Foe From the strange horror of that dismal sight Cowards would rush into the midst of fight Anto. Let Cowards crowd to force resign their breath Brave Minds look through it and make use of Death Thou can'st not now my fatal Journey stay Phot. Nor wou'd I Sir you 'r fairly on your way Anto. Death soon will place me out of Fortunes reach Why stayes my Soul to sally at this breach Phot. It is not big enough Anto. Do'st mock me now Can my few Minutes a new Torture know Phot. They may and to provoke thy parting Soul Know that the Queen yet lives thou loving Fool And I the Story of her Death contriv'd To make thee kill thy self which has arriv'd Just as I wish't by thy own hand thou dy'st And art at once the Victim and the Priest Anto. Furies and Hell Phot. Curse on but Caesar shall With Egypts Scepter thank me for thy fall Though decently he cou'd not take thy Head He 'l inwardly rejoyce to find thee dead And hug the man that eas'd him from the fear Of such a Rival yet his guilt did spare Anto. Thou mak'st me hate by turns my Life and Death O for a moments strength my Sword to sheath In thy false Heart But 't will not be my hand forsakes my Will Only himself can poor Antonius kill Phot. ' Coud you have liv'd I had seem'd honest still But now take all the Queen her self must Bleed Iras and I must to her Throne Succeed Thy Councills still to Caesar I betray'd This last revolt I in thy Navy made Anto. Triumphant Villain What provok't thee to 't Phot. Ambition Sir I had no Armies I Nor was I born of Royal Progeny No Crown descended on my Lazy Head I cou'd no open path to greatness tread But none despis'd that to a Throne did Lead Anto. All Charmion said of Thee it seems was true Phot. And all Canidius ' ere suspected too I have discharg'd my Conscience at this Last Dy thou Whilst I to Iras and a Throne make hast Ex. Phot. Enter Charmion Iras and Attendants Charm The Queen Entreats Anto. Does my Queen Live and may Antonius yet Above the Earth his Cleopatra Meet Charm She lives but shut up in her Monument Her rowling Thoughts on some dire Mischief bent By Isis Temple Sir you know it Stands The Rarest Fabrick made by Mortal hands All she holds dear she has throng'd there but you And now intreats that you will enter too Anto. With those we love a Triumph 't is to fall Most gladly I obey her fatal Call Charm Just Heaven's you faint what is it you have done That with such Streams these Living Fountains run Anto. It was a sudden qualm Limbs do but bear Me to My Queen and I 'l dismiss you there I cannot dy till I have paid that Debt Nor have our Souls appointed where to Meet Stand off my Fate and dare not touch me yet Charm Secure from Caesar you a while may be And there what 's fittest to be done Decree A shout The place Anto. The Victory comes on I hear the Noise And of prevailing Foes th' insulting Voyce Caesar to spare me did strickt Order give I may be taken and compell'd to live Move on all Fates but that I can forgive Exeunt Enter Caesar Agrippa Mecoenas and Souldiers Mec. Sir y' are entirely Master of the Town All men their Hatred and their Armes lay down And the whole World now bends to you alone Agrip. The names of Parties and of Factions cease And War has brought forth her fair Daughter Peace Caes. Command the Souldiers Fury be restrain'd That Rage destroy not what their Virtue gain'd Th' Egyptians now my Clemency shall share I would be lov'd in Peace though Fear'd in War In this Confusion wher 's the haughty Queen Mec. Since first we entred She no more was seen Enter Photinus with a Sword Phot. Great Caesar at my hands that Sword receive Which his Deaths Wound did to Antonius give Caes. Thou hast not kill'd him Villain quickly speak Thy Limbs upon a Thousand Racks I 'l break To find the Truth Phot. He is not Dead but long he cannot Live And his own Arm the Fatal blow did give By my advice indeed Caes. By thy advice Thus Rome by Egypt is defeated twice Thou hast the pow'r of pardoning from me tane And empty Wishes now alone remain Each Man will think what he himself had done And my great mind interpret by his own Hence from my sight since blasted is by Thee The fairest Fruit of all my Victory Phot. I wish Antonius blood were yet unspilt But Yours is the advantage Mine the guilt Empire and Glory can no Partners bear Since you forgive your Foes excuse my care Caes. Where is the Queen Phot. Fled to the Monument Which for her last Retreat she ever meant Where she has all the Jewels of the Crown And the Chief Wealth of th' distracted Town There great Antonius Bleeding in her Armes Takes his last Leave of her destructive Charmes Give me Two hundred Men within an houre They shall alive or dead be in Your pow'r Caes. Thou Monster of all Villany forbear Thou woud'st thy Gods from off their Altars tear Who woud'st not thy Afflicted Sov'raign