Eros, thou yet behold’st me?
Eros, thou yet behold’st me?
Eros, thou yet behold’st me?
eros, thou yet behold’st me?
Ay, noble lord.
Ay, noble lord.
Ay, noble lord.
ay, noble lord.
Sometime we see a cloud that’s dragonish,
A vapour sometime like a bear or lion,
A towered citadel, a pendant 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.
Sometime we see a cloud that’s dragonish, A vapour sometime like a bear or lion, A towered citadel, a pendant 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.
Sometime we see a cloud that’s dragonish, A vapour sometime like a bear or lion, A towered citadel, a pendant 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.
sometime we see a cloud that’s dragonish, a vapour sometime like a bear or lion, a towered citadel, a pendant rock, a forked mountain, or blue promont
Ay, my lord.
Ay, my lord.
Ay, my lord.
ay, my lord.
That which is now a horse, even with a thought
The rack dislimns and makes it indistinct
As water is in water.
That which is now a horse, even with a thought The rack dislimns and makes it indistinct As water is in water.
That which is now a horse, even with a thought The rack dislimns and makes it indistinct As water is in water.
that which is now a horse, even with a thought the rack dislimns and makes it indistinct as water is in water.
It does, my lord.
It does, my lord.
It does, my lord.
it does, my lord.
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 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 us
Ourselves to end ourselves.
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 annexed unto’t A million more, now lost—she, Eros, has Pa...
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 annexed unto’t A million more, now lost—she, Eros, has Pa...
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,
No, Antony,
My mistress loved thee and her fortunes mingled
With thine entirely.
No, Antony, My mistress loved thee and her fortunes mingled With thine entirely.
No, Antony, My mistress loved thee and her fortunes mingled With thine entirely.
no, antony, my mistress loved thee and her fortunes mingled with thine entirely.
Hence, saucy eunuch! Peace!
She hath betrayed me and shall die the death.
Hence, saucy eunuch! Peace! She hath betrayed me and shall die the death.
Hence, saucy eunuch! Peace! She hath betrayed me and shall die the death.
hence, saucy eunuch! peace! she hath betrayed me and shall die the death.
Death of one person can be paid but once,
And that she has discharged. 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 rendered life,
Thy name so buried in her.
Death of one person can be paid but once, And that she has discharged. 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 rendered life, Thy nam...
Death of one person can be paid but once, And that she has discharged. 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 rendered life, Thy nam...
death of one person can be paid but once, and that she has discharged. what thou wouldst do is done unto thy hand. the last she spake was “antony! mos
Dead, then?
Dead, then?
Dead, then?
dead, then?
Dead.
Dead.
Dead.
dead.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This scene is remarkably long and dramatic for a suicide, but that's the point. Antony isn't just ending his life; he's performing his own death as a final act of command. He speaks in metaphors, invokes gods, stages himself. The guards, Eros, Diomedes—they're all audience. But the performance doesn't matter because no one can hear him. The tragedy is that Antony's death-speech is beautiful and pointless. Cleopatra will never know what he was thinking in these final minutes.
What would my lord?
What would my lord?
What would my lord?
what would my lord?
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 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.
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 mind Than she which, by her death, our Caesar tells “I am ...
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 mind Than she which, by her death, our Caesar tells “I am ...
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 neptu
The gods withhold me!
Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts,
Though enemy, lost aim and could not?
The gods withhold me! Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts, Though enemy, lost aim and could not?
The gods withhold me! Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts, Though enemy, lost aim and could not?
the gods withhold me! shall i do that which all the parthian darts, though enemy, lost aim and could not?
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, 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, 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, wouldst thou be windowed in great rome and see thy master thus with pleached arms, bending down his corrigible neck, his face subdued to penetra
I would not see’t.
I would not see’t.
I would not see’t.
i would not see’t.
Come, then, for with a wound I must be cured.
Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn
Most useful for thy country.
Come, then, for with a wound I must be cured. Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn Most useful for thy country.
Come, then, for with a wound I must be cured. Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn Most useful for thy country.
come, then, for with a wound i must be cured. draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast worn most useful for thy country.
O, sir, pardon me!
O, sir, pardon me!
O, sir, pardon me!
o, sir, pardon me!
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.
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.
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.
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 unpurpose
Turn from me then that noble countenance
Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.
Turn from me then that noble countenance Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.
Turn from me then that noble countenance Wherein the worship of the whole world lies.
turn from me then that noble countenance wherein the worship of the whole world lies.
Lo thee!
Lo thee!
Lo thee!
lo thee!
My sword is drawn.
My sword is drawn.
My sword is drawn.
my sword is drawn.
Then let it do at once
The thing why thou hast drawn it.
Then let it do at once The thing why thou hast drawn it.
Then let it do at once The thing why thou hast drawn it.
then let it do at once the thing why thou hast drawn it.
My dear master,
My captain and my emperor, let me say,
Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.
My dear master, My captain and my emperor, let me say, Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.
My dear master, My captain and my emperor, let me say, Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.
my dear master, my captain and my emperor, let me say, before i strike this bloody stroke, farewell.
’Tis said, man, and farewell.
’Tis said, man, and farewell.
’Tis said, man, and farewell.
’tis said, man, and farewell.
Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?
Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?
Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?
farewell, great chief. shall i strike now?
Now, Eros.
