antony-第20章

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mself　that　he　could　not　die　more　honourably　than　in　battle；　resolved　to　make　an　effort　both　by　land　and　sea。　At　supper；　it　is　said；　he　bade　his　servants　help　him　freely；　and　pour　him　out　wine　plentifully；　since　to…morrow；　perhaps；　they　should　not　do　the　same；　but　be　servants　to　a　new　master；　whilst　he　should　lie　on　the　ground；　a　dead　corpse；　and　nothing。　His　friends　that　were　about　him　wept　to　hear　him　talk　so；　which　he　perceiving；　told　them　he　would　not　lead　them　to　a　battle　in　which　he　expected　rather　an　honourable　death　than　either　safety　or　victory。　That　night；　it　is　related；　about　the　middle　of　it；　when　the　whole　city　was　in　a　deep　silence　and　general　sadness；　expecting　the　event　of　the　next　day；　on　a　sudden　was　heard　the　sound　of　all　sorts　of　instruments；　and　voices　singing　in　tune；　and　the　cry　of　a　crowd　of　people　shouting　and　dancing；　like　a　troop　of　bacchanals　on　its　way。　This　tumultuous　procession　seemed　to　take　its　course　right　through　the　middle　of　the　city　to　the　gate　nearest　the　enemy；　here　it　became　the　loudest；　and　suddenly　passed　out。　People　who　reflected　considered　this　to　signify　that　Bacchus；　the　god　whom　Antony　had　always　made　it　his　study　to　copy　and　imitate；　had　now　forsaken　him。　　　As　soon　as　it　was　light；　he　marched　his　infantry　out　of　the　city；　and　posted　them　upon　a　rising　ground；　from　whence　he　saw　his　fleet　make　up　to　the　enemy。　There　he　stood　in　expectation　of　the　event；　but　as　soon　as　the　fleets　came　near　to　one　another；　his　men　saluted　Caesar's　with　their　oars；　and　on　their　responding；　the　whole　body　of　the　ships；　forming　into　a　single　fleet；　rowed　up　direct　to　the　city。　Antony　had　no　sooner　seen　this；　but　the　horse　deserted　him；　and　went　over　to　Caesar；　and　his　foot　being　defeated；　he　retired　into　the　city；　crying　out　that　Cleopatra　had　betrayed　him　to　the　enemies　he　had　made　for　her　sake。　She；　being　afraid　lest　in　his　fury　and　despair　he　might　do　her　a　mischief；　fled　to　her　monument；　and　letting　down　the　falling　doors；　which　were　strong　with　bars　and　bolts；　she　sent　messengers　who　should　tell　Antony　she　was　dead。　He；　believing　it；　cried　out；　〃Now；　Antony；　why　delay　longer？　Fate　has　snatched　away　the　only　pretext　for　which　you　could　say　you　desired　yet　to　live。〃　Going　into　his　chamber；　and　there　loosening　and　opening　his　coat　of　〃I　am　not；〃　said　he；　〃troubled；　Cleopatra；　to　be　at　present　bereaved　of　you；　for　I　shall　soon　be　with　you；　but　it　distresses　me　that　so　great　a　general　should　be　found　of　a　tardier　courage　than　a　woman。〃　He　had　a　faithful　servant；　whose　name　was　Eros；　he　had　engaged　him　formerly　to　kill　him　when　he　should　think　it　necessary；　and　now　he　put　him　to　his　promise。　Eros　drew　his　sword；　as　designing　to　kill　him；　but；　suddenly　turning　round；　he　slew　himself。　And　as　he　fell　dead　at　his　feet；　〃It　is　well　done；　Eros；〃　said　Antony；　〃you　show　your　master　how　to　do　what　you　had　not　the　heart　to　do　yourself；〃　and　so　he　ran　himself　into　the　belly；　and　laid　himself　upon　the　couch。　The　wound；　however；　was　not　immediately　mortal；　and　the　flow　of　blood　ceasing　when　he　lay　down；　presently　he　came　to　himself；　and　entreated　those　that　were　about　him　to　put　him　out　of　his　pain；　but　they　all　fled　out　of　the　chamber；　and　left　him　crying　out　and　struggling；　until　Diomede；　Cleopatra's　secretary；　came　to　him；　having　orders　from　her　to　bring　him　into　the　monument。　　　When　he　understood　she　was　alive；　he　eagerly　gave　order　to　the　servants　to　take　him　up；　and　in　their　arms　was　carried　to　the　door　of　the　building。　