The dramatic works of William Shakspeare, from the text of Johnson, Stevens [sic] and Reed, with glossarial notes, his life, and a critique on his genius & writings by N. Rowe

mon body,

Since my becomings kill me, when they do not | Comes dear'd, by being lack'd.
Eye well to you: Your honour calls you hence;
Therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly,
And all the gods go with you! upon your sword
Sit laurel'd victory! and smooth success
Be strew'd before your feet!

Ant. Let us go. Come;

Our separation so abides, and flies,
That thou, residing here, go'st yet with me,
And I, hence fleeting, here remain with thee.
Away.
[Exeunt.
SCENE IV.-Rome.—An apartment in CESAR'S

House.

This com

Like a vagabond flag upon the stream,
Goes to, and back, lackeying the varying tide,
To rot itself with motion.

Mess. Cesar, I bring thee word,
Menecrates and Menas, famous pirates,
Make the sea serve them: which they eart and
wound

With keels of every kind: Many hot inroads
They make in Italy; the borders maritime
Lack blood to think on't, and flush§ youth re-
volt:

No vessel can peep forth, but 'tis as soon
Taken as seen; for Pompey's name strikes
Than could his war resisted.
[more,
Ces. Antony,

Ces. You may see, Lepidus, and henceforth Leave thy lascivious wassals. When thou once know,

It is not Cesar's natural vice to hate
One great competitor: from Alexandria
This is the news; He fishes, drinks, and wastes
The lamps of night in revel: is not more man-
like
Than Cleopatra: nor the queen Ptolemy. [or
More womanly than he: hardly gave audience,
Vouchsaf'd to think he had partners: You shall
find there

A man, who is the abstract of all faults
That all men follow.

Lep. I must not think, there are
Evils enough to darken all his goodness:
His faults, in him, seem as the spots of heaven,
More fiery by night's blackness; hereditary,
Rather than purchas'd; what he cannot
[change,
Ces. You are too indulgent: let us grant, it

Than what he chooses.

is not

Wast beaten from Modena, where thou slew'st
Hirtius and Pansa, consuls, at thy heel
Did famine follow; whom thou fought'st
Though daintily brought up, with patience
against,
[more
The stale of horses, and the gilded puddle**
Than savages could suffer: Thou didst drink
Which beasts would cough at: thy palate then
did deign

The roughest berry on the rudest hedge;
Yea, like the stag, when snow the pasture
sheets,
[Alps
The barks of trees thou browsed'st; on the
Which some did die to look on: And all this
It is reported, thou did'st eat strange flesh,
It wounds thine honour, that I speak it now,)
Was borne so like a soldier, that thy cheek
So much as lank'd not.

Lep. It is pity of him.

Ces. Let his shames quickly
Drive him to Rome: 'Tis time we twain
Did show ourselves i'the field; and, to that end,
Assemble we immediate council: Pompey
be-Thrives in our idleness.

Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy;
To give a kingdom for a mirth; to sit
And keep the turn of tippling with a slave;
To reel the streets at noon, and stand the buffet
With knaves that smell of sweat: say, this
comes him,

(As his composure must be rare indeed,
Whom these things cannot blemish,) yet must
Antony

No way excuse his soils, when we do bear
So great weight in his lightness. If he fill'd
His vacancy with his voluptuousness,
Full surfeits, and the dryness of his bones,
Call on him for't: but, to confound such
time,
[loud
That drums him from his sport, and speaks as
As his own state, and ours,-'tis to be chid
As we rate boys; who, being mature in know-
ledge,
[sure,

Pawn their experience to their present plea-
And so rebel to judgement.

Lep. To-morrow, Cesar,

I shall be furnish'd to inform you rightly
Both what by sea and land I can be able,
To 'front this present time.

Ces. Till which encounter,
It is my business too. Farewell.

Lep. Farewell, my lord: What you shall
know mean time

of stirs abroad, I shall beseech you, Sir,
To let me be partaker.

Ces. Doubt not, Sir;
I knew it for my bond.tt

[Exeunt.

Cleo. O Charmian,

Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he, or sits he?

Or does he walk? or is he on his horse?

O happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony! Do bravely, horse! for wot'st thou whom thou mov'st?

The demi-Atlas of this earth, the arm
And burgonett of men.-He's speaking now,
Or murmuring, Where's my serpent of old Nile?
For so he calls me; Now I feed myself
With most delicious poison:-Think on me,
That am with Phoebus' amorous pinches black,
And wrinkled deep in time? Broad-fronted
Cesar,

When thou wast here above the ground, I was
A morsel for a monarch: and great Pompey
Would stand, and make his eyes grow in my
brow;

There would he anchor his aspect, and die
With his looking on his life.

Enter ALEXAS.

Alex. Sovereign of Egypt, hail!

Cleo. How much unlike art thou Mark Antony?

Yet, coming from him, that great medicine
With his tinct gilded thee.-
[hath
How goes it with my brave Mark Antony?
Alex. Last thing he did, dear queen,
He kiss'd, the last of many doubled kisses,-
This orient pearl;-His speech sticks in my
heart.

