Antony

Eros, thou 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 pendent rock,

A forked mountain, or blue promontory

With trees upon't, that nod unto the world,

And mock our eyes with air: thou hast 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 knave Eros, now thy captain is

Even such a body: here I am Antony:

Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave.

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. Enter MARDIAN. O, thy vile lady!

She has robbed me of my sword.

Mardian

No, Antony;

My mistress loved thee, and her fortunes mingled

With thine entirely.

Antony

Hence, saucy eunuch; peace!

She hath betrayed me and shall die the death.

Mardian

Death of one person can be paid but once,

And that she has discharged: what thou wouldst do

Is done unto thy 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,

Thy name so buried in her.

Antony

Dead, then?

Mardian

Dead.

Antony

Unarm, Eros; the long day's task is done,

And we must sleep. To Mar. That thou depart'st hence safe,

Does pay thy labour richly; go. Exit Mardian. Off, pluck off:

The sevenfold shield of Ajax cannot keep

The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my sides!

Heart, once be stronger than thy continent,

Crack thy frail case! Apace, Eros, apace.

No more a soldier: bruised pieces, go;

You have been nobly borne. From me awhile. 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 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! Re-enter 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 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 Caesar 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 wouldst kill me: do't; the time is come:

Thou strikest not me, 'tis Caesar 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?

Antony

Eros,

Wouldst thou be windowed in great Rome and see

Thy 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 thy honest sword, which thou hast worn

Most useful for thy country.

Eros

O, sir, pardon me!

Antony

When I did make thee free, sworest thou not then

To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once;

Or thy 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 thee! Turning from him.

Eros

My sword is drawn.

Antony

Then let it do at once

The thing why thou hast drawn it.

Eros

My dear master,

My captain, and my emperor, let me say,

Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.

Antony

'Tis said, man; and farewell.

Eros

Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?

Antony

Now, Eros.

Eros

Why, there then: thus I do escape the sorrow

Of Antony's death. Kills himself.

Antony

Thrice-nobler than myself!

Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros, what

I should, and thou couldst 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 learned of thee. How! not dead? not dead?

The guard, ho! O, dispatch me! Enter DECRETAS and Guard.

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 fall'n.

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 any one. Exeunt Guard.

Dercetus

Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly.

This sword but shown to Caesar, with this tidings,

Shall enter me with him. Enter DIOMEDES.

Diomedes

Where's Antony?

Dercetus

There, Diomed there.

Diomedes

Lives he?

Wilt thou not answer, man? Exit Dercetus.

Antony

Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword, and give me

Sufficing strokes for death.

Diomedes

Most absolute lord,

My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.

Antony

When did she send thee?

Diomedes

Now, my lord.

Antony

Where is she?

Diomedes

Locked in her monument. She had a prophesying fear

Of what hath 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, hath sent

Me to proclaim the truth; and I am come,

I dread, too late.

Antony

Too late, good Diomed: call my guard, I prithee.

Diomedes

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

Come, your lord calls! Enter four or five of the Guard of ANTONY.

Antony

Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides;

'Tis 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 oft: carry me now, good friends,

And have my thanks for all. Exeunt, bearing Antony.