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Men. Then is Cæfar, and he, for ever knit together.

Eno. If I were bound to divine of this unity, I would not prophesy so.

Men. I think, the policy of that purpofe made 5 more in the marriage, than the love of the parties.

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Eno. I think fo too. But you fhall find, the band, that feems to tie their friendship together, will be the very strangler of their amity: Octavia is of a holy, cold, and still conversation. Men. Who would not have his wife fo? Eno. Not he, that himself is not fo; which is Mark Antony. He will to his Ægyptian difh again: then shall the fighs of Octavia blow the fire up in Cæfar; and, as I faid before, that which is the 15 ftrength of their amity, shall prove the immediate author of their variance. Antony will use his affection where it is; he marry'd but his occafion here.

Men. And thus it may be. Come, fir, will you 20 aboard?

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Pomp. Forbear me 'till anon.-This wine for Lep. What manner o' thing is your crocodile ? [Exeunt. 25 Ant. It is fhap'd, fir, like itfelf: and it is as broad as it hath breadth: it is just so high as it is, and moves with its own organs: it lives by that which nourishes it; and the elements once out of it, it tranfmigrates.

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2 Serv. Why, this it is to have a name in great men's fellowship: I had as lief have a reed that will do me no fervice, as a partizan 4 I could not 45 heave.

1 Serv. To be call'd into a huge fphere, and not to be feen to move in't, are the holes where eyes should be, which pitifully difafter the cheeks 5.

A fennet founded. Enter Cæfar, Antony, Pompey, Lepidus, Agrippa, Mecænas, Enobarbus, Menas, quith other Captains.

Ant. Thus do they, fir: They take the flow o'

the Nile

By certain scales i' the pyramid; they know,
By the height, the lowness or the mean, if dearth,
Or foizon 7, follow: the higher Nilus fwells,
The more it promises: as it ebbs, the seedsman

50

Lep. What colour is it of?

Ant. Of its own colour too.

Lep. 'Tis a strange serpent.

Ant. 'Tis fo.

And the tears of it are wet.

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55 And, though you think me poor, I am the man Will give thee all the world.

Pomp. Haft thou drunk well?

Men. No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup. Thou art, if thou dar'ft be, the earthly Jove:

Plants, befides its common meaning, is here ufed for the foot, from the Latin. 2 A phrafe amongst good fellows, to fignify that liquor of another's fhare which his companion drinks to eafe him. But it fatirically alludes to Cæfar and Antony's admitting him into the triumvirate, in order to take off from themselves the load of envy. 3A phrafe equivalent to that now in ufe, of touching one in a fore place. 4 i. e. a pike. si. e. Great offices are the holes where eyes fhould be, which, if the eyes be wanding, pitifully difafter the cheeks. i. e. the middle. 7 i. e. plenty, abundance.

Whate'er

Whate'er the ocean pales, or sky inclips', Is thine, if thou wilt have it.

Pomp. Shew me which way.

[titors,

Men. These three world-fharers, these compeAre in thy veffel: Let me cut the cable; And, when we are put off, fall to their throats: All then is thine.

Pemp. Ah, this thou should't have done, And not have fpoke of it! In me, 'tis villany; In thee, it had been good fervice. Thou must know, 'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour; Mine honour, it. Repent, that e'er thy tongue Hath fo betray'd thine aft: Being done unknown, I should have found it afterwards well done; But must condemn it now. Defist, and drink. Men. For this,

I'll never follow thy pall'd 2 fortunes more.Who feeks, and will not take, when once 'tis offer'd, Shall never find it more.

Pomp. This health to Lepidus.

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Make battery to our ears with the loud mufic:10 The while, I'll place you: Then the boy fhall fing; The holding 4 every man shall bear, as loud As his ftrong fides can volly.`

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[Pompey.20

Ant. Bear him afhore.-I'll pledge it for him,
Eno. Here's to thee, Menas.
Men. Enobarbus, welcome.
Pomp. Fill 'till the cup be hid.

Eno. There's a ftrong fellow, Menas.

[Pointing to the attendant who carries off Lepidus. Men. Why?

Eno. He bears

The third part of the world, man; See'ft not?

[Mufick plays. Enobarbus places them band in hand.
SONG.

Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus, with pink eynes:
In thy vats our cares be drown'd;
With thy grapes our hairs be crown'd;
Cup us, 'till the world goes round;
Cup us,
'till the world goes round!

