Ant.
Eros, thou yet behold'st me? ^note

Eros.
Ay, noble lord.

Ant.
Sometime we see a cloud that's dragonish,
A vapour sometime like a bear or lion,
A tower'd ^note citadel, a pendent rock,
A forked mountain, or blue promontory
With trees upon't, that nod unto the world ^note
And mock our eyes with air: thou hast ^note seen these signs; ^note
They are black vesper's pageants.

Eros.
Ay, my lord.

Ant.
That which is now a horse, even with a thought
The ^note rack dislimns ^note and makes it indistinct
As water is in water.

Eros.
It does, my lord.

Ant.
My good knave Eros, now thy captain is
Even such a body: here I am ^note Antony,
Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave.
I made these wars for Egypt; and the queen—
Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine,
Which, whilst it was mine, had annex'd unto't
A million moe ^note, now lost,—she, Eros, has
Pack'd cards with Cæsar ^note, and false-play'd ^note my glory
Unto an enemy's ^note triumph.
Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us
Ourselves to end ourselves. Enter Mardian. ^note
O, thy ^note vile ^note lady!
She has robb'd me of my sword. ^note

Mar.
No, Antony;
My mistress loved thee and her fortunes mingled

With thine entirely.

Ant.
Hence, saucy eunuch; peace!
She hath betray'd me, and shall ^note die the death. ^note

Mar.
Death of one person can be paid but once,
And that she has ^note discharged: what thou wouldst do
Is done unto thy hand: the last she spake
Was ‘Antony! most noble Antony!’
Then in the midst a tearing groan did break
The name of Antony; it was divided
Between her heart and lips: she render'd ^note life,
Thy name so buried in her.

Ant.
Dead then?

Mar.
Dead.

Ant.
Unarm, Eros ^note; the long day's task is done,
And we must sleep. [To Mar. ^note] That thou depart'st hence safe,
Does pay thy labour richly; go. [Exit Mardian. ^note
Off, ^note pluck off: ^note
The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep
The battery ^note from my heart. O, cleave, my sides! ^note
Heart, once be stronger than thy continent,
Crack thy frail case! Apace, Eros, apace! ^note
No more a soldier. Bruised pieces, go;
You have been nobly borne. From me awhile. [Exit Eros.
I will o'ertake thee, Cleopatra, and
Weep for my pardon. So it ^note must be, for now
All length ^note is torture: since the torch ^note is out,
Lie down and stray no farther ^note: now all labour

Mars what it does; yea, very force entangles
Itself with strength: seal ^note then, and all is done.
Eros!—I come, my queen. Eros!—Stay ^note for me:
Where souls do couch on flowers, we'll hand in hand,
And with our sprightly port make the ghosts gaze:
Dido and her Æneas ^note shall want troops,
And all the haunt be ours. Come, Eros, Eros! Re-enter Eros.

Eros.
What would my lord?

Ant.
Since Cleopatra died
I have lived ^note in such dishonour that the gods
Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword
Quarter'd the world, and o'er green Neptune's back ^note
With ships made cities, condemn myself to lack
The courage of a woman; less noble mind ^note
Than she which by her death our Cæsar tells
‘I am ^note conqueror of myself.’ Thou art sworn, Eros,
That, when the exigent should come—which now
Is come indeed—when I should see behind me
The inevitable prosecution of
Disgrace and horror, that, on my command,
Thou then wouldst kill me: do't; the ^note time is come:
Thou strikest not me, 'tis Cæsar thou defeat'st.
Put colour in thy ^note cheek. ^note

Eros.
The gods withhold me!
Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts,
Though enemy ^note, lost aim and could not? ^note

Ant.
Eros,
Wouldst thou be window'd in great Rome, and see
Thy master thus with pleach'd arms, bending down
His corrigible neck, his face subdued
To penetrative shame, whilst the wheel'd ^note seat
Of fortunate Cæsar, drawn before him, branded
His baseness that ensued? ^note

Eros.
I would not see't.

Ant.
Come, then; for with a wound I must be cured.
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, sworest thou ^note not then
To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once;
Or thy precedent services are all
But accidents unpurposed. Draw, and come ^note.

Eros.
Turn from me then that noble countenance,
Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.

Ant.
Lo thee ^note! [Turning ^note from him.

Eros.
My sword is drawn.

Ant.
Then let it do at once ^note
The thing why thou hast drawn it.

Eros.
My dear master,
My captain, and my emperor, let me say,
Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.

Ant.
'Tis said, man; and farewell.

Eros.
Farewell, great chief. ^note Shall I strike now?

Ant.
Now, Eros.

Eros.
Why, there then: ^note thus I do escape the sorrow
Of Antony's death. ^note [Kills himself. ^note

Ant.
Thrice-nobler than myself!
Thou teachest me, ^note O valiant Eros, what
I should and thou ^note couldst 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
As to a lover's bed. Come then; ^note and, Eros,
Thy master dies thy scholar: to do thus [Falling ^note on his sword.
I learn'd ^note of thee. How! not ^note dead? not dead?
The guard, ho! ^note O, dispatch me! ^noteEnter ^note Dercetas and Guard.

First Guard. ^note
What's the noise?

Ant.
I have ^note done my work ill, friends: O, make an end
Of what I have begun. ^note

Sec. Guard. ^note
The star is fall'n ^note.

First Guard. ^note
And time is at his period.

All.
Alas, and woe!

Ant.
Let him that loves me strike me dead.

First Guard. ^note
Not I.

Sec. Guard. ^note
Nor ^note I.

Third Guard. ^note
Nor any one. [Exeunt Guard. ^note

Der. ^note
Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly.
This sword but shown to Cæsar, with this ^note tidings,
Shall enter me with him.

Enter Diomedes. ^note

Dio.
Where's Antony?

Der. ^note
There, Diomed, there.

Dio.
Lives he?
Wilt thou not answer, man ^note? ^note [Exit Dercetas. ^note

Ant.
Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword, and give me ^note
Sufficing strokes for death.

Dio.
Most absolute lord,
My mistress ^note Cleopatra sent me to thee.

Ant.
When did she send thee?

Dio.
Now, my lord.

Ant.
Where is she?

Dio.
Lock'd in her monument. She had ^note a prophesying ^note fear
Of what hath come to pass: for when she saw—
Which never shall be found—you did suspect
She had disposed ^note with Cæsar, and that your rage
Would not be purged, she sent you word she was dead;
But, fearing since how it might work, hath sent
Me to proclaim the truth; and I am come,
I dread, too late.

Ant.
Too late, good Diomed: call my guard, I prithee.

Dio.
What, ho, the emperor's guard! The guard, what, ho!
Come, your lord calls. ^note

Enter ^note four or five of the Guard of Antony.

Ant.
Bear me, good friends, where ^note Cleopatra bides ^note;
'Tis the last service ^note that I shall command you.

First Guard. ^note
Woe, woe ^note are we, sir, you may not live to wear
All your true followers out.

All.
Most heavy day!

Ant.
Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp fate
To grace it with your sorrows: bid that welcome
Which comes to punish us, and we punish it
Seeming to bear it lightly. Take me up:
I have led you oft: carry me now, good friends,
And have my thanks for all. [Exeunt, ^note bearing Antony. ^note

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