No wars without doors. Cefar gets money, where He lofes hearts; Lepidus flatters both,

Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,

Nor either cares for him.

Mene. Cafar and Lepidus are in the field,
A mighty ftrength they carry.

Pomp. Where have you this? 'tis falfe.
Mene. From Silvius, Sir.

Pomp. He dreams; I know, they are in Rome together,
Looking for Antony: but all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, foften thy wan lip!

Let witchcraft join with beauty; luft with both!
Tie up the libertine in a field of feafts,
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks,
Sharpen with cloylefs fawce his appetite;

That fleep and feeding may prorogue his honour,
Even 'till a Lethe'd dullnefs-

How now, Varrius?

Enter Varrius.

Var. This is most certain, that I shall deliver :
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome

Expected. Since he went from Egypt, 'tis
A space for farther travel.

Pomp. I could have given lefs matter

A better ear.

Menas, I did not think,

This am'rous furfeiter would have donn'd his helm

For fuch a petty war; his foldiership

Is twice the other twain; but let us rear (9)

The higher our opinion, that our ftirring
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck
The ne'er-luft-wearied Antony.

The bigber our Opinion, that our firring
Can from the lap of Ægypt's Widow pluck
The near luft-wearied Antony.]

Men.

Sextus Pompeius, upon hearing that Antony is every Hour expected in Rome, does not much relish the News. He is twice the Soldier, -(fays be,) that Oftavius and Lepidus are and I did not think,

Men. I cannot hope,

Cefar and Antony fhall well greet together.
His wife, who's dead, did trefpaffes to Cæfar;
His brother warr'd upon him, although I think,
Not mov'd by Antony.

Pomp. I know not, Menas,

How leffer enmities may give way to greater.
Were't not that we stand up against them all,
"Twere pregnant, they should fquare between themfelves;
For they have entertained caufe enough

To draw their fwords; but how the fear of us
May cement their divifions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be't, as our Gods will have't! it only stands
Our lives upon, to use our ftrongest hands.
Come, Menas.

Lep.

G

SCENE changes to ROM E.

Enter Enobarbus and Lepidus.

[Exeunt.

Ood Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,
And shall become you well, t'entreat your
Captain

To foft and gentle speech.

Eno. I fhall entreat him

To answer, like himself; if Cæfar move him,
Let Antony look over Cafar's head,

the petty War, which I am raifing, would rouze him from his Amours in Egypt. But why fhould Pompey hold a higher Opinion of his own Expedition, because it awak'd Antony to Arms, who was near weary, almoft furfeited, of lafcivious Pleafures? Indolent and ftupid Editors, that can difpenfe with Words without ever weighing the Reafon of them! How eafy is the Change to the true Reading!

The ne'er-luft wearied Antony.

If Antony, tho' never tired of Luxury, yet moved from that Charm, upon Pompey's Stirring, it was a Reason for Pompey to pride himself upon being of fuch Confequence.

And

And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
Were I the wearer of Antonio's beard,
I would not fhave't to-day.

Lep. 'Tis not a time for private ftomaching.
Eno. Every time

Serves for the matter that is then born in't.

Lep. But fmall to greater matters must give way.
Eno. Not, if the fmall come first.

Lep. Your fpeech is paffion;

But, pray you, ftir no embers up. Here comes
The noble Antony.

Enter Antony and Ventidius.

Eno. And yonder, Cafar.

Enter Cæfar, Mecænas, and Agrippa.

Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia.
Hark, Ventidius.

Cef. I do not know; Mecenas, ask Agrippa.
Lep. Noble friends,

That which combin'd us
A leaner action rend us.

May it be gently heard.

was moft great, and let not What's amifs,

When we debate

Our trivial difference loud, we do commit

Murder in healing wounds. Then, noble partners, (The rather, for I earnestly befeech,)

Touch you the fowreft points with fweetest terms,

Nor curftness grow to th' matter.

Ant. 'Tis fpoken well;

Were we before our armies, and to fight,

I fhould do thus.

Caf. Welcome to Rome.

Ant. Thank you.

Caf. Sit.

Ant. Sit, Sir.

Caf. Nay, then

[Flourish.

Ant. I learn, you take things ill, which are not fo:

Or, being, concern you not,

Caf. I must be laught at,

If, or for nothing, or a little, I

Should fay myfelf offended, and with you
Chiefly i'th' world; More laught at, that I fhould
Once name you derogately, when to found

Your name it not concern'd me,

Ant. My being in Ægypt, Cæfar, what was't to you? Caf. No more than my refiding here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there Did practife on my state, your being in Ægypt Might be my question.

Ant. How intend you, practis'd ?.

Caf. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befal, (10) Your wife and brother Made wars upon me; and their conteftation

Was theam'd for you, you were the word of war.
Ant. You do mistake your

bufinefs: my brother never

Did urge me in his act: I did require it,

And have my learning from fome true reports
That drew their fwords with you.

Difcredit my authority with yours,

Did he not rather

And make the wars alike against my ftomach,
Having alike your cause of this, my letters
Before did fatisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
(As matter whole you've not to make it with,)
It must not be with this.

Caf. You praise yourself,

(10)

--Your Wife and Brother

Made Wars upon me, and their Conteftation

Was theam for you, you were the Word of War.]

I

The only Meaning of this can be, that the War, which Antony's Wife and Brother made upon Cafar, was Theam for Antony too to make War; or was the Occafion why he did make War. But this is directly contrary to the Context, which thews, Antony did neither encourage them to it, nor fecond them in it. We cannot doubt then, but the Poet wrote;

------and their Conteflation

Was theam'd for you;

i. e. The Pretence of their War was on your Account, they took up Arms in your Name, and you were made the Theam and Subject of their Infurrection.

Mr. Warburton.

By

By laying defects of judgment to me; but
You patch up your
excuses.
Ant. Not fo, not fo;

1

I know you could not lack, (I'm certain on't,)
Very neceffity of this thought, that I,

Your partner in the caufe 'gainst which he fought,
Could not with grateful eyes attend thofe wars,
Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,
I would, you had her spirit in fuch another';
The third o'th' world is yours, which with a fnaffle
You may pace eafy; but not fuch a wife.

Eno. 'Would, we had all fuch wives, that the men might go to wars with the women b

د

Ant. So much uncurbable her garboiles, Cefar,
Made out of her impatience, which not wanted
Shrewdness of policy too, I grieving grant,

Did you too much difquiet: For that you must
But fay, I could not help it.~*

Caf. I wrote to you,

When rioting in Alexandria, you

Did pocket up my letters; and with taunts
Did gibe my miflive out of audience.

Ant. Sir, he fell on me, ere admitted: then
Three Kings I had newly feafted, and did want
Of what I was i'th' morning: but, next day,
I told him of myself; which was as much
As to have afk'd him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our ftrife: if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

Caf. You have broken

The article of your oath, which you shall never
Have tongue to charge me with..

Lep. Soft, Cæfar.

Ant. No, Lepidus, let him fpeak ;

The honour's facred which he talks on now,
Suppofing, that I lackt it; but on, Cæfar,

The article of my oath

Caf. To lend me arms and aid, when I requir'd them,

The which you both deny'd.

Ant. Neglected, rather:

And