Thyr. So, haply, 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.

Thyr. So.Thus then, thou most renown'd; Cæsar entreats, Not to consider in what case thou stand'st, Further than he is Cæsar.

Cleo.

Go on: Right royal.

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

Cleo.

O!

Thyr. The scars upon your honour, therefore, he Does pity, as constrained blemishes,

Not as deserv'd.

Cleo.

He is a god, and knows

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

Eno.

To be sure of that, [Aside.

[Exit ENOBARBus.

Shall I say to Cæsar

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

Thyr.

What you require of him? for he partly begs
To be desir'd 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 shrowd,

The universal landlord.

Cleo.

What's your name?

Thyr. My name is Thyreus.
Cleo.

Most kind messenger,

Say to great Cæsar this, In disputation

I kiss his conqu'ring 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.

"Tis your

Thyr. noblest course. 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.

Cleo.

Your Cæsar's father

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

One, that but performs

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!

2

Authority melts from me; Of late, when I cry'd, ho! Like boys unto a muss, 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 stars! Whiphim:-Were't twenty of the greatest tributaries

6

Tell him, from his all-obeying breath, &c.] All-obeying breath is, in Shakspeare's language, breath which all obey. Obeying for obeyed. So, inexpressive for inexpressible, delighted for delighting, &c. Give me grace-] Grant me the favour.

9

the fullest man,] The most complete, and perfect. ? Like boys unto a muss,] i. e. a scramble.

That do acknowledge 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.
Thyr. 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 Attend. with THYREUS.

You were half blasted ere I knew you:-Ha!
Have I my pillow left unpress'd in Rome,
Forborne the getting of a lawful race,
And by a gem of women,3 to be abus'd
By one that looks on feeders ?4

Cleo.

Good my lord,

Ant. You have been a boggler ever:

But when we in our viciousness grow hard,
(O misery on't!) the wise gods seel our eyes;
In our own filth drop our clear judgments; make us
Adore our errors; laugh at us, while we strut
To our confusion.

Cleo.

O, is it come to this? Ant. I found you as a morsel, cold upon Dead Cæsar's trencher: nay, you were a fragment Of Cneius Pompey's; besides what hotter hours,` Unregister'd in vulgar fame, you have

Luxuriously pick'd out:-For, I am sure,

Though you can guess what temperance should be,

3

4

— a gem of women,] beautiful horses, rich garments, &c. in Chapman's translations, are frequently spoken of as gems. A jewel of a man," is a phrase still in use among the vulgar. By one that looks on feeders?] A feeder, or an eater, was anciently the term of reproach for a servant. One who looks on feeders, is one who throws away her regard on servants, such as Antony would represent Thyreus to be.

5

Luxuriously pick'd out:] Luxuriously means wantonly.

You know not what it is.

Cleo.

Wherefore is this?

Ant. To let a fellow that will take rewards,
And say, God quit you! be familiar with
My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal,
And plighter of high hearts!-O, that I were
Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar

The horned herd! for I have savage cause;
And to proclaim it civilly, were like

A halter'd neck, which does the hangman thank
For being yare about him.-Is he whipp'd?

Re-enter Attendants, with THYREUS.

1 Att. Soundly, my lord.

Ant.

Cry'd he? and begg'd he pardon?

1 Att. He did ask favour.

Ant. If that thy father live, let him repent

Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou sorry To follow Cæsar in his triumph, since

Thou hast been whipp'd for following him: henceforth,

The white hand of a lady fever thee,

Shake thou to look on't.-Get thee back to Cæsar,
Tell him thy entertainment: Look, thou say,
He makes me angry with him: for he seems
Proud and disdainful; harping on what I am;
Not what he knew I was: He makes me angry;
And at this time most easy 'tis to do't;
When my good stars, that were my former guides,
Have empty left their orbs, and shot their fires
Into the abism of hell. If he mislike

My speech, and what is done; tell him, he has
Hipparchus, my enfranchis'd bondman, whom

6 The horned herd!] It is not without pity and indignation that the reader of this great poet meets so often with this low jest, which is too much a favourite to be left out of either mirth or fury.

He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,
As he shall like, to quit me: Urge it thou:
Hence, with thy stripes, begone. [Exit THYREUS.
Cleo. Have you done yet?

Ant.

Is now eclips'd; and it portends alone
The fall of Antony!

Cleo.

Alack, our terrene moon

I must stay his time.

Ant. To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes With one that ties his points?s

Cleo.

Not know me yet?

Ah, dear, if I be so,

Ant. Cold-hearted toward me?
Cleo.
From my cold heart let heaven engender hail,
And poison it in the source; and the first stone
Drop in my neck: as it determines, so
Dissolve my life! The next Cæsarion smite!1
Till, by degrees, the memory of my womb,
Together with my brave Egyptians all,
By the discandying of this pelleted storm,
Lie graveless; till the flies and gnats of Nile
Have buried them for prey!

Ant.
I am satisfied.
Cæsar sits 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 fleet, threat'ning most sealike. Where hast thou been, my heart?-Dost thou hear, lady?

If from the field I shall return once more

?to quit me:] To repay me this insult; to requite me.

With one that ties his points?] i. e. with a menial attendant. Points were laces with metal tags, with which the old trunkhose were fastened.

as it determines,] That is, as the hailstone dissolves. The next Cæsarion smite!] Cæsarion was Cleopatra's son by Julius Cæsar.

2

and fleet,-] Flout and fleet were synonymous.