Cleopatra Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Immortal longings in me: now no more The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip: Yare, yare, good Iras; quick. Methinks I hear Antony call; I see him rouse himself To praise my noble act; I hear him mock The luck of Caesar, which the gods give men To excuse their after wrath: husband, I come: Now to that name my courage prove my title! I am fire and air; my other elements I give to baser life. So; have you done? Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips. Farewell, kind Charmian; Iras, long farewell. [Kisses them. IRAS falls and dies] Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall? If thou and nature can so gently part, The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch, Which hurts, and is desired. Dost thou lie still? If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world It is not worth leave-taking. Charmian. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say, The gods themselves do weep! Cleopatra. This proves me base: If she first meet the curled Antony, He'll make demand of her, and spend that kiss Which is my heaven to have. Come, thou mortal wretch, [To an asp, which she applies to her breast] With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool Be angry, and dispatch. O, couldst thou speak, That I might hear thee call great Caesar ass Unpolicied! Charmian. O eastern star! Cleopatra. Peace, peace! Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, That sucks the nurse asleep? Charmian. O, break! O, break! Cleopatra. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle, — O Antony! — Nay, I will take thee too. [Applying another asp to her arm] What should I stay — [Dies]
About the headline (FAQ)
Note: J. Reise's setting begins "I have immortal longings in me", and is abridged.
Authorship:
- by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Antony and Cleopatra, Act V, Scene 2 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Jay Reise , "Cleopatra", subtitle: "A dramatic aria", 1979, first performed 1979 [soprano, flute, oboe, violin, cello, piano] [ sung text not yet checked against a primary source]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist [an adaptation] FRE FRE ; composed by Walter Braunfels.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (François Pierre Guillaume Guizot) , no title
- FRE French (Français) (François-Victor Hugo) , no title
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2016-11-19
Line count: 49
Word count: 312
CLÉOPATRE. Donne-moi ma robe, mets-moi ma couronne. Je sens en moi des désirs impatients d’immortalité : c’en est fait ; le jus de la grappe d’Égypte n’humectera plus ces lèvres. Vite, vite, bonne Iras, vite ; il me semble que j’entends Antoine qui m’appelle : je le vois se lever pour louer mon acte de courage, je l’entends se moquer de la fortune de César, Les dieux commencent par donner le bonheur aux hommes, pour excuser le courroux à venir. — Mon époux, je viens ! Que mon courage prouve mes droits à ce titre. Je suis d’air et de feu, et je rends à la terre grossière mes autres éléments. — Bon, avez-vous fini ? Venez donc, et recueillez la dernière chaleur de mes lèvres. Adieu, tendre Charmiane. Iras, adieu pour jamais. ( Elle les embrasse. Iras tombe et meurt. ) Mes lèvres ont-elles donc le venin de l’aspic ? Quoi, tu tombes ? As-tu pu quitter la vie aussi doucement, le trait de la mort n’est donc pas plus redoutable que le pinçon d’un amant, qui blesse et qu’on désire encore. Es-tu tranquille ! En disparaissant aussi rapidement du monde, tu lui dis qu’il ne vaut pas la peine de lui faire nos adieux. CHARMIANE. Dissous-toi, épais nuage, et change-toi en pluie ; que je puisse dire que les dieux eux-mêmes pleurent. CLÉOPATRE. Cet exemple m’accuse de lâcheté. Si elle rencontre avantmoi mon Antoine à la belle chevelure, il l’interrogera sur mon sort, et lui donnera ce baiser qui est le ciel pour moi. Viens, mortel aspic, ( A l’aspic qu’elle applique sur son sein.) que ta dent aiguë tranche d’un seul coup ce nœud compliqué de la vie. Allons, pauvre animal venimeux, courrouce-toi et achève. Oh ! que ne peux-tu parler pour que je puisse t’entendre appeler le grand César un âne impolitique ! CHARMIANE. — O astre de l’Orient ! CLÉOPATRE. Cesse, cesse tes plaintes. Ne vois-tu pas mon enfant sur mon sein, qui endort sa nourrice en tétant ? CHARMIANE. Oh ! brise-toi, brise-toi, mon cœur ! CLÉOPATRE. O toi ! suave comme un baume, doux comme l’air, tendre… O Antoine ! Allons, viens, toi aussi. ( Elle applique un autre aspic sur son bras.) Pourquoi rester plus longtemps ?… (Elle meurt.)
About the headline (FAQ)
Authorship:
- by François Pierre Guillaume Guizot (1787 - 1874), no title [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Antony and Cleopatra, Act V, Scene 2
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2016-11-29
Line count: 49
Word count: 377