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ACT. V. (Book 5)
Scene the First. The Palace.
Enter Antonius, Cleopatra, Charmion, Iras, and Attendants.
Cleop.
FOrtune's afresh fond of Antonius grown,
And has this Minute her old Love put on;
She calls her wonted Charms into her Face,
And hugs him—
With the fierce ardor of a first embrace.
Anto.
Of this success, when they at Rome shall hear,
They'l change perhaps their Superstitious fear,
And the ill Omens on my Foe transfer.
His will the Owl bethought, unchas'd away,
Which upon Concord's Temple braves the day.
The Ape in Cere's Temple will be His,
And his defeat the Eight-foot-Dragon hiss.
The blood my Statue shed, will his be thought;
So are weak minds by Superstition wrought.
Cleop.
What we can't shun, 'twere better not to know,
Nor do the Gods maliciously foreshow,
To make us feel our Fate before it come;
But men too nicely pry into their doom.
Anto.
Let it fall quick whatever they prepare,
It is the Thunders voice, we cannot bear;
Blind to our Fate, let us both hope and fear:
But thou Lucilius, who do'st still outrun
All that we can expect or wish were done;
Like some kind God thou leap'st into the Scale
And turn'st it when all Mortals seem to fail,
Take from my hand this Armor of clear Gold.
Let the best Metal the best man enfold.
Lucil.
Me dead or living you anon shall praise.