Whereby my faire entising foe entrap'd My hedelesse Reason could no more escape It was not fortunes euer chaunging face It was not Destinies chaungles Violence Forg'd my mishap Alas who doth not know They make nor marre nor any thing can doe Fortune which men so feare adore detest Is but a chaunce whose cause vnknow'n doth rest Although oft times the cause is well perceiu'd But not th' effect the same that was conceiu'd Pleasure nought else the plague of this our life Our life which still a thousand plagues pursue Alone hath me this strange disastre spunne Falne from a souldior to a chamberer Careles of vertue careles of all praise Nay as the fatted swine in filthy mire With glutted heart I wallowed in delights All thoughts of honor troden vnder foote So I me lost for finding this sweet cupp Pleasing my tast vnwise I drunke my fill And through the sweetnes of that poisons power By steps I draue my former wits astraie I made my frends offended me forsake I holpe my foes against my selfe to rise I robd my subiects and for followers I saw my selfe be set with flatterers Mine idle armes faire wrought with spiders worke My scattred men without their ensignes strai'd Caesar meane while who neuer would haue dar'de To cope with me me sodainely despis'de Tooke hart to fight and hop'de for victorie On one so gone who glorie had forgone Lu. Enchaunting pleasure Venus sweete delights Weaken our bodies ouer-cloud our sprights Trouble our reason from our hearts out chase All holie vertues lodging in thir place Like as the cunnig fisher takes the fishe By traitor baite whereby the hooks is hid So Pleasure serues to vice in steede of foode To baite our soules thereon too liquorishe This poison deadly is alike to all But on great kings doth greatest outrage worke Taking the roiall scepters from their hands Thence forward to be by some stranger borne While that their people charg'd with heauie loades Their flatt'rers pill and suck their mary drie Not rul'd but left to great men as a pray While this fonde Prince himselfe in pleasur's drowns Who hears nought sees noght doth nought of a king Seming himselfe against himselfe conspirde Then equall Iustice wandreth banished And in her seat sitts greedie Tyrannie Confus'd disorder troubleth all estates Crimes without feare and outrages are done Then mutinous Rebellion shewes her face Now hid with this and now with that pretence Prouoking enimies which on each side Enter at ease and make them Lords of all The hurtfull workes of pleasure here behold An. The wolfe is not so hurtfull to the folde Frost to the grapes to ripened frutes the raine As pleasure is to princes full of paine Lu. There nedes no proofe but by th' Assirian kinge On whom that Monster woefull wrack did bring An. There nedes no proofe but by vnhappie I Who lost my empire honor life thereby Lu Yet hath this ill so much the greater force As scarcely any do against it stand No not the Demy-gods the olde world knew Who all subdu'de could Pleasures power subdue Great Hercules Hercules once that was Wonder of earth and heauen matchles in might Who Anteus Lycus Geryon ouercame Who drew from hell the triple-headed dogg Who Hydra kill'd vanquishd Achelous Who heauens weight on his strong shoulders bare Did he not vnder Pleasures burthen bow Did he not Captiue to this passion yelde When by his Captiue so he was inflam'd As now your self in Cleopatra burne Slept in hir lapp hir bosome kist and kiste With base vnseemely seruice bought her loue Spinning at distaffe and with sinewy hand Winding on spindles threde in maides attire His conqu'ring clubbe at rest on wal did hang His bow unstring'd he bent not as he vs'de Vpon his shafts the weauing spiders spunne And his hard cloake the fretting mothes did pierce The monsters free and fearles all the time Throughtout the world the people did torment And more and more encreasing daie by daie Scorn'd his weake heart become a mistresse play An. In onely this like Hercules am I In this I proue me of his lignage right In this himselfe his deedes I shew in this In this nought else my ancestor he is But goe we die I must and with braue end Conclusion make of all foregoing harmes Die die I must I must a noble death A glorious death vnto my succour call I must deface the shame of time abus'd I must adorne the wanton loues I vs'de With some couragious act that my last day By mine owne hand my spots may wash away Come deare Lucill alas why weepe you thus This mortall lot is common to vs all We must all die each doth in homage owe Vnto that God that shar'd the Realmes belowe Ah sigh no more alas appeace your woes For by your greife my griefe more eager growes Chorus Alas with what tormenting fire Vs martireth this blind desire to stay