John Dryden - Delphi Poets Series
Page 266
Cleo. I’ll stay.
Alex. You must not; haste you to your monument, 125
While I make speed to Cæsar.
Cleo. Cæsar! No,
I have no business with him.
Alex. I can work him
To spare your life, and let this madman perish. 130
Cleo. Base fawning wretch! wouldst thou betray him too?
Hence from my sight! I will not hear a traitor;
’Twas thy design brought all this ruin on us. —
Serapion, thou art honest; counsel me:
But haste, each moment’s precious. 135
Serap. Retire; you must not yet see Antony.
He who began this mischief,
’Tis just he tempt the danger; let him clear you:
And, since he offered you his servile tongue,
To gain a poor precarious life from Cæsar, 140
Let him expose that fawning eloquence,
And speak to Antony.
Alex. O heavens! I dare not;
I meet my certain death.
Cleo. Slave, thou deservest it. — 145
Not that I fear my lord, will I avoid him;
I know him noble: when he banished me,
And thought me false, he scorned to take my life;
But I’ll be justified, and then die with him.
Alex. O pity me, and let me follow you. 150
Cleo. To death, if thou stir hence. Speak, if thou canst,
Now for thy life, which basely thou wouldst save;
While mine I prize at — this! Come, good Serapion. [Exeunt CLEOPATRA, SERAPION, CHARMION, and IRAS.
Alex. O that I less could fear to lose this being,
Which, like a snowball in my coward hand, 155
The more ’tis grasped, the faster melts away.
Poor reason! what a wretched aid art thou!
For still, in spite of thee,
These two long lovers, soul and body, dread
Their final separation. Let me think: 160
What can I say, to save myself from death?
No matter what becomes of Cleopatra.
Ant. Which way? where? [Within.
Vent. This leads to the monument [Within.
165
Alex. Ah me! I hear him; yet I’m unprepared:
My gift of lying’s gone;
And this court-devil, which I so oft have raised,
Forsakes me at my need. I dare not stay;
Yet cannot far go hence. [Exit. 170
Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS
Ant. O happy Cæsar! thou hast men to lead:
Think not ’tis thou hast conquered Antony;
But Rome has conquered Egypt. I’m betrayed.
Vent. Curse on this treacherous train! 175
Their soil and heaven infect them all with baseness:
And their young souls come tainted to the world
With the first breath they draw.
Ant. The original villain sure no god created;
He was a bastard of the sun, by Nile, 180
Aped into man; with all his mother’s mud
Crusted about his soul.
Vent. The nation is
One universal traitor; and their queen
The very spirit and extract of them all. 185
Ant. Is there yet left
A possibility of aid from valour?
Is there one god unsworn to my destruction?
The least unmortgaged hope? for, if there be,
Methinks I cannot fall beneath the fate 190
Of such a boy as Cæsar.
The world’s one half is yet in Antony;
And from each limb of it, that’s hewed away,
The soul comes back to me.
Vent. There yet remain 195
Three legions in the town. The last assault
Lopt off the rest; if death be your design, —
As I must wish it now, — these are sufficient
To make a heap about us of dead foes,
An honest pile for burial. 200
Ant. They are enough.
We’ll not divide our stars; but, side by side,
Fight emulous, and with malicious eyes
Survey each other’s acts: So every death
Thou giv’st, I’ll take on me, as a just debt, 205
And pay thee back a soul.
Vent. Now you shall see I love you. Not a word
Of chiding more. By my few hours of life,
I am so pleased with this brave Roman fate,
That I would not be Cæsar, to outlive your. 210
When we put off this flesh, and mount together,
I shall be shown to all the ethereal crowd, —
Lo, this is he who died with Antony!
Ant. Who knows, but we may pierce through all their troops,
And reach my veterans yet? ’tis worth the ‘tempting, 215
To o’erleap this gulf of fate,
And leave our wandering destinies behind.
Enter ALEXAS, trembling
Vent. See, see, that villain!
See Cleopatra stamped upon that face, 220
With all her cunning, all her arts of falsehood!
How she looks out through those dissembling eyes!
How he sets his countenance for deceit,
And promises a lie, before he speaks!
Let me despatch him first. [Drawing. 225
Alex. O spare me, spare me!
Ant. Hold; he’s not worth your killing. — On thy life,
Which thou may’st keep, because I scorn to take it,
No syllable to justify thy queen;
Save thy base tongue its office. 230
Alex. Sir, she is gone.
Where she shall never be molested more
By love, or you.
Ant. Fled to her Dolabella!
Die, traitor! I revoke my promise die! [Going to kill him. 235
Alex. O hold! she is not fled.
Ant. She is: my eyes
Are open to her falsehood; my whole life
Has been a golden dream of love and friendship;
But, now I wake, I’m like a merchant, roused 240
From soft repose, to see his vessel sinking,
And all his wealth cast over. Ungrateful woman!
