Tony and Cleop Act Four Scene Fifteen Sub-Act One

 

Act Four

Scene Fifteen

Sub-Scene One

Last words

 

At the tomb, the Queen locked in with her maids was upset. She was making comments on the décor. It was designed by the builders and for whatever purpose, it was to be a tomb.

“Where are the paintings? No, Vermeer. Her works of daily life were inspiring.” The Queen was parading in the small chamber. She explored the shelves.

“Green Cans? Who placed them here? I am not Pop-Eyes to eat them.” The Queen tossed the cans. “Corned Beef? Gracious me. What do you take me for? A soldier on iron rations.”

“Oh Charmian, I will never leave this place.” The Queen looked at the door.

“Be comforted, my Queen. Queen. We could leave anytime. All you need to do is open the lock.” The Queen held the key on her belt.

“No, I will not. Mickey could be out in rage. I can welcome all strange and terrible events, but I despise discomfort. The size of our sorrow is proportionate to the cause of our sorrow, equivalent to this chamber, and so it must be as great as the cause.”

Then they heard the call from Demetrius from outside the tomb.

“Queen, It is me, Demetrius. You asked me...”

“What is going on? Is he dead?” The Queen asked.

“He is injured and death is approaching fast, but he is not dead. Look out from the other side of your tomb. His guards have brought him there.” Demetrius says to the Queen.

“Mickey ……” Cleop rushed to the door and inserted the key. She opened the door just as Mark Antony was carried there on the stretcher.

"Oh, Antony, Antony, Antony! Help, Charmian, Iras, help! Help, anyone. Let us draw him up here.” The Queen cradled Mark’s head.

“Be at peace, Cleop. Caesar's bravery did not overthrow me. I conquered myself with my own bravery.” Mark whispered to her.

“That is how it should be:: that no one should conquer Mark Antony except Mark Antony himself... ... What did you do?” The Queen examined the bandages. It was covered with blood.

“Who shot him?” The Queen shouted.

“I am dying, Cleop I just ask now that death hold off for a short while, until I lay the poor last kiss of many thousands of kisses on your lips.” Mark smiled. Cleop leaned over to kiss his tired eyes.

“I dare not come down to you, dear Mickey. My dear Mickey, forgive me; I dare not, for fear I will be captured. I will never serve as an ornament to adorn the triumphal procession of Caesar, for all his good fortune. If I am here, no knives have edges, serpents have teeth, or drugs have power, I will be safe from him.”

Your wife, Octavia, with her modestly lowered eyes and her silent judgments, will get no honour from gazing upon me.”

“Cleop, she would not. She is a gentle lady. I fear my words have made you......“

“Mickey, I love you.” The Queen wept. “I will hold you close to my heart.”

“Oh, be quick, or I will be dead.” Mark smiled. He could hear her heart beats.

“Do not die just yet. yet. Do so after you have out lived out my love once more. Let kissing bring you back to life. If my lips had the power to do that, I would wear them out like this.” Cleop kissed Mark on the head.

“I am dying, Queen of Egypt, dying. Give me some wine and let me speak a little.” Mark whispered.

“No, let me speak. I will complain and rant so bitterly that deceitful, treacherous Fortune will be so provoked by my insults that even the Grim Reaper will give up her power. She is a bitch like me.”

“One word, Cleop. Ask Caesar to protect your honour and your safety. Oh my head hurts.” Mark groaned in pain. “Do not trust any of Caesar's followers.”

“I will trust my determination and my own hands. I would not trust anyone around Caesar. Or himself.”

“Do not lament or be sorry for the miserable turn that my life has taken. Rather, please yourself by thinking about the great fortunes we enjoyed in the past, when I was the greatest and noblest prince in the world and you the Queen of all beauties.”

“I am a Roman who has been bravely conquered by another Roman. Now my last breath is leaving me. I cannot speak any more.” Mark smiled. “Lady Death calls for me.”

, “Mickey, what of me? Are you dying? Do you not care about me?” Cleop looked at the dying man’s eyes and saw how sad and tired they were. “Can I remain in this dull world, which will be no better than a pigsty when you are gone from. Oh, look, my maids, the greatest monarch of the earth is fading away. Mickey, my love!”

Mark Antony died.

“Oh, be calm, my Queen!” Charmian pleaded with the Queen. The Queen slumped onto Mark’s body.

“She is dead too, our Queen?" Queen?" Iras asked.

“Peace, peace, Iras. I am not dead yet.” Cleop looked at the maids.

 “I am no longer a Queen but just an ordinary woman. I am overpowered by the same unworthy emotions as any milkmaid who performs the humblest chores. It would be more fitting for me to hurl my sceptre at the gods who have injured me and tell them that this earthly world was as good as their divine world until they stole away the greatest man I ever loved.”

“Everything else is worthless. It is idiotic to be patient and endure things calmly, and to become impatient is quickly to become like a rabid dog.”

“Suicide is awfully sinful; one that rushes towards death before death comes to us naturally? Lady Death smiled at me.” 

“The Queen is mad?” Iras asked Charmian.

“I am not mad, Iras. I am just myself. A woman like all of you. How are you, my woman? woman? Do not cry. Not yet for we are all alive.” The Queen smiled. “Mark is dead but he is not a woman. Do not cry for him. him. His pains are over.”

;“How are you doing there, Charmian?” The Queen looked at Charmian. And then to the other maids “My noble ladies! Sisters by bond. Look, our lamp has run out of oil; it will be out. Good ladies, take heart. We will bury him, and then, whatever is brave or noble, we will do it in the noble Roman style; he is a Roman alive and even in death.”

“Come, away. The body that contained that great spirit is now cold. Ah, women, women! Come. The only thing that can help us is determination and the quickest possible death.” The Queen offered Mark’s body to the maids. “Heave him up and be gentle, as we women are taught to be from the day we were born. Our love, our care, and our milk shall nurture them all.”