Caf. What would you more?-Pompey, good
night. Good brother,

Let me request you off: our graver business 25 Frowns at this levity.-Gentle lords, let's part; You fee, we have burnt our cheeks: ftrong Enobarbe

Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue Splits what it fpeaks: the wild disguise hath almost

Men. The third part then is drunk: 'Would it 30 Antick'd us all. What needs more words? Good

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3 Dr. Johnson explains this

1 i.e. embraces. 2 Palled is vapid, paft its time of excellence. paffage by, Try whether the cafks found as empty: while Mr. Steevens thinks, that firike the vessels means no more than, chink the vessels one against the other, as a mark of our unanimity in drinking, as we now Lay, cbink glaffes. 4 i. e. the burden of the fong. 5 i. e. eyes inflam'd with drinking. alludes to darting. Thou whofe darts have so often struck others, art struck now thyself. was the fon of Orodes, king of Parthia.

6 Struck

7 Pacorus

Shall

Shall fet thee on triumphant chariots, and
Put garlands on thy head.

Ven. O Silius, Silius,

I have done enough: A lower place, note well,

May make too great an act: For learn this, Silius;
Better to leave undone, than by our deed
Acquire too high a fame, when he we ferve's away.
Cæfar and Antony have ever won

More in their officer, than perfon: Soffius,
One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
For quick accumulation of renown,

Which he atchiev'd by the minute, loft his favour.
Who does i' the wars more than his captain can,
Becomes his captain's captain: and ambition,
The foldier's virtue, rather makes choice of lofs,
Than gain, which darkens him.

I could do more to do Antonius good,
But 'twould offend him; and in his offence
Should my performance perish.

Sil. Thou haft, Ventidius, that,
Without the which a soldier, and his sword, [tony?
Grants scarce diftinction. Thou wilt write to An-

5

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Eno. They are his fhards, and he their beetle 3.
So,-This is to horfe.-Adieu, noble Agrippa.
[Trumpets.
Agr. Good fortune, worthy foldier; and farewel.
Enter Cæfar, Antony, Lepidus, and Octavia.
Ant. No further, fir.

Caf. You take from me a great part of myself:
Ufe me well in it.-Sifter, prove fuch a wife [band
As my thoughts make thee, and as my furthest
15 Shall pafs on thy approof 4.-Most noble Antony,
Let not the piece of virtue, which is fet
Betwixt us, as the cement of our love,
To keep it builded, be the ram, to batter
The fortrefs of it: for better might we

20 Have lov'd without this mean, if on both parts
This be not cherish'd.

Ven. I'll humbly fignify what in his name,
That magical word of war, we have effected;
How, with his banners, and his well-paid ranks, 25
The ne'er-yet beaten horfe of Parthia
We have jaded out o' the field.

[what hafte

Sil. Where is he now ?
Ven. He purpofeth to Athens: whither with
The weight we must convey with us will permit, 30
We shall appear before him.-On, there; pafs
along.

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[Exeunt.

Enter Agrippa at one door, Enobarbus at another.

Ant. Make me not offended
In your diftruft.
Caf. I have faid.

Ant. You fhall not find,

Though you be therein curious 5, the leaft caufe
For what you feem to fear: So, the gods keep you,
And make the hearts of Romans ferve your ends!
We will here part.

Caf. Farewel, my dearest fifter, fare thee well;
The elements be kind to thee, and make
Thy fpirits all of comfort! fare thee well.
Octa. My noble brother!

Ant. The April's in her eyes; it is love's fpring, 35 And thefe the fhowers, to bring it on:-Be cheerful.

Agr. What, are the brothers parted? [gone;
Exo. They have dispatch'd with Pompey, he is 40
The other three are fealing. Octavia weeps,
To part from Rome: Cæfar is fad; and Lepidus,
Since Pompey's feast, as Menas fays, is troubled
With the green-fickness.

Agr. 'Tis a noble Lepidus.

Eno. A very fine one: O, how he loves Cæfar!
Agr. Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark An-
Eno. Cæfar! Why, he's the Jupiter of men. [tony!
Agr. What's Antony? The god of Jupiter.
Eno. Speak you of Cæfar? How? the nonpareil!
Agr. O Antony! O thou Arabian bird 2!
Eno. Would you praife Cæfar, fay,-Cæfar;-

go no further.

Agr. Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises. [Antony Eno. But he loves Cæfar beft;-Yet he loves Ho: hearts, tongues, figures, fcribes, bards, poets,

conduct.

cannot

[45]

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50 When Antony found Julius Cæfar dead,
He cried almost to roaring: and he wept,
When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.
Eno. That year, indeed, he was troubled with
a rheum;

55 What willingly he did confound, he wail'd:
Believe it, 'till I weep too.

Caf. No, fweet Octavia,

You shall hear from me ftill; the time shall not
Out-go my thinking on you.

Grant, for afford. 2 The phoenix. 3 i. e. They are the wings that raise this beavy, lumpish infect from the ground. 4 i. e. as I will venture the greatest pledge of fecurity, on the trial of thy A horfe is faid to have a cloud in bis face, when he has a black or dark-coloured fpot in His forehead between his eyes. This gives him a four look, and being fupposed to indicate an ill-temper, is of courfe regarded as a great blemish.

si. e. fcrupulous.