Cleo. Mine ear must pluck it thence.
Alex. Good friend, quoth he,
Say, the firm Romun to great Egypt sends
This treasure of an oyster; at whose foot
To mend the petty present, I will piece
Her opulent throne with kingdoms; All the east,
Say thou, shall call her mistress. So he nodded,
And soberly did mount a termagant; steed,
Who neigh'd so high, that what I would have
Was beastly dumb'd by him.
[spoke

Cleo. What, was he sad, or merry? Alex. Like to the time o'the year between the extremes

Of hot and cold; he was nor sad, nor merry. Cleo. O well-divided disposition!-Note him, Note him, good Charmian, 'tis the man; but note him:

He was not sad; for he would shine on those
That make their looks by his: he was not merry;
Which seem'd to tell them, his remembrance
lay

In Egypt with his joy: but between both;
O heavenly mingle!-Be'st thou sad, or merry,
The violence of either thee becomes;
So does it no man else.-Met'st thou my posts?
Alex. Ay, madam, twenty several messen-
Why do you send so thick?

Cleo. Who's born that day

When I forget to send to Antony,

[gers:

+ Furious.

The people love me, and the sea is mine;
My power's a crescent, and my auguring hope
Says, it will come to the full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors: Cesar gets money,
where

He loses hearts: Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.

Men. Cesar and Lepidus

Are in the field; a mighty strength they carry.
Pom. Where have you this? 'tis false.
Men. From Silvius, Sir.

Pom. He dreams; I know, they are in Rome

Var. This is most certain that I shall deliMark Antony is every hour in Rome [ver: Expected; since he went from Egypt, 'tis A space for further travel.

Pom. I could have given less matter A better ear.-Menas, I did not think, This amorous surfeiter would have don'd; his For such a petty war: his soldiership [helms Is twice the other twain: But let us rear The higher our opinion, that our stirring Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck The ne'er lust-wearied Antony.

Men. I cannot hope,

Cesar and Antony shall well greet together: His wife, that's dead, did trespasses to Cesar; His brother warr'd upon him; although, I think, Not mov'd by Antony.

Pom. I know not, Menas,

How lesser enmities may give way to greater. Were't not that we stand up against them all, "Twere pregnant they should square between themselves;

For they have entertained cause enough
To draw their swords: but how the fear of us
May cement their divisions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be it as our gods will have it! It only stands
Our lives upon, to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
[Exeunt.

Serves for the matter that is then born in it.

Should say myself offended; and with you Chiefly i'the world: more laugh'd at, that I should

Once name you derogately, when to sound It not concern'd me.

your name

Ant. My being in Egypt, Cesar, What was't to you?

Ces. No more than my residing here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: Yet, if you there Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt Might be my question.†

Ant. How intend you, practis'd?

Ces. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, [brother, By what did here befal me. Your wife, and Made wars upon me; and their contestation Was theme for you, you were the word of war. Ant. You do mistake your business; my brother never

Did urge me in his act: I did enquire it;
And have my learning from some true reports,t
That drew their swords with you. Did he not
rather

Discredit my authority with yours;

And make the wars alike against my stomach, Having alike your cause? Of this, my letters Before did satisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,

As matter whole you have not to make it with, It must not be with this.

Ces. You praise yourself

By laying defects of judgement to me; but
You patch'd up your excuses.

Ant. Not so, not so;

Lep. But small to greater matters must give I know you could not lack, I am certain on't,

Lep. Noble friends,

Very necessity of this thought, that I,

Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,

Could not with grateful eyes attend those wars Which 'fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,

I would you had her spirit in such another: The third o'the world is yours; which with a snaffle||

You

may pace easy, but not such a wife. Eno. 'Would we had all such wives, that the men might go to wars with the women!

Ant. So much incurable, her garboils,¶ Ce

sar,

Made out of her impatience, (which not wanted

That which combin'd us was most great, and Shrewdness of policy too,) I grieving grant,

let not

A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,
May it be gently heard: When we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Murder in healing wounds: Then, noble part-
(The rather, for I earnestly beseech,) [ners,
Touch you the sourest points with sweetest
Nor curstnesst grow to the matter. [terms,
Ant. "Tis spoken well:

Were we before our armies, and to fight,
I should do thus.

Ces. Welcome to Rome.

Ant. Thank you.

Ces. Sit.

Ant. Sit, Sir!

Ces. Nay,

Then

Ant. I learn, you take things ill, which are

not so;

Or, being, concern you not.

Ces. I must be laugh'd at,

If, or for nothing, or a little, I

* Quarrel, † Agree. Let not ill-humour be added.

Did you too much disquiet: for that, you must But say, I could not help it.

Ces. I wrote to you,

When rioting in Alexandria; you
Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Did gibe my missive** out of audience.
Ant. Sir,

He fell upon me, ere admitted; then
Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i'the morning; but, next day,
I told him of myself; 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 questiontt wipe him.

Ces. You have broken

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.

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.

Lep. Worthily spoke, Mecænas.

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 most forgot.

Ces. Great, and increasing: but by sea
He is an absolute master.
Ant. So is the fame.

