Give me my robe . . .

I loved the scene from Antony and Cleopatra that Sexson ended class with the other day. While it is not my favorite play and I haven't actually seen it performed, I was intrigued by his acting, so I thought that I would look it up. This is how Cleo's death scene it written in my Complete Works of William Shakespeare book.

Cleopatra: Give me my robe, put on my crown;
I have
Immortal longing in me: now no more
The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip:-
Yare, yare, good Iras; quick.-Methinks I hear Antony call; I see him rouse himself
To praise my noble act; I hear him mock
The luck of Caesar, which the gods give men
To excuse their after wrath. Husband, I come:
Now to that name my courage prove my title!
I am fire and air; my other elements
I give to baser life.-So,-have you done?
Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.
Farewell, kind Charmian;-Iras, long farewell.
[Kisses them. Iras falls and dies.]
Have I aspic in my lips? Dost fall?
If thou and nature can so gently part,
The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch,
Which hurts and is desir'd. Dost thou lie still?
If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world
It is not worth leave-taking.
Char: Dissovle, thick cloud, and rain; that
I may say
The gods themselves do weep!
Cleo: This proves me base:
If she first meet the curled Antony,
He'll make demand of her, and spend that kiss
Which is my heaven to have.-Come, thou
mortal wretch,
[To an asp, which she applies to her breast]
With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate
Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool,
Be angry, and despatch. O couldst thou speak,
That I might hear thee call great Caesar ass
Unpolicied!
Char: O eartern star!
Cleo: Peace, peace!
Dost thou not see my baby at my breast
That sucks the nurse asleep?
Char: O, break!, O, break!
Cleo: As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as
gentle:-
O Antony!-Nay, I will take thee too:-
[Applying another asp to her arm]
What, should I stay,-
[Falls on a bed and dies]


Talk a great death scene! Sorry if it's a little long, but I think if you want the whole affect, you have to hear the whole scene. The way that Shakespeare phrased his speeh and the words that he used, just grab one's attention. That's the power of words, I guess. By simply hearing them, you can feel any range of emotions and be moved to do things. Awesome (in the true sense of the word)