Cleopatra　would　not　open　the　door；　but；　looking　from　a　sort　of　window；　she　let　down　ropes　and　cords；　to　which　Antony　was　fastened；　and　she　and　her　two　women；　the　only　persons　she　had　allowed　to　enter　the　monument；　drew　him　up。　Those　that　were　present　say　that　nothing　was　ever　more　sad　than　this　spectacle；　to　see　Antony；　covered　all　over　with　blood　and　just　expiring；　thus　drawn　up；　still　holding　up　his　hands　to　her；　and　lifting　up　his　body　with　the　little　force　he　had　left。　As；　indeed；　it　was　no　easy　task　for　the　women；　and　Cleopatra；　with　all　her　force；　clinging　to　the　rope；　and　straining　with　her　head　to　the　ground；　with　difficulty　pulled　him　up　while　those　below　encouraged　her　with　their　cries；　and　joined　in　all　her　efforts　and　anxiety。　When　she　had　got　him　up；　she　laid　him　on　the　bed；　tearing　all　her　clothes；　which　she　spread　upon　him；　and；　beating　her　breast　with　her　hands；　lacerating　herself；　and　disfiguring　her　own　face　with　the　blood　from　his　wounds；　she　called　him　her　lord；　her　husband；　her　emperor；　and　seemed　to　have　pretty　nearly　forgotten　all　her　own　evils；　she　was　so　intent　upon　his　misfortunes。　Antony；　stopping　her　lamentations　as　well　as　he　could；　called　for　wine　to　drink；　either　that　he　was　thirsty；　or　that　he　imagined　that　it　might　put　him　the　sooner　out　of　pain。　When　he　had　drunk；　he　advised　her　to　bring　her　own　affairs；　so　far　as　might　be　honourably　done；　to　a　safe　conclusion；　and　that；　among　all　the　friends　of　Caesar；　she　should　rely　on　Proculeius；　that　she　should　not　pity　him　in　this　last　turn　of　fate；　but　rather　rejoice　for　him　in　remembrance　of　his　past　happiness；　who　had　been　of　all　men　the　most　illustrious　and　powerful；　and　in　the　end　had　fallen　not　ignobly；　a　Roman　by　a　Roman　overcome。　　　Just　as　he　breathed　his　last；　Proculeius　arrived　from　Caesar；　for　when　Antony　gave　himself　his　wound；　and　was　carried　in　to　Cleopatra；　one　of　his　guards；　Dercetaeus；　took　up　Antony's　sword　and　hid　it；　and；　when　he　saw　his　opportunity；　stole　away　to　Caesar；　and　brought　him　the　first　news　of　Antony's　death；　and　withal　showed　him　the　bloody　sword。　Caesar；　upon　this；　retired　into　the　inner　part　of　his　tent；　and　giving　some　tears　to　the　death　of　one　that　had　been　nearly　allied　to　him　in　marriage；　his　colleague　in　empire；　and　companion　in　so　many　wars　and　dangers；　he　came　out　to　his　friends；　and；　bringing　with　him　many　letters；　he　read　to　them　with　how　much　reason　and　moderation　he　had　always　addressed　himself　to　Antony；　and　in　return　what　overbearing　and　arrogant　answers　he　received。　Then　he　sent　Proculeius　to　use　his　utmost　endeavours　to　get　Cleopatra　alive　into　his　power；　for　he　was　afraid　of　losing　a　great　treasure；　and；　besides；　she　would　be　no　small　addition　to　the　glory　of　his　triumph。　She；　however；　was　careful　not　to　put　herself　in　Proculeius's　power；　but　from　within　her　monument；　he　standing　on　the　outside　of　a　door；　on　the　level　of　the　ground；　which　was　strongly　barred；　but　so　that　they　might　well　enough　hear　one　another's　voice；　she　held　a　conference　with　him；　she　demanding　that　her　kingdom　might　be　given　to　her　children；　and　he　binding　her　to　be　of　good　courage；　and　trust　Caesar　in　everything。　　　Having　taken　particular　notice　of　the　place；　he　returned　to　Caesar；　and　Gallus　was　sent　to　parley　with　her　the　second　time；　who；　being　come　to　the　door；　on　purpose　prolonged　the　conference；　while　Proculeius　fixed　his　scaling…ladders　in　the　window　through　which　the　women　had　pulled　up　Antony。　And　so　entering；　with　two　men　to　follow　him；　he　went　straight　down　to　the　door　where　Cleopatra　was　discoursing　with　Gallus。　One　of　the　two　women　who　were　shut　up　in　the　monument　with　her　cried　out；　〃Miserable　Cleopatra；　you　are　taken　prisoner！〃　Upon　which　she　turned　quick；　and；　looking　at　Proculeius；　drew