vndergo vnder foraine yoke to go Still it proues a bondage worse and doubled subiection see we shall and feele and know subiect to a stranger growne From hence forward for a King whose first being from this place should his brest by nature bring care of country to imbrace We at surly face must quake of some Romaine madly bent who our terrour to augment his Proconsuls axe will shake driuing with our Kings from hence our establish'd gouernment iustice sword and lawes defence Nothing worldly of such might but more mighty Destiny by swift Times vnbridled flight makes in end his end to see euery thing Time ouerthrowes nought to end doth steadfast staie his great sithe mowes all away as the stalke of tender rose onely immortalitie of the heauens doth it oppose gainst his powrefull Deitie One day there will come a day which shall quaile they fortunes flower and thee ruinde low shall laie in some barbarous Princes power when the pittie-wanting fire shall O Rome thy beauties burne and to humble ashes turne thy proud wealth and rich attire those guilt roofes which turretwise iustly making enuy mourne threaten now to pearce Skies As thy forces fill each land haruests making here and there reaping all with rauening hand they find growing any where from each land so to thy fall multitudes repaire shall make from the common spoile to take what to each mans shaire may fall fingred all thou shalt behold no iote left for tokens sake that thou wert so great of olde Like vnto the ancient Troie whence deriu'd thy founders be conqu'ring foe shall thee enioie and a burning praie in thee for within this turning ball this we see and see each daie all things fixed ends do staie ends to first beginnings fall that nought how strong or strāge chaungeles doth endure alwaie But endureth fatall change M. Antonius Lucilius M. Ant. Lucil sole comfort of my bitter case The only trust the only hope I haue In last despaire Ah is not this the daie That death should me of life and loue bereaue What waite I for that haue no refuge left But am sole remnant of my fortune left All leaue me flie me none noe not of them Which of my greatnes greatest good receiu'd Stands with my fall they seeme as now asham'd That heretofore they did me ought regard They draw them backe shewing they folow'd me Not to partake my harm's but coozen me Lu. In this our world nothing is stedfast found In vaine he hopes who here his hopes doth ground An. Yet nought afflicts me nothing killes me so As that I so my Cleopatra see Practise with Caesar and to him transport My flame her loue more deare then life to me Lu. Beleeue it not Too high a heart she beares Too princely thoughts An. Too wise a head she weare Too much enflam'd with greatnes euermore Gaping for our great Empires gouerment Lu. So long time you her constant loue haue tri'de An. But still with me good fortune did abide Lu. Her changed loue what token makes you know An. Pelusium lost and Actian ouerthrow Both by her fraud my well appointed fleet And trusty Souldiors in my quarrell arm'd Whome she false she in stede of my defence Came to perswade to yelde them to my foe Such honor Thyre done such welcome giuen Their long close talkes I neither knew nor would And trecherous wrong Alexas hath me donne Witnes too well her periur'd loue to me But you O Gods if any faith regarde With sharpe reuenge her faithlesse change reward Lu. The dole she made vpon our ouerthrow Her realme giuen vp for refuge to our men Her poore attire when she deuoutly kept The solemne day of her natiuitie Againe the cost and prodigall expence Shew'd when she did your birth day celebrate Do plaine enough her heart vnfained proue Equally toucht you louing as you loue Ant. Well be her loue to me or false or true Once in my soule a cureles wound I feele I Ioue nay burne in fire of her loue Each day each night hir Image haunts my minde Her selfe my dreames and still I tired am And still I am with burning pincers nipt Extreame my harme yet sweeter to my sence Then boiling Torch of iealous torments fire This griefe nay rage in me such sturre doth keepe And thornes me still both when I wake and sleepe Take Caesar conquest take my goods take he Th' onor to be Lord of the earth alone My sonnes my life bent headlong to mishapps No force so not my Cleopatra take So foolish I I cannot her forget Though better were I banisht her my thought Like to the sicke whose throte the feauers fire Hath vehemently with thirstie drought enflam'd Drinkes still albee the drinke he still desires Be nothing else but fewell to his flame He cannot rule himself his health's respect Yealdeth to his distempered stomacks heate Lu. Leaue of this loue that thus renewes your woe An. I do my best but ah can not do so Lu. Thinke how you haue so braue a captaine bene And now are by this vaine affection falne An. The ceasles thought of my felicitie Plunges me more in this aduersitie For nothing so a man in ill torments As who to him his good state represents This makes my rack my anguish and my woe