He parted hence, and Cleopatra with him. Vent. Now, my lord. Vent. Your Cleopatra, Dolabella's Cleopatra, Every man's Cleopatra. Ant. 'Tis false. Vent. I do not lie, my lord. Ant. Speak softly; 'twas by my command he Is this so strange? should mistresses be left, Vent. [To Oct.] 'Tis less; a very nothing: you too saw it As well as I, and therefore 'tis no secret. Vent. Yes; she saw young Dolabella— Vent. Young? I think him young, And handsome too; and so do others think him. At last she took occasion to talk softly, And brought her cheek up close, and leaned on his, At which he whispered kisses back on hers; And then she cryed aloud, that constancy Should be rewarded!'-This I saw and heard. Ant. What woman was it, whom you heard and saw So playful with my friend? Vent. Even she, my lord. And not provide against a time of change? you. I know 'tis false, and see the plot betwixt Oct. Are you concerned, Ant. I should be, were it so; For, though 'tis past, I would not, that the world Should tax my former choice; that I loved one Of so light note; but I forgive you both. Vent. What has my age deserved, that you should think I would abuse your ears with perjury? Ant. Though heaven and earth From hell, to prove her so. Nay, go not back, Alex. What means my lord? Vent. To make you do what most you hate, You are of Cleopatra's private counsel, Vent. My most illustrious pandar! No fine set speech, no cadence, no turned periods, By your confession, what more passed betwixt them, How near the business draws to your employment, And when the happy hour? Ant. Speak truth, Alexas; whether it offend Or please Ventidius, care not. Justify Thy injured queen from malice: dare his worst. Oct. [Aside.] See how he gives him courage, how he fears To find her false, and shuts his eyes to truth, Alex. As far as love may plead for woman's frailty, Urged by desert and greatness of the lover, May her past actions hope a fair report. Ant. 'Tis well and truly spoken: Mark, Ventidius. Alex. To you, most noble emperor, her strong passion Stands not excused, but wholly justified. She thought a Roman only could deserve her, Ant. 'Tis but truth. Alex. And yet, though love and your unmatched desert Have drawn her from the due regard of honour, Vent. [Aside.] Oh, wheel you there? Pronounce that fatal word! Oct. Must I bear this? Good heaven! afford me patience! [Aside. Vent. Oh, sweet eunuch! my dear half man, proceed! Aler. Yet Dolabella Has loved her long; he, next my godlike lord, Deserves her best; and should she meet his passion, Rejected, as she is, by him she loved Ant. Hence from my sight, for I can bear no more! Let furies drag thee quick to hell! each torturing hand Do thou employ till Cleopatra comes, Ant. Octavia, leave me! I am much disordered! Leave me, I say! Oct. My lord! you leave me. awhile, In private for your love, who has betrayed you. You did but half return to me; your kindness Lingered behind with her. I hear, my lord, You make conditions for her, And would include her treaty: wondrous proofs Of love to me! Ant. Are you my friend, Ventidius? Or are you turned a Dolabella too, And let this fury loose? Vent. Oh, be advised, Sweet madam! and retire. Oct. Yes, I will go, but never to return; To the dear pledges of our former love So take my last farewell! for I despair My last attempt must be to win her back; [Exit. Ant. Why was I framed with this plain honest heart, Which knows not to disguise its griefs and weak ness, But bears its workings outward to the world? Enter DOLABELla. Vent. Obey him, madam; best withdraw Who has profaned the sacred name of friend, And see how this will work. And worn it into vileness! With how secure a brow and specious form Lay lulled betwixt your bosoms, and there slept Secure of injured faith? Dol. If she has wronged you, Heaven, hell, and you, revenge it! Ant. If she has wronged ine! Ant. Well, Dolabella, you performed my Thou wouldst evade thy part of guilt: but swear message? Dol. I did, unwillingly. Ant. Unwillingly! Was it so hard for you to bear our parting? You should have wished it. Dol. Why! Ant. Because you love me; And she received my message with as true, With as unfeigned a sorrow as you brought it? Dol. She loves you even to madness. Ant. Oh! I know it. You, Dolabella, do not better know How much she loves me. And