Who followed me, but as the swallow summer,
Hatching her young ones in my kindly beams,
Singing her flatteries to my morning wake: 245
But, now my winter comes, she spreads her wings,
And seeks the spring of Cæsar.
Alex. Think not so;
Her fortunes have, in all things, mixed with yours.
Had she betrayed her naval force to Rome, 250
How easily might she have gone to Cæsar,
Secure by such a bribe!
Vent. She sent it first,
To be more welcome after.
Ant. ’Tis too plain; 255
Else would she have appeared, to clear herself.
Alex. Too fatally she has: she could not bear
To be accused by you; but shut herself
Within her monument; looked down and sighed;
While, from her unchanged face, the silent tears 260
Dropt, as they had not leave, but stole their parting.
Some indistinguished words she only murmured;
At last, she raised her eyes; and, with such looks
As dying Lucrece cast —
Ant. My heart forebodes — 265
Vent. All for the best: — Go on.
Alex. She snatched her poniard,
And, ere we could prevent the fatal blow,
Plunged it within her breast; then turned to me:
Go, bear my lord, said she, my last farewell; 270
And ask him, if he yet suspect my faith.
More she was saying, but death rushed betwixt.
She half pronounced your name with her last breath,
And buried half within her.
Vent. Heaven be praised! 275
Ant. Then art thou innocent, my poor dear love,
And art thou dead?
O those two words! their sound should be divided:
Hadst thou been false, and died; or hadst thou lived,
And hadst been true — But innocence and death! 280
This shows not well above. Then what am I,
The murderer of this truth, this innocence!
Thoughts cannot form themselves in words so horrid
As can express my guilt!
Vent. Is’t come to this? The gods have been too gracious; 285
And thus you thank them for it!
Ant. [to ALEX]. Why stayest thou here?
Is it for thee to spy upon my soul,
And see its inward mourning? Get thee hence;
Thou art not worthy to behold, what now 290
Becomes a Roman emperor to perform.
Alex. He loves her still:
His grief betrays it. Good! the joy to find
She’s yet alive, completes the reconcilement.
I’ve saved myself, and her. But, oh! the Romans! 295
Fate comes too fast upon my wit,
Hunts me too hard, and meets me at each double. [Aside. Exit.
Vent. Would she had died a little sooner, though!
Before Octavia went, you might have treated:
Now ‘twill look tame, and would not be received. 300
Come, rouse yourself, and let’s die warm together.
Ant. I will not fight: there’s no more work for war.
The business of my angry hours is done.
Vent. Cæsar is at your gates.
Ant. Why, let him enter; 305
He’s welcome now.
Vent. What lethargy has crept into your soul?
Ant. ’Tis but a scorn of life, and just desire
To free myself from bondage.
Vent. Do it bravely. 310
Ant. I will; but not by fighting. O Ventidius!
What should I fight for now? — my queen is dead.
I was but great for her; my power, my empire,
Were but my merchandise to buy her love;
And conquered kings, my factors. Now she’s dead, 315
Let Cæsar take the world, —
An empty circle, since the jewel’s gone
Which made it worth my strife: my being’s nauseous;
For all the bribes of life are gone away.
Vent. Would you be taken? 320
Ant. Yes, I would be taken;
But, as a Roman ought, — dead, my Ventidius:
For I’ll convey my soul from Cæsar’s reach,
And lay down life myself. ’Tis time the world
Should have a lord, and know whom to obey. 325
We two have kept its homage in suspense,
And bent the globe, on whose each side we trod,
Till it was dented inwards. Let him walk
Alone upon’t: I’m weary of my part.
My torch is out; and the world stands before me, 330
Like a black desert at the approach of night:
I’ll lay me down, and stray no farther on.
Vent. I could be grieved,
But that I’ll not outlive you: choose your death;
For, I have seen him in such various shapes, 335
I care not which I take: I’m only troubled,
The life I bear is worn to such a rag,
’Tis scarce worth giving. I could wish, indeed,
We threw it from us with a better grace;
That, like two lions taken in the toils, 340
We might at last thrust out our paws, and wound
The hunters that inclose us.
Ant. I have thought on it.
Ventidius, you must live.
Vent. I must not, sir. 345
Ant. Wilt thou not live, to speak some good of me?
To stand by my fair fame, and guard the approaches
From the ill tongues of men?
Vent. Who shall guard mine,
For living after you? 350
Ant. Say, I command it.
Vent. If we die well, our deaths will speak themselves
And need no living witness.
Ant. Thou hast loved me,
And fain I would reward thee. I must die; 355
Kill me, and take the merit of my death,
To make thee friends with Cæsar.
Vent. Thank your kindness.
You said I loved you; and in recompense,
You bid me turn a traitor: Did I think 360
You would have used me thus? — that I should die
With a hard thought of you?
Ant. Forgive me, Roman.
