Ant. Yet they are not ioyn'd: Where yon'd Pine does stand, I shall discouer all. Ile bring thee word straight, how 'tis like to go. Enter.
Scar. Swallowes haue built In Cleopatra's Sailes their nests. The Auguries Say, they know not, they cannot tell, looke grimly, And dare not speake their knowledge. Anthony, Is valiant, and deiected, and by starts His fretted Fortunes giue him hope and feare Of what he has, and has not. Enter Anthony.
Ant. All is lost: This fowle Egyptian hath betrayed me: My Fleete hath yeelded to the Foe, and yonder They cast their Caps vp, and Carowse together Like Friends long lost. Triple-turn'd Whore, 'tis thou Hast sold me to this Nouice, and my heart Makes onely Warres on thee. Bid them all flye: For when I am reueng'd vpon my Charme, I haue done all. Bid them all flye, be gone. Oh Sunne, thy vprise shall I see no more, Fortune, and Anthony part heere, euen heere Do we shake hands? All come to this? The hearts That pannelled me at heeles, to whom I gaue Their wishes, do dis-Candie, melt their sweets On blossoming Caesar: And this Pine is barkt, That ouer-top'd them all. Betray'd I am. Oh this false Soule of Egypt! this graue Charme, Whose eye beck'd forth my Wars, & cal'd them home: Whose Bosome was my Crownet, my chiefe end, Like a right Gypsie, hath at fast and loose Beguil'd me, to the very heart of losse. What Eros, Eros? Enter Cleopatra.
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 Sex. 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 shirt 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 Shield, 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 Noble 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 Noble 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 shield 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 Nobly borne. From me awhile.
exit Eros
Antony and Cleopatra · The Wunder Library — complete classics, free to read, with narration.