spare Agrip. Men say she is Generous if so our Force Will only drive her on some desp'rate Course If Honourable Terms we should refuse We shall her Person and her Treasure lose She 'l both Convert into one spreading Flame And shortning hated Life extend her Fame Mec. A Roman Mind can only Death command Fear no such Courage from a Barbarous Hand Enter a Servant Serv. Octavia Sir Caes. Poor Soul I pity Her She ill the news will of Antonius bear She 's past all human Grief and human Care Caes. She is not dead Serv. Yes in her way to Rome Of grief and discontent as we presume Caes. Ye joyes of Victory a while forbear I must on my Octavia drop a tear She was the best of Women Gentlest Wife In every part how vertuous was her life Mec. From out the Christal Palace of her Brest Her clearer Soul is gone to endless rest What time what reason can my loss digest Enter Messenger Mess. Canidius still does an old Fort defend Caes. On every spark of War we must attend True Wisdom will no Enemy despise From small beginnings mighty Flames arise Enter Canidius with his Souldiers Canid. Thus the last Sword for Liberty I draw And whom Despair thrusts on no numbers awe Who knows But that those nobler Souls of Ancient Rome May strike with us 'gainst slavery to come Enter Caesar with his Souldiers Caes. I charge you all the brave Canidius spare Let not his Blood now stain the ended War His number speaks not terror but despair Canid. is beaten off the Stage He re-enters Canid. Fight but one Minute longer whil'st that I And some few nobler Souls like Romans die They kill themselves Then may you all by Caesars mercy live The rest
shout from the Town Photinus is attacqued from behind Antonius Enters Anto. SPare on your Lives th' unarm'd and meaner sort And all who to Our Clemency resort This easie entrance to some Friend we owe We from within came pouring on the Foe Canid. They are no Traytors till they kill our men And then as vanquish't must be spar'd agen Anto. They 're Cleopatra's Subjects let that be A full Protection in our Victory Enter Lucilius with Photinus Memnon and Chilax Prisoners Lucil. Health to Antonius in whose Cause to fight Is less Lucilius duty than delight Take from my hand your treacherous Enemies And use 'em as your Safety shall advise Memn Traitor 's a name my Vertue cannot brook How cou'd I break a Trust I never took Anto. Armes 'gainst your Lawful Queen are still unjust A Subject born betrays a Native trust But thou Photinus beyond Villains base Whom with her Trust and Friendship she did grace Whom Birth and Fortune both had laid so low To raise thee up again she scarce knew how Only rash Favour whose extravagance Seems yet a blinder Power than that of Chance Remain'd thy Friend Phot. I do confess my Queen From nothing made me all that I have been And much I to Antonius favour owe Whom then should I depend on but you two Anto. We two whom thou didst shut the Town against And to whom now thou but repentance feign'st Phot. From this seditious Rout what cou'd I gain I might not hope in Cleopatra's reign Weigh then my Int'rest by that Scale you 'l find My Crime though great lay never in my mind I shou'd have dy'd I know I wish I had Rather than seem'd to have my Trust betray'd I shou'd have chose their Dagger scorn'd their side It had been past and I had nobly dy'd Chil. O that thou hadst I would have driv'n it home Till forth with the broad point thy Soul had come Phot. Death I have often met in open field With my Sword sent repell'd him with my Shield Surpriz'd defenceless I confess I shook And cou'd not in cold blood his visage brook 'T was all my Crime you Romans only can Serenely and unshaken put oft man We might have known that Party needs must fall Who to his own fear owe their General Phot. Kill me alas I do not ask to live Shou'd you I never cou'd my self forgive Death to my fear is due why shou'd I plead I was no Traytor I was worse afraid Love Faith and Zeal if Resolution fail No more than the faint Glow-worm's Fire avail All that I now repent is that with shame I lose that Life I might have lost with Fame Anto. How cam'st thou to appear in open Arms For thy black Soul has Treachery such Charms Phot. Had I not been their General I had dy'd Death turn'd the Scale and so I took their side Besides I for your Service thought it best I shou'd with them maintain my Interest That at some time unlook't for you might see The good intent of seeming Treachery What greater Blessing can your Arms attend Than t' have your Foes commanded by your Friend I early of Lucilius project knew And from the neighb'ring parts my Arms withdrew That he a Body might of Romans form The great exploit securely to perform Anto. 