Anthony and Cleopatra?

Act. 5. Scene 2.

Published Oct.1.1800. by Vernor & Hood, Foultry.

If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world
It is not worth leave-taking.

Char. Diffolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may fay The gods themselves do weep!

Cleo.

This proves me base:

If the first meet the curled Antony,

He'll make demand of her; and spend that kifs,
Which is my heaven to have.-Come, mortal wretch,
[To the afp, which fbe applies to ber breaft.

With thy fharp teeth this knot intrinficate
Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool,
Be angry, and despatch. O, could'st thou speak!
That I might hear thee call great Cæsar, afs
Upolicied!

Doft thou not fee my baby at my breast,

That fucks the nurse asleep?

Char.

O, break! O, break!

Cleo. As fweet as balm, as foft as air, as gentle,O Antony!-Nay, I will take thee too :

What fhould I stay

[Applying another afp to her arm.
[Falls on a bed, and dies.

Char. In this wild world?-So, fare thee well.-
Now boast thee, death! in thy possession lies
A lafs unparallel'd.—Downy windows, close;
And golden Phoebus never be beheld

Of eyes again fo royal! Your crown's awry;
I'll mend it, and then play.

Enter the Guard, rushing in.

1 Guard. Where is the queen?
Char.

Speak foftly, wake her not. 1 Guard.

1 Guard. Cæfar hath fentChar.

Too flow a meffenger.

[Applies the afp.

O, come; apace, defpatch: I partly feel thee.

1 Guard. Approach, ho! All's not well: Cæfar's beguil'd.

2 Guard. There's Dolabella fent from Cæfar;-call him. 1 Guard. What work is here ?-Charmian, is this well

done?

Char. It is well done, and fitting for a princess Defcended of fo many royal kings.

Touch their effects in this: Thyfelf art coming
To fee perform'd the dreaded act, which thou
So fought'ft to hinder.

Within.

A way there, way for Cæfar!

Enter CESAR, and Attendants,

Dol. O, fir, you are too fure an augurer; That you did fear, is done.

Caf:

Brav'it at the last:

She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal,

Took her own way. The manner of their deaths?
I do not fee them bleed.

Dol.

Who was laft with them?

1 Guard. A fimple countryman, that brought her figs; This was his basket.

Caf.

This Charmian liv'd but now; the stood, and spake:
I found her trimming up the diadem

On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood,
And on the sudden dropp'd.

O noble weakness !

Caf.
If they had swallow'd poifon, 'twould appear
By external fwelling: but she looks like sleep,
As fhe would catch another Antony

In her strong toil of grace.

Dol.

Here, on her breast,

There is a vent of blood, and something blown :

The like is on her arm.

1 Guard. This is an afpick's trail: and these fig-leaves Have flime upon them, such as the aspick leaves Upon the caves of Nile.

Caf.

Most probable,

That fo fhe died; for her phyfician tells me,
She hath purfu'd conclufions infinite

Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed;
And bear her women from the monument :-
She shall be buried by her Antony:

No grave upon the earth shall clip in it
A pair fo famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them: and their story is
No lefs in pity, than his glory, which
Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall,
In folemn fhow, attend this funeral;
And then to Rome.-Come, Dolabella, fee
High order in this great folemnity.

[Exeunt.