The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to prose. Volume I (of X) - Greece
History
The Best of the World's Classics, Restricted to prose. Volume I (of X) - Greece
Literature -- Collections
So when she had gotten him in after that sort, and laid him on a bed:
she rent her garments upon him, clapping her breast, and scratching
her face and stomach. Then she dried up his blood that had berayed his
face, and called him her lord, her husband, and emperor, forgetting
her own misery and calamity, for the pity and compassion she took of
him. Antony made her cease her lamenting, and called for wine, either
because he was athirst, or else for that he thought thereby to hasten
his death. When he had drunk, he earnestly prayed her, and persuaded
her, that she would seek to save her life, if she could possible,
without reproach and dishonour: and that chiefly she should trust
Proculeius above any man else about Caesar. And as for himself, that
she should not lament nor sorrow for the miserable change of his
fortune at the end of his days: but rather that she should think him
the more fortunate, for the former triumphs and honours he had
received, considering that while he lived he was the noblest and
greatest prince of the world, and that now he was overcome, not
cowardly, but valiantly, a Roman by another Roman.
As Antony gave the last gasp, Proculeius came that was sent from
Caesar. For after Antony had thrust his sword in himself, as they
carried him into the tombs and monuments of Cleopatra, one of his
guard called Dercetaeus, took his sword with the which he had stricken
himself, and hid it: then he secretly stole away, and brought Octavius
Caesar the first news of his death, and shewed him his sword that was
bloodied. Caesar hearing these news, straight withdrew himself into a
secret place of his tent, and there burst out with tears, lamenting
his hard and miserable fortune, that had been his friend and
brother-in-law,[107] his equal in the empire, and companion with him
in sundry great exploits and battels. Then he called for all his
friends, and shewed them the letters Antony had written to him, and
his answers also sent him again, during their quarrel and strife: and
how fiercely and proudly the other answered him, to all just and
reasonable matters he wrote unto him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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