Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest

Whilst you abide here.

Eno.

Humbly, sir, I thank you. [Exeunt.

SCENE III.- The Same. A Room in CESAR'S House.

Enter ANTONY, CÆSAR, OCTAVIA between them; and Attend

ants.

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

Octa.

All which time

Before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers

To them for you.

Ant.
Read not my blemishes in the world's report:
I have not kept my square; but that to come

Good night, sir.- My Octavia,

Shall all be done by th' rule.

Good night, dear lady.

[Exeunt CESAR and OCTAVIA.

Octa. Good night, sir.

Cæs. Good night.

Enter the Soothsayer.

Ant. Now, sirrah, you do wish yourself in Egypt?

Sooth. Would I had never come from thence, nor you hither!

Ant. If you can, your reason?

Sooth. I see it in my notion,1 have it not in my tongue : but yet hie you to Egypt again.

Ant. Say to me

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

Sooth. Cæsar's.

Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side :

1 As Hamlet says, * in my mind's eye." Shakespeare repeatedly uses notion for understanding, judgment, or mind. See vol. xv. page 40, note 26.

Thy demon, that thy spirit which keeps thee, is
Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,

Where Cæsar's is not; but, near him, thy angel
Becomes a fear,2 as being o'erpower'd: therefore
Make space enough between you.

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'rt sure to lose; and, of that natural luck,

He beats thee 'gainst the odds: thy lustre thickens,3
When he shines by. I say again, thy spirit

Is all afraid to govern thee near him ;

But, he away, 'tis noble.

2 A fear sometimes meant that which fears or is cowed, sometimes that which scares or affrights. Here it evidently has the former sense.

8 That is, grows dim, or becomes dark. So, in Macbeth, iii. 2, we have "Light thickens."— Plutarch furnished the matter of this choice bit of dialogue: "With Antonius there was a soothsayer or astronomer of Egypt, that could cast a figure, and judge of men's nativities, to tell them what should happen to them. He, either to please Cleopatra, or else for that he found it so by his art, told Antonius plainly, that his fortune- which of itself was excellent-good and very great- -was altogether blemished and obscured by Cæsar's fortune; and therefore he counselled him utterly to leave his company, and to get him as far from him as he could. 'For thy demon,' said he, 'that is to say, the good angel and spirit that keepeth thee, is afraid of his; and, being courageous and high when he is alone, becometh fearful and timorous when he cometh near unto the other.' Howsoever it was, the ensuing events proved the Egyptian's words true; for it is said that, as often as they two drew cuts for pastime, who should have any thing, or whether they played at dice, Antonius always lost. Oftentimes, when they were disposed to see cock-fight, or quails, that were taught to fight one with another, Cæsar's cocks or quails did ever overcome. The which spited Antonius in his mind, although he made no outward show of it; and therefore he believed the Egyptian the better."

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 quails ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:
And, though I make this marriage for my peace,
I' the East my pleasure lies.·

Enter VENTIDIUS.

O, come, Ventidius,

You must to Parthia: your commission's ready ;
Follow me, and receive't.

[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 th' Mount 5

Before you, Lepidus.

Lep.

Your way is shorter ;

4 The ancients used to match quails as we match cocks. Julius Pollux relates that a circle was made in which the birds were placed, and he whose quail was first driven out of this circle lost the stake. We are told by Mr. Marsden that the Sumatrans practise these quail-combats. The Chinese have always been extremely fond of quail-fighting. Douce has given a print, from an elegant Chinese miniature painting, which represents some ladies engaged at this amusement, where the quails are actually inhooped.

5 At Mount Misenum, whither they are going, to confer with Pompey.

SCENE V. - Alexandria. A Room in CLEOPATRA's Palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAs, and ALEXAS.

Cleo. Give me some music, music, moody food

Of us that trade in love.

come, Charmian.

Cleo. Let it alone; let's to billiards:1
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't come too

short,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now:

Give me mine angle, we'll to th' 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,

"

1 "An anachronism," say the critics; billiards were not known to the ancients." But how do they know this? Late researches have shown that many things were in use in old Egypt, which, afterwards lost, have been reinvented in modern times. But Shakespeare did not know this? Doubtless, not; but then he knew that by using a term familiar to his audience he would lead their thoughts to what has always followed in the train of luxury and refinement. Suppose he had been so learned, and withal such a slave to his learning, as to use a term signifying some game which the English people never had heard of. Which were the greater anachronism?

'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.2-

Enter a Messenger.

O, from Italy!

Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,

That long time have been barren.

Mess.

Madam, madam,—

Cleo. Antony's dead? If thou say so, thou 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.

Mess. First, madam, he is well.

Cleo.

But, sirrah, mark, we use

To

Why, there's more gold.

say the dead are well: bring it to that, The gold I give thee will I melt and pour Down thy ill-uttering throat.

Mess. Good madam, hear me.

Cleo.

Well, go to, I will;

But there's no goodness in thy face: if Antony

2 The battle of Philippi being the greatest action of Antony's life, it was an adroit piece of flattery to name his sword from it.