Like Cæsar's sister: The wife of Antony Good my lord, Oct. Cæs. Which soon he granted, Being an obstruct 'tween his lust and him. Oct. Do not say so, my lord. Cæs. I have eyes upon him, And his affairs come to me on the wind. Where is he now? Oct. My lord, in Athens. Caes. No, my most wronged sister; Cleopatra Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire Up to a whore; who now are levying The kings o'the earth for war: He hath assembled Bocchus, the king of Libya; Archelaus, Of Cappadocia ; Philadelphos, king Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas; Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, king The ostent of our love,] for-ostentation, which Mr. Malone Of Comagene; Polemon and Amintas, Oct. Ah me, most wretched, That have my heart parted betwixt two friends, Cæs. Hold unbewail'd their way. Nothing more dear to me. Welcome to Rome: Beyond the mark of thought: and the high gods, Of us, and those that love you. Best of comfort; Agr. Welcome, lady. Mec. Welcome, dear madam. Each heart in Rome does love and pity you: Only the adulterous Antony, most large In his abominations, turns you off; And gives his potent regiment' to a trul!. Oct. Is it so, sir? 1 Caes. Most certain. Sister, welcome: Pray you, Be ever known to patience: My dearest sister! [Exeunt. 7 · potent regiment —]. Regiment, is government, authority ; he puts his power and his empire into the hands of a false woman. SCENE VII. Antony's Camp, near to the Promontory of Actium. Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS. Cleo. I will be even with thee, doubt it not. Cleo. Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars ; And say'st, it is not fit. Eno. Well, is it, is it? Cleo. Is't not? Denounce against us †, why should not we Be there in person? Eno. [aside.] Well, I could reply : If we should serve with horse and mares together, Cleo. What is't you say? Eno. Your presence needs must puzzle Antony; Take from his heart, take from his brain, from his time, What should not then be spar'd. He is already Traduc'd for levity; and 'tis said in Rome, That Photinus an eunuch, and your maids, Cleo. Sink Rome; and their tongues rot, That speak against us! A charge we bear i'the war, Appear there for a man. Speak not against it; Eno. Here comes the emperor. Nay, I have done: forspoke my being ] To forspeak, is to contradict, speak against, as forbid is to order negatively. + "if not denounced against us," &c.—MALONE. merely lost;] i. e. entirely, absolutely lost. Ant. Enter ANTONY and CANIDIUS. Is't not strange, Canidius, That from Tarentum, and Brundusium, He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea, And take in Toryne'?-You have heard on't, sweet? Cleo. Celerity is never more admir'd, Than by the negligent. Ant. A good rebuke, Which might have well becom'd the best of men, To taunt at slackness.-Canidius, we Will fight with him by sea. Cleo. By sea! What else? For he dares us' to't. Can. Why will my lord do so? Eno. So hath my lord dar'd him to single fight. Eno. Are those, that often have 'gainst Pompey fought: Being prepar'd for land. Ant. By sea, by sea. Eno. Most worthy sir, you therein throw away And take in Toryne?] To take in, is to gain by conquest. 2 For he dares us] i. e. because he dares us. Mr. Malone reads “For that he dares us. + "muliters,"-MALONE, the old spelling of muleteers. The way which promises assurance; and Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard, Cleo. I have sixty sails, Cæsar none better. Ant. Our overplus of shipping will we burn; And with the rest full mann'd, from the head of Actium Beat the approaching Cæsar. But if we fail, Enter a Messenger. We then can do't at land.-Thy business? Ant. Can he be there in person? 'tis impossible; Enter a Soldier. Away, my Thetis !- How now, worthy soldier? Have used to conquer, standing on the earth, And fighting foot to foot. Ant. Well, well, away. [Exeunt ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, and ENOBARBUS. Sold. By Hercules, I think, I am i'the right. 3 Strange, that his power should be.] It is strange that his forces should be there. my Thetis !] Antony may address Cleopatra by the name of this sea-nymph, because she had just promised him assistance in his naval expedition; or perhaps in allusion to her voyage down the Cydnus, when she appeared like Thetis surrounded by the Nereids. |