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of our hours； the hour which ends in death。 Sing to me； Charmion；
sing； for thy voice is very sweet； and I would soothe my soul to
sleep。 The memory of that Harmachis has wrung me strangely！ Sing；
then； the last song I shall hear from those tuneful lips of thine； the
last of so many songs。〃
〃It is a sad hour for song； O Queen！〃 said Charmion； but；
nevertheless； she took her harp and sang。 And thus she sang； very soft
and low； the dirge of the sweet…tongued Syrian Meleager：
Tears for my lady dead；
Heliodore！
Salt tears and strange to shed；
Over and o'er；
Go tears and low lament
Fare from her tomb；
Wend where my lady went；
Down through the gloom
Sighs for my lady dead；
Tears do I send；
Long love remembered；
Mistress and friend！
Sad are the songs we sing；
Tears that we shed；
Empty the gifts we bring
Gifts to the dead！
Ah； for my flower； my Love；
Hades hath taken；
Ah； for the dust above；
Scattered and shaken！
Mother of blade and grass；
Earth； in thy breast
Lull her that gentlest was；
Gently to rest！
The music of her voice died away； and it was so sweet and sad that
Iras began to weep and the bright tears stood in Cleopatra's stormy
eyes。 Only I wept not； my tears were dry。
〃'Tis a heavy song of thine； Charmion；〃 said the Queen。 〃Well； as thou
saidst； it is a sad hour for song； and thy dirge is fitted to the
hour。 Sing it over me once again when I lie dead； Charmion。 And now
farewell to music； and on to the end。 Olympus； take yonder parchment
and write what I shall say。〃
I took the parchment and the reed； and wrote thus in the Roman tongue：
〃Cleopatra to Octavianus； greeting。
〃This is the state of life。 At length there comes an hour when；
rather than endure those burdens that overwhelm us； putting off
the body we would take wing into forgetfulness。 C？sar； thou hast
conquered： take thou the spoils of victory。 But in thy triumph
Cleopatra cannot walk。 When all is lost； then we must go to seek
the lost。 Thus in the desert of Despair the brave do harvest
Resolution。 Cleopatra hath been great as Antony was great； nor
shall her fame be minished in the manner of her end。 Slaves live
to endure their wrong； but Princes； treading with a firmer step；
pass through the gates of Wrong into the royal Dwellings of the
Dead。 This only doth Egypt ask of C？sarthat he suffer her to lie
in the tomb of Antony。 Farewell！〃
This I wrote； and having sealed the writing； Cleopatra bade me go find
a messenger； despatch it to C？sar； and then return。 So I went； and at
the door of the tomb I called a soldier who was not on duty； and；
giving him money； bade him take the letter to C？sar。 Then I went back；
and there in the chamber the three women stood in silence； Cleopatra
clinging to the arm of Iras； and Charmion a little apart watching the
twain。
〃If indeed thou art minded to make an end； O Queen；〃 I said； 〃the time
is short； for presently C？sar will send his servants in answer to thy
letter；〃 and I drew forth the phial of white and deadly bane and set
it upon the board。
She took it in her hand and gazed thereon。 〃How innocent it seems！〃
she said； 〃and yet therein lies my death。 'Tis strange。〃
〃Ay； Queen； and the death of ten other folk。 No need to take so long a
draught。〃
〃I fear；〃 she gasped〃how know I that it will slay outright？ I have
seen so many die by poison and scarce one has died outright。 And some
ah； I cannot think on them！〃
〃Fear not；〃 I said； 〃I am a master of my craft。 Or； if thou dost fear；
cast this poison forth and live。 In Rome thou mayst still find
happiness； ay； in Rome； where thou shalt walk in C？sar's triumph；
while the laughter of the hard…eyed Latin women shall chime down the
music of thy golden chains。〃
〃Nay； I will die； Olympus。 Oh； if one would but show the path。〃
Then Iras loosed her hand and stepped forward。 〃Give me the draught；
Physician；〃 she said。 〃I go to make ready for my Queen。〃
〃It is well；〃 I answered； 〃on thy own head be it！〃 and I poured from
the phial into a little golden goblet。
She raised it； curtsied low to Cleopatra； then； coming forward； kissed
her on the brow； and Charmion she also kissed。 This done； tarrying not
and making no prayer； for Iras was a Greek； she drank； and； putting
her hand to her head； instantly fell down and died。
〃Thou seest；〃 I said； breaking in upon the silence； 〃it is swift。〃
