And mock our eyes with air: Thou hast seen these signs; They are black vesper's pageants®. Eros. Ay, my lord. Ant. That, which is now a horse, even with a thought, The rack dislimns'; and makes it indistinct, As water is in water. Eros. It does, my lord. Ant. My good knave, Eros, now thy captain is Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave. Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us Enter MARDIAN. She has robb'd me of my sword. Mar. No, Antony; My mistress lov'd thee, and her fortunes mingled Ant. Hence, saucy eunuch; peace; She hath betray'd me, and shall die the death. Mar. Death of one person can be paid but once ; And that she has discharg'd: What thou would'st do, Is done unto thy hand; the last she spake Was, Antony! most noble Antony! Then in the midst a tearing groan did break 8 They are black vesper's pageants.] The beauty both of the expression and the illusion is lost, unless we recollect the frequency and the nature of these shows in Shakspeare's age. 9 The rack dislimns ;] i. e. the fleeting away of the clouds destroys the picture. Between her heart and lips; she render'd life, Ant. Mar. Dead then? Dead. Ant. Eros, unarm†; the long day's task is done, The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep [Exit EROS. I will o'ertake thee, Cleopatra, and Re-enter EROS. Since Cleopatra died, Eros. What would my lord? Ant. I have liv'd in such dishonour, that the gods t Unarm, Eros ;"-MALONE. 2 3 thy continent.] i. e. the thing that contains thee. Seal then, and all is done.] Metaphor taken from civil contracts, where, when all is agreed on, the sealing completes the contract; so he hath determined to die, and nothing remained but to give the stroke. Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword Than she, which, by her death, our Cæsar tells, Disgrace and horror, that, on my command, Thou then would'st kill me: do't; the time is come: Thou strik'st not me, 'tis Cæsar thou defeat'st. Put colour in thy cheek. Eros. The gods withhold me! Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts, Eros, Ant. To penetrative shame; whilst the wheel'd seat Eros. I would not see't. Ant. Come then; for with a wound I must be cur'd. Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn Most useful for thy country. Eros. O, sir, pardon me. Ant. When I did make thee free, swor'st thou not then To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once; 4 pleach'd arms,] 5 His corrigible neck,] penetrative for penetrating. Arms folded in each other. Corrigible for corrected, and afterwards 6 His baseness that ensued?] The poor conquered wretch that followed. JOHNSON. Or thy precedent services are all But accidents unpurpos'd. Draw, and come. Eros. Turn from me then that noble countenance, Wherein the worship of the whole world' lies. Ant. Lo thee! Eros. My sword is drawn. [Turning from him. Then let it do at once My dear master, The thing why thou hast drawn it. Eros. My captain, and my emperor! let me say, Eros. Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now? Ant. Eros. Why, there then : Now, Eros. [Falls on his Sword. [Dies. Of Antony's death. Ant. Thrice nobler than myself! Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros, what I should, and thou could'st not. My queen and Eros Have, by their brave instruction, got upon me A nobleness in record: But I will be A bridegroom in my death, and run into't [Falling on his Sword. I learn'd of thee. How! not yet dead†? not dead ?— The guard!-ho!-O, despatch me. 1 Guard. Enter DERCETAS and Guard. What's the noise? Ant. I have done my work ill, friends; O, make an end Of what I have begun. 7 2 Guard. The star is fallen. the worship of the whole world-] The worship, is the dignity, the authority. + Mr. Malone omits yet. 1 Guard. And time is at his period. All. Ant. Let him that loves me, strike me dead. 1 Guard. 2 Guard. Nor I. 3 Guard. Nor any one. Alas, and woe! Not I. [Exeunt Guard. Der. Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly. This sword but shown to Cæsar, with this tidings, Shall enter me with him. Ant. Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword, and My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee. Ant. When did she send thee? Ant. Most absolute lord, Now, my lord. Where is she? She had a pro Dio. Lock'd in her monument. phesying fear Of what hath come to pass: for when she saw Would not be purg'd, she sent you word she was dead; Me to proclaim the truth; and I am come, I dread, too late. Ant. Too late, good Diomed:-Call my guard, I pr'ythee. 8 She had dispos'd with Cæsar,] To dispose, in this instance, perhaps signifies to make terms, to settle matters. |