Ven. I'll humbly signify what in his name, That magical word of war, we have effected; How, with his banners, and his well-paid ranks, The ne'er-yet-beaten horse of Parthia

We have jaded out o'the field.

Sil.

Where is he now ?

Ven. He purposeth to Athens: whither with what

haste

The weight we must convey with us will permit,
We shall appear before him.-On, there; pass along.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Rome. An Ante-Chamber in Cæsar's House.

Enter AGRIPPA and ENOBARBUS, meeting.

Agr. What, are the brothers parted?

Eno. They have despatch'd with Pompey, he is

gone;

The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps

To part from Rome: Cæsar is sad; and Lepidus,
Since Pompey's feast, as Menas says, is troubled
With the green sickness.

Agr.

"Tis a noble Lepidus.

Eno. A very fine one: O, how he loves Cæsar!
Agr. Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!
Eno. Cæsar? Why, he's the Jupiter of men.

Agr. What's Antony? The god of Jupiter.

Eno. Spake you of Cæsar? How? the nonpareil !
Agr. O Antony! O thou Arabian bird!

and thy sword.

You would be both equally cutting and senseless. Mr. Malone reads "without the which," and adds that to the preceding line.

9

Arabian bird!] The phoenix.

Eno. Would you praise Cæsar, say, - Cæsar; go no further.

Agr. Indeed, he ply'd them both with excellent praises.

Eno. But he loves Cæsar best;-Yet he loves An

tony:

Ho! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets,

cannot

Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number, ho, his love

To Antony. But as for Cæsar,

Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.

Agr.

Both he loves.

Eno. They are his shards, and he their beetle'.

So,

This is to horse-Adieu, noble Agrippa.

[Trumpets.

Agr. Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell.

Enter CESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA.

Ant. No further, sir.

Cæs. You take from me a great part of myself; Use me well in it.-Sister, prove such a wife

As my thoughts make thee, and as my furthest band'
Shall pass on thy approof.-Most noble Antony,

Let not the piece of virtue, which is set
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 loved without this mean, if on both parts
This be not cherish'd.

Ant.

In your distrust.

Cæs.

Make me not offended

I have said.

1 They are his shards, and he their beetle.] i. e. They are the wings that raise this heavy lumpish insect from the ground.

2

as my furthest band -] As I will venture the greatest pledge of security, on the trial of thy conduct. Band and bond in our author's time were synonymous.

You shall not find,

Ant.
Though you be therein curious, the least cause
For what you seem to fear: So, the gods keep you,
And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!
We will here part.

Caes. Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well;
The elements be kind to thee, and make

Thy spirits all of comfort! fare thee well.

Octa. My noble brother!

Ant. The April's in her eyes: It is love's spring, And these the showers to bring it on.-Be cheerful. Octa. Sir, look well to my husband's house; and— Cæs. Octavia?

Octa. I'll tell you in your ear.

What,

Ant. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can Her heart inform her tongue: the swan's down

feather,

That stands upon the swell at full of tide,

And neither way inclines.

Eno. Will Cæsar weep?

Agr.

[Aside to AGRIPPA.

He has a cloud in's face.

Eno. He were the worse for that, were he a horse ';

So is he, being a man.

Agr.

Why, Enobarbus?

When Antony found Julius Cæsar dead,

He cried almost to roaring: and he wept,

When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.

3

5

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

rheum;

therein curious,] i. e. scrupulous.

The elements be kind, &c.] This is obscure. It seems to mean, May the different elements of the body, or principles of life, maintain such proportion and harmony as may keep you cheerful! were he a horse ;] A horse is said to have a cloud in his face, when he has a black or dark-coloured spot in his forehead between his eyes. This gives him a sour look, and being supposed to indicate an ill temper, is of course regarded as a great blemish.

What willingly he did confound", he wail'd:
Believe it, till I weep too.

Cæs.

No, sweet Octavia,

You shall hear from me still; the time shall not

Out-go my thinking on you.

Come, sir, come;

Ant.
I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love:
Look, here I have you; thus I let you go,
And give you to the gods.

Cæs.

Adieu; be happy!

Lep. Let all the number of the stars give light

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS.

Cleo. Where is the fellow?

Alex.

Half afeard to come.

Cleo. Go to, go to:-Come hither, sir.

Alex.

Enter a Messenger.

Good majesty,

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

Mess. Cleo.

Ay, dread queen.

Where?

Mess.

Madam, in Rome

I look'd her in the face; and saw her led
Between her brother and Mark Antony.

Cleo. Is she as tall as me'?

Mess.

She is not, madam.

Cleo. Didst hear her speak? Is she shrill-tongu’d,

or low?

Mess. Madam, I heard her speak; she is low-voic❜d. Cleo. That's not so good:-he cannot like her long. Char. Like her? O Isis! 'tis impossible.

Cleo. I think so, Charmian: Dull of tongue, and dwarfish!

What majesty is in her gait? Remember,

If e'er thou look'dst on majesty.

She creeps;

Mess.
Her motion and her station are as one:

8

I do perceive't:-There's nothing in her yet:—

The fellow has good judgment.

Char.

Cleo. Guess at her years, I pr'ythee.

Mess.

She was a widow.

Cleo.

Excellent.

Madam,

Widow ?-Charmian, hark.

7 Is she as tall as me? &c. &c. &c.] This scene (says Dr. Grey) is a manifest allusion to the questions put by queen Elizabeth to sir James Melvil, concerning his mistress the queen of Scots. But Melvil's Memoirs were not printed until 1683.

8 her station -] Station, in this instance, means the act of standing.