Heart, once be stronger than thy continent.2
Crack thy frail case!-Apace, Eros, apace.-
No more a soldier:-Bruised pieces, go;
You have been nobly borne.-From me a while.-
[Exit EROS.

I will o'ertake thee, 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 further: Now all labour,
Marrs what it does; yea, very force entangles

Itself with strength: Seal then, and all is done.3-
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 Æneas shall want troops,

And all the haunt be ours.-Come, Eros, Eros!

Since Cleopatra died,

I have liv'd in such dishonour, that the gods
Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword
Quarter'd the world, and o'er 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 Cæsar tells,
I am conqueror of myself. Thou art sworn, Eros,
That, when the exigent should come, (which now
Is come, indeed,) when I should see behind me
The inevitable prosecution of

Disgrace and horror, that, on my command,
Thou then would'st kill me: do't; the time is come:

2

thy continent,] i. e. the thing that contains thee.

3 Seal then, and all is done.] Metaphor taken from civil contracts, where, when all is agreed on, the sealing compleats the contract; so he hath determined to die, and nothing remained but to give the stroke.

Thou strik'st not me, 'tis Cæsar thou defeat'st.
Put colour in thy cheek.

Eros.
Shall I do that, which all the Parthian darts,
Though enemy, lost aim, and could not?

The gods withhold me!

Eros,

Ant. Would'st thou be window'd in great Rome, and see Thy master thus with pleach'd arms,* bending down His corrigible neck, his face subdued

To penetrative shame; whilst the wheel'd seat Of fortunate Cæsar, drawn before him, branded His baseness 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 worn Most useful for thy country.

Eros.

O, sir, pardon me.

Ant. When I did make thee free, swor'st 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 sword is drawn.

Ant.

[Turning from him.

The thing why thou hast drawn it.

Eros.

Then let it do at once

My dear master.

-pleach'd arms,] Arms folded in each other.

5 His corrigible neck,] Corrigible for corrected, and afterwards penetrative for penetrating.

His baseness that ensued?] The poor conquered wretch that followed. JOHNSON.

7-the worship of the whole world-] The worship, is the dignity, the authority.

My captain, and my emperor! let me say,
Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.
Ant. "Tis said, man ;-and farewell.

Eros. Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?
Ant.
Now, Eros.
Eros. Why, there then :-Falls on his Sword.
Thus do I escape the sorrow

Of Antony's death.

Ant.

[Dies.

Thrice nobler than myself!
Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros, what

I should, and thou could'st 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,
Thy master dies thy scholar; to do thus

[Falling on his Sword. I learn'd of thee. How! not yet dead? not dead?— The guard!-ho!-O, despatch me.

1 Guard.

Enter DERCETAS and Guard.

What's the noise?

Ant. I have done my work ill, friends; O, make

an end

Of what I have begun.

2 Guard.

1 Guard. And time is at his period.

All.

Ant. Let him that loves me, strike me dead.

1 Guard.

2 Guard. Nor I.

3 Guard. Nor any one.

The star is fallen.

Alas, and woe!

Not I.

[Exeunt Guard.

Der. Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly. This sword but shown to Cæsar, with this tidings, Shall enter me with him.

Wilt thou not answer, man?

[Exit DERCETAS.

Ant. Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword,

phesying fear

8

Of what hath come to pass: for when she saw
(Which never shall be found,) you did suspect
She had dispos'd with Cæsar, and that your rage
Would not be purg'd, she sent you word she was dead;
But, fearing since how it might work, hath sent
Me to proclaim the truth; and I am come,
I dread, too late.

Ant. Too late, good Diomed:-Call my guard,
I pr'ythee.

Dio. What, ho! the emperor's guard! The guard, what, ho!

Come, your lord calls.

Enter some of the Guard.

Ant. Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra

bides;

"Tis the last service that I shall command

you.

She had dispos'd with Cæsar,] To dispose, in this instance,

perhaps signifies to make terms, to settle matters.

1 Guard. Woe are we, sir, you may not live to

wear

All your true followers out.

All.

Most heavy day!

Ant. 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 oft; carry me now, good friends,
And have my thanks for all.

[Exeunt, bearing ANTONY.

SCENE XIII.

The same. A Monument.

Enter above, CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, and IRAS. Cleo. O Charmian, I will never go from hence. Char. Be comforted, dear madam.

Cleo. No, I will not: All strange and terrible events are welcome, But comforts we despise; our size of sorrow, Proportion'd to our cause, must be as great

Enter DIOMedes.

As that which makes it.-How now? is he dead?
Dio. His death's upon him, but not dead.
Look out o'the other side your monument,
His guard have brought him thither.

Cleo.

Enter ANTONY, borne by the Guard.

O thou sun,