discipline they keep Through the whole Camp that neither wine nor sleep Betray us to surprize thô peace seem near Wise Pilots at the Port a tempest fear Mecoen Great Sir your Souldiers find they have to do Not with a rude unarm'd and barb'rous Crew But Romans like themselves in Conquest bred And next your self by the best Captain led Their jealousie of Fame and Love for you Will make 'em any thing forbear or do A shout of joy Enter Agrippa Agrip. Antonius Legions newly are arriv'd And through the Camp are with loud joy receiv'd Tir'd with his impotent and distant sway They now Great Sir will you alone obey Caes. Then vanish all his hopes and all my fears In my whole sky of Fate no Cloud appears That one black corner did a tempest threat Agrip. You much are to Photinus care in debt Him in the Camp when I arriv'd I found Caes. Yee Gods why am I to a Villain bound Tell my new friends I their arrears will pay A Roman Emperor they still obey Mecoen Antonius now will any Laws receive What from weak Foes we do not take we give Demand the Roman Legions yet behind And that his pow'r to Asia be confin'd Caes. The man was once my Friend my Brother still What are these thoughts that wou'd ambition chill Mecoen Forget that name he has deserv'd so ill The spoil of Egypt will the VVar defray For a meer peace Rome will repine to pay Enter Octavia Him brother let Aegyptian Princes call He has no Interest in your blood at all Since the best Ty he slights and in her place Does a less fair Aegyptian Queen embrace Oct. Pernicious Counceller that does foment A War all but the Parthians wou'd prevent My Wrongs shall never thy Ambition hide I 'le tear the Masque of pity from thy pride I thought thee once deserving thy great place Of Tuscan Kings sprung from the glorious race But thou art false cruel and bloody now That open hatred thou durst never show To my dear Lord does still in malice lurk And on this dire Occasion seeks to work Caes. Sister your Husband I would but reclaim And make him worthy of your virtuous flame His present life does his past glory stain He makes a Queen the Partner of his raign The Roman Empire he does much deface And with the Spoil adorns her foraign race Arabia where the Nabatheans live And part of Syria he did lately give To their new issue one he stiles the Moon To name the other he profanes the Sun Oct. If he has given much he conquer'd more His valour for his bounty found the store And pardon somewhat on a Sisters score Caes. The names of Emperor and Queen they scorn And like immortal Gods themselves adorn He does for Bacchus she for Isis pass And in their shapes the wond'ring Crowd amaze Oct. To Gods of their own honour leave the Care Since they both Jealous and Almighty are I fear so high you 'l my concernments press You 'l break on that you never can redress Caes. I understand no Riddles but he shall Do my Octavia sudden right or fall The rest I cou'd with small excuse forgive But under this affront I cannot live Oct. You say his other faults you cou'd forgive Caes. Empire's our real quarrel but I must Aside Her virtuous Mind with no such secret trust I could Oct. Then that pretence I 'le thus remove and dy Stabs her self Mec. interposes Still more inhumane must I then remain The cover of your Pride and Lust to reign Thô I were dead you might your ends pursue But let me vanish from the painful view Mec. Not for the World such virtue shou'd not dy But be intire translated to the Sky Caes. I Sister your late rashness can forgive So you henceforth will promise me to live Mecoenas see remov'd all means of Death Let Nature and not rage conclude her breath Ex. Caesar Agrippa c. Oct. Peace to the World and my unhappy Lord My Brother but for you wou'd soon afford Mec. Condemn not actions till you know their end But mine perhaps will then but more offend Oct. I know you 'l say 't is brave to rule alone That my great Brother wou'd become that Throne And raising him you in proportion rise But still remember there are Deities Above you both just pow'rful and wise Mec. Ambition never overturn'd my mind I am already more then I design'd Oct. Why do you then the general peace oppose 'T is Avarice or Ambition makes Men foes Mec. I Madam wou'd some marks of courage show And what I durst for my great Master do Oct. Romans of courage need no other proof Since to be born a Roman is enough Mec. 