our life from flieng How ceasleslie our minds doth rack How heauie lies vpon our back This dastard feare of dieng Death rather healthfull succour giues Death rather all mishapps relieues That life vpon vs throweth And euer to vs death vnclose The dore whereby from curelesse woes Our weary soule out goeth What Goddesse else more milde then she To burie all our paine can be What remedie more pleasing Our pained hearts when dolor stings And nothing rest or respite brings What help haue we more easing Hope which to vs doth comfort giue And doth our fainting harts reuiue Hath not such force in anguish For promising a vaine reliefe She oft vs failes in midst of griefe And helples le ts vs languish But Death who call on her at neede Doth neuer with vaine semblant feed But when them sorrow paineth So riddes their soules of all distresse Whose heauie weight did them oppresse That not one griefe remaineth Who feareles and with courage bolde Can Acherons black face behold Which muddie water beareth And crossing ouer in the way Is not amaz'd at Perruque gray Olde rusty Charon weareth Who voide of dread can looke vpon The dreadfull shades that Rome alone On bankes where sound no voices Whome with hir fire-brands and her Snakes No whit afraide Alecto makes Nor triple-barking noises Who freely can himselfe dispose Of that last hower which all must close And leaue this life at pleasure This noble freedome more esteemes And in his heart more precious deemes Then crowne and kinglie treasure The waues which Boreas blasts turmoile And cause with foaming furie boile Make not his heart to tremble Nor brutish broile when with strong head A rebell people madly ledde Against their Lords assemble Nor fearefull face of Tirant wood Who breaths but threats drinks but bloud No nor the hand which thunder The hand of Ioue which thunder beares And ribbs of rocks in sunder teares Teares mountains sides in sunder Nor bloudy Marses butchering bands Whose lightnings desert laie the lands Whome dustie cloudes do couer From of whose armour sun-beames flie And vnder
fluttering Flocking of seelly flies a brownish cloud To vintag'd wine yet working in the tonne Not parting thence while they sweete liquor taste After as smoke all vanish in the aire And of the swarme not one so much appeare Eras. By this sharpe death what profit can you winne Cl. I neither gaine nor profit seeke therein Er. What praise shall you of after-ages get Cl. Nor praise nor Glory in my cares are set Eras. What other end ought you respect then this Cl. My only end my onele duty is Eras. Your dutie must vpon some good be founded Cl. On vertue it the onely good is grounded Er. What is that Vertue Cl. That which vs beseemes Er. Outrage our selues who that beseeming deemes Cl. Finish I will my sorrowes dieng thus Er. Minish you will your glories doing thus Cl. Good frends I pray you seeke not to reuoke My fix'd intent of folowing Antony I will die I will die must not his life His life and death by mine be followed Meane while deare sisters liue and while you liue Do often honor to our loued Tombes Straw them with flowers and sometimes happely The tender thought of Antony your Lord And me poore soule to teares shall you inuite And our true loues to dolefull voice commend Ch. And thinke you Madame we from you will part Thinke you alone to feele deaths ougly darte Thinke you to leaue vs and that the same sunne Shall see at once you dead and vs aliue Wee le die with you and Clotho pittilesse Shall vs with you in hellish boate imbarque Cl. Ah liue I praie you this disastred woe Which racks my heart alone to me belongs My lot longs not to you seruants to be No shame no harme to you as is to me Liue sisters liue and seing his suspect Hath causlesse me in sea of sorrowes drown'd And that I cannot liue if so I would Nor yet would leaue this life if so I could Without his loue procure me Diomed That gainst poore me he be no more incensd Wrest out of his conceit that harmefull doubt That since his wracke he hath of me conceiu'd Thogh wrong conceiu'd witnes you reuerent Gods Barking Anubis Apis bellowing Tell him my soule burning impatient Forlorne with loue of him for certaine seale Of her true loialtie my corpse hath left T encrease of dead the number numberlesse Go then and if as yet he me bewaile If yet for me his heart one sigh fourth breathe Blest shall I be and far with more content Depart this world where so I me torment Meane season vs let this sad tombe enclose Attending here till death conclude our woes Diom. I will obey your will Cl. So the desert The Gods repay of thy true faithfull heart Diomed. And is 't not pittie Gods ah Gods of heau'n To see from loue such hatefull frutes to spring And is 't not pittie that this