Think, fpeak, caft, write, fing, number, ho!
But as for Cæfar,

His love to Antony.

Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder-
Agr. Both he loves.

Eno. They are his fhards, and he their beetle; fo
This is to horfe; adieu, noble Agrippa.

[Trumpets. Agr. Good fortune, worthy foldier, and farewel.

Enter Cæfar, Antony, Lepidus, and Octavia.

Ant. No farther, Sir.

Caf. You take from me a great part of myself:
Use me well in't. Sifter, prove fuch a wife
As my thoughts make thee, and my fartheft bond
Shall pafs on thy approof. Most noble Antony,
Let not the piece of virtue, which is fet (17)
Betwixt us, as the cement of our love,
To keep it builded, be the Ram to batter
The Fortress of it: for better might we

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

Caf. I've faid.

Ant. You fhall not find,

Though you be therein curious, the leaft caufe
For what you seem to fear; fo the Gods keep you,
And make the hearts of Romans ferve your ends!

(17) 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 Fortune of it: -]

There is no Confonance of Metaphor preferv'd in the Clofe of this Sentence; Love is here prefented under the Image of a Fabrick; and Cement, builded, and the Ram to batter, have all an Agreement with this Image: but what Analogy is there to this, in the Word Fortune? Or what Idea can the Fortune of a Building furnish? I corrected fome years ago, in Print, by Conjecture, Fortress: and, to my Satisfaction, fo foon as I was Mafter of the firft Folio Edition, upon confulting it, I found, I had ftruck out the true Reading.

We

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.
Oca. My noble brother!

Ant. The April's in her eyes: it is love's Spring,
And these the showers to bring it on; be chearful.
Octa. Sir, look well to my husband's house; and
Caf. What, Octavia?

Ofta. I'll tell you in your ear.

Ant. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can Her heart inform her tongue; the fwan's down-feather, That ftands upon the fwell at full of tide,

And neither way inclines.

Eno. Will Cafar weep?

Agr. He has a cloud in's face.

Eno. He were the worfe for that, were he a horse; So is he, being a man.

Agr. Why, Enobarbus?

When Antony found Julius Cæfar dead,

He cried almost to roaring; and he wept,

When at Philippi he found Brutus flain.

Eno. That year, indeed, he was troubled with a rheum;

What willingly he did confound, he wail'd;

Believe't, 'till I wept too. (18)

Caf. No, fweet Octavia,

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

(18) Believe't, till I weep too.] I have ventur'd to alter the Tenfe of the Verb here, against the Authority of all the Copies. There was no Senfe in it, I think, as it ftood before. Enobarbus would fay, "Indeed, Antony feem'd very free of his Tears that "Year; and believe me, bewail'd all the Mischiefs he did, till "I myself wept too." This appears to me very farcaftical. Antony's Tears, he would infer, were diffembled: but Enobarbus wept in real Compaffion of the Havock and Slaughters committed on his Countrymen,

Ant

Ant. Come, Sir, come,

I'll wrestle with you in my ftrength of love.
Look, here I have you; thus I let you go,
And give you to the Gods.

Caf. Adieu, be happy!

Lep. Let all the number of the Stars give light

To thy fair way!

Caf. Farewel, farewel!

Ant. Farewel!

[Kiffes Octavia.

[Trumpets found. Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Palace in Alexandria,

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas.

Cleo.Alex. Half afraid to come.
W

HERE is the fellow?

Cleo. Go to, go to; come hither, Sir.

Enter the Messenger as before.

Alex. Good Majefty!

Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you,
But when you are well pleas'd.

Cleo. That Herod's head

I'll have; but how? when Antony is gone,
Through whom I might command it :-Come thou near,
Mef. Moft gracious Majefty,

Cleo. Didft thou behold

Octavia?

Mef. Ay, dread Queen.

Cleo. Where?

Mef. In Rome, Madam.

I look'd her in the face; and saw her led
Between her brother and Mark Antony.
Cleo. Is the as tall as me?

Mef. She is not, Madam.

Cleo. Didft hear her speak? is fhe fhrill-tongu'd, or low Mef. Madam, I heard her speak, fhe is low-voic'd. Cleo. That's not fo good; he cannot like her long. Char. Like her? oh Ifis! 'tis impoffible.

Cleo

Cleo. I think fo, Charmian; dull of tongue and dwarfish.

What Majefty is in her gait? remember,
If e'er thou look'dft on Majesty.

Mef. She creeps;

Her motion and her station are as one :
She fhews a body rather than a life,
A ftatue than a breather.

Cleo. Is this certain ?

Mef. Or I have no observance. Char. Three in Ægypt Cannot make better note.

Cleo. He's very knowing,

I do perceiv't; there's nothing in her yet.
The fellow has good judgment.

Char. Excellent.

Cleo. Guefs at her years, I pr'ythee.
Mef. Madam, fhe was a widow.
Cleo. Widow? Charmian, hark.
Mef. And I do think fhe's thirty.

Cleo. Bear'ft thou her face in mind? it's long, or

round?

Mef. Round even to faultiness.
Cleo. For th' moft part too,

They're foolish that are fo. Her hair, what colour à
Mef. Brown, Madam; and her forehead

As low as fhe would wish it.

Cleo. There's gold for thee.

Thou must not take my former sharpness ill,
I will employ thee back again; I find thee
Moft fit for business. Go, make thee ready;
Our letters are prepar❜d.

Char. A proper man.

Cleo. Indeed, he is fo; I repent me much, That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him,

This creature's no fuch thing.

Char. O, nothing, Madam.

Cleo. The man hath feen fome Majefty, and fhould

know.

Char. Hath he feen Majefty? Ifis elfe defend!.

And

And ferving you fo long?

Cleo. I've one thing more to ask him yet, good

Charmian:

But 'tis no matter, thou shalt bring him to me
Where I will write: all may be well enough.
Char. I warrant you, Madam.

SCENE charges to Athens.

Enter Antony and Octavia.

Ant. NAY, nay, Octavia, not only that,

[Exeunt.

That were excufable, that and thoufands.

more

Of femblable import, but he hath wag'd

New wars 'gainst Pompey; made his Will and read it To publick ear; spoke scantily 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 giv'n him, he not took't, (19)
Or did it from his teeth.

Octa. Oh, my good Lord,

Believe not all; or, if you must believe,
Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady,

If this division chance, ne'er stood between,

Praying for both parts: the good Gods will mock me, When I fhall pray, "oh, blefs my Lord and husband!” Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud,

"Oh, bless my brother!" Husband win, win brother, Prays, and deftroys the prayer; no midway 'Twixt these extreams at all.

Ant. Gentle Octavia,

Let your best love draw to that point, which feeks
Beft to preserve it; if I lofe mine honour,

I lose myself; better I were not yours,

(19) When the best Hint was giv'n him, he o'erlook'd,

Or did it from his Teeth]

The first Folio reads, not look'd. Dr. Thirlby advis'd the Emendation

which I have inferted in the Text.

Than