按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
Patient Octavia plough thy visage up With her prepared nails。 Exit
CLEOPATRA 'Tis well th'art gone； If it be well to live； but better 'twere
Thou fell'st into my fury； for one death Might have prevented many。 Eros；
ho！ The shirt of Nessus is upon me； teach me； Alcides； thou mine ancestor；
78
… Page 79…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
thy rage； Let me lodge Lichas on the horns o' th' moon； And with those
hands that grasp'd the heaviest club Subdue my worthiest self。 The witch
shall die。 To the young Roman boy she hath sold me； and I fall Under this
plot。 She dies for't。 Eros； ho！ Exit
79
… Page 80…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
SCENE XIII。 Alexandria。 CLEOPATRA's palace
Enter CLEOPATRA； CHARMIAN； IRAS； and MARDIAN
CLEOPATRA。 Help me； my women。 O； he is more mad Than
Telamon for his shield； the boar of Thessaly Was never so emboss'd。
CHARMIAN。 To th'monument！ There lock yourself； and send him word
you are dead。 The soul and body rive not more in parting Than greatness
going off。 CLEOPATRA。 To th' monument！ Mardian； go tell him I have
slain myself； Say that the last I spoke was 'Antony' And word it； prithee；
piteously。 Hence； Mardian； And bring me how he takes my death。 To th'
monument！ Exeunt
80
… Page 81…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
SCENE XIV。 CLEOPATRA'S palace
Enter ANTONY and EROS
ANTONY。 Eros； thou yet behold'st me？ EROS。 Ay； noble lord。
ANTONY。 Sometime we see a cloud that's dragonish； A vapour sometime
like a bear or lion； A tower'd citadel； a pendent rock； A forked mountain；
or blue promontory With trees upon't that nod unto the world And mock
our eyes with air。 Thou hast seen these signs； They are black vesper's
pageants。 EROS。 Ay； my lord。 ANTONY。 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。 ANTONY。 My good knave Eros； now thy
captain is Even such a body。 Here I am 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； now lost… she； Eros； has Pack'd cards
with Caesar； and false…play'd my glory Unto an enemy's triumph。 Nay；
weep not； gentle Eros； there is left us Ourselves to end ourselves。
Enter MARDIAN
O； thy vile lady！ She has robb'd me of my sword。 MARDIAN。 No；
Antony； My mistress lov'd thee； and her fortunes mingled With thine
entirely。 ANTONY。 Hence； saucy eunuch； peace！ She hath betray'd me；
and shall die the death。 MARDIAN。 Death of one person can be paid but
once； And that she has discharg'd。 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 rend'red life； Thy name so buried in her。
ANTONY。 Dead then？ MARDIAN。 Dead。 ANTONY。 Unarm； Eros； the
long day's task is done； And we must sleep。 That thou depart'st hence safe
Does pay thy labour richly。 Go。 Exit MARDIAN Off； pluck off！ The
sevenfold shield of Ajax cannot keep The battery from my heart。 O； cleave；
my sides！ Heart； once be stronger than thy continent； Crack thy frail case。
Apace； Eros； apace。… 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 must be； for now All length is torture。
81
… Page 82…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
Since the torch is out； Lie down； and stray no farther。 Now all labour Mars
what it does； yea； very force entangles Itself with strength。 Seal then； and
all is done。 Eros！… I come； my queen。… Eros！… Stay 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 Aeneas shall want troops； And all the haunt
be ours。… Come； Eros； Eros！
Re…enter EROS
EROS。 What would my lord？ ANTONY。 Since Cleopatra died； I have
liv'd 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 With ships made
cities； condemn myself to lack The courage of a woman； less noble mind
Than she which by her death our Caesar tells 'I am conqueror of myself。'
Thou art sworn； Eros； That； when the exigent should come… which now Is
come indeed… when I should see behind me Th' inevitable prosecution of
Disgrace and horror； that； on my command； Thou then wouldst kill me。
Do't； the time is come。 Thou strik'st not me； 'tis Caesar thou defeat'st。 Put
colour in thy cheek。 EROS。 The gods withhold me！ Shall I do that which
all the Parthian darts； Though enemy； lost aim and could not？ ANTONY。
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 subdu'd To
penetrative shame； whilst the wheel'd seat Of fortunate Caesar； drawn
before him； branded His baseness that ensued？ EROS。 I would not see't。
ANTONY。 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！ ANTONY。 When I did make thee free； swor'st thou not
then To do this when I bade thee？ Do it at once； 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。
ANTONY。 Lo thee！ ＇Turning from him＇ EROS。 My sword is drawn。
ANTONY。 Then let it do at once 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。 ANTONY。 'Tis said； man； and farewell。
EROS。 Farewell； great chief。 Shall I strike now？ ANTONY。 Now； Eros。
EROS。 Why； there then！ Thus do I escape the sorrow Of Antony's death。
82
… Page 83…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
＇Kills himself ANTONY。 Thrice nobler than myself！ Thou teachest me； O
valiant Eros； what I should； and thou 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； and； Eros； Thy master dies thy scholar。 To do thus ＇Falling on his
sword＇ I learn'd of thee。 How？ not dead？ not dead？… The guard； ho！ O；
dispatch me！
Enter DERCETAS and a guard
FIRST GUARD。 What's the noise？ ANTONY。 I have done my work
ill； friends。 O； make an end Of what I have begun。 SECOND GUARD。
The star is fall'n。 FIRST GUARD。 And time is at his period。 ALL。 Alas；
and woe！ ANTONY。 Let him that loves me； strike me dead。 FIRST
GUARD。 Not I。 SECOND GUARD。 Nor I。 THIRD GUARD。 Nor any one。
Exeunt guard DERCETAS。 Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly。
This sword but shown to Caesar； with this tidings； Shall enter me with
him。
Enter DIOMEDES
DIOMEDES。 Where's Antony？ DERCETAS。 There； Diomed； there。
DIOMEDES。 Lives he？ Wilt thou not answer； man？ Exit DERCETAS
ANTONY。 Art thou there； Diomed？ Draw thy sword and give me
Sufficing strokes for death。 DIOMEDES。 Most absolute lord； My mistress
Cleopatra sent me to thee。 ANTONY。 When did she send thee？
DIOMEDES。 Now； my lord。 ANTONY。 Where is she？ DIOMEDES。
Lock'd in her monument。 She had a prophesying fear Of what hath come
to pass； for when she saw… Which never shall be found… you did suspect
She had dispos'd with Caesar； and that your rage Would not be purg'd； 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。 ANTONY。
Too late； good Diomed。 Call my guard； I prithee。 DIOMEDES。 What； ho！
the Emperor's guard！ The guard； what ho！ Come； your lord calls！