Equall vnto the hellish passions growe When I to mind my happie puisance call Which erst I had by warlike conquest wonne And that good fortune which me neuer left Which hard disastre now hath me bereft With terror tremble all the world I made At my sole word as Rushes in the streames At waters will I conquer'd Italie I conquer'd Rome that nations so redoubt I Bare meane while besieging Mutina Two consuls armies for my ruine brought Bath'd in their bloud by their deaths witnessing My force and skill in matters Martiall To wreake thy vnkle vnkind Caesar I With bloud of enemies the bankes embru'd Of stain'd Enipeus hindring his course Stopped with heapes of piled carcases When Cassius and Brutus ill betide Marcht against vs by vs twise put to flight But by my sole conduct for all the time Caesar hart-sicke with feare and feauer lay Who knowes it not and how by euery one Fame of the fact was giu'n to me alone There sprang the loue the neuer changing loue Wherin my heart hath since to yours bene bound There was it my Lucill you Brntus sau'de And for your Brutus Antony you found Better my hap in gaining such a frend Then in subduing such an enimie Now former vertue dead doth me forsake Fortune engulfes me in extreame distresse She turnes from me her smiling countenance Casting on me mishapp vpon mishapp Left and betraide of thousand thousand frends Once of my sute but you Lucill are left Remaining to me stedfast as a tower In holy loue in spite of fortunes blastes But if of any God my voice be heard And be not vainely scatt'red in the heau'ns Such goodnes shall not glorilesse be loste But comming ages
The aire throughout with cries grones did sound The sea did blush with bloud the neighbour shores Groned so they with shipwracks pestred were And floting bodies left for pleasing foode To birds and beasts and fishes of the sea You know it well Agrippa Ag. Mete it was The Romain Empire so should ruled be As heau'n is rul'd which turning ouer vs All vnder things by his example turnes Now as of heau'n one onely Lord we know One onely Lord should rule this earth below When one selfe pow're is common made to two Their duties they nor suffer will nor doe In quarell still in doubt in hate in feare Meane while the people all the smart do beare Caes. Then to the end none while my daies endure Seeking to raise himselfe may succours find We must with bloud marke this our victory For iust example to all memorie Murther we must vntil not one we leaue Which may hereafter vs of rest be Ag. Marke it with murthers Who of that can like Cae. Murthers must vse who doth assurance seeke Ag. Assurance call you enemies to make Cae. I make no such but such away I take Ag. Nothing so much as rigour doth displease Cae. Nothing so much doth make me liue at ease Ag. What ease to him that feared is of all Cae. Feared to be and see his foes to fall Ag. Commonly feare doth brede and nourish hate Cae. Hate without pow'r comes commonly too late Ag. A feared Prince hath oft his death desir'd Cae. A Prince not fear'd hath oft his wrong conspir'd Ag. No guard so sure no forte so strong doth proue No such defence as is the peoples loue Cae. Nought more vnsure more weak more like the winde Then Peoples fauour still to change enclinde Ag. Good Gods what loue to gratious prince men beare Cae. What honor to the Prince that is seuere Ag. Nought more diuine then is Benigntie Cae. Nought likes the Gods as doth Seuerity Ag. Gods all forgiue Cae. On faults they paines do lay Ag. And giue their goods C. Oft times they tak away Ag. They wreake them not ô Caesar at each time That by our sinnes they are to wrath prouok'd Neither must you beleeue I humblie praie Your victorie with crueltie defile The Gods it gaue it must not be abus'd But to the good of all men mildely vs'd And they be thank'd that hauing giu'n you grace To raigne alone and rule this earthly masse They may hence-forward hold it still in rest All scattered power vnited in one brest Cae. But what is he that breathles comes so fast Approching vs and going in such hast Ag. He seemes affraid and vnder his arme I But much I erre a bloudy sword espie Cae. I long to vnderstand what it may be Ag. He hither comes it 's best we stay and see Dirce. What good God now my voice will reenforce That tell I may to rocks and hilles and woods To waues of sea which dash vpon the shore To earth to heauen the woefull newes I bring A. What sodaine chance thee towards vs hath broght Dir. A lamentable chance O wrath of heau'ns O Gods too pittiles Caes. What monstrous hap Wilt thou recount Dir. Alas too hard mishap When I but dreame of what mine eies beheld My hart doth freeze my limmes do quiuering quake I senceles stand my brest with tempest tost Killes in my throte my words ere fully borne Dead dead he is be sure of what I say This murthering sword hath made the man away Caes. Alas my heart doth cleaue pittie me rackes My brest doth pant to heare this dolefull tale Is Antony then dead to death alas I am the cause despaire him so compelld But