Till they had stolen our jewel. All's but naught; To rush into the secret bouse of death, Ere death dare come to us?-How do you, women? What, what? good cheer! Why, how now, Char mian? My noble girls!-Ah, women, women! look, Our lamp is spent, it's out:-Good sirs, take heart :[To the guard below. We'll bury him: and then, what's brave, what's no ble, Let's do it after the high Roman fashion, And make death proud to take us. Come, away: Ah, women, women! come; we have no friend [Exeunt; those above bearing off Antony's ACT V. SCENE I. Cæsar's camp before Alexandria. Enter Cæsar, Agrippa, Dolabella, Mæcenas, Gallus, Proculeius, and others. Cas. Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield; Being so frustrate*, tell him, he mocks us by The pauses that he makest. Dol. Cæsar, I shall. [Exit Dolabella. Frustrated. He trifles with us. Enter Dercetas, with the sword of Antony. Cas. Wherefore is that? and what art thou, that dar'st Appear thus to us? Der. I am call'd Dercetas; Mark Antony I serv'd, who best was worthy Cæs. What is't thou say'st? Der. I say, O Cæsar, Antony is dead. Ces. The breaking of so great a thing should make A greater crack: The round world should have shook Lions into civil streets, And citizens to their dens :-The death of Antony Is not a single doom; in the name lay A moiety of the world. Der. He is dead, Cæsar; Not by a public minister of justice, Nor by a hired knife; but that self hand, Which writ his honour in the acts it did, Hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it, Splitted the heart.-This is his sword, I robb'd his wound of it; behold it stain'd With his most noble blood. Cæs. The gods rebuke me, but it is a tidings To wash the eyes of kings. Agr. Look you sad, friends? And strange it is, His taints and honours That nature must compel us to lament Mac. Waged equal with him. Agr. A rarer spirit never Did steer humanity: but you, gods, will give us Some faults to make us men. Cæsar is touch'd. Mac. When such a spacious mirror's set before him, He needs must see himself. Cas. O Antony! I have follow'd thee to this;-But we do lance Unreconciliable, should divide Our equalness to this.-Hear me, good friends,- Enter a Messenger. The business of this man looks out of him, Confin'd in all she has, her monument, That she preparedly may frame herself Cæs. Bid her have good heart; How honourable and how kindly we Mess. So the gods preserve thee! [Exit, * Its. Cas. Come hither, Proculeius; Go, and say, We purpose her no shame: give her what comforts The quality of her passion shall require; Lest, in her greatness, by some mortal stroke She do defeat us: for her life in Rome Would be eternal in our triumph: Go, And, with your speediest, bring us what she says, And how you find of her. Cæsar, I shall. Pro. Cas. Gallus, go you along.-Where's Dolabella, To second Proculeius? Agr. Mac. [Exit Procul. [Exit Gallus. Dolabella! Cas. Let him alone, for I remember now [Exeunt. SCENE II. Alexandria. A room in the monument. Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, and Iras. Cleo. My desolation does begin to make * Servant. Enter, to the gates of the monument, Proculeius, Gallus, and Soldiers. Pro. Cæsar sends greeting to the queen of Egypt; And bids thee study on what fair demands Thou mean'st to have him grant thee. Cleo. [Within.] Pro. My name is Proculeius. Cleo. [Within.] What's thy name? Antony Did tell me of you, bade me trust you; but I do not greatly care to be deceiv'd, That have no use for trusting. If your master No less beg than a kingdom: if he please Pro. Be of good cheer; You are fallen into a princely hand, fear nothing: Make your full reference freely to my lord, Cleo. [Within.] Pray you, tell him I am his fortune's vassal, and I send him The greatness he has got. I hourly learn A doctrine of obedience; and would gladly Look him i' the face. Pro. This I'll report, dear lady. Have comfort; for, I know, your plight is pitied Of him that caus'd it. Gal. You see how easily she may be surpris'd; [Here Proculeius, and two of the guard, ascend the monument by a ladder placed against a window, and having descended, come be. hind Cleopatra. Some of the guard unbar and open the gates. |