Now, Eros.
Now, Eros.
now, eros.
Why, there then! [_kills himself_]
Thus do I escape the sorrow
Of Antony’s death.
Why, there then! [_kills himself_] Thus do I escape the sorrow Of Antony’s death.
Why, there then! [_kills himself_] Thus do I escape the sorrow Of Antony’s death.
why, there then! [_kills himself_] thus do i escape the sorrow of antony’s death.
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
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 s...
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 s...
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
Eros's suicide is more graceful than Antony's. He does it immediately, without hesitation, once he understands what honor requires. Watching Eros die 'nobly,' Antony is taught what he already knows—that death is a kind of loyalty. But Antony can't execute it smoothly. He falls on his sword and half-dies. The contrast is devastating: the young slave dies better than the old general. At the end, even Antony admits it: 'Thrice nobler than myself.' Loyalty has defeated power.
What’s the noise?
What’s the noise?
What’s the noise?
what’s the noise?
I have done my work ill, friends. O, make an end
Of what I have begun.
I have done my work ill, friends. O, make an end Of what I have begun.
I have done my work ill, friends. O, make an end Of what I have begun.
i have done my work ill, friends. o, make an end of what i have begun.
The star is fallen.
The star is fallen.
The star is fallen.
the star is fallen.
And time is at his period.
And time is at his period.
And time is at his period.
and time is at his period.
Alas, and woe!
Alas, and woe!
Alas, and woe!
alas, and woe!
Let him that loves me strike me dead.
Let him that loves me strike me dead.
Let him that loves me strike me dead.
let him that loves me strike me dead.
Not I.
Not I.
Not I.
not i.
Nor I.
Nor I.
Nor I.
nor i.
Nor anyone.
Nor anyone.
Nor anyone.
nor anyone.
Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly.
This sword but shown to Caesar with this tidings,
Shall enter me with him.
Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly. This sword but shown to Caesar with this tidings, Shall enter me with him.
Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly. This sword but shown to Caesar with this tidings, Shall enter me with him.
thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly. this sword but shown to caesar with this tidings, shall enter me with him.
Where’s Antony?
Where’s Antony?
Where’s Antony?
where’s antony?
There, Diomed, there.
There, Diomed, there.
There, Diomed, there.
there, diomed, there.
Lives he? Wilt thou not answer, man?
Lives he? Wilt thou not answer, man?
Lives he? Wilt thou not answer, man?
lives he? wilt thou not answer, man?
Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword and give me
Sufficing strokes for death.
Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword and give me Sufficing strokes for death.
Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword and give me Sufficing strokes for death.
art thou there, diomed? draw thy sword and give me sufficing strokes for death.
Most absolute lord,
My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.
Most absolute lord, My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.
Most absolute lord, My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.
most absolute lord, my mistress cleopatra sent me to thee.
When did she send thee?
When did she send thee?
When did she send thee?
when did she send thee?
Now, my lord.
Now, my lord.
Now, my lord.
now, my lord.
Where is she?
Where is she?
Where is she?
where is she?
Locked 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 disposed with Caesar, and that your rage
Would not be purged, 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.
Locked 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 disposed with Caesar, and that your rage Would not be purged, she sent you word she was dead; But fearing since how it might work, hath sent Me to procla...
Locked 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 disposed with Caesar, and that your rage Would not be purged, she sent you word she was dead; But fearing since how it might work, hath sent Me to procla...
locked 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 dis
Too late, good Diomed. Call my guard, I prithee.
Too late, good Diomed. Call my guard, I prithee.
Too late, good Diomed. Call my guard, I prithee.
too late, good diomed. call my guard, i prithee.
What, ho! The emperor’s guard! The guard, what ho!
Come, your lord calls!
What, ho! The emperor’s guard! The guard, what ho! Come, your lord calls!
What, ho! The emperor’s guard! The guard, what ho! Come, your lord calls!
what, ho! the emperor’s guard! the guard, what ho! come, your lord calls!
Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides.
’Tis the last service that I shall command you.
Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides. ’Tis the last service that I shall command you.
Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides. ’Tis the last service that I shall command you.
bear me, good friends, where cleopatra bides. ’tis the last service that i shall command you.
Woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wear
All your true followers out.
Woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wear All your true followers out.
Woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wear All your true followers out.
woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wear all your true followers out.
Most heavy day!
Most heavy day!
Most heavy day!
most heavy day!
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.
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.
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.
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
The Reckoning
The suicide scene—long, intricate, and tragic. Antony can't live as a conquered man. His only escape is death. He begs Eros, his most loyal friend, to do it. Eros refuses and kills himself instead—choosing Antony's honor over obedience. Watching Eros die nobly, Antony finally acts. He falls on his sword but botches it. He's still alive, in agony, when Diomedes brings the truth: Cleopatra is alive. Too late. Antony will die in her arms, learning that his suicide was unnecessary.
If this happened today…
A man hears his wife is dead. He can't imagine living. He asks his oldest friend to help him end it. The friend refuses, can't do it, kills himself instead. The man, watching his friend die with honor, finally acts. He cuts his wrists. An ambulance comes. They find him alive but dying. His wife calls from the hospital: 'Baby, I'm fine, I'm in the ER, I'm alive.' He's already bleeding out. 'Too late,' he whispers.