1 And get her leave to part. For not alone The death of Fulvia, with more urgent touches, Much is breeding, Which, like the courser's hair, hath yet but life, And not a serpent's poison.5 Say, our pleasure, To such whose place is under us, requires Our quick remove from hence. Eno. I shall do't. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same. Another Room in the same. Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS. Cleo. Where is he? Char. I did not see him since. Cleo. [To ALEX.] See where he is, who's with him. 5 The courser's hair, &c.] There is here an allusion to the vulgar notion that horse-hairs buried in moisture became serpents. I did not send you : '—if you find him sad,2 That I am sudden sick quick, and return. [Exit ALEX. Char. Madam, methinks, if you did love him dearly, You do not hold the method to enforce The like from him. Cleo. What should I do I do not ?3 Char. In each thing give him way, cross him in no thing. Cleo. Thou teachest like a fool,-the way to lose him. Char. Tempt him not so too far: I wish, forbear; 5 In time we hate that which we often fear. But here comes Antony. Cleo. I am sick and sullen. Enter ANTONY. Ant. I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose,-Cleo. Help me away, dear Charmian, I shall fall : It cannot be thus long, the sides of nature Will not sustain it. Ant. Now, my dearest queen,— What's the matter? Cleo. Pray you, stand farther from me. Cleo. I know, by that same eye, there's some good What news. says the married woman ?-You may go: 'I did not send you.] Do not let it be known that I sent you. 2 Sad.] In a serious mood. Sad often means serious in our 'Speak sad brow and true maid.' As you Like it, old literature. iii. 2. I do not] The way.] That I do not. That is the way. I wish forbear.] Forbear is my wish. The verb forbear is here in the imperative mood. Would she had never given you leave to come! Cleo. O, never was there queen So mightily betrayed! yet at the first I saw the treasons planted. Ant. Cleopatra, Cleo. Why should I think you can be mine and true, Ant. Most sweet queen,— Cleo. Nay, pray you, seek no colour2 for your going, But bid farewell, and go: when you sued staying, Then was the time for words: no going then ;— Eternity was in our lips and eyes, Bliss in our brows' bent; none our parts so poor,* Art turned the greatest liar. Ant. How now, lady! 1 Though you in swearing, &c.] Though you should utter such oaths as might agitate the gods by whom you swear. 2 Colour.] Pretext. So in Acts xxvii. 30, 'Under colour as though they would have cast anchors out of the foreship.' 8 Our.] My. ♦ None our parts so poor.] No one of my qualities was so poor. 5 But was a race of heaven.] Race is a suspicious word here, for which I would venture to substitute trace. There was eternity in the lips and eyes, bliss in the brows' bent, a trace of heaven in every quality. It should be remarked, however, that race had for one of its meanings smack or relish. Cleo. I would I had thy inches; thou shouldst know There were a heart in Egypt. Ant. Hear me, queen: The strong necessity of time commands Shines o'er with civil swords: Sextus Pompeius Breeds scrupulous faction: 3 the hated, grown to strength, Into the hearts of such as have not thrived Cleo. Though age from folly could not give me freedom, It does from childishness: 7-can Fulvia die? In use.] In trust. So, in The Merchant of Venice, iv. 1, Antonio, speaking of Shylock's goods, desires to have 'The other half in use' for the Jew's son-in-law. 2 The port.] The gate. Lat. porta. 3 Scrupulous faction.] Party dissensions about little things. ♦ And quietness, &c.] And who, grown sick of rest, would purge quietness by any desperate change. 5 My more particular.] What more immediately concerns myself. A man's particular meant his individuality, his own proper person. So in K. Lear, ii. 4, 'For his particular, I'll receive him gladly.' The community at large was called the general; thus in Julius Cæsar, ii. 1, 'I know no personal cause to spurn at him, but for the general.' • Should safe my going.] Should make my going safe.. It does from childishness.] It prevents my being imposed on like a child. Ant. She's dead, my queen: Look here, and, at thy sovereign leisure, read Cleo. In Fulvia's death how mine received shall be. Ant. Quarrel no more, but be prepared to know Cleo. Cut my lace, Charmian, come! But let it be:-I am quickly ill and well; So Antony loves.5 Ant. My precious queen, forbear And give true evidence to his love, which stands An honourable trial. Cleo. So Fulvia told me.6 I prithee, turn aside and weep for her; Garboils.] Turmoils. 2 At the last best.] See at the last what is the best of the news. Staunton, we think, wrongly supposes best to be an epithet of endearment addressed to Cleopatra. That Antony should call 'the last best' is what provokes the next speech. In North's Plutarch it is said that by good fortune Fulvia sickened by the way and died.' See Extracts from Plutarch, 17. Sacred vials.] An allusion to lachrymatories or tear-bottles. See Psalm lvi. 8, 'Put thou my tears in thy bottle.' As thou affectest.] As thou inclinest. So Antony loves.] And Antony's affection is just as fluctuating. So Fulvia told me.] The case of Fulvia has told me what honourable trial your love stands. |