Since I have heard of Cleopatra’s death,
My reason bears no rule upon my tongue, 365
But lets my thoughts break all at random out.
I’ve thought better; do not deny me twice.
Vent. By Heaven I will not.
Let it not be to outlive you.
Ant. Kill me first, 370
And then die thou; for ’tis but just thou serve
Thy friend, before thyself.
Vent. Give me your hand.
We soon shall meet again. Now, farewell, emperor! — [Embrace. 375
Methinks that word’s too cold to be my last:
Since death sweeps all distinctions, farewell, friend!
That’s all —
I will not make a business of a trifle;
And yet I cannot look on you, and kill you; 380
Pray turn your face.
Ant. I do: strike home, be sure.
Vent. Home as my sword will reach. [Kills himself.
Ant. Oh, thou mistak’st;
That wound was not of thine; give it me back: 385
Thou robb’st me of my death.
Vent. I do indeed;
But think ’tis the first time I e’er deceived you,
If that may plead my pardon. — And you, gods,
Forgive me, if you will; for I die perjured, 390
Rather than kill my friend. [Dies.
Ant. Farewell! Ever my leader, even in death!
My queen and thou have got the start of me,
And I’m the lag of honour. — Gone so soon?
Is Death no more? he used him carelessly, 395
With a familiar kindness: ere he knocked,
Ran to the door, and took him in his arms,
As who should say — You’re welcome at all hours,
A friend need give no warning. Books had spoiled him;
For all the learned are cowards by profession. 400
’Tis not worth
My further thought; for death, for aught I know,
Is but to think no more. Here’s to be satisfied. [Falls on his sword.
I’ve missed my heart. O unperforming hand!
Thou never couldst have erred in a worse time. 405
My fortune jades me to the last; and death,
Like a great man, takes state, and makes me wait
For my admittance. [Trampling within.
Some, perhaps, from Cæsar:
If he should find me living, and suspect 410
That I played booty with my life! I’ll mend
My work, ere they can reach me. [Rises upon his knees.
Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMION, and IRAS
Cleo. Where is my lord? where is he?
Char. There he lies, 415
And dead Ventidius by him.
Cleo. My tears were prophets; I am come too late.
O that accursed Alexas! [Runs to him.
Ant. Art thou living?
Or am I dead before I knew, and thou 420
The first kind ghost that meets me?
Cleo. Help me seat him.
Send quickly, send for help! [They place him in a chair.
Ant. I am answered.
We live both. Sit thee down, my Cleopatra: 425
I’ll make the most I can of l
ife, to stay
A moment more with thee.
Cleo. How is it with you?
Ant. ’Tis as with a man
Removing in a hurry; all packed up, 430
But one dear jewel that his haste forgot;
And he, for that, returns upon the spur:
So I come back for thee.
Cleo. Too long, ye heavens, you have been cruel to me:
Now show your mended faith, and give me back 435
His fleeting life!
Ant. It will not be, my love;
I keep my soul by force.
Say but, thou art not false.
Cleo. ’Tis now too late 440
To say I’m true: I’ll prove it, and die with you.
Unknown to me, Alexas feigned my death:
Which, when I knew, I hasted to prevent
This fatal consequence. My fleet betrayed
Both you and me. 445
Ant. And Dolabella —
Cleo. Scarce
Esteemed before he loved; but hated now.
Ant. Enough: my life’s not long enough for more.
Thou say’st, thou wilt come after: I believe thee; 450
For I can now believe whate’er thou sayest,
That we may part more kindly.
Cleo. I will come:
Doubt not, my life, I’ll come, and quickly too:
Cæsar shall triumph o’er no part of thee. 455
Ant. But grieve not, while thou stayest,
My last disastrous times:
Think we have had a clear and glorious day
And Heaven did kindly to delay the storm,
Just till our close of evening. Ten years’ love, 460
And not a moment lost, but all improved
To the utmost joys, — what ages have we lived?
And now to die each other’s; and, so dying,
While hand in hand we walk in groves below,
Whole troops of lovers’ ghosts shall flock about us, 465
And all the train be ours.
Cleo. Your words are like the notes of dying swans,
Too sweet to last. Were there so many hours
For your unkindness, and not one for love?
Ant. No, not a minute. — This one kiss — more worth 470
Than all I leave to Cæsar. [Dies.
Cleo. O tell me so again,
And take ten thousand kisses for that word.
My lord, my lord! speak, if you yet have being;
Sign to me, if you cannot speak; or cast 475
One look! Do anything that shows you live.
Iras. He’s gone too far to hear you;
And this you see, a lump of senseless clay,
The leavings of a soul.
Char. Remember, madam, 480
He charged you not to grieve.
Cleo. And I’ll obey him.
I have not loved a Roman, not to know
What should become his wife; his wife, my Charmion!
For ’tis to that high title I aspire; 485