'T is possible thou mayst be honest yet 't were strange Men still were doubted who but seem to change But say how came this Tumult to begin Phot. The people long have discontented been Curst me aloud and murmur'd at the Queen That to your side so firmly we adher'd And to their Common Peace your Cause preferr'd They said they wou'd not be the Victor's prey But whom they must at last betimes obey And ruine all who stop't 'em in their way Anto. Where were the Souldiers Phot. When she sally'd forth None stay'd who lov'd the Queen or Martial Worth But all the Discontents remain'd behind And had effected what they long design'd Had not those Pow'rs that Treachery prevent To your relief the brave Lucilius sent He in the Town a Band of Romans got And overthrew the Rebels and their Plot. Anto. You then are none of 'em Phot. I was by force But Lucrece ne're cou'd hate vile Tarquin worse Than I these Forcers of my Loyalty Points to the Lords And like her too since not believ'd I 'l dye Memn You durst not dye by an Egyptian Sword What is 't this sudden Courage does afford Phot. I was no Villain thought but now I hate My Life and cou'd rush gladly on my fate And you repent Chil. That e're we trusted thee Slave more uncertain than a Winters Sea Anto. I will believe Death shook thy Loyalty And all thou didst was Fear not Treachery Photinus rise thy frailty I forgive Rises And if thou can'st or dar'st thus branded live But never more a weighty Charge receive Phot. I wou'd live gladly to redeem my Crime 'T is all the benefit I ask of Time Anto. But you Fierce Lords that dare your Soveraign balme And would depose or govern in Her name Shall find what 't is to play with Royalty And fall like Phaeton from the borrow'd Skie Chil. We scorn thy Mercy and our Country love And gladly from her dying Cries remove ACT. V. Scene the First The Palace Enter Antonius Cleopatra Charmion Iras and Attendants Cleop. FOrtune's afresh fond of Antonius grown And has this Minute her old Love put on She calls her wonted Charms into her Face And hugs him With the fierce ardor of a first embrace Anto. Of this success when they at Rome shall hear They 'l change perhaps their Superstitious fear And the ill Omens on my Foe transfer His will the Owl bethought unchas'd away Which upon Concord's Temple braves the day The Ape in Cere's Temple will be His And his defeat the Eight-foot-Dragon hiss The blood my Statue shed will his be thought So are weak minds by Superstition wrought Cleop. What we can't shun 't were better not to know Nor do the Gods maliciously foreshow To make us feel our Fate before it come But men too nicely pry into their doom Anto. Let it fall quick whatever they prepare It is the Thunders voice we cannot bear Blind to our Fate let us both hope and fear But thou Lucilius who do'st still outrun All that we can expect or wish were done Like some kind God thou leap'st into the Scale And turn'st it when all Mortals seem to fail Take from my hand this Armor of clear Gold Let the best Metal the best man enfold Lucil. Me dead or living you anon shall praise Enter Messenger Mess. With his whole Force Octavius Sir moves on 'T is thought on every part he 'l storm the Town Anto. His late defeat then stings the restless Boy And all at once we shall our Swords imploy Let us embrace then each man to his Post We 'l meet no more but Conquerors or Ghosts The World 's at stake my Queen and this short hour Contains the
yields Whil'st we our Freedom from our Swords receive Caes. What have I done that men had rather dye By their own hand than trust my Clemency Mecoen Canidius to his Master was most true And did for him what I wou'd do for you Agrip. The World does no more Enemies contain And Caesar over peaceful Rome may raign Ex. Omnes Enter Antonius Cleopatra Charmion and Iras in the Monument Anto. 'T was I that pull'd on you the hate of Rome And all your Ills past present and to come It is not fit nor possible I live And my dear Queen it growes unkind to grieve Cleop. 'T was I that lost you in each Roman mind And to your ruine can you still be kind How can you bear this Tyranny of Fate And not the Cause your Cleopatra hate Anto. So Venus look't when the Idalian Bear The tender side of her Adonis tore Nor yields my Queen in Beauty or in grief When half the World under my rule was plac't Your Love was all the joy that I cou'd tast It was my chief delight and is my last I dye and have but one short word to say But you must swear my Queen you will obey Cleop. By all our Love I will my death command And see the eager duty of my hand Anto. Your death it is the only thing I fear And Fate no other way can reach me here Cleop. Down from a Throne to any private State It is a dismal Precipice to the Great I giddy with the horrid prospect grow And shall fall in unless Death help me now Anto. Heav'n that success does to my Arms deny Whispers a Roman Soul and bids him dye Our case is different to Caesar sue Thô me he hate he needs must pity you Your Beauty and my Love were all your Crime And you must live my Queen Cleop. When you are dead To be despis'd reproach't in triumph lead A Queen and Slave who wou'd not life renounce Rather than bear those distant names at once Anto. But you may live a Queen say you obey'd Through fear and were compell'd to give me Aid That all your Subjects private Orders had Not to resist him and my Cause betray'd Say that at last you did my Death procure Say any thing that may your Life and Crown secure Cleop. 