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
Fate of all succeeding Pow'r If this one day we can our Fate defer To morrow's Sun will see Ventidius here Victorious Legions to my Aid he brings Flesh't all in Parthian Blood and spoiles of Kings Ex. Anto. Canid. Lucil. Enter Photinus at another Door Cleop. My boading Heart sayes we shall meet no more And sends up thoughts I never knew before My Ears with dismal dying cryes are fill'd And my Eyes grow with ghastly Visions wild Methinks I see Antonius bleeding there And all his Souldiers pale with Death or Fear Charm Your wounded Fancy does these forms create Expect as you deserve a better Fate Cleop. O that betimes he had my Cause forsook Caesar with pity on a Queen must look Defenceless too Winds unoppos'd give o're And but 'mongst Trees and solid Buildings roar The Romans against me declared the War But caught Antonius Vertue in that snare Phot. When two fierce Bulls contend the doubtful Herd Stand gazing by a while of both afear'd But soon as one the fatal strife declines The Captive number with the Victor joyns And so should we Cleop. Yes if meer Brutes we were And knew no Nobler Passion than vile Fear Minutes move slowly when such weight they bear Each now is more important than a year I grow impatient can bear no delay But quickning Fate would through the shell survey Char. The strongest place and nearest is your Tomb Hear good news soon the bad too soon will come Be patient Madam Cleop. Who compos'd can be A Tempest heard and their whole Wealth at Sea Each Pile that flies may pierce Antonius Heart And they in showrs from meeting Romans part Let us move on no matter where you lead A breaking Heart and a distemper'd Head Noise of Arms. Ex. Cleop. Charm Phot. Clashing of Arms I heard and noise of Drums Nearer and nearer the fierce Clangor comes Photinus steals off unseen Enter Antonius Canidius Lucilius as beaten back into the Town Anto. Gape Hell and to thy dismal Bottom take The lost Antonius this was our last Stake Warn'd by my ruine let no Roman more Set Foot on this inhospitable shoar Cowards and Traytors fill this impious Land Faithless and fearful without Heart or Hand Some ran to Caesar like an headlong Tyde The rest their fear made useless on our side Canid. Their Fear their Treachery we are betrai'd By Hands we trust the surest Snares are laid The Queen no doubt does correspondence hold With Rome and Caesar and we all are sold. Anto. I had but one glad thought within my brest And thou to that one thought wilt give no rest Fortune hath seiz'd my Empire and Renown Honest Old Souldier let my Love alone But you my generous Friends to Caesar go Too much already to your Love I owe Let me now sink alone enough y' have done A falling Tow'r 't were madness not to shun Your guilt is small let early penitence Your Ties and Love to me plead your defence Lucil. No Sun shall see me living after you My Death shall tell you that my Life was true Canid. For what should I my bending years preserve Canidius will no second Master serve A shout without Enter a Messenger Mess. Your Navy Sir is joyn'd with Caesar's Fleet And with one voice their Emperor they greet Both sides their bloody hatred have laid down And in one Body row toward the Town Canid. Sir with Egyptians it was chiefly mann'd And is there yet no dealing underhand Still does the Queen so innocent appear Her people guilty she alone is clear Anto. Her peoples Love her Love to me has lost And now her Faith is by their Treason cros't Pity not blame the Queen who sinks this hour Crush't with the ruines of an Emperor By Land and Sea betray'd what shall we do Canid. Let 's fight and die in Arms upon the Foe Anto. We of resistance scarce can make a shoe Death shuns the naked Throat and proffer'd Brest He flies when call'd to be a welcome Guest I may be tane alive and made a scorn Where I have oft the highest Honours worn Rome never shall my conquer'd Face behold Death I have seiz'd and will not lose my hold Shout again Enter Souldier Sould. Caesar is entred and we all are lost Some Roman Souldiers still make good their Post. Anto. Their number speak Sould. Two Legions at the most Anto. Command 'em to yield easie Victory Their number is Too small to conquer and too great to dye Canid. What means our Emperor Anto. To spare your Blood Too long you have my angry Fate withstood What is Command for which we so contend Danger and Envy the High Charge attend A few we please and Multitudes offend Canid. to the Sould. Canid. Thou art a Coward fled'st before thy time And with pretence of News woud'st hide thy Crime 'T is false Sould. So it were false indeed I 'd gladly die But this shall show I did not basely flie Kills himself Enter Photinus Phot. Horror on horror Sir th' unhappy Queen Betray'd by a Report that you were slain Anto. I understand you she her self has kill'd And better knew to die than how to yield Phot. Alas she has I pull'd the reaking Steel From her warm Wound and with it rush't her life Her latest breath was busie with your name And the sweet pledges of your mutual flame Your Children she embrac't and then she dy'd Anto. How well had I been with great Iulius slain Or by some flying Parthians darted Cane Thy gentle Nature Brutus how I hate Through which I live to taste the dregs of Fate Such is the gloomy state of Mortals here We knew not what to wish or what to fear My Name in Arms my Friends and Empire gone Yet while she liv'd I was not quite undone Methought I still had something to do here Canid. Y'have more than ever Sir your Souldiers chear And bid 'em for a bold defence prepare Anto. Never let Romans now each other love Their tedious quarrel I will soon remove ' Twice has my Sword with Roman Blood been dy'd It draws no more but from Antonius side Had the just Gods intended I should live To hate my life such cause they wou'd not give They had preserv'd my Empire and my Queen Enough and more I have both Fortunes seen Strike good Lucilius 'T is a friendly part Let no Foes weapon pierce thy Masters Heart Lucil. goes behind makes as if he would kill him but passes the Weapon through his own Body The Noblest way thou show'st me what to do Thou giv'st th' Example and I 'le give the blow Antonius kills himself Phot. I 'le call some help A great shriek is given at his fall all run out of the room except Phot. But 't will but increase my pain For should'st thou stir I 'd stab my self again Canid. Let others sigh and weep but let us go Phot. makes towards the door Anto. stabs himself again and falls Phot. reenters And vent our grief in rage upon the
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