Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modesty, can settle The heart of Antony, Octavia is

A blessed lottery to him.

Agr. Let us go.—

Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest,

Whilst you abide here.

Eno. Humbly, sir, I thank you.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

The same. A Room in CESAR's House. Enter CESAR, AntoNY, OCTAVIA between them; Attendants and a Soothsayer.

Ant. The world, and my great office, will sometimes Divide me from your bosom.

Oct. All which time

Before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers
To them for you.

Ant. Good night, sir.-My Octavia,

Read not my blemishes in the world's report:

I have not kept my square; but that to come

Shall all be done by the rule. Good night, dear lady.Oct. Good night, sir.

Cæs. Good night.

[Exeunt CAS. and OCTA.

Ant. Now, sirrah! you do wish yourself in Egypt ? Sooth. 'Would I had never come from thence, nor you Thither!

Ant. If you can, your reason?

Sooth. I see't in

My motion, have it not in my tongue : But yet

Hie you again to Egypt.

Ant. Say to me,

Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Cæsar's, or mine?
Sooth. Cæsar's.,

Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side:

Thy dæmon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,

Where Cæsar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Becomes a Fear,' as being o'erpower'd; therefore
Make space enough between you.

[1] Motion, that is, the divinitory agitation. WARBURTON.

[2] A Fear was a personage in some of the old moralities. In the sacred writings, Fear is also a person: "I will put a Fear in the land of Egypt." Exodus. STEEVENS.

Ant. Speak this no more.

Sooth. To none but thee; no more, but when to thee. If thou dost play with him at any game,

Thou art sure to lose; and, of that natural luck,

He beats thee 'gainst the odds; thy lustre thickens,
When he shines by: I say again, thy spirit

Is all afraid to govern thee near him;

But, he away, 'tis noble.

Ant. Get thee gone :

Say to Ventidius, I would speak with him :-[Exit Sooth.
He shall to Parthia.-Be it art, or hap,

He hath spoken true: The very dice obey him ;
And, in our sports, my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds:
His cocks do win the battle still of mine,
When it is all to nought; and his quails3 ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And though I make this marriage for my peace,
Enter VENTIDIUS.

I'the east my pleasure lies :-0, come, Ventidius,
You must to Parthia; your commission's ready :
Follow me, and receive it.

SCENE IV.

[Exeunt.

The same. A Street. Enter LEPIDUS, MECENAS, and

AGRIPPA.

Lep. Trouble yourselves no further: pray you, hasten Your generals after.

Agr. Sir, Mark Antony

Will e'en but kiss Octavia, and we'll follow.

Lep. Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress, Which will become you both, farewell.

Mec. We shall,

As I conceive the journey, be at the mount

Before you, Lepidus.

Lep. Your way is shorter,

My purposes do draw me much about;

You'll win two days upon me.

Mec. Agr. Sir, good success!

Lep. Farewell.

[3] The ancients used to match quails as we match cocks.

JOHNSON,

[4] Inhoop'd---is inclosed that they may fight.

15 i. e. Mount Misenum. STEEVENS.

JOHNSON.

Scence adds to the

aracter - elcapatria сестрата

SCENE V.

Alexandria. A Room in the Palace. Enter CLEOPATRA,
CHARMIAN, IRAs, and ALEXAS.

Cleo. Give me some music; music, moody food
Of us that trade in love.

Attend. The music, ho!

Enter MARDIAN.

Cleo. Let it alone; let us to billiards:

Come, Charmian.

Char. My arm is sore, best play with Mardian.
Cleo. As well a woman with an eunuch play'd,
As with a woman ;-Come, you'll play with me, sir?
Mar. As well as I can, madam.

Cleo. And when good-will is show'd, though it come

too short,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now :-
Give me mine angle,-We'll to the river: there,
My music, playing far off, I will betray

Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,
I'll think them every one an Antony,

And say, Ah, ha! you're caught.

Char. 'Twas merry, when

You wager'd on your angling; when your diver
Did hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he
With fervency drew up.

Cleo. That time !-O times !

I laugh'd him out of patience; and that night
I laugh'd him into patience and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed;
Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst
I wore his sword Philippan. O! from Italy ;-
Enter a Messenger.

Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
That long time have been barren.