should I In punishing such crimes. The rolling stone Thou lovest not her. Dol. Not so as I love you. Ant. Not so? Swear, swear, I say, thou dost not love her. Dol. No more than friendship will allow. Friendship allows thee nothing: thou art perju red Who durst not own to her thou dost not love, Nor own to me thou dost! Ventidius heard it, Octavia saw it. Cleo. They are enemies. Ant. Alexas is not so; he, he confest it; He, who next hell best knew it, he avowed it. Why do I seek a proof beyond yourself? [To Dol. You, whom I sent to bear my last farewell, Returned to plead her stay. Dol. What shall I answer? If to have loved be guilt, then I have sinned; Cleo. Ah, what will not a woman do, who loves! What means will she refuse to keep that heart, Where all her joys are placed! 'Twas I encou And thus one minute's feigning has destroyed Ant. Thin cobweb arts of falsehood, Dol. Forgive your mistress. Ant. You have convinced yourselves; You plead each other's cause. What witness have you, That you but meant to raise my jealousy? Ant. Guilt witnesses for guilt! Hence love and friendship! You have no longer place in human breasts; X One look, one kind farewell: oh, iron heart! Ant. No more. Alexas! Dol. A perjured villain! Ant. to Cleo. Your Alexas! yours! Cleo. Oh, 'twas his plot; his ruinous design To engage you in my love by jealousy. Hear him; confront him with me; let him speak. Ant. I have, I have. Cleo. And if he clear me not Ant. Your creature! one, who hangs upon your smiles, Watches your eye, to say or unsay Whate'er you please. I am not to be moved. Cleo. Then must we part? farewell, my cruel lord! The appearance is against me; and I go, I love you more, even now you are unkind, Ant. Good Heaven! they weep at parting. Live, but live wretched; 'tis but just you should, And each your own sad fate with mine deplore, That you were false, and I could trust no more. [Exeunt severally. ACT V. Enter ALEXAS. Iras. Help, oh, Alexas, help! The queen grows desperate, her soul struggles in her, With all the agonies of love and rage, Cleo. Let me go. Art thou there, traitor !—Oh, Oh for a little breath to vent my rage! The ruins of a falling majesty, To place myself beneath the mighty flaw, Cleo. I would reason More calmly with you. Did you not o'errule Dropping and faint with climbing up the cliff, To draw the other's weight, would he look back Cleo. Sunk, never more to rise. Aler. Octavia's gone, and Dolabella banished. Believe me, madam, Antony is yours: His heart was never lost, but started off To jealousy, love's last retreat, and covert, Where it lies hid in shades, watchful in silence, And listening for the sound, that calls it back. Some other, any man, 'tis so advanced, May perfect this unfinished work, which I (Unhappy only to myself) have left So easy to his hand. Cleo. Look well thou dost, else— Aler. Else what your silence threatens-Antony Is mounted up the Pharos, from whose turret If the first happen, fate acquits my promise; Iras. Hark! they redouble it. Aler. Tis from the port; The loudness shows it near. Heavens! Cleo. Osiris make it so! Ser. No; They fought not. Cleo. Then they fled. Ser. Nor that: I saw, With Antony, your well-appointed fleet The Roman rear; and now they all come forward, Cleo. Enough, Serapion; I have heard my doom. This needed not, you gods! When I lost Antony, your work was done. 'Tis but superfluous malice. Where's my lord? How bears he this last blow? Ser. His fury cannot be expressed by words : Thrice he attempted headlong to have fallen Full on his foes, and aimed at Cæsar's galley: Withheld, he raves on you, cries he's betrayed. Should he now find you Alex. Shun him, seek your safety, Alex. You must not; haste you to the monu- While I make speed to Cæsar. Good news, kind I have no business with him. Enter SERAPION. Ser. Where, where's the queen? Alex. How frightfully the holy coward stares! As if not yet recovered of the assault, When all his gods, and what's more dear to him, His offerings, were at stake. Ser. Oh, horror, horror! Egypt has been; the latest hour is come. To spare your life, and let this madman perish. Cleo. Base fawning wretch! wouldst thou betray him too? Hence from my sight! I will not hear a traitor : Ser. Retire; you must not see Antony. 'Tis just he tempt the danger: let him clear you; |