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