Ant. Let her know't.

To the boy Cafar fend this grizl'd 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 rofe
Of youth upon him; from which, the world fhould note
Something particular: his coin, fhips, legions,
May be a coward's; whofe miniftries would prevail
Under the fervice of a child, as foon

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

And answer me declin'd, fword against fword,
Ourselves alone: I'll write it; follow me ‡.

[Exeunt Antony and Euphronius..
Eno. Yes, like enough; high-battl'd Cæfar will.
Unitate his happiness, and be ftag'd to the fhew
Against a fworder. I fee, men's judgments are
A parcel of their fortunes; and things outward
Do draw the inward quality after them,

To fuffer all alike.

That he fhould dream,

Knowing all measures, the full Cæfar will
Anfwer his emptinefs! Cæfar, thou haft fubdu'd
His judgment too.

Enter an Attendant.

Att. A meffenger from Cæfar.

Cle. What, no more ceremony?-See, my women, Against the blown rofe may they stop their nofe, That kneel'd unto the buds.-Admit him, fir.

[Exit Attendant.

Eno. Mine honefty, and I, begin to square.
The loyalty, well held to fools, does make
Our faith meer folly :-Yet, he that can endure
To follow with allegiance a fall'n lord,
Does conquer him that did his master conquer,.
And earns a place i'the story §.

Enobarbus's remark upon io Quixote like a propofition as that of Antony, is fenfible and conclufive.

This idea of sticking to the skirts of adversity, which most worldly men eagerly fhun, is finely conceived and does its author honour.

Cle. Cafar's will?

Enter Thyreus.

Thy. Hear it apart.

Cle. None but friends; fay on boldly.
Thy. So, haply, are they friends to Antony.
Eno. He needs as many, fir, as Cafar has;
Or needs not us. If Cafar pleafe, our master
Will leap to be his friend: Or, as you know,
Whofe he is, we are, and that is, Cafar's.
Thy. So.

Thus then, thou most renown'd; Cæfar entreats,
Not to confider in what cafe thou ftand'ft
Further than he is Cafar.

Cle. Go on: Right royal.

Thy. He knows that you embrace not Antony As you did love, but as you

Cle. O!

fear'd him.

Thy. The fcars upon your honour, therefore, he Does pity, as conftrained blemishes,

Not as deferv'd.

Cle. He is a god, and knows

[Afide.

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

Eno. [Afide.] To be fure of that,

I will ask Antony. Sir, fir, thou art fo leaky,
That we must leave thee to thy finking, for

Thy deareft quit thee.

Thy. Shall I fay to Cafar

[Exit Enobarbus.

What you require of him? for he partly begs

To be defir'd to give. It much would please him,
That of his fortunes you would make a staff

To lean upon but it fhould warm his fpirits,
To hear from me you had left Antony,
And put yourself under his fhrowd, the great,
The univerfal landlord.

Cle. What's your name?
Thy. My name is Thyreus.
Cle. Moft kind meffenger,

Say to great Cefar this, In deputation

I kifs his conquering hand: tell him, I am prompt

To

To lay my crown at his feet, and thara m kneek:
Tell him, from his all-obeying breath I hear
The doom of Egypt.

Thy. 'Tis your nobleft courfe.

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.

Cle. Your Cafar's father oft,

[Giving her hand.

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

As it rain'd kiffes.

Re-enter Enobarbus with Antony.

Ant. Favours, by Jove that thunders !What art thou, fellow?

Thy. One, that but performs

The bidding of the fulleft man, and worthieft
To have command obey'd.

Ena. You will be whipt.

Ant. Approach, there:-Ah, you kite!-Now, gods and devils!

Authority melts from me of late: when I cry'd, bo!
Like boys unto a mufs, 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.
Eno. 'Tis better playing with a lion's whelp,

Than with an old one dying.

Ant. Moon and ftars!

