Ant. I am fatisfy'd.

Cefar fets down in Alexandria; where

I will oppose his fate. Our force by land
Hath nobly held; our sever'd navy too

Have knit again, and float, threat'ning most sea-like.-
Where haft thou been, my heart?-Dost thou hear, lady ?
If from the field I fhall return once more

To kifs thefe lips, I will appear in blood:

I and my sword will earn our chronicle; 'There is hope in it yet.

Cle. That's my brave lord!

Ant. I will be treble-finew'd, hearted, breath'd,
And fight maliciously: for when mine hours
Were nice and lucky, men did ransom lives
Of me for jefts; but now, I'll fet my teeth,
And fend to darkness all that ftop me. Come,
Let's have ong other gaudy night: call to me
All my fad captains, fill our bowls; once more
Let's mock the midnight bell ‡.

Cle. It is my birth-day :

I had thought, to have held it poor; but, fince my lord Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra.

Ant. We'll yet do well.

Cle. Call all his noble captains to my lord.

Ant. Do fo, we'll speak to them; and to-night I'll force The wine peep through their scars.-Come on, my queen, There's fap in't yet: The next time I do fight,

I'll make death love me; for I will contend

Even with his peftilent scythe.

[Exeunt Ant. Cle. Cha. Ira. and Att. Eno. Now he'll out-ftare the lightning. To be furious,

Is, to be frighted out of fear: in that mood,

The dove will peck the eftridge; and I see still.

A diminution in our captain's brain

Reftores his heart: When valour preys on reason
It eats the sword it fights with. I will feek

Some way to leave him §.

[Exit.

Antony, though like a lion in the toils, and fenfible from whence his dilemma proceeds, perfeveres like all weak men in the gratification of a delufive injurious appetite.

The third At rifes much above the fecond, and the spirit and expreffions of Antony in this last scene, are very masterly.

ACT IV.

SCENE I. Camp before Alexandria.

"Enter Cæfar, with a Letter in his Hand; Mecenas, Officers, and others attending.

"

H

66

CESAR.

E calls me boy; and chides, as he had power To beat me out of Egypt: my meffenger "He hath whip'd with rods; dares me to perfonal "combat,

"Cæfar to Antony: Let the old ruffian know,
"He hath many other ways to die; mean time,
"I laugh at his challenge.

"Mec. Cæfar must think,

"When one fo great begins to rage, he's hunted
"Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now
"Make boot of his distraction: Never anger
"Made good guard for itself.

66

Caf. Let our beft heads

"Know, that to-morrow the laft of many battles "We mean to fight: Within our files there are, "Of those that ferv'd Mark Antony but late,

66

Enough to fetch him in. See it be done;

"And feast the army: we have ftore to do't,

"And they have earn'd the waste. Poor Antony! [Exeunt. SCENE II. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace. Enter Antóny and Cleopatra, Enobarbus, Iras, Char mian, and others.

Ant. He will not fight with me, Domitius.

Eno. No.

Ant. Why fhould he not?

Eno. He thinks, being twenty times. ofbetter fortune, He is twenty men to one

Ant. To-morrow, foldier,

By fea and land I'll fight: or I will five,

Or bathe my dying honour in the blood:

Shall make it live again. Won't thou fight well ♪

Eno. I'll ftrike; and cry, Take all.

Ant. Well faid; come on.

Call forth my houfhold fervants; let's to-night

Enter fome domeftics.

Be bounteous at our meal.—Give me thy hand,
Thou hast been rightly honest ;—so hast thou,—
And thou,—and thou,—and thou :-you have serv'd me
well,

And kings have been your fellows.

Cle. What means this ?

Eno. 'Tis one of those odd tricks, which sorrow shoots Out of the mind.

Ant. And thou art honest too.

I wish I could be made so many men ;
And all of you clapt up together in

An Antony; that I might do you service,
So good as you have done.

Dom. The gods forbid !