soldior of his death the manner showe And how he did this liuing light forgoe Dir. When Antony no hope remaining saw How warre he might or how agreement make Saw him betraid by all his men of warre In euery fight as well by sea as land That not content to yeeld them to their foes They also came against himselfe to fight Alone in court he gan himselfe torment Accuse the Queene himselfe of hir lament Call'd hir vntrue and traitresse as who sought To yeeld him vp she could no more defend That in the harmes which for hir sake he bare As in his blisfull state she might not share But she againe who much his fury fear'd Gat to the tombes darke horrors dwelling place Made lock the doores and pull the hearses downe Then fell she wretched with hir selfe to fight A thousand plaints a thousand sobbes she cast From hir weake brest which to the bones was torne Of women hir the most vnhappy call'd Who by hir loue hir woefull loue had lost Hir realme hir life and more the loue of him Who while he was was all hir woes support But that she faultles was she did inuoke For witnes heau'n and aire and earth and sea Then sent him word she was no more aliue But lay inclosed dead within her tombe This he beleeu'd and fell to sigh and grone And crost his armes then thus began to mone C. Poore hopeles man D. What dost thou more attend Ah Antony why dost thou death deferre Since Fortune thy professed enimie Hath made to die who only made thee liue Sone as with sighes hee had these words vp clos'd His armor he vnlaste and cast it off Then all disarm'd he thus againe did say My Queene my heart the griefe that now I feele Is not that I your eies my Sunne do loose For soone againe one tombe shall vs conioyne I grieue whome men so valorous did deeme Should now then you of lesser valor seeme So said forthwith he Eros to him call'd Eros his man summond him on his faith To kill him at his nede He tooke the sword And at that instant stab'd therwith his breast And ending life fell dead before his feete O Eros thankes quoth Antony for this Most noble acte who pow'rles me to kill On thee hast done what I on mee should do Of speaking thus he scarsce had made an end And taken vp the bloudy sword from ground But he his bodie piers'd and of red bloud A gushing fountaine all the chamber fill'd He staggred at the blow his face grew pale And on a couche all feeble downe he fell Sounding with anguish deadly cold him tooke As if his soule had then his lodging left But he reuiu'd and marking all our eies Bathed in teares and how our breasts we beate For pittie anguish and for bitter griefe To see him plong'd in extreame wretchednes He prai'd vs all to haste his lingring death But no man willing each himselfe withdrew Then fell he new to cry and vexe himselfe Vntill a man from Cleopatra came Who said from hir he had commaundement To bring him to hir to the monument The poore soule at these words euen rapt with ioy Knowing she liu'd prai'd vs him to conuey Vnto his Lady Then vpon our armes We bare him to the Tombe but entred not
THE TRAGEDIE OF Antonie Doone into English by the Countesse of Pembroke Imprinted at London for William Ponsonby 1595 ¶ The Argument AFTER the ouerthrowe of Brutus and Cassius the libertie of Rome being now vtterly oppressed and the Empire setled in the hands of Octauius Caesar and Marcus Antonius who for knitting a straiter bonde of amitie betweene them had taken to wife Octauia the sister of Caesar Antonius vndertooke a iourney agà inst the Parthians with intent to regaine on them the honor won by them from the Romanes at the discomfiture and slaughter of Crassus But comming in his iourney into Siria the places renewed in his remembrāce the long intermitted loue of Cleopatra Queene of Aegipte who before time had both in Cilicia and at Alexandria entertained him with all the exquisite delightes and sumptuous pleasures which a great Prince and voluptuous louer could to the vttermost desire Wherevpon omitting his enterprice he made his returne to Alexandria againe falling to his former loues without any regarde of his vertuous wife Octauia by whom neuertheles he had excellent children This occation Octauius toke of taking armes against him preparing a mighty fleet encoūtred him at Actium who also had assembled to that place a great nūber of Gallies of his own beside 60. which Cleopatra brought with her from Aegipt But at the very beginning of the battel Cleopatra with all her Gallies betooke her to flight which Antony seeing could not but follow by his departure to Octauius the greatest victory which in any Seabattell hath beene hard off Which he not negligent to pursue followes them the next spring and besiedgeth them with in Alexandria where Antony finding al that he trusted to faile him beginneth to growe iealouse and to suspect Cleopatra She therevpon enclosed her selfe with two of her women in a monumēt she had before caused to be built thence sends him worde she was dead which he beleeuing for truth gaue himselfe with his Sworde a deadly woūd