'T were false and base it rather shall be said I kill'd my self when I beheld you dead Anto. Me the unhappy cause of all your wo Your own and your dear Country's overthrow Remember I was jealous rash soon mov'd Suspected no less fiercely than I lov'd How I Thyreus kill'd your Love accus'd And to your kind defence my faith refus'd From shame and rage I soon shall be at rest And Death of thousand ills hath chose the best He faints Cleop. O stay and take me with you Anto. Dearest Queen Let my Life end before your Death begin O Rome thy freedom does with me expire And thou art lost obtaining thy desire Dies Cleop. He 's gone he 's gone and I for ever lost The great Antonius now is but a Ghost A wandring shadow on the Stygian Coast. I 'm still a Queen though by the Fate of War Death and these Women all my Subjects are And this unhappy Monument is all Of the whole World that I my own can call Iras. O name not Death Caesar men say is good wise mild and just So many Vertues how can you distrust Cleop. Thô his last breath advis'd me to submit To Caesar and his falling Fortunes quit When I nam'd Death speechless my hand he prest And seem'd to say that I had chose the best Iras. He cou'd not be so cruel you mistook Too sharply you apply his dying look Cleo. He does expect it and I 'le keep my word If there be Death in Poyson Fire or Sword Charm Fortune with lighter stroaks strikes lighter things With her whole weight she crushes falling Kings Cleop. We shall in Triumph Charmion be led Till with our shame Romes Pride be surfeited Till every finger Cleopatra find Pointing at her who was their Queen design'd Char. Their Anger they may glut but not their Pride They ne'r had Triumph't if men durst have dy'd Cleop. Beauty thou art a fair but fading flow'r The tender prey of every coming hour In Youth thou Comet like art gaz'd upon But art portentous to thy self alone Unpunish't thou to few wer 't ever giv'n Nor art a Blessing but a Mark from Heav'n Greatness most envy'd when least understood Thou art no real but a seeming good Sick at the Heart Thou in the Face look'st well And none but such as feel thy pangs can tell By thy exalted State we only gain To be more wretched than the Vulgar can Iras. Think how he 'l use your Sons when you are dead And none their Cause can like a Mother plead Cleop. Perhaps when I am dead his hate may cease And Pity take declining Rages place Sure in the Grave all Enmities take end And Love alone can to the Dead extend Men say that we to th' other World shall bear The same Desires and Thoughts imploy'd as here The Hero shall in shining Arms delight In neighing Steeds shril sounds and empty fight Poets shall sing and in soft Dances move And Lovers in Eternal Roses Love If so Antonius we but change the Scene And there pursue what we did here begin Charm I am prepar'd to follow or to lead Name but the fatal Path that you will tread Cleop. In yonder golden Box three Asps there lie Of whose least venomous bite men sleep and die Take one and to my naked Breast apply Its poysonous mouth Charm Alone she shall not die Iras. When Iulius Caesar in the Senate fell Where were these thoughts and yet he lov'd as well Cleop. He lov'd me not he was ambitious he And but at looser Times took thought of me Glory and Empire fill'd his restless mind He knew not the soft pleasures of the Kind Our Joyes were frighted still with fresh alarms And new Designs still forc't him from my Arms. But my Antonius lov'd me with his Soul No cares of Empire did his Flame controul I was his Friend the Partner of his mind Our days were joyful and our nights were kind He liv'd for Me and I will die for Him Stings her So now 't is past I feel my eyes grow dim I am from triumph and contempt secure What all must bear I earlier endure Kneels down to Anto. To thy cold Arms take thy unhappy Queen Who both thy ruine and her own has been Other Embrace than this she 'l never know But a pale Ghost pursue thy shade below Good Asp bite deep and deadly in my Brest And give me sudden and Eternal Rest. She dies Iras runs away Charm Fool from thy hasty Fate thon can'st not run Iras. Let it bite you I 'le stay till you have done Alas my life but newly is begun Charm No thou woud'st live to shame thy Family But I 'le take care that thou