Ant. Well, my good fellows, wait on me to-night & Scant not my cups; and make as much of me,

As when mine empire was your fellow too,

And fuffer'd my command.

Cle. What does he mean?

Eno. To make his followers weep.
Ant. Tend me to-night;

May be, it is the period of your duty :
Haply, you shall not fee me more! or if,
A mangl'd shadow: perchance, to-morrow
You'll ferve another mafter. I look on you,
As one that takes his leave. Mine honest friends,
I turn you not away; but, like a master,
Marry'd to your good fervice, ftay 'till death:
Tend me to-night two hours, I ask no more,
And the gods yield you for't!

Eno. What mean you, fir,

To give them this difcomfort? Look, they weep!
And, I, an ass, am onion-ey'd : for shame,

Transform us not to women.

Ant. Ho, ho, ho!

Now the witch take me, if I meant it thus !

Grace

Grace grow where thofe drops fall! My hearty friends,
You take me in too dolorous a fenfe:

I fpake to you for your comfort; did defire you
To burn this night with torches: Know, my hearts,
I hope well of to-morrow; and will lead you,
Where rather I'll expect victorious life,

Than death and honour. Let's to supper, come,
And drown confideration.

[Exeunt. "SCENE III. The fame. Before the Palace. "Enter two Soldiers to their guard.

I. S. Brother, good night: to-morrow is the day, 66 2. S. It will determine one way: fare you well. "Heard you of nothing strange about the streets? 1. S. Nothing: What news?

66

2.

S. Belike, 'tis but a rumour: Good night to you. 1. S. Well, fir, good night.

"Enter two other Soldiers.

66 2. S. Soldiers, have careful watch.

66

3. S. And you:

Good night, good night.

["The two firft go to their posts.

4. S. Here we: [going to theirs] and if to-morrow "Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope

"Our landmen will ftand up.

66 3. S. 'Tis a brave army,

"And full of purpose.

["Mufick of bautboys, as underneath,

4. S. Peace, What noise?

1. S. Lift, lift!

66 2, S. Hark!

[Advancing from their pofts.

4. S. It figns well, does it not?

3. S. No.

"1. S. Peace, 1 fay.

"What should this mean?

This, and the two following fcenes, may be better spared than retained in action; they add to a fuperfluity of bufinefs, and explain nothing new, wherefore we have ventured to mark them for omiffion.

"-2. S. "Tis the god Hercules, whom Anteny lov'd, "Now leaves him.

66 1. S. Walk: let's fee if other watchmen "Do hear what we do.

"Enter other Soldiers meeting them.

"1. 2. 3. 4. S. How now, mafters? "Sol. How now?

"How now? Do you hear this?

"1.-S. Ay; i't not strange ?

66

66

[Going

3. S. Do you hear, mafters; do you hear? 1. S. Follow the noise so far as we have quarter ; "Let's see how 'twill give off.

"All. Content: "Tis ftrange.

[Exeunt.

"SCENE IV. The fame. A Room in the Palace.

"Enter Antony and Cleopatra; Charmian, Iras, ›and others attending.

"Ant. Eros! mine armour, Eros!

"Cle. Sleep a little.

"Ant. No, my chuck.—Eros, come; mine armour, "Eros!

"Enter Eros with armour.

"Come, my good fellow, put thine iron on :

"If fortune be not ours to-day, it is

"Because we brave her.-Come.

"Cle. Nay, I'll help too.

[Eros arms bim.

“Ant. What's this for? Ah, let be, let be! thou art "The armourer of my heart: Falfe, false; this, this. "Gle. Sooth, la, I'll help : Thus it must be. "Ant. Well, well;

"We shall thrive now.-Seeft thou, my good fellow ? "Go, put on thy defences.

"Eros. Briefly, fir.

"Cle. Is not this buckl'd well?

"Ant. O, rarely, rarely:

“ He that unbuckles this, 'till we do please
"To doff't for our repose, shall hear a storm.-
“ Thou fumbl'st, Eros ; and my queen's a squire

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