Agr. Let us go. Good Enobarbus, make your felf my guest, Whilft you abide here. Eno. Humbly, Sir, I thank you. [Exeunt. Enter Antony, Cæfar, Octavia between them. Ant. The world, and my great office, will fometimes Divide me from your bofom." Oda. All which time, Before the Gods my knee shall bow in prayers Ant. Good night, Sir. My Octavia, Read not my blemishes in the world's report: Caf. Good night. [Exeunt Cæfar and Octavia. Enter Soothsayer. Ant. Now, firrah! do you wish your felf in Egypt? Sooth. Would I had never come from thence, nor you thither! Ant. If you can, your reason ? Sooth. (14) I fee it in my Notion, have it not in my Ant. Say to me, whofe fortune fhall rise higher, Sooth. A bleffed Lottery to him.] Methinks, it is a very indifferent Compliment in Mecanas to call Octavia a Lottery, as if She might turn up blank, as well as prove a Prize to Antony. Mr. Warburton ingeniously conjectur'd, that the Poet wrote as 1 have reform'd the Text: there being as much Difference between Lottery and Allottery, as between a prefent Defignation and a future Chance. (14) I fee it in my Motion, have it not in my tongue.] What Motion? I can trace no Sense in this Word here, unless the Author were alluding to that Agitation of the Divinity, which Di viners pretend to when the Fit of Foretelling is upon them; but then, I think verily, he would have wrote, Emotion. I am Sooth. Cafar's.Therefore, oh Antony, ftay not by his fide. Thy Damon, that's thy fpirit which keeps thee, is Where Cafar'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 doft play with him at any game, Thou'rt fure to lofe: 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 fpeak with him. [Exit Sooth. He fhall to Parthia ; be it art, or hap, He hath spoke true. The very dice obey him; You muft to Parthia, your commiffion's ready: [Exeunt. Enter Lepidus, Mecenas, and Agrippa. Lep. Trouble your felves no farther: pray you, hasten Your Generals after. Agr. Sir, Mark Antony Will e'en but kifs Octavia, and we'll follow. am perfuaded, Shakespeare meant that the Soothsayer should fay, he faw a Reafon in his Thought or Opinion, tho' he gave that Thought or Opinion no Utterance. Lep. Lep. 'Till I fhall fee you in your Soldiers' dress, Which will become you Both, farewel. Mec. We fhall, As I conceive the journey, be at th' mount Before you, Lepidus. Lep. Your way is shorter, My purposes do draw me much about ; You'll win two days upon me. Both. Sir, good fuccefs. Lep. Farewel. [Exeunt. SCENE changes to the Palace in Alexandria. Cleo. Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras and Alexas. G IVE me fome mufick: mufick, moody food Omnes. The mufick, hoa! Enter Mardian the Eunuch. Cleo. Let it alone, let's to billiards: come, Charmian. Char. My arm is fore, 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 fhew'd, tho't come too fhort, The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now. Give me mine angle, we'll to th' river, there, Char. 'Twas merry, when You wager'd on your angling; when your diver Cleo. That time!————oh times! I laught him out of patience, and that night I laught him into patience; and next morn, Enter a Meffenger. Ram thou thy faithful tidings in mine ears, Cleo. Antony's dead? If thou fay fo, villain, thou kill'ft thy mistress: If thou fo yield him, there is gold, and here Mef. First, Madam, he is well. Cleo. Why, there's more gold. But, firrah, mark, we use To fay, the dead are well: bring it to that, The gold, I give thee, will I melt and pour Mef. Good Madam, hear me. Cleo. Well, go to, I will: But there's no goodness in thy face. If Antony (15) whilft I wore his Sword Philippan.] We are not to suppose, nor is there any Warrant from Hiftory, that Antony had any particular Sword fo call'd. The dignifying Weapons, in this Sort, is a Cuftom of much more recent Date. This therefore feems a Compliment à pofteriori. We find Antony afterwards, in this Play, boäfting of his own Prowess at Philippi. Ant. Yes, my Lord, yes; he at Philippi kept His Sword e'en like a Dancer, while I ftrook That was the greatest Action of Antony's Life; and therefore This seems a fine Piece of Flattery, intimating, that his Sword ought to be denominated from that illuftrious Battle, in the fame manner as modern Heroes in Romance are made to give their Swords pompous Names. Be Be free and healthful; why fo tart a favour Mef. Will't please you hear me? Cleo. I have a mind to ftrike thee, ere thou speak'sts Yet, if thou fay Antony lives, 'tis well, Or friends with Cafar, or not captive to him, Mef. Madam, he's well. Cleo. Well faid. Me. And friends with Cafar. Cleo. Thou'rt an honeft man. Mef. Cafar, and he, are greater friends than ever. Mef. But yet, Madaṁ →→ Cleo. I do not like but yet, it does allay The good precedence; fie upon but yết; But yet is as a jaylor to bring forth Some monftrous Malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend, Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear, The good and bad together: he's friends with Cafar, Cleo. For what good turn ? Mef. For the beft turn i'th' bed. Cleo. I am pale, Charmian. Mef. Madam, he's married to Octavia. Cleo. The most infectious peftilence upon thee! Mef. Good Madam, patience. Cleo. What fay you? [Strikes him down. [Strikes him. Hence, horrible villain, or I'll fpurn thine eyes Like balls before me; I'll unhair thy head: She bales him up and down. Thou shalt be whipt with wire, and itew'd in brine, Mef. |