'T is truth but yet Oct. Some unjust pique you bear My dearest Lord you cannot well declare But good Mecoena's for such once you were T' obstruct this Treaty for my sake forbear Mec. 'T is for your sake alone it must not be Oct. If it be good for Rome regard not Me. Mec. Y' are Sister to my Emperor and Friend My utmost care must your concerns attend I do not as you think confusion seek Nor keep I to your Lord a secret pique But if this Treaty be confirm'd to day I must at Rome and you in Asia stay Oct. It is the part of the whole World I 'd chuse And gaining Him what is 't I care to loose Mec. Ah Madam seem less virtuous or less fair Who can behold you and not vengeance sware Such suffering goodness will mankind ingage And on Antonius pull their publick rage Oct. This to the Sister of your Emperor Mec. This to the only Beauty I adore Beyond my patience you have rackt my Breast And my deep guilt at last must be confest I love you Madam Oct. My next request you 'l then not disallow Mec. Speak it and I a blind Obedience vow Oct. Let me then die for I have liv'd too long And heard of Love in my Antonius wrong Mec. Not in his wrong I 'le the reversion wait And live like Heirs in hope of an Estate Oct. Your word is past recall My Death I claim Mec. From me who both your Guard and Lover am Oct. I not the stroak but means of Death require By my own hand I noblest shall expire Will you then promise to promote the peace Mec. You offer poison to my known Disease But from those hands I nothing can refuse I 'le ruine all my hopes so you will live Oct. Yes I will live but not an hour survive My dear Antonius him you must preserve If ought you from Octavia would deserve Ex. Mec. Whom whilst he lives I never can enjoy And if he dies she will her self destroy I am undone obey or disobey I needs must perish but may chose my way Ex. omnes ACT. III. Scene the First Caesars Tents Enter Caesar Mecoenas Agrippa Caesar. THe Asians now with double Taxes prest His slothful Days and drunken Nights detest Buffoons and
fierce Convulsion did endure And in the pain I talkt I know not what But rest for ever of that heart secure Where too much Love did the short storm create Enter a Servant Serv. The Castle is beset and all have vow'd To stain their VVeapons in your treacherous blood Phot. Step in a while They that will rise must wait And at each Throw assist their lab'ring fate Ex. Iras. Let 'em all enter no resistance make I can die gladly for my Country's sake Enter Memnon and Chilax with the Rabble What is 't my honest Countrymen demand You need not ask with weapons in your hand Memn Thou hast thy Country to a lasting VVar betray'd Chil. And therefore for thy death prepare Phot. VVho I alas I but my Queen obey'd And both were of Antonius pow'r afraid Like you I wisht an opportunity VVhen Egypt was from Roman Forces free That we might then with Caesar make our peace Chil. Now Fate presents it this occasion seize In our Queens absence you the Town command Egypt requires her Freedom at your hand Memn The City Gates against Antonius shut So thou wilt put thy meaning out of doubt Phot. But then our Queen Memn She is Antonius Slave And merits amongst us nor Throne nor Grave This once perform'd be thou our General If not like a faint Slave unpitied fall Offers to run at him Phot. I 'l do unforc't what ever you require But now you bind me to my own desire I ever thought Antonius Cause unblest I did his Riot loath and Loves detest So we did all I think and 't were unjust We shou'd defend who still abhorr'd his lust Let Pimps and Parasites his Battels fight Buffoons and loose Companions of the night Male-Bawds and let that goatish drunken Herd Which made him odious die to make him fear'd Memn Antonius now at Rome despairs of all And seeks to crush our Egypt with his fall But he shall find that some of us still wake Who nothing fear and all dare undertake Chil. Let 's man the Town with all the Force we have Keep out Antonius and our Country save Caesar will hold us Enemies no more But call in Friends and Allyes as before Memn For us the people do in throngs declare Tir'd with the danger and the charge of War Phot. I 'm brav'd here by Canidius at each turn And with revenge and rage like you I burn The mighty Charge I greedily accept Your Town shall be with Faith and Courage kept In your disgrace believe I had no part But honour'd your free Tongue and honest Heart Memn How we were all mistaken in this