Octav. O blest hour!

Dola. O happy change!

Vent. My joy stops at my tongue; But it has found two channels here for one, And bubbles out above.

Ant. [To OCTAV.] This is thy triumph; lead me where thou wilt; Even to thy brother’s camp.

Octav. All there are yours.

Enter ALEXAS hastily.

Alex. The queen, my mistress, sir, and yours—­

Ant. ’Tis past.—­Octavia, you shall stay this night;
To-morrow, Caesar and we are one.
                 [Ex. leading OCTAV.  DOL. and the Children follow.

Vent. There’s news for you; run, my officious eunuch,
Be sure to be the first; haste forward: 
Haste, my dear eunuch, haste. [Exit.

Alex. This downright fighting fool, this thick-skulled hero,
This blunt unthinking instrument of death,
With plain dull virtue has out-gone my wit. 
Pleasure forsook my earliest infancy;
The luxury of others robbed my cradle,
And ravished thence the promise of a man
Cast out from nature, disinherited
Of what her meanest children claim by kind,
Yet greatness kept me from contempt:  that’s gone: 
Had Cleopatra followed my advice,
Then he had been betrayed, who now forsakes. 
She dies for love; but she has known its joys: 
Gods, is this just, that I, who know no joys,
Must die, because she loves?

  Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMION, IRAS, and Train.

Oh, madam, I have seen what blasts my eyes! 
Octavia’s here.

Cleo. Peace with that raven’s note. 
I know it too; and now am in
The pangs of death.

Alex. You are no more a queen; Egypt is lost.

Cleo. What tell’st thou me of Egypt? 
My life, my soul is lost!  Octavia has him!—­
O fatal name to Cleopatra’s love! 
My kisses, my embraces now are hers;
While I—­But thou hast seen my rival; speak. 
Does she deserve this blessing?  Is she fair? 
Bright as a goddess? and is all perfection
Confined to her?  It is.  Poor I was made
Of that coarse matter, which, when she was finished,
The gods threw by for rubbish.

Alex. She’s indeed a very miracle.

Cleo. Death to my hopes, a miracle!

Alex. A miracle; [Bowing. I mean of goodness; for in beauty, madam, You make all wonders cease.

Cleo. I was too rash:  Take this in part of recompense.  But, oh, [Giving a ring. I fear thou flatterest me.

Char. She comes! she’s here!

Iras. Fly, madam, Caesar’s sister!

Cleo. Were she the sister of the thunderer Jove, And bore her brother’s lightning in her eyes, Thus would I face my rival.