Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i' the morning: but, next day,
I told him of myself;5 which was as much
As to have ask'd him pardon: Let this fellow
Be nothing of our strife; if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

Cas.

You have broken

The article of your oath; which you shall never
Have tongue to charge me with.

Lep.

Soft, Cæsar.

Ant. No, Lepidus, let him speak;

The honour's sacred which he talks on now,
Supposing that I lack'd it: But on, Cæsar;

The article of my oath,

Cas. To lend me arms, and aid, when I requir'd them;

5 I told him of myself;] i. e. told him the condition I was in, when he had his last audience. Warburton.

• The honour's sacred-] Sacred, for unbroken, unviolated. Warburton.

Dr. Warburton seems to understand this passage thus; The honour which he talks of me as lacking, is unviolated. I never lacked it. This, perhaps, may be the true meaning; but, before I read the note, I understood it thus: Lepidus interrupts Cæsar, on the supposition that what he is about to say will be too harsh to be endured by Antony; to which Antony replies-No, Lepidus, let him speak; the security of honour on which he now speaks, on which this conference is held now, is sacred, even supposing that I lacked honour before. Johnson.

Antony, in my opinion, means to say-The theme of honour which he now speaks of, namely, the religion of an oath, for which he supposes me not to have a due regard, is sacred; it is a tender point, and touches my character nearly. Let him therefore urge his charge, that I may vindicate myself. Malone.

I do not think that either Johnson's or Malone's explanation of this passage is satisfactory. The true meaning of it appears to be this:-"Cæsar accuses Antony of a breach of honour in denying to send him aid when he required it, which was contrary to his oath. Antony says, in his defence, that he did not deny his aid, but, in the midst of dissipation, neglected to send it: that having now brought his forces to join him against Pompey, he had redeemed that error; and that therefore the honour which Casar talked of, was now sacred and inviolate, supposing that he had been somewhat deficient before, in the performance of that engagement."-The adverb now refers to is, not to talks on; and the line should be pointed thus:

The honour's sacred that he talks on, now,
Supposing that I lack'd it. M. Mason.

The which you both denied.

Ant.
Neglected, rather;"
And then, when poison'd hours had bound me up
From mine own knowledge. As nearly as I may,
I'll play the penitent to you: but mine honesty
Shall not make poor my greatness, nor my power
Work without it: Truth is, that Fulvia,

To have me out of Egypt, made wars here;
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
So far ask pardon, as befits mine honour
To stoop in such a case.
Lep.

'Tis nobly spoken.8

Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no further The griefs between ye: to forget them quite, Were to remember that the present need

Speaks to atone you.1

Lep.

Worthily spoke, Mecanas.

Eno. Or, if you borrow one another's love for the instant, you may, when you hear no more words of Pompey, return it again: you shall have time to wrangle in, when you have nothing else to do.

Ant. Thou art a soldier only; speak no more.

Eno. That truth should be silent, I had almost forgot. Ant. You wrong this presence, therefore speak no more. Eno. Go to then; your considerate stone.3

7

nor my power

Work without it:] Nor my greatness work without mine honesty. Malone.

8 'Tis nobly spoken.] Thus the second folio. The first-noble.

Steevens.

9 The griefs-] i. e. grievances. See Vol. VIII, p. 306, n. 8.

Malone.

1 to atone you.] i. e. reconcile you. See Cymbeline, Vol. XVI, p. 23, n. 1. Steevens.

3

2 That truth should be silent,] We find a similar sentiment in King Lear: "Truth 's a dog that must to kennel,-." Steevens. - your considerate stone.] This line is passed by all the edi. tors, as if they understood it, and believed it universally intelligible. I cannot find in it any very obvious, and hardly any possible, meaning. I would therefore read:

Go to then, you considerate ones.

You who dislike my frankness and temerity of speech, and are 90 considerate and discreet, go to, do your own business. Johnson. I believe, Go to then; your considerate stone, means only this:If I must be chidden, henceforward I will be mute as a marble

Cæs. I do not much dislike the matter, but The manner of his speech:4 for it cannot be, We shall remain in friendship, our conditions So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew

What hoop should hold us staunch,5 from edge to edge O' the world I would pursue it.

Agr.

Cas. Speak, Agrippa.

Give me leave, Cæsar,

Agr. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side, Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

Cas.

Say not so, Agrippa;6

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof

Were well deserv'd' of rashness.

statue, which seems to think, though it can say nothing. As silent as a stone, however, might have been once a common phrase. So, in the interlude of Jacob and Esau, 1598:

66

Bring thou in thine, Mido, and see thou be a stone. "Mido.] A stone, how should that be, &c.