man Exeunt Scene the Fourth The Gates being shut Enter Antonius Cleopatra Canidius and Attendants Anto. How well my Queen doth this one act reprove My needless Jealousie and shew your Love Cleop. Her whom you not esteem why wou'd you save But thô unjust Antonius still is brave Ant. I not esteem you by the Gods I do As much as Love Cleop. No my Antonius No! You think me all that can a Queen disgrace Lighter than Woman and than Man more base How cou'd I else forsake you in distress Or could Thyreus in a moment please Anto. It was the raging Feaver of my Love And strongest Natures strong Distempers prove Forgive it Madam as my Loves excess Cleop. Had Caesar su'd I had his flame disdain'd And cou'd you think another entertain'd When the whole World shall to his Fortune yield My Heart against your Foe shall keep the Field Anto. On me so thick your obligations fall I must subdue that World to pay 'em all And make proud Rome acknowledge you her Queen Your Glory does demand no less a Scene Canid. 'T is very fine here 's all the Sense he has His Legions Empire all are in that face I do not think he knows he is besieg'd But quite undone talks how he is oblig'd Pray Sir do you consider where we are If we stay long we shall have Caesar here Ant. Were he in sight I 'd not one word forbear Till I did guiltless to my Queen appear Thyreus dying Cleop. Have you kill'd him then I shall be hateful to the Race of men To Cleopatra it is death to speak On him she loves she a swift War does call And those she looks on by Antonius fall Anto. He clear'd your Vertue with his dying Breath Cleop. You stain'd it in the manner of his death Anto. Lovers like Misers cannot bear the stealth Of the least trifle from their endless wealth I saw him kiss your hand for that he dy'd And shou'd had he Ten Thousand lives beside You seem not pleas'd with my revenge enough Cleop. It was too rash and for his crime too rough Anto. T' attempt the spotless Honor of my Queen Is such a Crime as it is death to mean Cleop. He shou'd have liv'd if that he lov'd indeed My Scorn all other Torments might exceed His life had been but one continued pain And mine but one long Act of my disdain But now all means to clear my self are lost You can but think me innocent at most Anto. I from that Viper such an Oyl have wrung As heals that Love which he before had stung Since from a dying Rival's mouth I hear His hope was as ill grounded as my fear He call'd you most Ingrateful as he dy'd Confess'd his Passion and accus'd your Pride What stronger demonstration can be thought Cleop. Could nothing I might say the like have wrought Then vain is all I 've suffer'd and have done My slighted Fame and my endanger'd Throne Can nothing weigh and 't was Thyreus grace That I was clear'd Antonius held me base Anto. O say not so My Love of its own strength Had overcome that jealousie at length To him indeed I owe my speedy Cure Cleop. Are you for ever from relapse secure Anto. I rather will believe all that is strange The whole Sex true than that my Queen can change Enter Souldier from the Town Sould. The Town is lost your Romans kill'd or fled And false Photinus does the Traytor head Memnon and Chilax in bright Arms appear And for Octavius Caesar all declare Anto. Canid. appear with their Army under the Walls and find opposition some that go near are kill'd Anto. Treason before and Enemies behind In such a choice 't were equal to be blind I know not which I shou'd attacque the first I 'm only sure of all Delay 's the worst Storm then the Town with all that we can make E're Caesar see and this advantage take Safe at a distance here my Queen must stay Charge without While we with blood and slaughter force our way They are beat off Canid. It is in vain these Barb'rous Villains dare Not hope for the fair Quarter of a War And are turn'd desperate Anto. We are alike Desperate with them When for the whole both Parties strike Courage must carry 't Charge them once agen Charge Shout Scene the Fifth The Gates drawn open A
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