[it:

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

Ant. You wrong this presence, therefore speak no more.

Eno. Go to then; your considerate stone. Ces. I do not much dislike the matter, but The manner of his speech: for it cannot be, We shall remain in friendship, our conditionst So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew What hoop should hold us staunch, from edge to edge

O'the world I would pursue it.

Agr. Give me leave, Cesar,

Ces. Speak, Agrippa.

Ces. With most gladness;

And do invite you to my sister's view,
Whither straight I will lead you.

Ant. Let us, Lepidus,
Not lack your company.

Lep. Noble Antony,
Not sickness should detain me.

[Flourish. Exeunt CESAR, ANTONY, and
Lepidus.

Mec. Welcome from Egypt, Sir.

Eno. Half the heart of Cesar, worthy Meca

Agr. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side, nas!-my honourable friend, Agrippa!

Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

Ces. Say not so, Agrippa;

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof
Were well deserv'd of rashness.

Ant. I am not married, Cesar: 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 mar-
riage,

All little jealousies, which now seem great,
And all great fears, which now import their
dangers,
[tales,
Would then be nothing: truths would be but
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 Cesar speak?

Agr. Good Enobarbus!

Mec. We have cause to be glad, that matters are so well digested. You staid well by it in Egypt.

Eno. Ay, Sir; we did sleep day out of countenance, and made the night light with drinking.

Mec. Eight wild boars roasted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve persons there; Is this true?

Eno. This was but as a fly by an eagle: we had much more monstrous matter of feast, which worthily deserved noting.

Mec. She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square* to her,

Eno. When she first met Mark Antony, she pursed up his heart upon the river of Cydnus. Agr. There she appear'd indeed; or my reporter devised well for her.

Eno. I will tell you:

The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne,
Burn'd on the water: the poop was beaten
gold;

Purple the sails, and so perfumed, that
The winds were love-sick with them: the oars
were silver;
[made

Ces. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and

With what is spoke already.

Ant. What power is in Agrippa,

If I would say, Agrippa, be it so,

To make this good?

The water, which they beat, to follow faster,
As amorous of their strokes. For her own

person,

*Suits with her merits.

It beggar'd all description: she did lie
In her pavilion, (cloth of gold, of tissue,)
O'erpicturing that Venus, where we see,
The fancy out-work nature: on each side her,
Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids,
With diverse-colour'd fans, whose wind did

seem

[cool, To glow the delicate cheeks which they did And they undid, did.*

Agr. O, rare for Antony!

Eno. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides,
So many mermaids, tended her i'the eyes,
And made their bends adornings: at the helm
A seeming Mermaid steers; the silken tackle
Swell with the touches of those flower-soft
hands,

-That yarely frame the office. From the barge
A strange invisible perfume hits the sense
Of the adjacent wharfs. The city cast
Her people out upon her; and Antony,
Enthron'd in the market-place, did sit alone,
Whistling to the air; which, but for vacancy,
Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,
And made a gap in nature.

Agr. Rare Egyptian!

Eno. Upon her landing, Antony sent to her,
Invited her to supper: she replied,
It should be better, he became her guest;
Which she entreated: Our courteous Antony,
Whom ne'er the word of No woman heard
speak,

Being barber'd ten times o'er, goes to the feast;
And, for his ordinary, pays his heart,
For what his eyes eat only.

Agr. Royal wench!

She made great Cesar lay his sword to bed;
He plough'd her, and she cropp'd.

Eno. I saw her once

Where most she satisfies. For vilest things
Become themselves in her; that the holy priests
Bless her, when she's riggish.‡

Mec. If beauty, wisdom, modesty, can settle
The heart of Antony, Octavia is
A blessed lottery to him.

Agr. Let us go.

Good Enobarbus make yourself my guest,
Whilst you abide here.

Eno. Humbly, Sir, I thank you. [Exeunt.
SCENE 111.-The same.-A Room in CESAR'S

House.

Enter CESAR, ANTONY, OCTAVIA between them;
ATTENDANTS, and a SOOTHSAYER.

Ant. Get thee gone:

Say to Ventidius, I would speak with him:
[Exit SOOTHSAYER.

He shall to Parthia.-Be it art, or hap,
He hath spoken true: The very dice obey him;
And, in our sports, my better cunning faints
Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds:
His cocks do win the battle still of mine,
When it is all to nought; and his quails* ever
Beat mine, inhoop'd,t at odds. I will to
Egypt:

And though I make this marriage for my peace,

Enter VENTIDIUS.

I'the east my pleasure lies :-O, come, Ven-
tidius,

You must to Parthia; your commission's ready:
Follow me, and receive it.
[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-The same.-A Street.
Enter LEPIDUS, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA.
Lep. Trouble yourselves no further: pray
you, hasten
Your generals after.

Agr. Sir, Mark Antony

Will e'en but kiss Octavia, and we'll follow. Lep. Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress.

Ant. The world, and my great office, will Which will become you both, farewell.

Mec. We shall,

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The dramatic works of William Shakspeare, from the text of Johnson, Stevens ...