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Lie down, and ftray no further: Now all labour
Marrs what it does; yea, very force entangles
Itfelf with strength: +Seal then, and all is done.-
Eros!-I come, my queen.-Eros !-Stay for me:
Where fouls do couch on flowers, we'll hand in hand,
And with our fprightly port make the ghofts gaze;
Dido and her Æneas fhall want troops,

And all the haunt be ours.-Come, Eros, Eros !
Enter Eros.

Eros. What would my lord?
Ant. Since Cleopatra died,

I have liv'd in fuch difhonour, that the Gods -
Deteft my bafenefs. I, that with my fword
Quarter'd the world, and o'er green Neptune's back,
With fhips, made cities, condemn myfelf, to lack
The courage of a woman; lefs noble minded

Than fhe, which, by her death, our Cæfar tells,

'

"I am conqueror of myself." Thou art fworn, Eros,
That, when the exigent is come, (which now

Is come indeed) when I fhould fee behind me
The inevitable profecution of

Difgrace and horror, that on my command,

-Seal then, and all is done. -] Metaphor taken from civil contracts, where, when all is agreed on, the fealing compleats the contract; fo he had determined to die, and nothing remain'd but to give the ftroke. The Oxford editor not apprehending this, alters it to

fleep then,

I believe the reading is,

feel then, and all is done.

WARB.

To feel bawks, is to close their eyes. The meaning will be,

-fince the torch is out,

Lie down, and firay no further. Now all labour

Marrs what it does.-Seel then, and all is done.

Clofe thine eyes for ever, and be quiet.

JOHNSON.

Thou

Thou then wouldft kill me. Do't, the time is come.

Thou ftrik'ft not me, 'tis Cæfar thou defeat'st.

Put colour in thy cheek.

Eros. The Gods with-hold me!

Shall I do that, which all the Parthian darts,
Though enemy, loft aim, and could not?
Ant. Eros,

Wouldst thou be window'd in great Rome, and fee
Thy mafter thus with pleach'd arms, bending down
His corrigible neck, his face fubdu'd

To penetrative fhame; whilft the wheel'd feat
Of fortunate Cæfar, drawn before him, branded
"His baseness that enfued?

Eros. I would not fee't.

Ant. Come then; for with a wound I must be cur'd. Draw that thy honeft fword, which thou haft worn Moft useful for thy country.

Eros. Oh, fir, pardon me.

Ant. When I did make thee free, fwor'ft thou not then

To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once,
Or thy precedent fervices 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 fword is drawn.

Ant. Then let it do at once

The thing why thou haft drawn it.

Eros. My dear master,

[Turning from him.

My captain, and my emperor! Let me fay,

S -pleacht arms,-] Arms folded in each other. JOHNS. His bafenefs that enfued?] The poor conquered wretch that followed. JOHNSON. -the worship of the whole world-] The worship, is the dignity, the authority.

2

JOHNSON.

Before

Before I ftrike this bloody ftroke, farewell.
Ant. 'Tis faid man ;-and farewell.

Eros. Farewell, great chief. Shall I ftrike now?
Ant. Now, Eros.

Eros. Why, there then

Thus do I escape the forrow

Of Antony's death.

Ant. Thrice nobler than myself!

[Eros kills himself.

[Dies.

Thou teachest me, oh, valiant Eros, what

I fhould, and thou couldst not. My queen and Eros
Have by their brave inftruction 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 mafter dies thy fcholar; to do thus

[Falling on his fword. I learn'd of thee! How! not dead? not dead?The guard?-ho!—oh, dispatch me.

Enter Dercetas and Guard.

1 Guard. What's the noife?

Ant. I have done my work, ill friends: O make an end

Of what I have begun.

2 Guard. The ftar is fallen.

■ Guard. And time is at his period.

All. Alas, and woe!

Ant. Let him that loves me, ftrike me dead.

1 Guard. Not I.

2 Guard. Nor I.

3 Guard. Nor any one.

-but I will be

[Exeunt.

A bridegroom in my death, &c.] This thought has occurred be

fore in Measure for Meafure,

I will encounter darkness as a bride,

And bug it in my arms.

STEEVENS.

Der.

Der. Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly. This fword but fhewn to Cæfar, with this tidings, Shall enter me with him.

Enter Diomedes.

Dio. Where's Antony?

Der. There, Diomed, there.

Dio. Lives he? Wilt thou not answer, man? Ant. Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy fword, and give me

Sufficing ftrokes for death.

Dio. Moft abfolute lord,

My mistress Cleopatra fent me to thee.

Ant. When did fhe fend thee?

Dio: Now, my lord.

Ant. Where is the?

Dio. Lock'd in her monument.

phefying fear

She had a pro

Of what hath come to pass: for when fhe faw,
(Which never shall be found) you did fufpect
She had difpos'd with Cæfar; and that your rage
Would not be purg'd, fhe fent word fhe was dead;
But fearing fince how it might work, hath fent
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 a Guard.

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

Guard.

Guard. Woe, woe, are we, fir! you may not live.

to wear

All your true followers out.

All. Moft heavy day!

Ant. Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp fate

To grace it with your forrows: 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.

A

[Exeunt, bearing Antony.

SCENE XIII.

MONUMENT.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, and Iras above.

Cleo. Oh Charmian, I will never go from hence. Char. Be comforted, dear madam.

Cleo. No, I will not:

All strange and terrible events are welcome,
But comforts we defpife; our fize of forrow,
Proportion'd to our caufe, must be as great
As that which makes it.

Enter Diomedes.

How now? is he dead?

Dio. His death's upon him, but not dead. Look out o' the other fide your monument, His guard have brought him thither.

Enter

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