Enter ANTONY, with EUPHRONIUS.

Ant. Is this his answer?

Eu. Ay, my lord.

Ant. The queen shall then have courtesy, so she

Will yield us up.

Eu. He says so.

Ant.

Let her know it.

To the boy Cæsar send this grizzled head,

And he will fill thy wishes to the brim
With principalities.

Cle.

That head, my lord?

Ant. To him again: tell him, he wears the rose Of youth upon him; from which, the world should

note

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 1 apart,

And answer me declined, 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 staged to the show,
Against a sworder. I see, men's judgments are
A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward

1 The advantages of his good fortune. * i. e. in age and power.

SHAK.

XII.

3 Of a piece with.

G

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 subdued
His judgment too.

Att.

Enter ATTENDANT.

A messenger from Cæsar.

Cle. What, no more ceremony ?-See, my wo

men!

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.1

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.

[aside.

Thy. So, naply, 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.

Thy.

So.

Thus then, thou most renown'd: Cæsar entreats, Not to consider in what case thou stand'st, Farther than he is Cæsar's.

As

Cle.

Go on right royal.

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

you

Cle.

O!

Thy. The scars upon your honor, therefore, he Does pity, as constrained blemishes,

Not as deserved.

Cle.

He is a god, and knows

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

Eno.

To be sure of that,

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

Thy dearest quit thee.

Thy.

[aside.

[Exit Enobarbus.

Shall I say to Cæsar

What you require of him? for he partly begs

To be desired 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.

Cle.

What's your name?

Most kind messenger,

Thy. My name is Thyreus.
Cle.

1

Say to great Cæsar this :-in disputation 1

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

Thy.
Wisdom and fortune combating together,

'Tis your noblest course.

If that the former dare but what it can,

No chance may shake it. Give me grace3 to lay My duty on your hand.

Cle.

Your Cæsar's father oft,

When he hath mused 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 cried, 'Ho!'

1 Supposed to be an error for deputation,' i. e. by proxy. 2 Obeying for obeyed. 3 Grant me the favor.

Like boys unto a muss,1 kings would start forth, Your will?' Have you no ears? I am

And cry,

Enter ATTENDANTS.

Antony yet. Take hence this Jack, and whip him. Eno. "Tis better playing with a lion's whelp, Than with an old one dying.

Ant.

Moon and stars!

Whip him. Were't twenty of the greatest tribu

taries

That do acknowlege Cæsar, should I find them
So saucy with the hand of she here, (what's her

name,

Since she was Cleopatra ?)-Whip him, fellows,
Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face,
And whine aloud for mercy. Take him hence.
Thy. Mark Antony,-

Ant.

Tug him away: being whipp'd,

Bring him again.—This Jack of Cæsar's shall

Bear us an errand to him.

[Exeunt Attendants with Thyreus.

:-Ha!

You were half blasted ere I knew you:-
Have I my pillow left unpress'd in Rome,
Forborne the getting of a lawful race,
And by a gem of women, to be abused
By one that looks on feeders ? 3

Cle.

Good my lord,

1 Scramble.

2 A term of contempt.

By one that waits at table.