feat_summary_path: finished_summaries/shmoop/The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra/section_38_part_0.txt
feat_book_id: The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra.act iv.scene xiv
feat_summary_id: act iv, scene xiv
feat_summary: {"name": "Act IV, Scene xiv", "url": "https://web.archive.org/web/20210116191009/https://www.shmoop.com/study-guides/literature/antony-cleopatra/summary/act-iv-scene-xiv", "summary": "Eros comes upon Antony, who's philosophizing on nature--exactly what you might expect from a suicidal guy who's just lost a great battle and is convinced that the woman he sacrificed everything for has betrayed him to his enemy. Eros weeps, and Antony comforts him with the thought that at least his master can kill himself. This is maybe not so comforting. Mardian then enters. Antony rages at him, too, telling him he'll kill Cleopatra for her betrayal. Mardian announces Cleopatra has already taken care of it, that she died with his name on her lips. Antony doesn't exactly fall on the ground, but announces that Eros should go to bed, as all their work for the day is now done. He tells Mardian to be grateful that he's allowed to go safely, as in: \"I could have you killed, but I'm not going to.\" Even though Antony was just raging against her, we see that the news of Cleopatra's death is tearing him apart on the inside. He begs his heart to be stronger than his body, or, if not, at least burst open his body as it fills with grief. Antony says he will catch up with Cleopatra and weep for her forgiveness. Then calls for Eros to return. Antony tells Eros that Cleopatra has made herself noble by taking her own life. She is, at the end, the sole conqueror of herself. Thus he tells Eros to kill him. Eros refuses, but Antony reminds him that when he freed Eros , Eros promised to do anything Antony wished. Eros readies to kill Antony, but demands that Antony turn away his face before Eros strikes the blow. Antony agrees, and tells Eros to do it now. With his face turned away, Antony misses that Eros has actually plunged his sword into himself, choosing to take his own life rather than his friend's. Antony is so moved by the nobility of suicide that Eros and Cleopatra showed that he resolves to kill himself. Antony stabs himself, but finding he has not died immediately, he calls on the guards to finish him off. The guards refuse which means Antony's going to die slowly and painfully. Then...Diomedes enters with the news that Cleopatra's actually not dead. Cleopatra was just playing a little trick because she was hurt that Antony believed she betrayed him to Caesar, which she definitely didn't do. Antony doesn't flip out, but instead asks that his guards lead him to Cleopatra's side.", "analysis": ""}
text: SCENE XIV.
                       CLEOPATRA'S palace
  
                     Enter ANTONY and EROS
  
    ANTONY. Eros, thou yet behold'st me?
    EROS. Ay, noble lord.
    ANTONY. Sometime we see a cloud that's dragonish;
      A vapour sometime like a bear or lion,
      A tower'd citadel, a pendent rock,
      A forked mountain, or blue promontory
      With trees upon't that nod unto the world
      And mock our eyes with air. Thou hast seen these signs;
      They are black vesper's pageants.
    EROS. Ay, my lord.
    ANTONY. That which is now a horse, even with a thought
      The rack dislimns, and makes it indistinct,
      As water is in water.
    EROS. It does, my lord.
    ANTONY. My good knave Eros, now thy captain is
      Even such a body. Here I am Antony;
      Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave.
      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 annex'd unto't
      A million moe, now lost- she, Eros, has
      Pack'd cards with Caesar, and false-play'd my glory
      Unto an enemy's triumph.
      Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us
      Ourselves to end ourselves.
  
                           Enter MARDIAN
  
      O, thy vile lady!
      She has robb'd me of my sword.
    MARDIAN. No, Antony;
      My mistress lov'd thee, and her fortunes mingled
      With thine entirely.
    ANTONY. Hence, saucy eunuch; peace!
      She hath betray'd me, and shall die the death.
    MARDIAN. Death of one person can be paid but once,
      And that she has discharg'd. What thou wouldst do
      Is done unto thy hand. The last she spake
      Was 'Antony! most noble Antony!'
      Then in the midst a tearing groan did break
      The name of Antony; it was divided
      Between her heart and lips. She rend'red life,
      Thy name so buried in her.
    ANTONY. Dead then?
    MARDIAN. Dead.
    ANTONY. Unarm, Eros; the long day's task is done,
      And we must sleep. That thou depart'st hence safe
      Does pay thy labour richly. Go.                 Exit MARDIAN
      Off, pluck off!
      The sevenfold shield of Ajax cannot keep
      The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my sides!
      Heart, once be stronger than thy continent,
      Crack thy frail case. Apace, Eros, apace.-
      No more a soldier. Bruised pieces, go;
      You have been nobly borne.- From me awhile.        Exit EROS
      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 for me;
      Where souls do couch on flowers, we'll hand in hand,
      And with our sprightly port make the ghosts gaze.
      Dido and her Aeneas shall want troops,
      And all the haunt be ours.- Come, Eros, Eros!
  