Whip him were't twenty of the greatest tributaries
That do acknowledge Cafar, fhould I find them
So fancy with the hand of the here, (What's her name,
Since the was Cleopatra ?)Whip him, fellows,
"Till, like a boy, you fee him cringe his face,
And whine aloud for mercy: Take him hence 1.

This unhofpitable favage proceeding, fo inconfiftent with the laws of all civilized nations, renders Antony less an object of regard and pity than he otherwife muft have been.

Thy. Mark Antony,

Ant. Lug him away: being whipt,

Bring him again :-This Jack of Cæfar's fhall
Bear us an errand to him.-

[Exeunt Attendants with Thyreus
-Ha!

You were half blafted ere I knew you :-)
Have I my pillow left unpreft in Rome,
Forborn the getting of a lawful race,
And by a jem of women, to be abus'd
By one that looks on feeders

Cle. Good my lord,

Ant. You have been a bogler ever :— But when we in our viciousness grow hard,

(O misery on't!) the wife gods feal our eyes

In our own filth, drop our clear judgments; make us
Adore our errors; laugh at us, while we ftrut

To our confufion.

Cle. O, is't come to this r

"Ant. I found you as a morfel, cold upon "Dead Cafar's trencher: nay, you were a fragment "Of Cneius Pompey's; befides what hotter hours, "Unregifter'd in vulgar fame, you have "Luxuriously pick'd out: For, I am fure,

"Though you can guess what temperance should be, "You know not what it is.

"Cle. Wherefore is this?

"Ant. To let a fellow that will take rewards, "And fay, God quit you! be familiar with "My play-fellow, your hand this kingly feal, "And plighter of high hearts!-O, that I were "Upon the hill of Bafan, to out-roar "The horned herd! for I have favage cause; "And to proclaim it civilly, were like

"A halter'd neck, which does the hangman thank

"For being yare about him."-Is he whip'd ?

Re-enter Attendants with Thyreus ‡.

"1. A. Soundly, my lord.

Would not this fcene be advantaged by omitting the diftinguished Hines, as well as the return of Thyreus, after fuch an ignominious punishment?

"Ant. Cry'd he? and beg'd he pardon?

66 I. A. He did afk favour.

"Ant. If that thy father live, let him repent "Thou waft not made his daughter; and be thou sorry "To follow Cæfar in his triumph, fince

"Thou hast been whip'd for following him: henceforth, "The white hand of a lady fever thee,

"Shake thou to look on't. Get thee back to Cafar,
"Tell him thy entertainment: Look, thou fay,
"He makes me angry with him: for he seems
"Proud and difdainful; harping on what I am,
"Not what he knew I was: He makes me angry;
"And at this time moft eafy 'tis to do't;

"When my good stars, that were my former guides,
"Have empty left their orbs, and fhot their fires
"Into the abifm of hell. If he miflike

"My fpeech, and what is done; tell him, he has
"Hipparchus, my enfranchis'd bondman, whom
"He may at pleafure whip, or hang, or torture,
"As he hall like, to quit me: Urge it thou;
"Hence with thy ftripes, be gone.
"Cle. Have you done yet?

Ant. Alack, our terrene moon

Is now eclips'd; and it portends alone

The fall of Antony !

Cle. I muft ftay his time.

[Exit Thyreus

[To her women.

Ant. To flatter, Cafar, would you mingle eyes

With one that ties his points?

Cle. Not know me yet?

Ant. Cold-hearted toward me?

Cle. Ah, dear, if I be so,

From my cold heart let heaven engender hail,
And poifon it in the fource; and the firft ftone
Drop in my neck: as it determines, fo
Diffolve my life! The next Cæfarion fmite!
'Till, by degrees, the memory of my womb,
Together with my brave Egyptians all,
By the difcandying of this pelleted storm,
Lie gravelefs; 'till the flies and gnats of Nile
Have buried them for prey !

Cleopatra expreffes herself in this fpeech with much energy of fancy and affection.