Eno. But he loves Cæsar best;-Yet he loves

Antony:

Ho! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets,

cannot

Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number, ho, his love To Antony. But as for Cæsar,

Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.

Agr.

Both he loves.

Eno. They are his shards, and he their beetle.'

So,

[Trumpets.

This is to horse.-Adieu, noble Agrippa.
Agr. Good fortune, worthy soldier; and farewell.

Enter CESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA.
Ant. No further, sir.

Ces. You take from me a great part of myself;
Use me well in it.-Sister, prove such a wife
As my thoughts make thee, and as my furthest band'
Shall pass on thy approof.-Most noble Antony,
Let not the piece of virtue, which is set
Betwixt us, as the cement of our love,
To keep it builded, be the ram, to batter
The fortress of it: for better might we

Have loved without this mean, if on both parts
This be not cherish'd.

Though you be therein curious,3 the least cause For what you seem to fear: So, the gods keep you,

They are his shards, and he their beetle.] i. e. They are the wings that raise this heavy lumpish insect from the ground.

2

as my furthest band-] As I will venture the greatest pledge of security, on the trial of thy conduct. Band and bond, in our author's time, were synonymous.

3

therein curious,] i. e. scrupulous.

And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends! We will here part.

Cas. Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well; The elements be kind to thee, and make

Thy spirits all of comfort! fare thee well.
Octa. My noble brother!—

Ant. The April's in her eyes: It is love's spring, And these the showers to bring it on.-Be cheerful. Octa. Sir, look well to my husband's house; and— What,

Cæs.

Octavia?

Oct.

I'll tell you in your ear.

Ant. Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can Her heart inform her tongue: the swan's down

feather,

That stands upon the swell at full of tide,

And neither way inclines.

Eno. Will Cæsar weep?

[Aside to AGRIPPA.

He has a cloud in's face.

Agr.

Eno. He were the worse for that, were he a horse;" So is he, being a man.

Agr.

Why, Enobarbus?

When Antony found Julius Cæsar dead,

He cried almost to roaring: and he wept,
When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.

Eno. That year, indeed, he was troubled with a

rheum;

What willingly he did confound," he wail'd:
Believe it, till I weep too.

Cues.

No, sweet Octavia,

The elements be kind, &c.] This is obscure. It seems to mean, May the different elements of the body, or principles of life, maintain such proportion and harmony as may keep you cheerful.

5 — were he a horse ;] A horse is said to have a cloud in his face, when he has a black or dark-coloured spot in his forehead between his eyes. This gives him a sour look, and being supposed to indicate an ill temper, is of course regarded as a great blemish. did confound,-] To confound is to destroy.

You shall hear from me still; the time shall not
Out-go my thinking on you.

Come, sir, come;

Ant.
I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love:
Look, here I have you; thus I let you go,
And give you to the gods.

Cæs.

Adieu; be happy!

Lep. Let all the number of the stars give light

To thy fair way!

Cæs.

Ant.

Farewell, farewell! [Kisses OCTAVIA.

Farewell!

[Trumpets sound.

Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS.

Cleo. Where is the fellow?
Alex.

Half afeard to come.

Cleo. Go to, go to:-Come hither, sir.

Alex.

Enter a Messenger.

Good majesty,

That Herod's head

Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you,

But when you are well pleas'd.

Cleo.

I'll have: But how? when Antony is gone

Through whom I might command it.-Come thou

Mess.

Madam, in Rome

I look'd her in the face; and saw her led
Between her brother and Mark Antony.
Cleo. Is she as tall as me?"
Mess.
She is not, madam.
Cleo. Didst hear her speak? Is she shrill-tongu'd,

or low?

Mess. Madam, I heard her speak; she is lowvoic'd.

Cleo. That's not so good:-he cannot like her

long.

Char. Like her? O Isis! 'tis impossible.

Cleo. I think so, Charmian: Dull of tongue, and dwarfish!—

What majesty is in her gait? Remember,
If e'er thou look'dst on majesty.

Mess.

She creeps;

Her motion and her stations are as one:
She shows a body rather than a life;

A statue, than a breather.

He's very knowing,

I do perceiv't:-There's nothing in her yet:-
The fellow has good judgment.

Char

Excellent.

Madam,

Cleo. Guess at her years, I pr'ythee.
Mess.

1 Is she as tall as me? &c. &c. &c.] This scene (says Dr. Grey) is a manifest allusion to the questions put by Queen Elizabeth to Sir James Melvil, concerning his mistress the Queen of Scots. Whoever will give himself the trouble to consult his Memoirs, may probably suppose the resemblance to be more than accidental.

8 her station- Station, in this instance, means the act of standing.

She was a widow.

Cleo.

Widow?-Charmian, hark.

Mess. And I do think, she's thirty.

Cleo. Bear'st thou her face in mind? is it long,

or round?

Mess. Round even to faultiness.

Cleo.

For the most part too,

They are foolish that are so.-Her hair, what colour?
Mess. Brown, madam: And her forehead is as low
As she would wish it.

Cleo.
There is gold for thee.
Thou must not take my former sharpness ill:-
I will employ thee back again; I find thee
Most fit for business: Go, make thee ready:
Our letters are prepar'd.

Char.

[Exit Messenger.

A proper man.

Cleo. Indeed, he is so: I repent me much, That so I harry'd him." Why, methinks, by him, This creature's no such thing.

Char.

O, nothing, madam.

Cleo. The man hath seen some majesty, and

should know.

Char. Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend,

And serving you so long!

Cleo. I have one thing more to ask him yet, good
Charmian:-

But 'tis no matter; thou shalt bring him to me
Where I will write: All may be well enough.
Char. I warrant you, madam.

[Exeunt.

9 so I harry'd him.] To harry, is to use roughly, harass, subdue; or literally, to hunt. Hence the word harrier. King James threatened the Puritans that " he would harry them out of the land."