Page:An epic of women and other poems (IA epicofwomenother00osha).pdf/105

At length with scarce a sound or warning cry,
  Save of the rowers ceasing from the oar,
He reached her side and prayed her pass not by;
  Yea, prayed her bear him yet a little more.

But truly this well-nigh availed to move
  Her—Cleopatra—with remorse for all:
She knew not of such pardon, e'en from love;
  Nor craved to look upon his utter fall.

And, first, when it was told her how he came
  And sought to reach the galley where she was,
She faltered for a while with fear and shame,
  And bade them scarce give way to let him pass:

Only at length he showed them the plain sight
  How he was broken and so soon to die;
Then they fell back all grieved and gave him right,
  And scarce believed the man was Antony.

And yet he could not speak; but lay forlorn
  Crouched up about the gilded quivering prow,
Three days, from morn to night and night to morn,
  As one whom a sore burden boweth low.