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

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

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

5

4

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

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.

Then let it do at once

The thing why thou hast drawn it.

Eros.

My dear master,

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

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

6 His baseness that ensued?] The poor cor quered wretch that followed. JOHNSON.

7the worship of the whole worll- 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.

The star is fallen.

Alas, and woe!

Not I.

Exeunt Guard.

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

1 Guard.

2 Guard. Nor I.

3 Guard. Nor any one.

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

Enter DIOMEDES.

Dio, Where's Antony?

Der.

Dio.

There, Diomed, there.

Wilt thou not answer, man?
Ant. Art thou there, Diomed?
and give me

Sufficing strokes for death.

Dio.

Lives he?

Exit DERCETAS. Draw thy sword,

My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.
Ant. When did she send thee?

Dio.

Ant.

Most absolute lord,

Now, my lord.

Where is she?

Dio. Lock'd in her monument. She had a pro

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 Caesar,] To dispose, in this instance, perhaps signifies to make terms, to settle matters.

All

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

wear

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,

Burn the great sphere thou mov'st in!-darkling

stand

The varying shore o'the world!-O Antony!
Antony, Antony!-Charmian, help; help, Iras;
Help, friends below; let's draw him hither.
Ant.
Not Cæsar's valour hath o'erthrown Antony,
But Antony's hath triumphed on itself.

Peace:

Cleo. So it should be, that none but Antony
Should conquer Antony; but woe 'tis so!
Ant. I am dying, Egypt, dying; only.
I here impórtune death a while, until
Of many thousand kisses the poor last
I lay upon thy lips.-

Cleo.
I dare not, dear,
(Dear my lord, pardon,) I dare not,

Lest I be taken: not the imperious show
Of the full-fortun'd Cæsar ever shall

Be brooch'd with me;' if knife, drugs, serpents, have
Edge, sting, or operation, I am safe:

Your wife Octavia, with her modest eyes,
And still conclusion, shall acquire no honour
Demuring upon me.-But come, come, Antony,
Help me, my women,-we must draw thee up;
Assist, good friends.

Ant.

O, quick, or I am gone. Cleo. Here's sport, indeed!3-How heavy weighs my lord!

darkling-] i. e. without light.

'Be brooch'd with me;] Be brooch'd, i. e. adorn'd. A brooch was an ornament formerly worn in the hat.

2 still conclusion,] Sedate determination; silent coolness of

resolution.

› Here's sport, indeed!] Cleopatra. perhaps, by this affected levity, this phrase which has no determined signification, only wishes to inspire Antony with cheerfulness, and encourage those who are engaged in the melancholy task of drawing him up into the monument.