ANTONY
Eros, yet behold’st me?
EROS
Ay, noble lord.
ANTONY
Sometime we see a cloud that’s dragonish,
A vapour sometime like a bear or lion,
A towered citadel, a pendant rock,
A forked mountain, or blue promontory
With trees upon’t, that nod unto the world
And mock our eyes with air. seen these signs.
They are black vesper’s pageants.
EROS
Ay, my lord.
ANTONY
That which is now a horse, even with a thought
The rack dislimns and makes it indistinct
As water is in water.
EROS
It does, my lord.
ANTONY
My good Eros, now captain is
Even such a body. Here I am Antony,
Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my .
I made these wars for Egypt, and the Queen,
Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine,
Which, whilst it was mine, had annexed unto’t
A million more, now lost—she, Eros, has
Packed cards with Caesar, and false-played my glory
Unto an enemy’s triumph.
Nay, weep not, gentle Eros. There is left us
Ourselves to end ourselves.
ANTONY
O, vile lady!
She has robbed me of my sword.
MARDIAN
No, Antony,
My mistress loved and her fortunes mingled
With entirely.
ANTONY
, saucy eunuch! Peace!
She betrayed me and shall die the death.
MARDIAN
Death of one person can be paid but once,
And that she has discharged. What do
Is done unto hand. The last she spake
Was “Antony! Most noble Antony!”
Then in the midst a tearing groan did break
The name of Antony; it was divided
Between her heart and lips. She rendered life,
name so buried in her.
ANTONY
Dead, then?
MARDIAN
Dead.
ANTONY
Unarm, Eros. The long day’s task is done,
And we must sleep.—That depart’st safe
Does pay labour richly. Go.
ANTONY
Off, pluck off!
The sevenfold shield of Ajax cannot keep
The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my sides!
Heart, once be stronger than continent;
Crack frail case! Apace, Eros, apace!
No more a soldier. Bruised pieces, go;
You have been nobly borne. From me awhile.
ANTONY
I will o’ertake , Cleopatra, and
Weep for my pardon. So it must be, for now
All length is torture. Since the torch is out,
Lie down, and stray no farther. Now all labour
Mars what it does; yea, very force entangles
Itself with strength. Seal then, and all is done.
Eros!—I come, my queen.—Eros!—Stay for me.
Where souls do couch on flowers, we’ll hand in hand,
And with our sprightly port make the ghosts gaze.
Dido and her Aeneas shall want troops,
And all the haunt be ours.—Come, Eros, Eros!
EROS
What would my lord?
ANTONY
Since Cleopatra died,
I have lived in such dishonour that the gods
Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword
Quartered the world, and green Neptune’s back
With ships made cities, condemn myself to lack
The courage of a woman; less noble mind
Than she which, by her death, our Caesar tells
“I am conqueror of myself.” art sworn, Eros,
That when the exigent should come, which now
Is come indeed, when I should see behind me
Th’ inevitable prosecution of
Disgrace and horror, that on my command
then kill me. Do’t. The time is come.
strik’st not me; Caesar defeat’st.
Put colour in cheek.
EROS
The gods withhold me!
Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts,
Though enemy, lost aim and could not?
ANTONY
Eros,
be windowed in great Rome and see
master thus with pleached arms, bending down
His corrigible neck, his face subdued
To penetrative shame, whilst the wheeled seat
Of fortunate Caesar, drawn before him, branded
His baseness that ensued?
EROS
I would not see’t.
ANTONY
Come, then, for with a wound I must be cured.
Draw that honest sword, which worn
Most useful for country.
EROS
O, sir, pardon me!
ANTONY
When I did make free, swor’st not then
To do this when I bade ? Do it at once,
Or precedent services are all
But accidents unpurposed. Draw, and come.
EROS
Turn from me then that noble countenance
Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.
ANTONY
Lo !
EROS
My sword is drawn.
ANTONY
Then let it do at once
The thing why drawn it.
EROS
My dear master,
My captain and my emperor, let me say,
Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.
ANTONY
said, man, and farewell.
EROS
Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?
ANTONY
Now, Eros.
EROS
Why, there then!
Thus do I escape the sorrow
Of Antony’s death.
ANTONY
Thrice nobler than myself!
teachest me, O valiant Eros, what
I should and not. My queen and Eros
Have by their brave instruction got upon me
A nobleness in record. But I will be
A bridegroom in my death and run into’t
As to a lover’s bed. Come then, and, Eros,
master dies scholar. To do thus
ANTONY
I learned of . How? Not dead? Not dead?
The guard, ho! O, dispatch me!
FIRST GUARD
What’s the noise?
ANTONY
I have done my work ill, friends. O, make an end
Of what I have begun.
SECOND GUARD
The star is fallen.
FIRST GUARD
And time is at his period.
ALL
Alas, and woe!
ANTONY
Let him that loves me strike me dead.
FIRST GUARD
Not I.
SECOND GUARD
Nor I.
THIRD GUARD
Nor anyone.
DERCETUS
death and fortunes bid followers fly.
This sword but shown to Caesar with this tidings,
Shall enter me with him.
DIOMEDES
Where’s Antony?
DERCETUS
There, Diomed, there.
DIOMEDES
Lives he? Wilt not answer, man?
ANTONY
Art there, Diomed? Draw sword and give me
Sufficing strokes for death.
DIOMEDES
Most absolute lord,
My mistress Cleopatra sent me to .
ANTONY
When did she send ?
DIOMEDES
Now, my lord.
ANTONY
Where is she?
DIOMEDES
Locked in her monument. She had a prophesying fear
Of what come to pass. For when she saw—
Which never shall be found—you did suspect
She had disposed with Caesar, and that your rage
Would not be purged, she sent you word she was dead;
But fearing since how it might work, sent
Me to proclaim the truth, and I am come,
I dread, too late.
ANTONY
Too late, good Diomed. Call my guard, I .
DIOMEDES
What, ho! The emperor’s guard! The guard, what ho!
Come, your lord calls!
ANTONY
Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides.
the last service that I shall command you.
FIRST GUARD
Woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wear
All your true followers out.
ALL
Most heavy day!
ANTONY
Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp fate
To grace it with your sorrows. Bid that welcome
Which comes to punish us, and we punish it,
Seeming to bear it lightly. Take me up.
I have led you ; carry me now, good friends,
And have my thanks for all.