Mes. Madam, madam,—

[6] The mood is the mind, or mental disposition. Van Haaren's panegyric on the English begins, Groot moedig Volk, (great-minded nation.) Perhaps here is a poor jest intended between mood the mind, and moods of music. JOHNSON.

[7] Ram is a vulgar word, never used in our author's plays, but once by Falstaff, where he describes his situation in the buck-basket. In the passage before us, it is evidently a misprint for rain. RITSON.

Cleo. Antony's dead?-

If thou say so, villain, thou kill'st thy mistress:
But well and free,

If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here
My bluest veins to kiss ; a hand, that kings
Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing.

Mes. First, madam, he's well.

Cleo. Why, there's more gold. But, sırrah,
To say, the dead are well: bring it to that,
The gold I give thee, will I melt, and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.

Mes. Good madam, hear me.
Cleo. Well, go to, I will;

mark;

But there's no goodness in thy face: If Antony
Be free, and healthful,-why so tart a favour
To trumpet such good tidings? If not well,

We use

Thou should'st come like a fury crown'd with snakes,
Not like a formal man."

Mes. Will't please you hear me?

Cleo. I have a mind to strike thee, ere thou speak'st:

Yet, if thou say, Antony lives, is well,

Or friends with Cæsar, or not captive to him,

I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail

Rich pearls upon thee."

Mes. Madam, he's well.

Cleo. Well said.

Mes. And friends with Cæsar.

Cleo. Thou'rt an honest man.

Mes. Cæsar and he are greater friends than ever.

Cleo. Make thee a fortune from me.

Mes. But yet, madam,—

Cleo. I do not like but yet, it does allay

The good precedence ; fye upon but yet:

But

yet is as a gaoler to bring forth

Some monstrous malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend,
Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,

The good and bad together: He's friend with Cæsar ;

[6] By a formal man, Shakespeare means, a man in his senses. Informal wo men, in Measure for Measure, is used for women beside themselves. STEEVENS. [7] i. e. I will give thee a kingdom: it being the eastern ceremony, at the coronation of their kings, to powder them with gold-dust and seed-pearl. So Milton,

"--the gorgeous east with liberal hand Showers on her kings barbaric pearl and gold. [8] i. e. Abates the good quality of what is already reported.

WARBURTON.
STEEVENS.

In state of health, thou say'st; and, thou say'st, free.
Mes. Free, madam! no; I made no such report:
He's bound unto Octavia.

Cleo. For what good turn?

Mes. For the best turn i'the bed.

Cleo. I am pale, Charmian.

Mes. Madam, he's married to Octavia.

Cleo. The most infectious pestilence upon thee !

Mes. Good madam, patience.
Cleo. What say you ?-Hence,

[Strikes him down.

[Strikes him again.

Horrible villain! or I'll spurn thine eyes

Like balls before me; I'll unhair thy head;

[She hales him up and down.

Thou shalt be whipp'd with wire, and stew'd in brine, Smarting in ling'ring pickle.

Mes. Gracious madam,

I, that do bring the news, made not the match.

Cleo. Say, 'tis not so, a province I will give thee,
And make thy fortunes proud; the blow thou hadst
Shall make thy peace, for moving me to rage;
And I will boot thee with what gift beside

Thy modesty can beg.

Mes. He's married, madam.

Cleo. Rogue, thou hast liv'd too long. [Draws a dagger. Mes. Nay, then I'll run :

What mean you, madam? I have made no fault.

[Exit.

Char. Good madam, keep yourself within yourself; The man is innocent.

Cleo. Some innocents 'scape not the thunderbolt.--
Melt Egypt into Nile! and kindly creatures
Turn all to serpents!-Call the slave again;
Though I am mad, I will not bite him :-Call.
Char. He is afeard to come.

Cleo. I will not hurt him :

These hands do lack nobility, that they strike
A meaner than myself; since I myself

Have given myself the cause. Come hither, sir.

[9] This thought seems to be borrowed from the laws of chivalry, which forbad a knight to engage with his inferior. STEEVENS. Perhaps here was intended an indirect censure of Queen Elizabeth, for her unprincely and unfeminine treatment of the amiable Earl of Essex. The play was probably not produced till after her death, when a stroke at her proud and passionate demeanour to her courtiers and maids of honour (for her majesty used to chastise them too) might be safe. ly hazarded MALONE.