but died not vntil a messenger came frō Cleopatra to haue him brought to her to the tombe Which she not daring to open least she should bee made a prisoner to the Romaines carried in Caesars triumph cast downe a cord from an high window by the which her womē helping her she trussed vp Antonius halfe dead so got him into the monumēt The stage supposed alexandria the chorus first Egiptians after Romane souldiors The history to be read at large in Plutarch in the life of Antonius ¶ The Actors Antonius Cleopatra Eras and Charmiō Cleopatras womē Philostratus a Philosopher Lucilius Diomede Secretarie to Cleopatra Octauius Caesar Agrippa Euphron teacher of Cleopatras children Children of Cleopatra Dircetus the Messenger ANTONIVS SInce cruell Heau'ns against me obstinate Since all mishappes of the round engin doo Conspire my harme since mē since powers diuine Aire earth and Sea are all iniurious And that my Queene her selfe in whome I liu'd The Idoll of my harte doth me pursue It 's meete I dye For her haue I forgone My Country Caesar vnto warre prouok'd For iust reuenge of Sisters wrong my wife Who mou'de my Queene ay me to iealousie For loue of her in her allurements caught Abandon'd life I honor haue despisde Disdain'd my freends and of the statelye Rome Despoilde the Empire of her best attire Contemn'd that power that made me so much fear'd A slaue become vnto her feeble face O cruell traitres woman most vnkinde Thou dost forsworne my loue and life betraie And giu'st me vp to ragefull enemie Which soone ô foole will plague thy periurye Yeelded Pelusium on this countries shore Yeelded thou hast my Shippes and men of warre That nought remaines so destitute am I But these same armes which on my back I weare Thou should'st haue had them too and me vnarm'de Yeelded to Caesar naked of defence Which while I beare let Caesar neuer thinke Triumph of me shall his proud chariot grace Not thinke with me his glory to adorne On me aliue to vse his victorie Thou only Cleopatra triumph hast Thou only hast my fredome seruile made Thou only hast me vanquisht not by force For forste I cannot be but by sweete baites Of thy eyes graces which did gaine so fast vpon my libertie that nought remain'd None els henceforth but thou my dearest Queene Shall glorie in commaunding Antonie Haue Caesar fortune and the Gods his freends To him haue Ioue and fatall sisters giuen The Scepter of the earth he neuer shall Subiect my life to his obedience But when that death my glad refuge shall haue Bounded the course of my vnstedfast life And frosen corps vnder a marble colde Within tombes bosome widdowe of my soule Then at his will let him it subiect make Then what he will let Caesar doo with me Make me limme after limme be rent make me My buriall take in sides of Thracian wolte Poore Antonie alas what was the day The daies of losse that gained thee thy loue Wretch Antonie since Maegaera pale With Snakie haires enchain'd thy miserie The fire thee burnt was neuer Cupids fire For Cupid beares not such a mortall brand It was some furies torch Orestes torche Which somtimes burnt his mother-murdering soule When wandring madde rage boiling in his bloud He fled his fault which folow'd as he fled kindled within his bones by shadow pale Of mother slaine return'd from Stygian lake Antony poore Antony since that daie Thy olde good hap did farre from thee retire Thy vertue dead thy glory made aliue So ofte by martiall deeds is gone in smoke Since then the Baies so well thy forehead knewe To Venus mirtles yeelded haue their place Trumpets to pipes field tents to courtly bowers Launces and Pikes to daunces and to feastes Since then ô wretch in stead of bloudy warres Thou shouldst haue made vpon the Parthian Kings For Romain honor filde by Crassus foile Thou threw'st thy Curiace off and fearfull healme With coward courage vnto Aegipts Queene In haste to runne about her necke to hang Languishing in her armes thy I doll made In summe giuen vp to Cleopatras eies Thou breakest at length frō thence as one encharm'd Breakes from th' enchaunter that him strongly helde For thy first reason spoyling of their force the poisned cuppes of thy faire Sorceres Recur'd thy sperit and then on euery side Thou mad'st again the earth with Souldiours swarme All Asia hidde Euphrates bankes do tremble To see at once so many Romanes there Breath horror rage and with a threatning eye In mighty squadrons crosse his swelling streames Nought seene but horse and fier sparkling armes Nought heard but hideous noise of muttring troups The Parth the Mede abandoning their goods Hide them for feare in hilles of Hircanie Redoubting thee Then willing to besiege The great Phraate head of Media Thou campedst at her walles with vaine assault Thy engins fit mishap not thither brought So long thou stai'st so long thou dost thee rest So long thy loue with such things nourished