shalt Nobly dye Iras. Good Charmion Charm I 'le hear no more faint Hearts that seek delay Will never want some foolish thing to say Charm stings her then puts it to her own Breast At our Queens feet let 's decently be found And Loyal Grief be thought our only Wound Dies Enter Caesar Mecoenas Agrippa and Photinus Caes. Yonder 's the Monument that famous Tow'r 'T is weak and may be ruin'd in an hour Summon the Queen 'T is obstinacy now Calls thrice none answers Not resolution the lost Queen does show Call for a Battering Ram now down it goes Enter all Mecoen But oh what horror does that Breach disclose The Queen Antonius and her Maids lie dead From their pale Cheeks the Life but newly fled Caes. Am I so cruel and relentless held That Women dare not to my mercy yield Phot. The Queen your Roman Triumphs ever fear'd And therefore Poysons of all sorts prepar'd To end her life and to prevent that shame When ever the unhappy prospect came Phot. runs to Iras. Some signs of life in that soft Maid remain She seems to move her dying lips again Iras. I' st thus your word you with poor Iras keep The Crown of Egypt now you may dispose On whom you please Death soon my Eyes will close And Caesar my Dies Caes. The Crown of Egypt Slave dispos'd by thee Her dying words contain some Mystery Phot. Which I 'le take care she never shall explain Aside She raves the Poison has disturb'd her brain Kills her Caes. Thou hast not Slave the tender Virgin slain Phot. I lov'd and cou'd not see her lie in pain Caes. Villain thou feard'st that her last breath might say Something that might thy treacherous heart betray Mecoenas seize on him see quick Justice done Sould. Quicker than this great Caesar there is none Kills Phot. Caes. Who art thou that dar'st kill and Caesar by Sould. I 'm Brother to that Maid resolv'd to die By the same hand if Caesar say the word Caes. Put up it was a kind of Vertue in thy Sword What cou'd Antonius from a Brother fear Who owes him all the Honours he does wear Oh! what a God-like pleasure had it been With thee t' have shar'd the Empire once agen And to have made a second Sacrifice To Friendship of each others Enemies By thee I am whatever I was made But thou art proud and scorn'st to be repaid Agrip. The Queens vast Treasure Sir I blazing found A greater Wealth than ever Thetis drown'd She her fair Person to a Carcass turn'd And has her Treasure to vile Ashes burn'd Both ways defeating the proud hopes of Rome Caes. Great minds the Gods alone can overcome Let no man with his present Fortune swell The Fate of growing Empire who can tell We stand but on that Greatness whence these fell Ex. Omnes FINIS EPILOGUE 'T WERE Popish folly for the Dead to pray By this time you have damn'd or sav'd our Play But Gentleman the Poet bad me say He claimes his Merit on a surer score H' has brought you here together and what more Could Waters Court or Conventicles do 'T is not his fault if things no further go The Gravest Cit that hopes to be Lord Mayor Must come to a New Play with his None Dear And the kind Girl engag'd another way Tells all her Friends sh' has been at the New Play They ask the Tale which she does for 'em get Between the Acts from her dear Friend she met The Peacock-Beauty here may spread her Train And by our gazing Fops be made more vain And all kind Lovers that are here to night May thank the Poet for each others sight Thô all be bad men blame with an ill grace The Entertainment of a Meeting Place THE Art of making Love or Rules for the conduct of Ladies and Gallants in their Amours Price bound 1 s. Printed for R. Tonson at Grayes-Inne-gate next Grayes-Inne-lane Books lately Published I. THE Courtiers Calling Shewing the ways of making a Fortune and the Art of living at Court according to Polity and Morality In two Parts The First concerning Noble Men the Second concerning Gentlemen By a Person of Honour Price bound 1 s. 6 d. II. Don Carlos Prince of Spain a Tragedy as it is Acted at the Dukes Theatre Written by Thomas Otway Price 1 s. III. Titus and Berenice a Tragedy as it is Acted at the Dukes Theatre with a Farce called the Cheats of Scapin Written by Tho. Otway Price 1 s. IV. The Portugal History or a Relation of the Troubles that happened in the Court of Portugal in the years 1667 and 1668 In which is to be seen that great Transaction of the Renunciation of the Crown by Alphonso the Sixth the Dissolution of his Marriage with the Princess Maria Frances Isabella of Savoy the Marriage of the same Princess to his Brother the Prince Don Pedro now Regent of the Realm of Portugal and the Reasons alledged at Rome for the dispensation thereof By S. P. Esquire Price bound 2 s. 6 d. All sold by R. Tonson at his Shop under Grayes-Inne-gate next Grayes-Inne-lane