TPTT The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra: ACT IV
Introduction
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
SCENE I. Before Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp.
SCENE II. Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace.
SCENE III. The same. Before the palace.
SCENE IV. The same. A room in the palace.
SCENE V. Alexandria. MARK ANTONY's camp.
SCENE VI. Alexandria. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp.
SCENE VII. Field of battle between the camps.
SCENE VIII. Under the walls of Alexandria.
SCENE IX. OCTAVIUS CAESAR's camp.
SCENE X. Between the two camps.
SCENE XI. Another part of the same.
SCENE XII. Another part of the same.
SCENE XIII. Alexandria. Cleopatra's palace.
SCENE XIV. The same. Another room.
SCENE XV. The same. A monument.
ACT V
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SCENE XIV. The same. Another room.
Enter MARK ANTONY and EROS
MARK ANTONY
      Eros, thou yet behold'st me?
EROS
      Ay, noble lord.
MARK ANTONY
      Sometimes we see a cloud that's dragonish;
      A vapour sometime like a bear or lion,
5     A tower'd 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;
10    They are black vesper's pageants.
EROS
      Ay, my lord,
MARK ANTONY
      That which is now a horse, even with a thought
      The rack dislimns, and makes it indistinct,
      As water is in water.
EROS
15    It does, my lord.
MARK 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,--
20    Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine;
      Which whilst it was mine had annex'd unto't
      A million more, now lost,--she, Eros, has
      Pack'd cards with Caesar, and false-play'd my glory
      Unto an enemy's triumph.
25    Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us
      Ourselves to end ourselves.

Enter MARDIAN

      O! thy vile lady!
      She has robb'd me of my sword.
MARDIAN
      No, Antony;
30    My mistress loved thee, and her fortunes mingled
      With thine entirely.
MARK ANTONY
      Hence, saucy eunuch; peace!
      She hath betray'd me and shall die the death.
MARDIAN
      Death of one person can be paid but once,
35    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
40    Between her heart and lips: she render'd life,
      Thy name so buried in her.
MARK ANTONY
      Dead, then?
MARDIAN
      Dead.
MARK ANTONY
      Unarm, Eros; the long day's task is done,
45    And we must sleep.

To MARDIAN

      That thou depart'st hence safe,
      Does pay thy labour richly; go.

Exit MARDIAN

      Off, pluck off:
      The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep
50    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

55    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
60    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,
65    And all the haunt be ours. Come, Eros, Eros!
Re-enter EROS
EROS
      What would my lord?
MARK ANTONY
      Since Cleopatra died,
      I have lived in such dishonour, that the gods
      Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword
70    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 Caesar tells
      'I am conqueror of myself.' Thou art sworn, Eros,
75    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:
80    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?
MARK ANTONY
85    Eros,
      Wouldst 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
90    Of fortunate Caesar, drawn before him, branded
      His baseness that ensued?
EROS
      I would not see't.
MARK ANTONY
      Come, then; for with a wound I must be cured.
      Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn
95    Most useful for thy country.
EROS
      O, sir, pardon me!
MARK 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
100   But accidents unpurposed. Draw, and come.
EROS
      Turn from me, then, that noble countenance,
      Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.
MARK ANTONY
      Lo thee!
Turning from him
EROS
      My sword is drawn.
MARK ANTONY
105   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.
MARK ANTONY
110   'Tis said, man; and farewell.
EROS
      Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?
MARK ANTONY
      Now, Eros.
EROS
      Why, there then: thus I do escape the sorrow
      Of Antony's death.
Kills himself
MARK ANTONY
115   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
120   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 dead? not dead?
      The guard, ho! O, dispatch me!
Enter DERCETAS and Guard
First Guard
125   What's the noise?
MARK ANTONY
      I have done my work in, 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
130   Alas, and woe!
MARK ANTONY
      Let him that loves me strike me dead.
First Guard
      Not I.
Second Guard
      Nor I.
Third Guard
      Nor any one.
Exeunt Guard
DERCETAS
135   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?
DERCETAS
      There, Diomed there.
DIOMEDES
140   Lives he?
      Wilt thou not answer, man?
Exit DERCETAS
MARK ANTONY
      Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword, and give me
      Sufficing strokes for death.
DIOMEDES
      Most absolute lord,
145   My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.
MARK ANTONY
      When did she send thee?
DIOMEDES
      Now, my lord.
MARK ANTONY
      Where is she?
DIOMEDES
      Lock'd in her monument. She had a prophesying fear
150   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
155   Me to proclaim the truth; and I am come,
      I dread, too late.
MARK 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 MARK ANTONY
MARK ANTONY
160   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!
MARK ANTONY
165   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,
170   And have my thanks for all.
Exeunt, bearing MARK ANTONY
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