                         Re-enter EROS
  
    EROS. What would my lord?
    ANTONY. Since Cleopatra died,
      I have liv'd in such dishonour that the gods
      Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword
      Quarter'd the world, and o'er green Neptune's back
      With ships made cities, condemn myself to lack
      The courage of a woman; less noble mind
      Than she which by her death our Caesar tells
      'I am conqueror of myself.' 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 gods withhold me!
      Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts,
      Though enemy, lost aim and could not?
    ANTONY. Eros,
      Wouldst thou be window'd in great Rome and see
      Thy master thus with pleach'd arms, bending down
      His corrigible neck, his face subdu'd
      To penetrative shame, whilst the wheel'd 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 I must be cur'd.
      Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn
      Most useful for thy country.
    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 unpurpos'd. Draw, and come.
    EROS. Turn from me then that noble countenance,
      Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.
    ANTONY. Lo thee!                            [Turning from him]
    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?
    ANTONY. Now, Eros.
    EROS. Why, there then! Thus do I escape the sorrow
      Of Antony's death.                            [Kills himself
    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,
      Thy master dies thy scholar. To do thus
                                            [Falling on his sword]
      I learn'd of thee. How? not dead? not dead?-
      The guard, ho! O, dispatch me!
  
                    Enter DERCETAS and a guard
  
    FIRST GUARD. What's the noise?
    ANTONY. I have done my work ill, friends. O, make an end
      Of what I have begun.
    SECOND GUARD. The star is fall'n.
    FIRST GUARD. And time is at his period.
    ALL. Alas, and woe!
    ANTONY. Let him that loves me, strike me dead.
    FIRST GUARD. Not I.
    SECOND GUARD. Nor I.
    THIRD GUARD. Nor any one.                         Exeunt guard
    DERCETAS. Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly.
      This sword but shown to Caesar, with this tidings,
      Shall enter me with him.
  
                         Enter DIOMEDES
  
    DIOMEDES. Where's Antony?
    DERCETAS. There, Diomed, there.
    DIOMEDES. Lives he?
      Wilt thou not answer, man?                     Exit DERCETAS
    ANTONY. Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword and give me
      Sufficing strokes for death.
    DIOMEDES. Most absolute lord,
      My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.
    ANTONY. When did she send thee?
    DIOMEDES. Now, my lord.
    ANTONY. Where is she?
    DIOMEDES. Lock'd in her monument. She had a prophesying fear
      Of what hath come to pass; for when she saw-
      Which never shall be found- you did suspect
      She had dispos'd with Caesar, and that your rage
      Would not be purg'd, she sent you word she was dead;
      But fearing since how it might work, hath sent
      Me to proclaim the truth; and I am come,
      I dread, too late.
    ANTONY. Too late, good Diomed. Call my guard, I prithee.
    DIOMEDES. What, ho! the Emperor's guard! The guard, what ho!
      Come, your lord calls!
  
               Enter four or five of the guard of ANTONY
  
    ANTONY. Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides;
      'Tis the last service that I shall command you.
    FIRST GUARD. Woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wear
      All your true followers out.
    ALL. Most heavy day!
    ANTONY. Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp fate
      To grace it with your sorrows. 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.           Exeunt, hearing ANTONY
  ACT_4|SC_15
  
  
  
  
feat_summary_name: Act IV, Scene xiv
target: Eros comes upon Antony, who's philosophizing on nature--exactly what you might expect from a suicidal guy who's just lost a great battle and is convinced that the woman he sacrificed everything for has betrayed him to his enemy. Eros weeps, and Antony comforts him with the thought that at least his master can kill himself. This is maybe not so comforting. Mardian then enters. Antony rages at him, too, telling him he'll kill Cleopatra for her betrayal. Mardian announces Cleopatra has already taken care of it, that she died with his name on her lips. Antony doesn't exactly fall on the ground, but announces that Eros should go to bed, as all their work for the day is now done. He tells Mardian to be grateful that he's allowed to go safely, as in: "I could have you killed, but I'm not going to." Even though Antony was just raging against her, we see that the news of Cleopatra's death is tearing him apart on the inside. He begs his heart to be stronger than his body, or, if not, at least burst open his body as it fills with grief. Antony says he will catch up with Cleopatra and weep for her forgiveness. Then calls for Eros to return. Antony tells Eros that Cleopatra has made herself noble by taking her own life. She is, at the end, the sole conqueror of herself. Thus he tells Eros to kill him. Eros refuses, but Antony reminds him that when he freed Eros , Eros promised to do anything Antony wished. Eros readies to kill Antony, but demands that Antony turn away his face before Eros strikes the blow. Antony agrees, and tells Eros to do it now. With his face turned away, Antony misses that Eros has actually plunged his sword into himself, choosing to take his own life rather than his friend's. Antony is so moved by the nobility of suicide that Eros and Cleopatra showed that he resolves to kill himself. Antony stabs himself, but finding he has not died immediately, he calls on the guards to finish him off. The guards refuse which means Antony's going to die slowly and painfully. Then...Diomedes enters with the news that Cleopatra's actually not dead. Cleopatra was just playing a little trick because she was hurt that Antony believed she betrayed him to Caesar, which she definitely didn't do. Antony doesn't flip out, but instead asks that his guards lead him to Cleopatra's side.