"Rebecca.] I meant thou should'st nothing say."

Again, in the old metrical romance of Syr Guy of Warwick, bl. 1. no date:

66

Guy let it passe as still as stone,

"And to the steward word spake none."

Again, in Titus Andronicus, Act III, sc. i:

"A stone is silent and offendeth not."

Mr. Tollet explains the passage in question thus: "I will henceforth seem senseless as a stone, however I may observe and consider your words and actions." Steevens.

The metre of this line is deficient. It will be perfect, and the sense rather clearer, if we read (without altering a letter):

your consideratest one.

I doubt, indeed, whether this adjective is ever used in the superlative degree; but in the mouth of Enobarbus it might be pardoned. Blackstone.

4 I do not much dislike the matter, but

The manner of his speech:] I do not, says Cæsar, think the man wrong, but too free of his interposition; for it cannot be, we shall remain in friendship: yet if it were possible, I would endeavour it. Johnson.

5 What hoop should hold us staunch,] So, in King Henry IV, Part II:

"A hoop of gold, to bind thy brothers in-."

Steevens.

6 Say not so, Agrippa;] The old copy has-Say not say. Mr. Rowe made this necessary correction. Malone.

7

your reproof

Were well deserv'd-] In the old edition:

Ant. I am not married, Cæsar: let me hear Agrippa further speak.

Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity,

To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts
With an unslipping knot, take Antony
Octavia to his wife: whose beauty claims
No worse a husband than the best of men;
Whose virtue, and whose general graces, speak
That which none else can utter. By this marriage,
All little jealousies, which now seem great,

And all great fears, which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing: truths would be but tales,
Where now half tales be truths: her love to both,
Would, each to other, and all loves to both,
Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke;
For 'tis a studied, not a present thought,
By duty ruminated.

Ant.

Will Cæsar speak?

Cas. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is spoke already.?

your proof

Were well deserved

which Mr. Theobald, with his usual triumph, changes to approof, which he explains, allowance. Dr. Warburton inserted reproof very properly into Hanmer's edition, but forgot it in his own.

Johnson.

Your reproof &c.] That is, you might be reproved for your rashness, and would well deserve it.-Your reproof, means, the reproof you would undergo. The expression is rather licentious; but one of a similar nature occurs in The Custom of the Country, where Arnoldo, speaking to the Physician, says:

And by your success

"In all your undertakings, propagate

"Your great opinion in the world."

Here, your opinion means, the opinion conceived of you. M. Mason. Dr. Warburton's emendation is certainly right. The error was one of many which are found in the old copy, in consequence of the transcriber's ear deceiving him. So, in another scene of this play, we find in the first copy-mine nightingale, instead of my nightingale; in Coriolanus, news is coming, for news is come in; in the same play, higher for hire, &c.&c. Malone.

8 but tales,] The conjunction-but, was supplied by Sir Thomas Hanmer, to perfect the metre. We might read, I think, with less alliteration-as tales. Steevens.

9

already.] This adverb may be fairly considered as an interpolation. Without enforcing the sense, it violates the mea

sure.

Steevens.

To this good purpose, that so fairly shows,
Dream of impediment!-Let me have thy hand:
Further this act of grace; and, from this hour,
The heart of brothers govern in our loves,
And sway our great designs!

Cas.

There is my hand.

A sister I bequeath you, whom no brother
Did ever love so dearly: Let her live

To join our kingdoms, and our hearts; and never
Fly off our loves again!

Lep.

Happily, amen!

Ant. I did not think to draw my sword 'gainst Pom

pey;

For he hath laid strange courtesies, and great,

Of late upon me: I must thank him only,
Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;1

At heel of that, defy him.

Lep.

Time calls upon us:

Of us must Pompey presently be sought,

Or else he seeks out us.

Ant.

Cas. About the Mount Misenum.

Ant.

By land?

And where3 lies he?

What's his strength

Cas. Great, and increasing: but by sea

He is an absolute master.

Ant.

So is the fame.

'Would, we had spoke together! Haste we for it: Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, despatch we The business we have talk'd of.

1 Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;] Lest I be thought too willing to forget benefits, I must barely return him thanks, and then I will defy him. Johnson.

2 Of us &c.] In the language of Shakspeare's time, means— by us. Malone.

3 And where-] And was supplied by Sir Thomas Hanmer, for the sake of metre.

VOL. XIII.

Steevens,

Y