Reframes reformes it selfe and stealingly Retakes his force and rebecomes more great For of thy Queene the lookes the grace the words Sweetnes alurements amorous delights Entred againe thy soule and day and night In watch in sleepe her Image follow'd thee Not dreaming but of her repenting still That thou for warre hadst such a goddes left Thou car'st no more for Parth nor Parthian bow Sallies assaults encounters shocks alarmes For ditches rampiers wards entrenched grounds Thy only care is sight of Nilus streames Sight of that face whose gilefull semblant doth Wandring in thee infect thy tainted hart Her absence thee besottes each hower each hower Of staie to thee impatient seemes an age Enough of conquest praise thou deem'st enough If soone enough the bristled fields thou see Of fruitfull Aegipt and the stranger floud Thy Queenes faire eyes another Pharos lights Returned loe dishonoured despisde In wanton loue a woman thee misleades Sunke in foule sinke meane while respecting nought Thy wife Octauia and her tender babes Of whome the long contempt against thee whets The sword of Caesar now thy Lord become Lost thy great Empire all those goodly townes Reuerenc'd thy name as rebells now thee leaue Rise against thee and to the ensignes flocke Of conqu'ring Caesar who enwalles thee round Cag'd in thy hold scarse maister of thy selfe Late maister of so many Nations Yet yet which is of griefe extreamest griefe Which is yet of mischiefe highest mischiefe It 's Cleopatra alas alas it 's she It 's she augments the torment of thy paine Betraies thy loue thy life alas betraies Caesar to please whose grace she seekes to gaine With thought her crowne to saue and fortune make Onely thy foe which common ought haue beene If her I alwaies lou'd and the first flame Of her heart-killing loue shall burne me last Iustly complaine I she disloyall is Nor constant is euen as I constant am To comfort my mishap despising me No more then when the heauens fauour'd me But ah by nature women wau'ring are Each moment changing and rechanging mindes Vnwise who blinde in them thinkes loyaltie Euer to finde in beauties companie Chorus The boyling tempest still makes not Sea waters fome nor still the Northern blast disquiets quiet streames Nor who his chest to fill sayles to the morning beames on waues winde tosseth fast still kepes his ship from home Nor Ioue still downe doth cast inflam'd with bloudie ire on man on tree on hill his darts of thundring fire nor still the heat doth last on face of parched plaine nor wrinkled colde doth still on frozen furrowes raigne But still as long as we in this low world remaine mishapps our daily mates our liues doe intertaine and woes which beare no dates still pearch vpon our heads none go but straight will be some greater in their steads Nature made vs not free When first she made vs liue When we began to be To be began our woe Which growing euermore As dying life doth growe Do more and more vs greeue And tire vs more and more No stay in fading states For more to height they retch Their fellow miseries The more to height do stretch They cling euen to the crowne And threatning furious wise From tirannizing pates Do often pull it downe In vaine on waues vntride To shun them go we should To Scythes and Massagetes Who neere the Pole reside In vaine to boiling sandes Which Phaebus battry beates For with vs still they would Cut seas and compasse landes The darknes no more sure To ioyne with heauy night The light which guildes the days To follow Titan pure No more the shadow light The body to ensue Then wretchednes alwaies Vs wretches to pursue O blest who neuer breath'd Or whome with pittie mou'de Death from his cradle reau'de And swadled in his graue And blessed also he As curse may blessing haue Who low and liuing free No princes charge hath prou'de By stealing sacred fire Prometheus then vnwise prouking Gods to ire the heape of ills did sturre and sicknes pale and colde our ende which onward spurre to plague our hands too bolde to filch the wealth of skies In heauens hate since then of ill with ill enchain'd we race of mortall men ful fraught our brests haue borne and thousand thousand woes our heau'nly soules now thorne which free before from those no! earthly passion pain'd Warre and warrs bitter cheare now long time with vs staie and feare of hated foe still still encreaseth sore our harmes worse dayly grow lesse yesterday they were then now and will be more to morrow then to day Act. 2. Philostratus What horrible furie what cruell rage O Aegipt so extremely thee torments Hast thou the Gods so angred by thy fault Hast thou against them some such crime conceiu'd That their engrained hand lift vp in threats They should desire in thy heart bloud to bathe And that their burning wrath which noght cā quēch Should pittiles on vs still lighten downe We are not hew'n out of the monst'rous masse Of Giantes those which heauens wrack conspir'd Ixions race false prater of his loues Nor yet of him who fained lightnings found Nor cruell Tantalus nor bloudy Atreus Whose cursed banquet for Thyestes plague Made the beholding Sunne for horrour turne His backe and backward from