firebrand so Laies waste the trophes of Phillippi fieldes Where are those sweet alluremēts those sweet lookes Which gods thē selues right hart sick wuld haue made What doth that beautie rarest guift of heau'n Wonder of earth Alas what do those eies And that sweete voice all Asia vnderstoode And sunburnt Africke wide in deserts spred Is their force dead haue they no further power Can not by them Octauius be suppriz'd Alas if Ioue in middst of all his ire With thunderbolt in hand some land to plague Had cast his eies on my Queene out of hand His Plaguing bolte had falne out of his hand Fire of his wrath into vaine smoke should turne And other fire within his brest should burne Nought liues so faire Nature by such a worke Her selfe should seeme in workmanship hath past She is all heau'nly neuer any man But seeing hir was rauish'd with her sight The Allablaster couering of her face The corall coullor hir two lips engraines Her beamy eies two Sunnes of this our world Of hir faire haire the fine and flaming golde Her braue streight stature and her winning partes Are nothing else but fiers fetters dartes Yet this is nothing th' enchaunting skilles Of her celestiall Sp'rite hir training speach Her grace hir maiesty and forcing voice Whither she it with fingers speach consorte Or hearing sceptred kings embassadors Answere to each in his owne language make Yet now at neede it aides her not at all With all these beauties so her sorrow stinges Darkned with woe her only study is To weepe to sigh to seeke for lonelines Careles of all hir haire disordred hangs Hir charming eies whence murthring looks did flie Now riuers grown whose wellspring anguish is Do trickling wash the marble of hir face Hir faire discouer'd brest with sobbing swolne Selfe cruell she still martirith with blowes Alas It 's our ill hap for if hir teares She would conuert into her louing charmes To make a conquest of the conqueror As well she might would she hir force imploie She should vs saftie from these ills procure Hir crowne to hir and to hir race assure Vnhappy he in whome selfe-succour lies Yet selfe-forsaken wanting succour dies Chorus O sweete fertile land wherein Phaebus did with breth inspire man who men did first begin formed first of Nilus mire whence of Artes the eldest kindes earths most heauenly ornament were as from their fountaine sent to enlight our misty mindes whose grose sprite frō endles time as in darkned prison pente neuer did to knowledge clime Wher the Nile our father good father-like doth neuer misse yearely vs to bring such food as to life required is visiting each yeare this plaine and with fat slime cou'ring it which his seauen mouthes do spit as the season comes againe making therby greatest growe busie reapers ioyfull paine when his flouds do highest flow Wandring Prince of riuers thou honor of the Aethiops lande of a Lord and maister now thou a slaue in awe must stand now of Tiber which is spred lesse in force and lesse in fame reuerence thou must the name whome all other riuers dread for his children swolne in pride who by conquest seeke to treade round this earth on euery side Now thou must begin to send tribute of thy watry store as sea pathes thy steps shall bend yearely presents more and more thy fat skumme our fruitfull corne pill'd from hence with theuish hāds all vncloth'd shal leaue our lands into forraine country borne which puft vp with such a pray shall thereby the praise adorne of that scepter Rome doth sway Nought thee helps thy hornes to hide far from hence in vnknown groūds that thy waters wander wide yerely breaking banks and bounds and that thy Skie-coullor'd brooks through a hundred peoples passe drawing plots for trees and grasse with a thousand turn's and crookes whome all weary of their way thy throats which in widenesse passe powre into their mother Sea Nought so happie haplesse life in this world as freedome findes nought wherin mor sparkes are rise to inflame couragious mindes but if force must vs inforce needes a yoke to
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
