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CLEOPATRA TO ANTONY, by                     Poet's Biography
First Line: Spread a feast with choicest viands
Last Line: Egypt -- dear old nile! -- farewell.
Subject(s): Egypt; Roman Empire; Rome, Italy


SPREAD a feast with choicest viands --
Friends, 't will be my very last;
Bring the rarest flowers to grace it --
Haste, my sands of life flow fast;
Place an asp beneath the lotus
That shall light me to the grave
With its starry petals' splendor;
Weep not, let your hearts be brave.

Speed, Octavia, with thy minions --
Fire thy heart with deadly hate!
Thou wilt miss the royal victim --
Cleopatra rules her fate!
She defies Rome's conquering legions!
Let them triumph in her fall!
What is earthly pomp or greatness? --
Love, thy love outweighs it all!

Thrones and sceptres are but trifles
To my spirit's yearning pain;
What were fortune's gifts without thee
I would lose the world to gain?
Let no base heart tell our story;
Ages, speak, when time unurns
These dull ashes, say to Ages,
Soul to soul their love still burns.

Fatal asp, thy sleep's not endless,
That the morrow's dawn will prove;
I shall reign in lands elysian,
Antony's proud Queen of Love!
Isis and Osiris, hear me!
Hear me, gods of boundless power!
Ye have tasted deathless passion!
Ye will guide me to his bower!

Pardon, mighty ones, the error
If Octavia I have wronged,
Judged by higher laws supernal;
Ah! how earthly passions thronged.
Overpowering heart and reason,
Nature, answering Nature's call,
Rushed as cloud responsive rushes
On to cloud, to meet and -- fall.

Antony, my love, I'm dying!
Curdles fast life's crimson tide,
But no dark Plutonian shadows
Fall between us to divide.
Hark! the Stygian waters swelling,
Call me, love, with thee to rest, --
Death I fear not since thou braved it,
Pillowed on my aching breast.

Strange emotions fill my bosom
As I near the vast unknown;
Yet my heart still throbs in dying,
Antony, for thee alone.
Oh! "I feel immortal longings," --
I can brave stern Pluto's frown, --
Robe me in my regal garments,
Deck with jewels, sceptre, crown.

Antony! I'm coming! coming!
Open, open wide thine arms!
Ah! the blissful hope of union
Robs the grave of its alarms.
See! the glorious heroes beckon
O'er the Stygian water's swell.
I shall have immortal crowning!
Egypt -- dear old Nile! -- farewell.





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