Agr. And made a gap in nature. Agr. Rare Egyptian! Eno. Upon her landing, Antony sent to her, It should be better he became her guest; Agr. Royal wench! She made great Cæsar lay his sword to bed; Eno. I saw her once Hop forty paces through the public street; And having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted, And, breathless, power breathe forth. Mec. Now Antony must leave her utterly. 1 i. e. waited upon her looks, discovered her will by her looks. 2 "Made their bends adornings." On this passage there are several pages of notes in the variorum Shakspeare, which, as Steevens remarks, supply a powerful instance of the uncertainty of verbal criticism; for the same phrase is there explained with reference to four different images— bows, groups, eyes, and tails. "The plain sense of the passage seems to be, each inclined her person so gracefully, that the very act of humiliation was an improvement of her own beauty.' 6 3 Yarely frame," i. e. readily perform. Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale Cloy the appetites they feed; but she makes hungry Where most she satisfies. For vilest things Become themselves in her; that the holy priests Bless her when she is riggish.' Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modesty can settle The heart of Antony, Octavia is 2 A blessed lottery to him. Agr. Let us go. Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest, Whilst you abide here. Eno. Humbly, sir, I thank you. [Exeunt. SCENE III. The same. A Room in Cæsar's House. Enter CESAR, ANTONY, OCTAVIA between them; Attendants, and a Soothsayer. Ant. The world, and my great office, will sometimes Divide me from your bosom. Octa. Ant. 3 Good night, sir.-My Octavia, Read not my blemishes in the world's report. Cæs. Good night. [Exeunt CESAR and OCTAVIA. Thither! Ant. If you can, your reason? 1 Riggish is wanton, immodest. I see't in 2 Lottery for allotment. 3 The same construction is found in Coriolanus, Act i. Sc. 1," Shouting their emulation." My motion, have it not in my tongue. But yet Hie you again to Egypt. Ant. Say to me, Whose fortunes shall rise higher; Cæsar's, or mine? Sooth. Cæsar's; Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side. Thy demon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is Where Cæsar's is not; but near him, thy angel 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 art sure to lose; and of that natural luck, Is all afraid to govern thee near him; But, he away, 'tis noble. Ant. Get thee gone ; Say to Ventidius, I would speak with him. [Exit Soothsayer. He shall to Parthia.-Be it art, or hap, Enter VENTIDIUS. I'the East my pleasure lies.-O come, Ventidius, 1 A Fear was a personage in some of the old moralities. 2 So in Macbeth, "light thickens." [Exeunt. Julius 3 The ancients used to match quails as we match cocks. 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. SCENE IV. 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. As I conceive the journey, be at mount1 Lep. My purposes do draw me much about; We shall, Your way is shorter; Sir, good success! [Exeunt. You'll win two days upon me. Mec. Agr. Lep. Farewell. SCENE V. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace. Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS. Cleo. Give me some music; music, moody food Of us that trade in love. Attend. The music, ho! Enter MARDIAN. Cleo. Let it alone; let us to billiards.3 Come, Charmian. Char. My arm is sore; best play with Mardian. Cleo. As well a woman with an eunuch played, As with a woman:-Come, you'll play with me, sir? 1 Mount Misenum. 2 Moody here means melancholy. 3 It is scarcely necessary to remark that this is an anachronism. Billiards were not known to the ancients. Mar. As well as I can, madam. Cleo. And when good will is showed, though it come too short, The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now;- Tawny-finned fishes; my bended hook shall pierce I'll think them every one an Antony, And say, Ah ha! you're caught. Char. 'Twas merry, when You wagered on your angling; when your diver Cleo. That time!-O times!— I laughed him out of patience; and that night I laughed 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. O! from Italy; 3 Enter a Messenger. Rain thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears, Mess. Cleo. Antony's dead? Madam, madam, If thou say so, villain, thou kill'st thy mistress; But well and free, If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here Mess. First, madam, he's well. Cleo. Why, there's more gold. But, sirrah, mark : We use 1 This circumstance is from Plutarch. 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. 3 The old copy reads "Ram thou," &c. Rain agrees better with the epithets fruitful and barren. So in Timon: “Rain sacrificial whisperings in his ear." |