them make quaking lie The plaines wheron they houer Nor yet the cruell murth'ing blade Warme in the moistie bowels made Of people pell mell dieng In some great Cittie put to sack By sauage Tirant brought to wrack At his colde mercie lieng How abiect him how base thinke I Who wanting courage can not dye When need him thereto calleth From whome the dagger drawne to kill The cureles griefes that vexe him still For feare and faintnes falleth O Antony with thy deare mate Both in misfortunes fortunate Whose thoughts to death aspiring Shall you protect from victors rage Who on each side doth you encage To triumph much desiring That Caesar may you not offend Nought else but death can you defend Which his weake force derideth And all in this round earth containd Powr'les on them whome once enchaind Auernus prison hideth Where great Psammetiques ghost doth rest Not with infernall paine possest But in sweete fields detained And olde Amasis soule likewise And all our famous Ptolomies That whilome on vs raigned Act. 4 Caesar Agrippa Dircetus the Messenger Caesar You euer-liuing Gods which all things holde Within the power of your celestiall hands By whome heate colde the thunder and the wind The properties of enter chaunging mon'ths Their course and being haue which do set downe Of Empires by your destinied decree The force age time and subiect to no chaunge Chaunge all reseruing nothing in one state You haue aduaunst as high as thundring heau'n The Romaines greatnes by Bellonas might Maistring the world with fearefull violence Making the world widdow of libertie Yet at this day this proud exalted Rome Despoil'd captiu'd at one mans will doth bend Her Empire mine her life is in my hand As Monarch I both world and Rome commaund Do all can all foorth my command'ment cast Like thundring fire from one to other Pole Equall to Ioue bestowing by my word Happs and mishappes as Fortunes King and Lord No towne there is but vp my Image settes But sacrifice to me doth dayly make Whither where Phaebus ioyne his mourning steedes Or where the night them weary entertaines Or where the heat the Garamants doth scorch Or where the colde from Boreas breast is blowne All Caesar do both awe and honor beare And crowned Kings his verie name doth feare Antony knowes it well for whome not one Of all the Princes all this earth do rule Armes against me for all redoubt the power which heau'nly powers on earth haue made me beare Antony he poore man with fire inflam'de A womans beauties kindled in his heart Rose against me who longer could not beare My sisters wrong he did so ill intreat Seing her left while that his leud delights Her husband with his Cleopatre tooke In Alexandria where both nights and daies Their time they pass'd in nought but loues and plaies All Asias forces into one he drewe And forth he set vpon the azur'd waues A thousand and a thousand Shipps which fill'd With Souldiors pikes with targets arrowes darts Made Neptune quake and all the watry troupes Of Glauques and Tritons lodg'd at Actium But mightie Gods who still the force withstand Of him who causles doth another wrong In lesse then moments space redus'd to nought All that proud power by Sea or land he brought Agr. Presumptuous pride of heigh and hawtie sprite Voluptuous care of fond and foolish loue Haue iustly wrought his wrack who thought he helde By ouerweening Fortune in his hand Of vs he made no count but as to play So feareles came our forces to assay So sometimes fell to Sonnes of mother earth Which crawl'd to heau'n warre on the God to make Olymp on Pelion Ossa on Olymp Pindus on Ossa loading by degrees That at hand strokes with mightie clubbes the might On mossie rocks the Gods make tumble downe When mightie Ioue with burning anger chaf'd Disbraind with him Gyges and Briareus Blunting his darts vpon their brused bones For no one thing the Gods can lesse abide In deedes of men then Arrogance and pride And still the proud which too much takes in hand Shall fowlest fall where best he thinkes to stand Caes. Right as some Pallace or some stately tower Which ouer-lookes the neighbour buildings round In scorning wise and to the starres vp growes Which in short time his owne weight ouerthrowes What monstrous pride nay what impietie Incenst him onward to the Gods disgrace When his two children Cleopatras bratts To Phaebe and her brother he compar'd Latonas race causing them to be call'd The Sunne and Moone Is not this follie right And is not this the Gods to make his foes And is not this himselfe to worke his woes Agr. In like proud sort he caus'd his hed to leese The Iewish king Antigonus to haue His Realme for balme that Cleopatra lou'd As though on him he had some treason prou'd Caes Lidia to her and Siria he gaue Cyprus of golde Arabia rich of smelles And to his children more Cilicia Parth's Medes Armenia Phaenicia The kings of kings proclaming them to be By his owne word as by a sound decree Agr. What Robbing his owne country of her due Triumph'd he not in Alexandriae Of Artabasus the Armenian King Who yeelded on his periur'd word to him Caes. Nay neuer Rome more iniuries receiu'd Since thou ô Romulus by flight of birds With happy hand the Romain walles did'st build Then Antonyes fond loues to it hath done Nor euer warre more holie nor more iust Nor vndertaken with more hard constraint Then is this warre which were it not our state Within small time all dignitie should