For which, I will divide my crown with her: 3 Than Rhodope's,] Rhodope was a famous ftrumpet, who acquired great riches by her trade. The leaft but most finished of the Egyptian pyramids (fays Pliny, in the 36th Book of his Natural Hiftory, ch. xii.) was built by her. She is faid afterwards to have married Pfammetichus, King of Egypt. Dr. Johnson thinks that the Dauphin means to call Joan of Arc a ftrumpet, all the while he is making this loud praise of her. Rhodope is mentioned in the play of The Coftly Whore, 1633: a bafe Rhodope, "Whose body is as common as the fea "In the receipt of every luftful spring." I would read: Than Rhodope's of Memphis ever was. STEEVENS. The brother of Sappho was in love with Rhodope, and purchafed her freedom (for fhe was a flave in the fame house with Efop the fabulift) at a great price. Rhodope was of Thrace, not of Memphis. Memphis, a city of Egypt, was celebrated for its pyramids : "Barbara Pyramidum fileat miracula Memphis." MART. De fpectaculis Libel. Ep. I. MALONE. The question, I apprehend, is not where Rhodope was born, but where the obtained celebrity. Her Thracian birth-place would not have rescued her from oblivion. STEEVENS. The emendation propofed by Mr. Steevens must be adopted. The meaning is not that Rhodope herself was of Memphis, but-that her pyramis was there. I will rear to her, fays the Dauphin, a pyramid more stately than that of Memphis, which was called Rhodope's. Pliny fays the pyramids were fix-miles from that city; and that "the fairest and most commended for workmanship was built at the coft and charges of one Rhodope, a verie ftrumpet." RITSON. coffer of Darius,] When Alexander the Great took Transported fhall be at high feftivals [Flourish. Exeunt. the city of Gaza, the metropolis of Syria, amidst the other spoils and wealth of Darius treasured up there, he found an exceeding rich and beautiful little cheft or casket, and asked those about him what they thought fittest to be laid up in it. When they had feverally delivered their opinions, he told them, he esteemed nothing fo worthy to be preferved in it as Homer's Iliad. Vide Plutarchum in Vità Alexandri Magni. THEOBALD. The very words of the text are found in Puttenham's Arte of English Poefie, 1589: "In what price the noble poems of Homer were holden with Alexander the Great, infomuch as everie night they were layd under his pillow, and by day were carried in the rich jewel cofer of Darius, lately before vanquished by him in battaile." MALONE. I believe, we fhould read, with Puttenham, "jewel-coffer,” and not, as in the text, "jewel'd coffer." The jewel-coffer of Darius was, I fuppofe, the cabinet in which he kept his gems. To a jewelled coffer (i. e. a coffer ornamented with jewels) the epithet rich would have been fuperfluous, My conjecture, however, deferves not much attention; becaufe Pliny, Lib. II. ch. 29, informs us, that this casket, when found, was full of precious oils, and was decorated with gems of great value. STEEVENS. Before the kings and queens of France.] Sir Thomas Hanmer fupplies the obvious defect in this line, by reading Ever before the kings &c. STEEVENS. ACT II. SCENE I. The fame. Enter to the Gates, a French Sergeant, and Two Sentinels. SERG. Sirs, take your places, and be vigilant : Near to the walls, by fome apparent fign, 1 SENT. Sergeant, you fhall. [Exit Sergeant.] Thus are poor fervitors (When others fleep upon their quiet beds,) Conftrain'd to watch in darkness, rain, and cold. Enter TALBOT, BEDFORD, BURGUNDY, and Forces, with fcaling Ladders; their Drums beating a dead march. TAL. Lord regent, and redoubted Burgundy,By whofe approach, the regions of Artois, Walloon, and Picardy, are friends to us,— This happy night the Frenchmen are secure, Having all day carous'd and banqueted ; Embrace we then this opportunity; As fitting beft to quittance their deceit, Contriv'd by art, and baleful forcery. 6 court of guard.] The fame phrafe occurs again in Othello, Antony and Cleopatra, &c. and is equivalent to the modern term-guard-room. STEEVENS. BED. Coward of France !-how much he wrongs his fame, Despairing of his own arm's fortitude, To join with witches, and the help of hell. BED. A maid! and be fo martial! BUR. Pray God, fhe prove not masculine ere long; If underneath the standard of the French, TAL. Well, let them practise and converse with fpirits: God is our fortrefs; in whofe conquering name, BED. Afcend, brave Talbot; we will follow thee. BUR. And I to this. TAL. And here will Talbot mount, or make his grave. Now, Salisbury! for thee, and for the right [The English Scale the Walls, crying St. George! a Talbot! and all enter by the Town. SENT. [Within.] Arm, arm! the enemy doth make affault! The French leap over the Walls in their Shirts. Enter, feveral ways, BASTARD, ALENÇON, REIGNIER, half ready, and half unready. ALEN. How now, my lords? what, all unready fo ?7 BAST. Unready?ay, and glad we 'scap'd fo well. REIG. 'Twas time, I trow, to wake and leave our beds, Hearing alarums at our chamber doors.8 ALEN. Of all exploits, fince firft I follow'd arms, Ne'er heard I of a warlike enterprize More venturous, or defperate than this. 7 BAST. I think, this Talbot be a fiend of hell. unready fo?] Unready was the current word in those times for undrefed. JOHNSON. So, in Heywood's Rape of Lucrece, 1638: "Enter Sixtus and Lucrece unready." Again, in The Two Maids of More-clacke, 1609: "Enter James unready in his night-cap, garterlefs," &c. Again, in A Match at Midnight, 1633, is this ftage direc tion: "He makes himself unready." Why what do you mean? you will not be fo uncivil as to unbrace you here?" Again, in Monfieur D'Olive, 1606 : "You are not going to bed, I fee you are not yet unready." Again, in Heywood's Golden Age, 1611: "Here Jupiter puts out the lights, and makes himself unready." Unready is equivalent to the old French word-di-pret. STEEVENS. Hearing alarums at our chamber doors.] So, in King Lear: "Or, at the chamber door I'll beat the drum—.” STEEVENS, |