For what you seem to fear; so the Gods keep you,
And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!
We will here part.

Caf. Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well;
* The elements be kind to thee, and make
Thy spirits all of comfort ! Fare thee well.

Osta. My noble brother !

Ant. The April's in her eyes: it is love's spring,
And these the showers to bring it on. Be chearful.

Okta. Sir, look well to my husband's house; and
Cef. What, Octavia ?
Ošta. I'll tell you in your ear.

Ant. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can
Her heart inform her tongue: the swan's down feather,
That stands upon the swell at full of tide,
And neither way inclines.
Eno. Will Cæfar

weep . ? Agr. He has a cloud in his face.

Eno. He were the worse for that were he a horse;. So is he, being a man.

Agr. Why, Enobarbus? When Antony found Julius Cæsar dead, He cried almost to roaring: and he wept, When at Philippi he found Brutus Nain. Eno. That year, indeed, he was troubled with a

rheum; . What willingly he did confound, he wail'd; · Believe it, till I weep too.

Cæf.

* The elements be kind, &c.] This is obscure. It seems to mean, May the different elements of the body, or principles of life, maintain fuch proportion and harmony as may keep you cheerful. JOHNSON.

The elements be kind, &c. I believe means only, May the four elements, of wbicb this world is composed, unite their influences to make

STEBVENS. were be a borse ;] A horse whose eyes appear dull and cloudy, is always suspected as likely to go blind. Steevens. 3 Believe it, till I weep too.] I have ventur’d to alter the tense VOL, VIII. N

of

thee chiarful.

Cæf. No, sweet Octavia,
You shall hear from me still; the tinie shall not
Out-go my thinking on you.

Ant. Come, sir, come ;
I'll wrestle with

you

in

my strength of love : Look, here I have you ; thus 1 let you go, And give you to the Gods.

Cæs. Adieu ; be happy!

Lep. Let all the number of the stars give light
To thy fair way!

Cæs. Farewell, farewell!
Ant. Farewell !

[Trumpets found. Exeunt.

SCE N E III.

The palace in Alexandria.
Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas.
Cleo. Where is the fellow?
Alex. Half afraid to come.
Cleo. Go to, go to.-Come hither, fir,

Enter the Messenger.
Alex. Good majesty,
Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you,
But when you are well pleas’d.

Cleo. That Herod's head
I'll have : But how? when Antony is gone,

of the verb here, against the authority of all the copies. There was no sense in it, I think, as it ftood before. THEOBALD.

I am afraid there was better sense in the passage as it stood be. fore, than Mr. Theobald's alteration will afford us. Believe it, (says Enobarbus) that Aniony did fo, i. e. that he wept over fucb an event, till you jee me weeping on the same occasion, when I fall be obliged to you for putting such a construction on my tears, which, in reality, (like his will be tears of joy. I have replaced the old reading. Theobald reads, “ till I wept too." STEVENS.

Through

near.

!

Through whom I might command it.—Come thou

Mes. Most gracious majesty,

Cleo. Didst thou behold
Octavia ?

Mes. Ay, dread queen.
Cleo. Where?

Mes. Madam, in Rome
I look'd her in the face; and saw her led
Between her brother and Mark Antony.

Cleo. Is she as tall as me? 4
Mes. She is not, madam.
Cleo. Didst hear her speak? Is The Thrill-tonguid,

or low?
Mej. Madam, I heard her speak ? she is low-voic'd.
Cleo. That's not so good. He cannot like her long.
Char. Like her? oh Isis ! 'tis impossible.
Cleo. I think so, Charmian. Dull of tongue, and ,

dwarfish!
What majesty is in her gait ? Remember,
If e'er thou look'st on majesty.

Mej. She creeps;
Her motion and her station are as one :
She shews a body rather than a life ;
A ftatue, than a breather.

Cleo. Is this certain ?
Mes. Or I have no observance.

Char. Three in Ægypt
Cannot make better note.

Cleo. He's very knowing,
I do perceiv't.-There's nothing in her yet.

* Is she as tall as me ? &c. &c. &c.] This scene (says Dr. Gray) is a manifeft allusion to the questions put by queen Elizabeth to fir James Melvil, concerning his mistress, the queen of Scots. Whoever will give himself the trouble to confule his Memoirs, will probably suppose the resemblance to be more than accidental.

STEEVENS.

The fellow has good judgment.

Cbar. Excellent.
Cleo. Guess at her years, I prythee.
Mes. Madam, she was a widow.
Cleo. Widow ? Charmian, hark.
Mes. And I do think, she's thirty.
Cleo. Bear'st thou her face in mind? Is it long,

or round?
Mef. Round even to faultiness.

Cleo. For the most part too,
They are foolish that are fo. Her hair, what colour?

Mes: Brown, madam ; and her forehead
As low as she would wish it.

Cleo. There's gold for thee.
Thou must not take my former sharpness ill :-
I will employ thee back again ; I find thee
Moft fit for business : Go, make thee ready;
Our letters are prepar’d.

Char. A proper man.

Cleo. Indeed, he is so. I repent me much,
That I so harry'd hims. Why, methinks, by him,
This creature's no such thing.

Char. Nothing, madam.
Cleo. The man hath seen some majesty, and should

know.
Char. Hath he seen majesty ? Isis else defend,
And serving you so long !
Cleo. I have one thing more to ask him yet, good

Charmian :

Sa harry'd bim.-) To barry, is to use rougbly. I meet with the word in The Revenger's Tragedy, 1607.

“ He harried her, and midst a throng, &c.” So in The Downfall of Robert Earl of Huntington, 1601,

“ Will barry me about instead of her." Holinshed, speaking of the body of Rich. III. fays, it was “ barried on horseback, dead.”

STEevens.

But

But 'cis no matter ; thou shalt bring him to me
Where I will write. All may be well enough.
Cbar. I warrant you, madam.

(Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Antony's house at Athens.

Enter Antony and OEt avia. Ant. Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that, That were excusable, that and thousands more Of semblable import, but he hath wag'd New wars 'gainst Pompey; made his will and read it To public ear; Spoke scantily of me when perforce he could not But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly He vented them ; most narrow measure lent me : • When the best hinc was given him, he not took it, Or did it from his teeth.

081a. Oh, my good lord, Believe not all ; or, if you must believe, Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady, If this division chance; ne'er stood between, Praying for both parts : The good Gods will mock

me When I shall pray; “Oh, bless

husband !” pre. fently Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud, "Oh, bless my brother!" Husband win, win brother, Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway 'Twixt these extremes at all.

Ant, Gentle Octavia, Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks * When the best bint was given him, be o’erlook”d.

Or did it from bis teeth.] The first folio reads, not look'd. Dr. Ibirlby advis’d the emendation which I have inserted in the text.

THEOBALD. 3

Best

my

N 3