〃Ay； Olympus； thine is a master drug！ Come now； I thirst； fill me the
bowl； lest Iras weary in waiting at the gates！〃
So I poured afresh into the goblet； but this time； making pretence to
rinse the cup； I mixed a little water with the bane； for I was not
minded that she should die before she knew me。
Then did the royal Cleopatra； taking the goblet in her hand； turn her
lovely eyes to heaven and cry aloud：
〃O ye Gods of Egypt！ who have deserted me； to you no longer will I
pray； for your ears are shut unto my crying and your eyes blind to my
griefs！ Therefore； I make entreaty of that last friend whom the Gods；
departing； leave to helpless man。 Sweep hither； Death； whose winnowing
wings enshadow all the world； and give me ear！ Draw nigh； thou King of
Kings！ who； with an equal hand； bringest the fortunate head of one
pillow with the slave； and by thy spiritual breath dost waft the
bubble of our life far from this hell of earth！ Hide me where winds
blow not and waters cease to roll； where wars are done and C？sar's
legions cannot march！ Take me to a new dominion； and crown me Queen of
Peace！ Thou art my Lord； O Death； and in thy kiss I have conceived。 I
am in labour of a Soul： seeit stands new…born upon the edge of Time！
Nownowgo； Life！ Come； Sleep！ Come； Antony！〃
And； with one glance to heaven； she drank； and cast the goblet to the
ground。
Then at last came the moment of my pent…up vengeance； and of the
vengeance of Egypt's outraged Gods； and of the falling of the curse of
Menkau…ra。
〃What's this？〃 she cried； 〃I grow cold； but I die not！ Thou dark
physician； thou hast betrayed me！〃
〃Peace； Cleopatra！ Presently shalt thou die and know the fury of the
Gods！ /The curse of Menkau…ra hath fallen！/ It is finished！ Look upon
me； woman！ Look upon this marred face； this twisted form； this living
mass of sorrow！ /Look！ look！/ Who am I？〃
She stared upon me wildly。
〃Oh！ oh！〃 she shrieked； throwing up her arms； 〃at last I know thee！ By
the Gods； thou art Harmachis！Harmachis risen from the dead！〃
〃Ay； Harmachis risen from the dead to drag thee down to death and
agony eternal！ See； thou Cleopatra； /I/ have ruined thee as thou didst
ruin me！ I； working in the dark； and helped of the angry Gods； have
been thy secret spring of woe！ I filled thy heart with fear at Actium；
I held the Egyptians from thy aid； I sapped the strength of Antony； I
showed the portent of the Gods unto thy captains！ By my hand at length
thou diest； for I am the instrument of Vengeance！ Ruin I pay thee back
for ruin； Treachery for treachery； Death for death！ Come hither；
Charmion； partner of my plots； who betrayed me； but； repenting； art
the sharer of my triumph； come watch this fallen wanton die！〃
Cleopatra heard； and sank back upon the golden bed； groaning 〃And
thou； too； Charmion！〃
A moment so she sat； then her Imperial spirit burnt up glorious before
she died。
She staggered from the bed； and； with arms outstretched； she cursed
me。
〃Oh！ for one hour of life！〃 she cried〃one short hour； that therein I
might make thee die in such fashion as thou canst not dream； thou and
that false paramour of thine； who betrayed both me and thee！ And thou
didst love me！ Ah； /there/ I have thee still！ See； thou subtle；
plotting priest〃and with both hands she rent back the royal robes
from her bosom〃see； on this fair breast once night by night thy head
was pillowed； and thou didst sleep wrapped in these same arms。 Now；
put away their memory /if thou canst！/ I read it in thine eyesthat
mayst thou not！ No torture which I bear can； in its sum； draw nigh to
the rage of that deep soul of thine； rent with longings never； never
to be reached！ Harmachis； thou slave of slaves； from thy triumph…
depths I snatch a deeper triumph； and conquered yet I conquer！ I spit
upon theeI defy theeand； dying； doom thee to the torment of thy
deathless love！ O Antony！ I come； my Antony！I come to thy own dear
arms！ Soon I shall find thee； and； wrapped in a love undying and
divine； together we will float through all the depths of space； and；
lips to lips and eyes to eyes； drink of desires grown more sweet with
every draught！ Or if I find thee not； then I shall sink in peace down
the poppied ways of Sleep： and for me the breast of Night； whereon I
shall be softly cradled； will yet seem thy bosom； Antony！ Oh； I die！
come； Antonyand give me