his course returne And hastning his wing-footed horses race Plunge him in sea for shame to hide his face While sulleine night vpon the wondring world For mid-daies light her starrie mantle cast But what we be what euer wickednesse By vs is done Alas with what more plagues More eager torments could the Gods declare To heauen and earth that vs they hatefull holde With souldiors strangers horrible in armes Our land is hidde our people drown'd in teares But terror here and horror nought is seene And present death prising our life each hower Hard at our ports and at our porches waites Our conquering foe harts faile vs hopes are dead Our Queene laments and this great Emperour Somtime would now they did whom worlds did fear Abandoned betraid now mindes no more But from his euils by hast'ned death to passe Come you poore people ti'rde with ceasles plaints With teares and sighes make mournful sacrifice On Isis altars not our selues to saue But soften Caesar and him piteous make To vs his praie that so his lenitie May change our death into captiuitie Strange are the euils the fates on vs haue brought O but alas how far more strange the cause Loue loue alas who euer would haue thought Hath lost this Realme inflamed with his fire Loue playing loue which men say kindles not But in soft hearts hath ashes made our townes And his sweet shafts with whose shot none are kill'd Which vlcer not with deaths our lands haue fill'd Such was the bloudie murdring hellish loue Possest thy hart faire false guest Priams sonne Firing a brand which after made to burne The Troian towers by Graecians ruinate By this loue Priam Hector Troilus Memnon Deiphaebus Glancus thousands mo Whome
commit We may them not to their high maiesties But to our selues impute whose passions Plunge vs each day in all afflictions Wherwith when we our soules do thorned feele Flatt'ring our selues we say they dest'nies are That gods would haue it so and that our care Could not empeach but that it must be so Char. Things here below are in the heau'ns begot Before they be in this our worlde borne And neuer can our weaknesse turne awry The stailesse course of powerfull destenie Nought here force reason humaine prouidence Holie deuotion noble bloud preuailes And Ioue himselfe whose hand doth heauens rule Who both to gods and men as King Commands Who earth our firme support with plenty stores Mouses aire and sea with twinckling of his eie Who all can doe yet neuer can vndoe What once hath beene by their hard lawes decreed When Troyan walles great Neptunes workmanship Enuiron'd were with Greekes and Fortunes whele Doubtfull ten yeares now to the campe did turne And now againe towards the towne return'd How many times did force and fury swell In Hectors veines egging him to the spoile Of conquer'd foes which at his blowes did fly As fearefull sheepe at feared wolues approch To saue in vaine for why it would not be Poore walles of Troy from aduersaries rage Who died them in bloud and cast to ground Heap'd them with bloudie burning carcases No Madame thinke that if the ancient crowne Of your progenitors that Nilus rul'd Force take from you the Gods haue will'd it so To whome oft times Princes are odious They haue to euery thing an end ordain'd All worldly greatnes by them bounded is Some sooner later some as they thinke best None their decree is able to infringe But which is more to vs disastred men Which subiect are in all things to their will Their will is hid nor while we liue we know How or how long we must in life remaine Yet must we not for that feede on dispaire And make vs wretched ere we wretched be But alwaies hope the best euen to the last That from our selues the mischiefe may not grow Then Madame helpe your selfe leaue of in time Antonies wracke left it your wracke procure Retire you from him saue from wrathfull rage Of angry Caesar both your Realme and you You see him lost so as your amitie Vnto his euills can yeeld no more reliefe You see him ruin'd so as your support No more henceforth can him with comfort raise With-draw you from the storme persist not still To loose your selfe this royall diademe Regaine of Caesar Cl. Sooner shining light Sall leaue the day and darknes leaue the night Sooner moist currents of tempestuous seas Shall waue in heauen and the nightly troopes Of starres shall shine within the foming waues Then I thee Antony Leaue in deepe distres I am with thee be it thy worthy soule Lodge in thy brest or from that lodging parte Crossing the ioyles lake to take her place In place prepared for men Demy-gods Liue if thee please if life be lothsome die Dead and aliue Antony thou shalt see Thy princesse follow thee folow and lament Thy wrack no lesse her owne then was thy weale Char. What helps his wrack this euer-lasting loue Cl. Help or help not such must such ought I proue Ch. Ill done to loose your selfe and to no end Cl. How ill thinke you to follow such a frend Ch. But this your loue nought mitigates his praine Cl. Without this loue I should be inhumaine