When my good stars, that were my former guides, My speech, and what is done; tell him, he has Cleo. Have you done yet? Ant. Alack, our terrene moon Is now eclips'd; and it portends alone Cleo. I must stay his time. [Exit THYREUS. Ant. To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes With one that ties his points? Cleo. Not know me yet? Ant. Cold-hearted toward me? Cleo. Ah, dear, if I be so, From my cold heart let heaven engender hail, Ant. I am satisfied: Cæsar sits down in Alexandria; where Have knit again, and fleet,2 threat'ning most sea-like. There is hope in't yet. Cleo. That's my brave lord! Ant. I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breath'd, And fight maliciously: for when mine hours [8] To repay me this insult; to requite me. JOHNS. [2] Fleet is the old word for float. TYRWHITT. STEEV. Were nice and lucky, men did ransome lives Cleo. It is my birth-day: I had thought, to have held it poor; but, since my lord Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra. Ant. We'll yet do well. Cleo. Call all his noble captains to my lord. Ant. Do so, we'll speak to them; and to-night I'll force The wine peep through their scars.-Come on,my queen; There's sap in't yet. The next time I do fight, I'll make death love me; for I will contend Even with his pestilent scythe. [Exeunt ANT, CLEO. and Attend. Eno. Now he'll out-stare the lightning. To be furious, Restores his heart. When valour preys on reason, [Exit. ACT IV. SCENE I.-CESAR's Camp at Alexandria. Enter CESAR, reading a letter; AGRIPPA, MECENAS, and others. Cas. HE calls me boy; and chides, as he had power To beat me out of Egypt: my messenger He hath whipp'd with rods; dares me to personal combat, Cæsar to Antony: Let the old ruffian know, I have many other ways to die; mean time, [3] Nice-seems to be, just fit for my purpose, agreeable to my wish. So we vulgarly say of any thing that is done better than was expected, it is nice. JOHNS, [4] This is still an epithet bestowed on feast days in the colleges of either university. STEEV.Gawdy, or Grand Days in the Inns of court, are four in the year, Ascension day, Midsummer day, All-saints day, and Candlemas day. REED. Laugh at his challenge." Mec. Cæsar must think, When one so great begins to rage, he's hunted Cas. Let our best heads Know, that to-morrow the last of many battles [Exeunt. 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. No. Ant. Why should he not? Eno. He thinks, being twenty times of better fortune, 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? Ant. Well said; come on. Call forth my household seryants; let's to-night, [5] What a reply is this to Antony's challenge? 'tis acknowledged that he should die under the unequal combat; but if we read He hath many other ways to die: mean time, I laugh at his challenge. In this reading we have poignancy, and the very repartee of Cæsar. Let's hear Plutarch. After this, Antony sent a challenge to Cesar, to fight him hand to hand, and received for answer, that he might find several other ways to end his life. UPTON.-Most indisputably this is the sense of Plutarch, and given so in the modern translations; but Shakspeare was misled by the ambiguity of the old one. FARMER. [8] Let the survivor take all. No composition, victory or death. JOHN. Enter Servants. Be bounteous at our meal.-Give me thy hand, Thou hast been rightly honest ;-so hast thou ;- And kings have been your fellows. Eno. [Aside.] '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 ; 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? Eno. To make his followers weep. 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, Eno. What mean you, sir, Look, they weep; [1] I have my eyes as full of tears as if they had been fretted by onions. JOHNS. [2] That is, stop, or desist. So, in Chaucer, The Knightes Tale, v. 1706, edit. 1775 This duk his courser with his sporres smote, And pulled out a swerd, and cried, ho! And in Myrrour of good Manners, Ambition is compared to "The sacke insatiable, The sacke without bottome, which never can say ho." 31* VOL. VI. H. WHITE Now the witch take me, if I meant it thus ! Grace grow where those drops fall! My hearty friends, You take me in too dolorous a sense : I spake to you for comfort; did desire you To burn this night with torches: Know, my hearts, Than death and honour.3 Let's to supper; come, SCENE III. [Exeunt. 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 : Good night to you. 1 Sold. Well, sir, good night. Enter two other Soldiers, 2 Sold. Soldiers, Have careful watch. 3 Sold. And you: Good night, good night. [The first two place themselves at their posts. 4 Sold. Here we : [They take their posts.] and if to-morrow Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope 3 Sold. 'Tis a brave army, And full of purpose. [Music of hautboys under the stage. 4 Sold. Peace, what noise? 1 Sold. List, list! 2 Sold. Hark! 1 Sold. Music i'the air. 3 Sold. Under the earth. 4 Sold. It signs well,+ Does't not? 3 Sold. No. 1 Sold. Peace, I say. What should this mean? [3] That is, an honourable death. UPTON. [] That is, it is a good sign, it bodes well, &c. STEEV. |