ANTONY                     Thrice nobler than myself, Thou teachest me, O, valiant Eros, what I should and thou couldst not. My queen and Eros Have by their brave instruction 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, […]

CW: suicide EROS   My sword is drawn. ANTONY                                 Then let it do at once The thing why thou hast drawn it. EROS                                       My dear master, My captain, and my Emperor: let me say, Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell. ANTONY ’Tis said, man; and farewell. EROS Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now? […]

EROS                                       O, sir, pardon me! ANTONY         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 unpurposed. Draw, and come. EROS   Turn from me then that noble countenance Wherein the worship of the whole world lies. […]

ANTONY                                 Eros, Wouldst thou be windowed in great Rome and see Thy master thus with pleached arms, bending down His corrigible neck, his face subdued To penetrative shame, whilst the wheeled seat Of fortunate Caesar, drawn before him, branded His baseness that ensued? EROS                                       I would not see’t. ANTONY         Come then; for with a wound […]

ANTONY                                 Thou art sworn, Eros, That when the exigent should come, which now Is come indeed—when I should see behind me Th’inevitable prosecution of Disgrace and horror—that on my command Thou then wouldst kill me. Do’t. The time is come. Thou strik’st not me; ’tis Caesar thou defeat’st. Put colour in thy cheek. EROS                           The […]

CW: discussion of suicide Enter Eros EROS               What would my lord? ANTONY                                 Since Cleopatra died I have lived in such dishonour that the gods Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword Quartered the world, and o’er green Neptune’s back With ships made cities, condemn myself to lack The courage of a woman; less noble […]

ANTONY         I will o’ertake thee, Cleopatra, and 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 […]

ANTONY                                 Dead, then? MARDIAN                                                       Dead. ANTONY Unarm, Eros. The long day’s task is done, And we must sleep. [To Mardian] That thou depart’st hence safe Does pay thy labour richly. Go.                             Exit Mardian Off, pluck off. The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep […]

Enter Mardian ANTONY                     O thy vile lady, She has robbed me of my sword! MARDIAN                   No, Antony, My mistress loved thee, and her fortunes mingled With thine entirely. ANTONY                     Hence, saucy eunuch, peace! She hath betrayed me, and shall die the death. MARDIAN       Death of one person can be paid but once, And that she […]

ANTONY         I made these wars for Egypt, and the Queen— Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine, Which whilst it was mine had annexed unto’t A million more, now lost—she, Eros, has Packed cards with Caesar, and false-played my glory Unto an enemy’s triumph. Nay, weep not, gentle Eros. There is left […]