Eros. It does, my lord. Ant. My good knave, Eros, now thy captain is Pack'd cards with Cæsar's', and false play'd my glory Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us Enter MARDIAN. She has robb'd me of my sword. No, Antony; Mar. 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 The name of Antony; it was divided Between her heart and lips. Thy name so buried in her. Ant. Mar. She render'd life, Dead, then? Dead. Ant. Unarm, Eros: the long day's task is done, And we must sleep.-That thou depart'st hence safe, Pack'd cards with CESAR'S,] i. e. Packed her cards with Cæsar's cards. All the old copies have "Cæsar's," all the modern editions Cæsar; but there is no necessity for the change. Warburton would make out that Shakespeare had a double meaning in the use of the word "triumph," with reference to cards, but we know from Ben Jonson, that a trump card was not then called a triumph" card. 66 Does pay thy labour richly; go.-[Exit MARDIAN.] The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep You have been nobly borne.-From me a while.— [Exit EROS. Weep for my pardon. So it must be, for now All length is torture: 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 Æneas shall want troops, I will o'ertake thee, Cleopatra, and And all the haunt be ours.-Come, Eros! Eros! Re-enter EROS. Since Cleopatra died Eros. What would my lord? Ant. I have liv'd in such dishonour, that the gods 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! Eros, Shall I do that, which all the Parthian darts, 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, 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. Ant. The thing why thou hast drawn it. Eros. [Turning from him. Then, let it do at once My dear master, My captain, and my emperor, let me say, Eros. Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now? 2 with PLEACH'D arms,] "Pleach'd" is interwoven or folded. In Vol. ii. p. 198, we have had "pleached," and in Vol. iv. p. 565, "even-pleached," in a similar sense. 3 To do this when I bade thee?] This is one of the incidents taken exactly from Plutarch, and Shakespeare follows his original in this scene with even verbal accuracy. Ant. Now, Eros. Eros. Why, there then :-[Falls on his Sword.] Thus do I escape the sorrow Of Antony's death. Ant. [Dies. Thrice nobler than myself! Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros! what I should, and thou could'st not. My queen and Eros A nobleness in record: but I will be [Falling on his Sword. I learn'd of thee.-How! not dead? not dead?— The guard!-how?-O, despatch me1! 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. 2 Guard. 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. The star is fallen. 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. Enter DIOMEDES. Dio. Where's Antony? 4 The guard! HOW! O, despatch me !] Modern editors have usually printed ho! for "how?" of the folios. The Rev. Mr. Barry proposes the substitution of now; but it seems to us that the text hardly requires alteration. My mistress, Cleopatra, sent me to thee. Dio. Most absolute lord, Now, my lord. Ant. Where is she? Dio. Lock'd in her monument. She had a prophe sying 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. Dio. What, ho! the emperor's guard! The guard, what, ho! Come; your lord calls. Enter some of the Guard3. Ant. Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides; "Tis the last service that I shall command you. 1 Guard. Woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wear All your true followers out. All. Most heavy day! 5 Enter some of the Guard.] The old stage-direction shows how many the theatre (supposing the tragedy to have been acted, of which, though we can have no proof, there can be little doubt) afforded for this duty :-" Enter 4 or 5 of the Guard of Antony." |