As is the morn-dew on the myrtle leaf

To his grand sea.

Cæs.

Be it so.

Declare thine office.

Eup. Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and
Requires to live in Egypt; which not granted,
He lessens his requests, and to thee sues

To let him breathe between the heavens and earth,
A private man in Athens: this for him.
Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness,
Submits her to thy might, and of thee craves
The circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs,
Now hazarded to thy grace.

Cæs.

For Antony,
I have no ears to his request. The queen
Of audience, nor desire, shall fail; so she
From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,
Or take his life there: this if she perform,
She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.
Eup. Fortune pursue thee!
Cæs.

Bring him through the bands. [Exit EUPHRONIUS.

To try thy eloquence, now 'tis time; despatch.

From Antony win Cleopatra: promise, [To THYREUS.
And in our name, what she requires; add more,
From thine invention, offers. Women are not
In their best fortunes strong, but want will perjure
The ne'er-touch'd vestal. Try thy cunning, Thyreus';
Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we
Will answer as a law.

Cæs. Observe how Antony becomes his flaw, And what thou think'st his very action speaks In every power that moves.

Thyr.

Cæsar, I shall. [Exeunt.

7 Try thy cunning, THYREUS ;] Called Thidias, and in the prefixes.

SCENE XI.

Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, ENOBARBUS, CHARMIAN, and IRAS.

Cleo. What shall we do, Enobarbus?
Eno.
Think, and die.
Cleo. Is Antony, or we, in fault for this?
Eno. Antony only, that would make his will
Lord of his reason. What though you fled
From that great face of war, whose several ranges
Frighted each other, why should he follow?
The itch of his affection should not then

Have nick'd his captainship; at such a point,
When half to half the world oppos'd, he being
The mered question". "Twas a shame no less
Than was his loss, to course your flying flags,
And leave his navy gazing.

Cleo.

Pr'ythee, peace.

Enter ANTONY, with EUPHRONIUS.

Ant. Is that his answer?

Eup. Ay, my lord.

Ant. The queen shall then have courtesy, so she

8 Have NICK'D his captainship ;] . e. says Steevens, "set the mark of folly on it," referring to the practice of nicking fools, adverted to in "The Comedy of Errors," Vol. ii. p. 170.

The MERED question.] So in all the old copies, excepting that they print "mered" meered. It was possibly a misprint for mooted, or it may have been a dissyllable formed from mere.

Something particular: his coin, ships, legions,
May be a coward's; whose ministers would prevail
Under the service of a child, as soon

As i' the command of Cæsar: I dare him, therefore,
To lay his gay comparisons apart,

And answer me declin'd; sword against sword,

Ourselves alone.

I'll write it: follow me.

[Exeunt ANTONY and EUPHRONIUS. Eno. Yes, like enough, high-battled Cæsar will Unstate his happiness, and be stag'd t' the show Against a sworder.-I see, men's judgments are A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward Do draw the inward quality after them, To suffer all alike. That he should dream, Knowing all measures, the full Cæsar will Answer his emptiness!-Cæsar, thou hast subdu'd His judgment too.

Enter an Attendant.

Att.

A messenger from Cæsar.

Cleo. What no more ceremony?-See, my women!-Against the blown rose may they stop their nose, That kneel'd unto the buds.-Admit him, sir.

Eno. Mine honesty and I begin to square'. [Aside.

The loyalty well held to fools does make

Our faith mere folly: yet he, that can endure

To follow with allegiance a fallen lord,

Does conquer him that did his master conquer,
And earns a place i' the story.

1

---

- begin to SQUARE.] i. e. begin to quarrel. See this Vol. p. 28. VOL. VIII. G

Cleo.

Enter THYREUS.

Thyr. Hear it apart.

Cleo.

Cæsar's will?

None but friends: say boldly.

Thyr. So, haply, are they friends to Antony.

Eno. He needs as many, sir, as Cæsar has, Or needs not us. If Cæsar please, our master Will leap to be his friend: for us, you know, Whose he is, we are, and that's Cæsar's.

Thyr.

So.

Thus then, thou most renown'd: Cæsar entreats,
Not to consider in what case thou stand'st,

Farther than he is Cæsar's.

Go on right royal.

Cleo.
Thyr. He knows, that you embrace not Antony
As you did love, but as you fear'd him.

Cleo.

O!

Thyr. The scars upon your honour, therefore, he Does pity, as constrained blemishes,

Not as deserv'd.

Cleo.

He is a god, and knows

What is most right. Mine honour was not yielded, But conquer'd merely.

Eno.

I will ask Antony.-Sir, sir, thou'rt so leaky,
That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for

[Aside.] To be sure of that,

[Exit ENOBARBUS.

Shall I say to Cæsar

Thy dearest quit thee.

Thyr.

What you require of him? for he partly begs

To be desir'd to give. It much would please him,
That of his fortunes you should make a staff
To lean upon; but it would warm his spirits,
To hear from me you had left Antony,

And put yourself under his shroud,

The universal landlord.

Cleo.

What's your name?

Thyr. My name is Thyreus.
Cleo.

Most kind messenger,

Say to great Cæsar this: In disputation2

I kiss his conqu'ring hand: tell him, I am prompt
To lay my crown at 's feet, and there to kneel:
Tell him, from his all-obeying breath I hear
The doom of Egypt.

Thyr.
"Tis your noblest course.
Wisdom and fortune combating together,

If that the former dare but what it can,

No chance may shake it. Give me grace to lay
My duty on your hand.

Cleo.

Your Cæsar's father oft,

When he hath mus'd of taking kingdoms in,
Bestow'd his lips on that unworthy place,

The bidding of the fullest man, and worthiest

To have command obey'd.

Eno.

You will be whipp'd.

Ant. Approach, there.-Ay, you kite!-Now gods

and devils!

Authority melts from me: of late, when I cry'd, “ho!” Like boys unto a muss, kings would start forth,

And cry,

"Your will?" Have you no ears? I am

Enter Attendants.

Antony yet. Take hence this Jack, and whip him.

2

IN DISPUTATION] Warburton read deputation; but as a clear meaning is afforded by "disputation,” in the sense of controversy, or contest, we adhere to the text of all the old editions. At the same time the plausibility of Warburton's change is not to be disputed.