peeces go, You haue bin n.o.bly borne. From me awhile.

exit Eros

I will o're-take thee Cleopatra, and Weepe for my pardon. So it must be, for now All length is Torture: since the Torch is out, Lye downe and stray no farther. Now all labour Marres what it does: yea, very force entangles It selfe with strength: Seale then and all is done.

Eros? I come my Queene. Eros? Stay for me, Where Soules do couch on Flowers, wee'l hand in hand, And with our sprightly Port make the Ghostes gaze: Dido, and her Aeneas shall want Troopes, And all the haunt be ours. Come Eros, Eros.

Enter Eros.

Eros. What would my Lord?

Ant. Since Cleopatra dyed, I haue liu'd in such dishonour, that the G.o.ds Detest my basenesse. I, that with my Sword, Quarter'd the World, and o're greene Neptunes backe With s.h.i.+ps, made Cities; condemne my selfe, to lacke The Courage of a Woman, lesse n.o.ble minde Then she which by her death, our Caesar telles I am Conqueror of my selfe. Thou art sworne Eros, That when the exigent should come, which now Is come indeed: When I should see behinde me Th' ineuitable prosecution of disgrace and horror, That on my command, thou then would'st kill me.

Doo't, the time is come: Thou strik'st not me, 'Tis Caesar thou defeat'st. Put colour in thy Cheeke

Eros. The G.o.ds with-hold me, Shall I do that which all the Parthian Darts, (Though Enemy) lost ayme, and could not

Ant. Eros, Would'st thou be window'd in great Rome, and see Thy Master thus with pleacht Armes, bending downe His corrigible necke, his face subdu'de To penetratiue shame; whil'st the wheel'd seate Of Fortunate Caesar drawne before him, branded His Basenesse that ensued

Eros. I would not see't

Ant. Come then: for with a wound I must be cur'd.

Draw that thy honest Sword, which thou hast worne Most vsefull for thy Country

Eros. Oh sir, pardon me

Ant. When I did make thee free, swor'st y not then To do this when I bad thee? Do it at once, Or thy precedent Seruices are all But accidents vnpurpos'd. Draw, and come

Eros. Turne from me then that n.o.ble countenance, Wherein the wors.h.i.+p of the whole world lyes

Ant. Loe thee

Eros. My sword is drawne

Ant. Then let it do at once The thing why thou hast drawne it

Eros. My deere Master, My Captaine, and my Emperor. Let me say Before I strike this b.l.o.o.d.y stroke, Farwell

Ant. 'Tis said man, and farewell

Eros. Farewell great Chiefe. Shall I strike now?

Ant. Now Eros.

Killes himselfe.