Cleo. Sooth, la! I'll help. Thus it must be3.
Ant.

Well, well; We shall thrive now.-Seest thou, my good fellow? Go, put on thy defences.

Eros.

Cleo. Is not this buckled well?

Ant.

Briefly, sir.

Rarely, rarely:

He that unbuckles this, till we do please

To doff't for our repose, shall hear a storm.-
Thou fumblest, Eros; and my queen's a squire
More tight at this, than thou. Despatch.-O, love!
That thou couldst see my wars to-day, and knew'st
The royal occupation! thou should'st see

Enter an armed Soldier.

A workman in't.-Good morrow to thee; welcome: Thou look'st like him that knows a warlike charge. To business that we love, we rise betime,

And go to't with delight.

Sold.

A thousand, sir,

Early though't be, have on their riveted trim,

And at the port expect you.

[Shout. Trumpets flourish.

Enter Captains, and Soldiers.

Capt. The morn is fair.-Good morrow, general‘.
All. Good morrow, general.

Ant.

'Tis well blown, lads.

This morning, like the spirit of a youth

* Sooth, la! I'll help. Thus it must be.] This and the two preceding speeches, in the folio, are printed only as one, and are given to Cleopatra ; a defect of which some modern editors take no notice, although they avail themselves of Sir T. Hanmer's" disentanglement," as Johnson calls it, of the dialogue, excepting that he erroneously gave "What's this for?" to Antony, a mistake, corrected by Malone.

The morn is fair.-Good morrow, general.] This speech, in the old copy, is erroneously given to Alexas. Malone converted the "armed soldier," who enters above, into "an officer," and gave this speech to " 2 Of."

That means to be of note, begins betimes.-
So so; come, give me that: this way; well said.
Fare thee well, dame: whate'er becomes of me,
This is a soldier's kiss. Rebukable,

[Kisses her.

And worthy shameful check it were, to stand
On more mechanic compliment: I'll leave thee
Now, like a man of steel.-You, that will fight,
Follow me close; I'll bring you to't.—Adieu.

Lead me.

[Exeunt ANTONY, EROS, Officers, and Soldiers. Char. Please you, retire to your chamber. Cleo. He goes forth gallantly. That he and Cæsar might Determine this great war in single fight! Then, Antony, but now,-well, on.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.

ANTONY'S Camp near Alexandria.

Trumpets sound. Enter ANTONY and EROS; a Soldier meeting them.

Sold. The gods make this a happy day to Antonys! Ant. Would thou, and those thy scars, had once

prevail'd

To make me fight at land!

Hadst thou done so,

Sold.
The kings that have revolted, and the soldier
That has this morning left thee, would have still
Follow'd thy heels.

The gods make this a happy day to Antony !] This and some subsequent speeches are in the folios assigned to Eros; but, as Thirlby suggested, and as Theobald printed, there is little doubt that they belong to the same soldier who, before the battle of Actium, had advised Antony not to fight by sea. Some modern editors have printed the speeches as if no change from the old distribution had been required, thus giving a most false notion of the accuracy of the folio, 1623.

Ant.

Sold.

Who's gone this morning?

One ever near thee: call for Enobarbus,
He shall not hear thee; or from Cæsar's camp

Who?

Ant. Go, Eros, send his treasure after; do it:
Detain no jot, I charge thee. Write to him.
(I will subscribe) gentle adieus, and greetings:
Say, that I wish he never find more cause
To change a master.-O! my fortunes have
Corrupted honest men :-despatch.-Enobarbus"!

SCENE VI.

[Exeunt.

CESAR'S Camp before Alexandria.

Flourish. Enter CESAR, with AGRIPPA, ENOBarbus, and Others.

Cæs. Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight.

Our will is, Antony be took alive;

Make it so known.

Agr. Cæsar, I shall.

[Exit AGRIPPA.

despatch.-Enobarbus !] So the folio, 1623, but the folio, 1632, alters it to "Eros, dispatch." The latter certainly better suits the ten-syllable metre, for which Steevens invariably contended; but it is not at all unnatural that Antony, after giving his orders to Eros, should exclaim "Enobarbus!" calling to mind his ancient services and present desertion.

Cæs. The time of universal peace is near:
Prove this a prosperous day, the three-nook'd world
Shall bear the olive freely.

Mess.

Enter a Messenger.

Is come into the field.

Cæs.

Antony

Go, charge Agrippa.

Plant those that have revolted in the van,
That Antony may seem to spend his fury
Upon himself.

[Exeunt CESAR and his Train. Eno. Alexas did revolt, and went to Jewry on

Affairs of Antony; there did dissuade

Great Herod to incline himself to Cæsar,
And leave his master Antony: for this pains,
Cæsar hath hang'd him. Canidius, and the rest
That fell away, have entertainment, but
No honourable trust. I have done ill,
Of which I do accuse myself so sorely,
That I will joy no more.

Sold.

Enter a Soldier of CESAR's.

Enobarbus, Antony

Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with
His bounty overplus: the messenger
Came on my guard, and at thy tent is now
Unloading of his mules.

Eno.

I give it you.

Sold. Mock not, Enobarbus.

I tell you true: best you saf'd the bringer3
Out of the host; I must attend mine office,

7

rightly.

8

there did dissuade] So all the folios, and, as Johnson says, perhaps

best you SAF'D the bringer] Steevens pointed out an instance of a similar use of the verb "saf'd,” in book iv. of Chapman's translation of the Odyssey; but no other has been adduced.

Or would have done't myself. Your emperor
Continues still a Jove.

[Exit Soldier.

Eno. I am alone the villain of the earth,

And feel I am so most. O Antony!

Thou mine of bounty, how would'st thou have paid
My better service, when my turpitude

Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart:
If swift thought break it not, a swifter mean

Shall outstrike thought; but thought will do't, I feel.
I fight against thee?-No: I will go seek

Some ditch, wherein to die; the foul'st best fits
My latter part of life.

[Exit.

SCENE VII.

Field of Battle between the Camps.

Alarum. Drums and Trumpets. Enter AGRIPPA, and Others.

Agr. Retire, we have engag'd ourselves too far.

Cæsar himself has work, and our oppression

Exceeds what we expected.

Alarum.

[Exeunt.

Enter ANTONY and SCARUS, wounded.

Scar. O my brave emperor, this is fought indeed! Had we done so at first, we had driven them home With clouts about their heads.

Ant.

Thou bleed'st apace.

Scar. I had a wound here that was like a T,

But now 'tis made an H.

Ant.

They do retire.

Scar. We'll beat 'em into bench-holes. I have yet Room for six scotches more.

VOL. VIII.

H