Ch, Inhumaine he who his owne death pursues Cl. Not inhumaine who miseries eschues Ch. Liue for your sonnes Cl. Nay for their father die Ch. Hardharted mother Cl. Wife kindhearted I Ch. Then will you them depriue of royall right Cl Do I depriue them no it 's dest'nies might Ch. Do you not them depriue of heritage That giue them vp to aduersaries hands A man forsaken fearing to forsake Whome such huge numbers hold inuironned T' abandon one gainst whome the frowning world Banded with Caesar makes conspiring warre Cl. The lesse ought I to leaue him lest of all A frend in most distresse should most assist If that when Antonie great and glorious His legions led to drinke Euphrates streames So many Kings in traine redoubting him In triumph rais'd as high as highest heau'n Lord-like disposing as him pleased best The wealth of Greece the wealth of Asia In that faire fortune had I him exchaung'd For Caesar then men would haue counted me Faithles vnconstant light but now the storme And blustring tempest driuing on his face Readie to drowne Alas what would they say What would himselfe in Platos mansion say If I whome alwaies more then life he lou'de If I Who am his heart who was his hope Leaue him forsake him and perhaps in vaine Weakly to please who him hath ouerthrowne Not light vnconstant faith lesse should I be But vile forsworne of treachrous cruelty Ch. Crueltie to shunne you selfe-cruell are Cl. Selfe-cruell him from cruelty to spare Ch. Our first affection to ourselfe is due Cl. He is my selfe Ch. Next it extends vnto Our children frends and to our country soile And you for some respect of wiuely loue Albee scarce wiuely loose your natiue land Your children frends and which is more your life With so strong charmes doth loue bewitch our witts So fast in vs this fire once kindled flames Yet if his harme by yours redresse might haue Cl. With mine it may be clos'de in darksome graue Ch. And that as Alcest to her selfe vnkind You might exempt him from the lawes of death But he is sure to die and now his sword Already moisted is in his warme bloud Helples for any succour you can bring Against deaths sting which he must shortly feele Then let your loue be like the loue of olde Which Carian Queene did nourish in hir heart Of hir Mausolus builde for him a tombe Whose statelinesse a wonder new may make Let him let him haue sumptuous funeralls Let graue thereon the horror of his fights Let earth be buri'd with vnburied heaps Frame their Pharsaly and discoulour'd stream's Of deepe Enipeus frame the grassie plaine Which lodg'd his campe at siege of Mutina Make all his combats and couragious acts And yearely plaies to his praise institute Honor his memory with doubled care Breed and bring vp the children of you both In Caesars grace who as a noble Prince Will leaue them Lords of this most glorious realme Cl. What shame were that ah Gods what infamie With Antony in his good haps to share And ouerliue him dead deeming enough To shed some teares vpon a widdow tombe The after-liuers iustly might report That I him only for his Empire lou'd And high estate and that in hard estate I for another did him lewdly leaue Like to those birds wafted with wandring wings From foraine lands in spring-time here arriue And liue with vs so long as Somers heate And their foode lasts then seeke another soile And as we see with ceaslesse
For she who feared captiue to be made And that she should to Rome in triumph goe Kept close the gate but from a window high Cast downe a corde wherein he was impackt Then by hir womens help the corps she rais'd And by strong armes into hir window drew So pittifull a sight was neuer seene Little and little Antony was pull'd Now breathing death his beard was all vnkempt His face and brest al bathed in his bloud So hideous yet and dieng as he was His eies half-clos'd vppon the Queene he cast Held vp his hands and holpe himselfe to raise But still with weaknes back his bodie fell The miserable ladie with moist eies With haire which careles on hir forhead hong With brest which blowes had bloudily benumb'd With stooping head and body down-ward bent Enlast hir in the corde and with all force This life-dead man couragiously vprais'd The bloud with paine into hir face did flowe Hir sinewes stiff her selfe did breathles grow The people which beneath in flocks beheld Assisted her with gesture speach desire Cride and incourag'd her and in thier soules Did sweate and labor no whit lesse then she Who neuer tir'd in labor held so long Helpt by her women and hir constant heart That Antony was drawne into the tombe And there I thinke of dead augments the summe The cittie all to teares and sighes is turn'd To plaints and outcries horrible to heare Men women children hoary-headed age Do all pell mell in house and streete lament Scratching their faces tearing of their haire Wringing their hands and martyring their brests Extreame their dole and greater misery In sacked townes can hardlie euer be Not if the fire had scal'de the highest towers That all