loose Though I lament thou Sunne my witnes art And thou great Ioue that it so deadly proues That Romaine bloud should in such plentie flowe Watring the fields and pastures where we go What Carthage in olde hatred obstinate What Gaule still barking at our rising state What rebell Samnite what fierce Phyrrhus power What cruell Mithridate what Parth hath wrought Such woe to Rome whose common wealth he had Had he bene victor into Egypt brought Agr. Surely the Gods which haue this cittie built Steadfast to stand as long as time endures Which keepe the Capitoll of vs take care And care will take of those shall after come Haue made you victor that you might redresse Their honor growne by passed mischieues lesse Caes. The seelie man when all the Greekish Sea His fleete had hid in hope me sure to drowne Me battaile gaue where fortune in my stede Repulsing him his forces disaraied Himselfe tooke flight soone as his loue he saw All wanne through feare with full sailes flie away His men though lost whome none did now direct With courage fought fast grappled shipp with shipp Charging resisting as their oares would serue With darts with swords with pikes with fiery flames So that the darkned night her starrie vaile Vpon the bloudy sea had ouer-spred Whilst yet they held and hardly hardly then They fell to flieng on the wauie plaine All full of soldiors ouerwhelm'd with waues
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
in such annoy Yet can my soule within this body dwell O Sisters you that spin the thredes of death O Styx ô Plegethon you brookes of hell O Impes of Night Euph. Liue for your childrens sake Let not your death of kingdome them depriue Alas what shall they do who will haue care Who will preserue this royall race of yours Who pittie take euen now me seemes I see These little soules to seruile bondage falne And borne in triumph Cl. Ah most miserable Euph. Their tender armes with cursed cord fast bound At their weake backs Cl. Ah Gods what pitty more Euph. Their seely necks to ground with weaknes bend Cl. Neuer on vs good Gods such mischiefe send Euph. And pointed at with fingers as they go Cl. Rather a thousand deaths Euph. Lastly his knife Some cruell catiue in their bloud embrue Cl. Ah my heart breaks By shady banks of hell By fields whereon the lonely Ghosts do treade By my foule and the soule of Antony I you besech Euphron of them haue care Be their good Father let your wisedome lett That they fall not into this Tyrants hands Rather conduct them where their freezed locks Black Aethiops to neighbour Sunne do shew On wauie Ocean at the waters will On barraine cliffes of snowie Caucasus To Tigers swift to Lions and to Beares And rather rather vnto euery coaste To eu'ry land and sea for nought I feare As rage of him whose thirst no bloud can quench Adieu deare children children deare adieu Good Isis you to place of safety guide Farre from our foes where you your liues may leade In free estate deuoid of seruile dread Remember not my children you were borne Of such a Princely race remember not So many braue Kings which haue Egipt rul'de In right descent your ancestors haue beene That this great Antony your father was Hercules bloud and more then he in praise For your high courage such remembrance will Seing your fall with burning rages fill Who knowes if that your hands false Destinie The Scepters promis'd of imperious Rome In stede of them shall crooked shepehookes beare Needles or forkes or guide the carte or plough Ah learne t' endure your birth and high estate Forget my babes and bend to force of fate Farwell my babes farwell my heart is clos'd With pittie and paine my selfe with death enclos'd My breath doth faile Farwell for euermore Your Sire and me you shall see neuer more Farwell sweet care farwell Chil. Madame Adieu Cl. Ah this voice killes me Ah good Gods I swound I can no more I die Eras. Madame alas And will you yeld to woe Ah speake to vs Eu, Come Children Chil. We come Eu. Follow we our chance The Gods shall guide vs Char. O too cruell lot O too hard chaunce Sister what shall we do What shall we do alas if murthring darte Of death arriue while that in slumbring swound Halfe dead she lie with anguish ouergone Er, Her face is frozen Ch. Madame for Gods loue Leaue vs not thus bid vs yet first farwell Alas wepe ouer Antony Let not His bodie be without due rites entomb'd Cl. Ah ah Char. Madame Cl. Ay me Ch. How fainte she is Cl. My Sisters holde me vp How wretched I How cursed am and was there euer one By Fortunes hate into more dolours throwne Ah weeping Niobe although thy heart Beholds it selfe enwrap'd in causefull woe For thy dead children that a sencelesse rocke With griefe become on Sipylus thou stand'st In endles teares yet didst