Anna Akhmatova - Cleopatra lyrics

A honeyed shade has covered The Alexandrian halls -Pushkin She has kissed Anthony's dead lips already, Already knelt and wept at Cæsar's feet. Servants betrayed her. In the sprawling darkness Rome's Eagle screams and trumpets her defeat. In comes the last man captive to her beauty, Stately and tall. He stammers to his queen: "He will parade you, as a slave, in triumph” And even so the swan neck bends serene. Come dawn, they'll chain her children. Precious little Is left on earth for her: joke with this man Then set the serpent like a final mercy Black on her dark breast with a casual hand.