A coeur saoul me voitray en maints salles plaisirs,
Mettant dessous le pied tous honnestes desirs.
Now it only remains for him to die. In the fourth act Octavianus dwells on the arduousness of his triumphs and the enormity of Antony’s offences, in order to justify a ruthless policy; and a discussion follows between him and Agrippa, like the one between Julius and Antony in the Cornélie, except that here the emperor and his adviser have their parts reversed. When his resolution seems fixed Dercetas enters in dismay with tidings that Antony has sought to take his own life, and that mortally wounded he has been drawn up into the monument to breathe his last in Cleopatra’s arms. For a moment his conqueror’s heart is touched. But only for a moment. He speedily gives ear to the warning of Agrippa, that to secure her treasures and preserve her life, Cleopatra must be seized. In the fifth act she has all her preparations made to follow her lord. In vain Euphron tries to stay her by gathering her children round and predicting their probable fate:
Eufron.Desja me semble voir
Cette petite enfance en servitude cheoir,
Et portez en trionfe, ...
Et au doigt les monstrer la tourbe citoyenne.
Cleopatre. Hé! plutost mille morts.
But she persists in her resolve and dismisses them. Her only regret is that she has delayed so long,
Et ja fugitive Ombre avec toy je serois,