thou neuer feele The weights of griefe that on my heart do lie Thy Children thou mine I poore soule haue lost And lost their Father more then them I waile Lost this faire realme yet me the heauens wrath Into a stone not yet transformed hath Phaetons sisters daughters of the Sunne Which waile your brother falne into the streames Of stately Po the Gods vpon the bankes Your bodies to banke-louing Alders turn'd For me I sigh I ceasles wepe and waile And heauen pittiles laughes at my woe Reuiues renewes it still and in the ende Oh cruelty doth death for comfort lend Die Cleopatra then no longer stay From Antony who thee at Styx attends Go ioyne thy Ghost with his and sob no more Without his loue within these tombes enclos'd Eras. Alas yet let vs wepe lest sodaine death From him our teares and those last duties take Vnto his tombe we owe Ch. Ah let vs wepe While moisture lasts then die before his feete Cl. Who furnish will mine eies with streaming teares My boiling anguish worthily to waile Waile thee Antony Antony my heart Alas how much I weeping liquor want Yet haue mine eies quite drawne their Condits drie By long beweeping my disastred harmes Now reason is that from my side they sucke First vitall moisture then the vitall bloud Then let the bloud from my sad eies outflowe And smoking yet with thine in mixture grow Moist it and heat it newe and neuer stop All watring thee while yet remaines one drop Ch. Antony take our teares this is the last Of all the duties we to thee can yelde Before we die Er. These sacred obseques Take Antony and take them in good parte Cl. O Goddesse thou whom Cyprus doth adore Venus of Phaphos bent to worke vs harme For olde Iulus broode if thou take care Of Caesar why of vs tak'st thou no care Antony did descend as well as he From thine owne Sonne by long enchained line And might haue rul'd by one and selfe same fate True Troian bloud the stately Romain state Antony poore Antony my deare soule Now but a blocke the bootie of a tombe Thy life thy heat is lost thy coullour gone And hideous palenes on thy face hath seaz'd Thy eies two Sunnes the lodging place of loue Which yet for tents to warlike Mars did serue Lock'd vp in lidds as faire daies cherefull light Which darkenese flies do winking hide in night Antony by our true loues I thee beseeche And by our hearts sweete sparks haue set on fire Our holy mariage and the tender ruthe Of our deare babes knot of our amitie My dolefull voice thy eare let entertaine And take me with thee to the hellish plaine Thy wife thy frend heare Antony ô heare My sobbing sighes if here thou be or there Liued thus long the winged race of yeares Ended I haue as Destinie decreed Flourish'd and raign'd and taken iust reuenge Of him who me both hated and despisde Happie alas too happie if of Rome Only the fleete had hither neuer come And now of me an Image great shall goe Vnder the earth to bury there my woe What say I where am I ô Cleopatra Poore Cleopatra griefe thy reason reaues No no most happie in this happles case To die with thee and dieng thee embrace My bodie ioynde with thine my mouth with thine my mouth whose moisture burning sighes haue dried To be in one selfe tomble and one selfe chest And wrapt with thee in one selfe sheete to rest The sharpest torment in my heart I feele Is that I stay from thee my heart this while Die will I straight now now streight will I die And streight with thee a wandring shade will be Vnder the Cypres trees thou haunt'st alone Where brookes of hell do falling seeme to mone But yet I stay and yet thee ouerliue That ere I die due rites I may thee giue A thousand sobbes I from my brest will teare With thousand plaints thy funeralls adorne My haire shall serue for thy oblations My boiling teares for thy effusions Mine eies thy fire for out of them the flame Which burnt thy heart on me enamour'd came Wepe my companions weepe and from your eies Raine downe on him of teares a brinish streame Mine can no more consumed by the coales Which from my brest as from a furnace rise Martir your breasts with multiplied blowes With violent hands teare of your hanging haire Outrage your face alas why should we seeke Since now we die our beauties more to keepe I spent in teares not able more to spende But kisse him now what rests me more to doe Then let me kisse you you faire eies my light Front seat of honor face most firce most faire O neck ô armes ô hands ô breast where death O mischiefe comes to choake vp vitall breath A thousand kisses thousand thousand more Let you my mouth for honors farewell giue That in this office weake my limmes may growe Fainting on you and fourth my soule may flow At Rams bury 26. of Nouember 1590 Printed at London by P. S. for William Ponsonby 1595