SCENE II.

Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and Others.

Ant. He will not fight with me, Domitius.

Eno.

Ant. Why should he not?

No.

Eno. He thinks, being twenty times of better for

tune,

He is twenty men to one.

Ant.

To-morrow, soldier,

By sea and land I'll fight: or I will live,

Or bathe my dying honour in the blood

Shall make it live again. Woo't thou fight well?
Eno. I'll strike; and cry, “Take all.”

Ant.

Well said; come on.Call forth my household servants: let's to-night

Enter Servants.

Be bounteous at our meal.-Give me thy hand,

Thou hast been rightly honest;—so hast thou;

Thou, and thou,-and thou:-you have serv'd me

well,

And kings have been your fellows.

Cleo.

What means this?

Eno. 'Tis one of those odd tricks, which sorrow

shoots

Out of the mind.

Ant.

And thou art honest too.

I wish, I could be made so many men,
And all of you clapp'd up together in
An Antony, that I might do you service,

So good as you have done.

Serv.

The gods forbid!

Ant. Well, my good fellows, wait on me to-night; Scant not my cups, and make as much of me, As when mine empire was your fellow too, And suffer'd my command.

Cleo.

What does he mean?

Tend me to-night;

Eno. To make his followers weep.
Ant.

May be, it is the period of your duty:
Haply, you shall not see me more; or if,
A mangled shadow: perchance, to-morrow
You'll serve another master. I look on you,
As one that takes his leave. Mine honest friends,
I turn you not away; but, like a master
Married to your good service, stay till death.
Tend me to-night two hours, I ask no more,
And the gods yield you for't!

Eno.

To give them this discomfort?

What mean you, sir,

Look, they weep;

Ho, ho, ho!

And I, an ass, am onion-ey'd: for shame,
Transform us not to women.

Ant.

Now, the witch take me, if I meant it thus.

Grace grow where those drops fall!

friends,

You take me in too dolorous a sense,

My hearty

For I spake to you for your comfort; did desire you
To burn this night with torches. Know, my hearts,

I hope well of to-morrow; and will lead you,
Where rather I'll expect victorious life,

Than death and honour. Let's to supper; come,
And drown consideration.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

The Same. Before the Palace.

Enter Two Soldiers, to their Guard.

1 Sold. Brother, good night: to-morrow is the day. 2 Sold. It will determine one way: fare you well. Heard you of nothing strange about the streets? 1 Sold. Nothing. What news?

2 Sold. Belike, 'tis but a rumour.

you:

1 Sold. Well, sir, good night.

Enter Two other Soldiers.

2 Sold. Soldiers, have careful watch.

Good night to

3 Sold. And you. Good night, good night.

[The first Two place themselves at their Posts2. 4 Sold. Here we: [They take their Posts.] and if to

morrow

Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope

Our landmen will stand up.

3 Sold. No.

1 Sold. Peace! I say. What should this mean?

2 at their Posts.] "In every corner of the stage,” in the folios.

2 Sold. 'Tis the god Hercules, whom Antony lov'd,

Now leaves him.

1 Sold. Walk; let's see if other watchmen

3 Sold. Do you hear, masters? do you hear?

1 Sold. Follow the noise so far as we have quarter;

Let's see how it will give off.

Ant. No, my chuck.-Eros, come; mine armour,

Eros!

Enter EROS, with Armour.

Come, good fellow, put thine iron on :

If fortune be not ours to-day, it is

Because we brave her.-Come.

Cleo.

What's this for?

Ant.

Nay, I'll help too.

Ah, let be, let be! thou art

The armourer of my heart:-false, false; this, this.

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

3 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 Off."