things were of force and murther full That in the streets the bloud in riuers stream'd The sonne his sire saw in his bosome slaine The sire his sonne the husband and rest of breath In his wiues armes who furious runnes to death Now my brest wounded with their piteouse plaints I left their towne and tooke with me this sworde Which I tooke vp at what time Antony Was from his chamber caried to the tombe And brought it you to make his death more plaine And that thereby my words may credite gaine Cas. Ah Gods what cruell hap poore Antony Alas hast thou this sword so long time borne Against thy foe that in the end it should Of thee his Lord the cursed murth'rer be O Death how I bewaile thee we alas So many warres haue ended brothers frends Companions coozens equalls in estate And must it now to kill thee be my fate Ag. Why trouble you your selfe with bootles griefe For Antony why spend you teares in vaine Why darken you with dole your victory Me seemes your selfe your glory do enuie Enter the towne giue thanks vnto the Gods Cae. I cannot but his tearefull chaunce lament Although not I but his owne pride the cause And vnchast loue of this Aegiptian Agt. But best we sought into the tombe to get Lest she consume in this amazed case So much rich treasure with which happely Despaire in death may make hir feede the fire Suffring the flames hir Iewells to deface You to defraud hir funerall to grace Sende then to hir and let some meane be vs'd With some deuise so hold her still aliue Some faire large promises and let them marke Whither they may by some fine cunning slight Enter the tombes Caesar Let Proculeius goe And feede with hope hir soule disconsolate Assure hir soe that we may wholy get Into our hands hir treasure and her selfe For this of all things most I do desire To keepe her safe vntill our going hence That by hir presence beautified may be The glorious triumph Rome prepares for me Chorus of Romaine Souldiors Shall euer ciuile bate gnaw and deuour our state shall neuer we this blade our bloud hath bloudy made lay downe these armes downe lay as robes we weare alway but as from age to age so passe from rage to rage Our hands shall we not rest to bath in our owne brest and shall thick in each land our wretched trophees stand to tell posteritie what madd Impietie our stonie stomacks led against the place vs bred Then still must heauen view the plagues that vs pursue and euery wher descrie Heaps of vs scattred lie making the stranger plaines fat with our bleeding raines proud that on them their graue so many legions haue And without fleshes still Neptune his fishes fill and dronke with bloud from blue the sea take blushing hue as iuice of Tyrian shell when clarified well to wolle of finest fields a purple glosse it yeeldes But since the rule of Rome to one mans hand is come who gouernes without mate hir now vnited state late iointly rulde by three enuieng mutuallie whose triple yoke much woe on Latines necks did throwe I hope the cause of iarre and of this bloudie warre and deadly discord gone by what we last haue done our banks shall cherish now the branchie pale-hew'd bow of Oliue Pallas praise in stede of barraine baies And that his temple dore which bloudy Mars before held open now at last olde Ianus shall make fast and rust the sword consume and spoild of wauing plume The vseles morion shall on crooke hang by the wall At least if warre returne It shall not here soiourne to kill vs with those armes were forg'd for others harmes but haue their points addrest against the Germaines brest The Parthians fayned flight the Biscaines martiall might Olde Memory doth there painted on forehead weare our Fathers praise thence torne our triumphs baies haue worne therby our matchles Rome whilome of Shepeheards come rais'd to this greatnes stands the Queene of forraine lands Which now euen seemes to face the heau'ns her glories place nought resting vnder skies that dares affront her eies So that she needes but feare the weapons Ioue doth beare who angry at one blowe may her quite ouerthrowe Act. 5 Cleopatra Euphron Children of Cleopatra Charmion Eras. Cleop. O cruell fortune ô accursed lot O plaguy loue ô most detested brand O wretched ioyes ô beauties miserable O deadly state ô deadly roialtie O hatefull life ô Queene most lamentable O Antony by my faulte buriable O hellish worke of heau'n alas the wrath Of all the Gods at once on vs is falne Vnhappie Queene ô would I in this world The wandring light of day had neuer seene Alas of mine the plague and poison I The crowne haue lost my ancestors me left This Realme I haue to strangers subiect made And robd my children of their heritage Yet this is nought alas vnto the price Of you deare husband whome my snares intrap'd Of you whome I haue plagu'd whom I haue made With bloudy hand a guest of mouldie tombe Of you whome I destroied of you deare Lord Whome I of Empire honor life haue spoil'd O hurtfull woman and can I yet liue Yet longer liue in this Ghost-haunted tombe Can I yet breath can yet