Ant. Come, Sir, come, I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love. Caf. Adieu, be happy! Lep. Let all the number of the stars give light Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas. Here is the fellow? Cleo. Wex. Half afraid to come. Cleo. Go to, go to; come hither, Sir. Enter the Meffenger as before. Alex. Good Majefty! Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you, Cleo. That Herod's head I'll have; but how? when Antony is gone, Cleo. Didft thou behold Octavia? Mel. Ay, dread Queen. Mef. In Rome, Madam. I look'd her in the face; and faw her led Cleo. Is the as tall as me? Mef. She is not, Madam. Cleo. Didit hear her fpeak? is fhe fhrill-tongu'd, or low? Cleo. Cleo. I think fo, Charmian; dull of tongue and dwarfish. What Majefty is in her gait? remember, Her motion and her ftation are as one: Cleo. Is this certain? Mef. Or I have no obfervance. Char. Three in Ægypt Cannot make better note. Cleo. He's very knowing, I do perceiv't; there's nothing in her yet. Char. Excellent. Cleo. Guefs at her years, I pr'ythee. Cleo. Bear'ft thou her face in mind? is't long, or round? Mef. Round even to faultinefs. Cleo. For th' moft part too, They're foolish that are fo. Her hair, what colour? Me, Brown, Madam; and her forehead As low as fhe would wifh it. Cleo. There's gold for thee. Thou must not take my former sharpness ill, Char. A proper man. Cleo. Indeed, he is fo; I repent me much, This creature's no fuch thing. Char. O, nothing, Madam. Cleo. The man hath feen fome Majefty, and should know. Char. Hath he feen Majefty? Ifis elfe defend! And And ferving you fo long? Cleo. I've one thing more to afk him yet, good Charmian: But 'tis no matter, thou shalt bring him to me 'Where I will write: all may be well enough. Char. I warrant you, Madam. Ant. SCENE changes to Athens. Enter Antony and Octavia. AY, nay, Octavia, not only that, [Exeunt. That were excufable, that and thousands more Of femblable import, but he hath wag'd New wars 'gainft Pompey; made his will and read it To publick ear; fpoke fcantily of mes When perforce he could not But pay me terms of honour, cold and fickly He vented them; moft narrow measure lent me ; When the best hint was giv'n him, he not took't, (19) Or did it from his teeth. Olav. Oh, my good Lord, Believe not all; or, if you must believe, Praying for both parts: the good Gods will mock me, Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud, "Oh, blefs my brother!" Husband win, win brother, Prays, and deftroys the prayer; no midway "Twixt thefe extreams at all. Ant. Gentle Octavia, Let your beft love draw to that point, which feeks Beft to preferve it; if I lofe mine honour, I lofe myself; better I were not yours, (19) When the beft Hint was giv'n him, he o’érlook’ð, Or did it from bis Teeth] The firft Folio reads, not look'd. Dr. Thirlby advised the Emendation which I have inferted in the Text. Than That yours fo branchlefs. But, as you requested, Shall ftrain your brother; make your fooneft haste; Ota. Thanks to my Lord. The Jove of Power make me, most weak, most weak, Ant. When it appears to you where this begins, Can equally move with them. Provide your going; Chufe your own company, and command what coft Your heart has mind to. [Exeunt Enter Enobarbus and Eros. Eno. How now, friend Eros? (20) The mean time Lady, I'll raife the Preparation of a War, Shall ftain your Brother Thus the printed Copies unanimously. But, fure, Antony, whole Bufinefs here is to mollify Otavia, does it with a very ill Grace: and 'tis a very odd way of fatisfying her, to tell her, the War, he raifes, thall fain, i. e. cast an Odium upon her Brother. I have doubt, but we must read, with the Addition only of a fingle Letter, Shall ftrain your Brother. i. e. Shall lay him under Conftraints; fhall put him to fuch Shifts, that he fhall neither he able to make a Progrefs againft, or to prejudice, me. And this Emendation is precifely confonant to what Plutarch fays; that Octavius, understanding the fudden and wonderful Preparations of Antony, was not a little aftoni'd at it; for he himfelf was in many Wants; and the People were forely oppreffed with the great and grievous exactions of Money For every Perfon of Condition was oblig'd to furnish the fourth part of his Goods and Revenues; and the very Libertines fi. e. thofe, whofe Fathers had once been Bondmen, and were enfranchised) were taxed an eighth part of all their Goods to be raised at one Payment. Eros Eros. There's strange news, come, Sir. Eno. What, man? Eros. Cafar and Lepidus have made war upon Pompey. Eno. This is old; what is the fuccefs? Eros. Cæfar, having made ufe of him in the wars 'gainft Pompey, presently denied him rivalty, would not let him partake in the glory of the action; and not refting here, accufes him of letters he had formerly wrote to Pompey. Upon his own appeal, feizes him; fo the poor Third is up, 'till death enlarge his confine. Eno. Then 'would thou hadst a pair of chaps, no more, and throw between them all the food thou kraft, they'll grind the other. Where's Antony? Eros He's walking in the garden thus ; and fpurnsThe rush that lies before him. Cries, "fool Lepidus !" And threats the throat of that his Officer, That murder'd Pompey. Eno. Our great Navy's rigg'd. Eros. For Italy and Cafar; more, Domitius, Eno. Twill be naught; but let it be ;- bring me to Antony. Eros. Come, Sir. [Exeunt. SCENE changes to the Palace in Rome. Enter Cæfar, Agrippa, and Mecenas. CfContemning Rome, he has done all this, and In Alexandria; here's the manner of it: Abfolute Queen. Mec. |