Ant.

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See note 6, p. 768.

SCENE

IV.

Antony's Houfe at Athens.

Enter Antony and Octavia.

[Exeunt.

Ant. Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,That were excufable, that, and thousands more Of femblable import,-but he hath wag'd New wars 'gainst Pompey; made his will, and read To public ear:

[it

Spoke fcantily of me: when perforce he could not But pay me terms of honour, cold and fickly He vented them; moft narrow meafure lent me : When the best hint was given him, he not took it, 40 Or did it from his teeth.

Octa. O my good lord,

Believe not all; or, if you must believe,
Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady,
If this divifion chance, ne'er stood between,

45 Praying for both parts; The good gods will mock

me presently

When I fhall pray, 0, blefs my lord and husband! Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud,

|0, bless my brother! Husband win, win brother, 50 Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway Twixt thefe extremes at all.

55

Ant. Gentle Octavia,

Let your beft love draw to that point, which feeks Beft to preserve it: If I lofe mine honour,

I lofe myfelf: better I were not yours,

Than yours fo branchlefs. But, as you requested, Yourfelf fhall go between us: The mean time, lady, I'll raife the preparation of a war

2 This fcene (fays Dr. Grey) is a manifeft allufion to the queftions put by queen Elizabeth to Sir James Melvil, concerning his miftrefs, the queen of Scots. Whoever will give himself the trouble to confult his Memoirs, will probably fuppofe the refemblance to be more than accidental. 4 To barry, is to use roughly.

$ i. e. dijgrace.

3 Station, in this instance, means the aft of standing,

Shall

Shall stain your brother: Make your foonest hafte ;] So your defires are yours.

Octa. Thanks to my lord.

The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak, Your reconciler! Wars 'twixt you twain would be As if the world fhould cleave, and that flain men Should folder up the rift.

Ant. When it appears to you where this begins,| Turn your displeasure that way; for our faults Can never be fo equal, that your love Can equally move with them. Provide your going; Choose your own company, and command what coft Your heart has mind to. [Excunt.

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[Pompey.20

Eros. Cæfar and Lepidus have made wars upon
Eno. This is old; What is the fuccefs?

Eros. Cæfar, having made use of him in the wars 'gainst Pompey, presently denied him rivality; would not let him partake in the glory of the 25 action and not refting here, accuses him of letters he had formerly wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal 3, feizes him: So the poor third is up, 'till death enlarge his confine.

Eno. Then 'would thou hadft a pair of chaps,

no more;

And throw between them all the food thou haft, They'll grind the other. Where is Antony?

Eros. He's walking in the garden-thus; and]

(purns

The 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.

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Agr. Whom does he accufe?

Caf. Cæfar: and that, having in Sicily Sextus Pompeius fpoil'd, we had not rated him His part o' the ifle: then does he fay, he lent me Some shipping unreftor'd: lastly, he frets, That Lepidus of the triumvirate

Should be depos'd; and, being, that we detain All his revenue.

I

Agr. Sir, this fhould be anfwer'd.

Caf. 'Tis done already, and the messenger gone. have told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel; That he his high authority abus'd,

[quer'd,

And did deserve his change: for what I have con-
I grant him part; but then, in his Armenia,
And other of his conquer'd kingdoms, I
Demand the like.

Mac. He'll never yield to that.

Caf. Nor must not then be yielded to in this. Enter Octavia.

Ofa. Hail, Cæfar, and my lord! hail, moft dear Cæfar!

Caf. That ever I fhould call thee, caft-away! Ofta. You have not call'd me fo, nor have you caufe.

[come not

Eros. For Italy, and Cæfar. More, Domitius; 40 Caf. Why have you ftol'n upon us thus? You

My lord defires you presently: my news

I might have told hereafter.

Eno. "Twill be naught:

But let it be.-Bring me to Antony.

Eros. Come, fir.

SCENE VIII. Rome. Cafur's Houfe.

Like Cæfar's fifter: The wife of Antony
Should have an army for an usher, and

The neighs of horse to tell of her approach,
Long ere he did appear: the trees by the way,

[Exeunt. 45 Should have borne men; and expectation fainted,
Longing for what it had not: nay, the duft
Should have afcended to the roof of heaven,
Rais'd by your populous troops: But you are come
A market-maid to Rome; and have prevented

Enter Cafar, Agrippa, and Macenas.

Caf. Contemning Rome, he has done all this : 50 The oftentation of our love, which, left unshewn,

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4 Lydia for Lybia. 5 i. e. an obstruction, a bar to the profecution of his wanton pleasures with Cleopatra.

09.

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