_Ant._ Come on, my soldier! Our hearts and arms are still the same: I long Once more to meet our foes; that thou and I, Like time and death, marching before our troops, May taste fate to them; mow them out a passage, And, entering where the foremost squadrons yield, Begin the noble harvest of the field. [_Exeunt._ ACT II. SCENE I. _Enter_ CLEOPATRA, IRAS, _and_ ALEXAS. _Cleo._ What shall I do, or whither shall I turn? Ventidius has o'ercome, and he will go. _Alex._ He goes to fight for you. _Cleo._ Then he would see me, ere he went to fight: Flatter me not: If once he goes, he's lost, And all my hopes destroyed. _Alex._ Does this weak passion Become a mighty queen? _Cleo._ I am no queen: Is this to be a queen, to be besieged By yon insulting Roman, and to wait Each hour the victor's chain? These ills are small; For Antony is lost, and I can mourn For nothing else but him. Now come, Octavius, I have no more to lose; prepare thy bands; I'm fit to be a captive: Antony Has taught my mind the fortune of a slave. _Iras._ Call reason to assist you. _Cleo._ I have none, And none would have: My love's a noble madness, Which shows the cause deserved it. Moderate sorrow Fits vulgar love, and for a vulgar man: But I have loved with such transcendent passion, I soared, at first, quite out of reason's view, And now am lost above it. No, I'm proud 'Tis thus: Would Antony could see me now! Think you he would not sigh, though he must leave me? Sure he would sigh; for he is noble-natured, And bears a tender heart: I know him well. Ah, no, I know him not; I knew him once, But now 'tis past. _Iras._ Let it be past with you: Forget him, madam. _Cleo._ Never, never, Iras. He once was mine; and once, though now 'tis gone, Leaves a faint image of possession still. _Alex._ Think him inconstant, cruel, and ungrateful. _Cleo._ I cannot: If I could, those thoughts were vain. Faithless, ungrateful, cruel, though he be, I still must love him. _Enter_ CHARMION. Now, what news, my Charmion? Will he be kind? and will he not forsake me? Am I to live, or die? nay, do I live? Or am I dead? for when he gave his answer, Fate took the word, and then I lived or died. _Char._ I found him, madam-- _Cleo._ A long speech preparing? If thou bring'st comfort, haste, and give it me, For never was more need. _Iras._ I know he loves you. _Cleo._ Had he been kind, her eyes had told me so, Before her tongue could speak it: Now she studies, To soften what he said; but give me death, Just as he sent it, Charmion, undisguised, And in the words he spoke. _Char._ I found him, then, Encompassed round, I think, with iron statues; So mute, so motionless his soldiers stood, While awfully he cast his eyes about, And every leader's hopes or fears surveyed: Methought he looked resolved, and yet not pleased. When he beheld me struggling in the crowd, He blushed, and bade make way. _Alex._ There's comfort yet.