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Ant. Say to me, whose fortune fhall rise higher,

Cafar's or mine?

Sooth. Cæfar's.

by his fide.

Therefore, oh Antony, ftay not

(25) Thy Damon, that's thy fpirit which keeps thee, is Noble, couragious, high, unmatchable,

Where Cafar's is not. But, near him, thy angel Becomes a Fear, as being o'erpower'd; and therefore Make space enough between you.

Ant. Speak this no more.

Sooth. To none but thee; no more, but when to thee.

If thou dost play with him at any game,
Thou'rt fure to lofe: and of that natural luck,

Give it an Underftanding, but no Tongue.

And Notion is a Word which our Author frequently chufes, to express the mental Faculties.

Does Lear walk thus? Speak thus? where are his Eyes?
Either his Notion weakens, his Difcernings

Are lethargied, &c.

Your Judgments, my grave Lords,

Muft give this Curr the Lye; and his own Notion,
Who wears my Stripes imprefs'd upon him, &c.

And all Things elfe, that might

To half a Soul, and to a Notion craz'd,

Say, Thus did Banquo.

Abus'd ber delicate Youth with Drugs, or Minerals,

That weaken Notion.

K. Lear.

Coriolanus.

Macbeth,

Othello.

(25) Thy Dæmon] Shakespeare calls That Damon in one Line, which he calls Angel in another: and This, I conceive, not accidentally, but knowingly. It is to be obferv'd, that the antient Greek Authors always ufed the Word Damon in the Senfe of God, Demi-god, or celeftial Being; and that it had not the Signification of Devil, malignant or infernal Being, 'till after the Time of Chriftianity. Since that Period, it has been uled for Both; but by the Chriftian Writers moft commonly in the latter Senfe. This is the Reafon, why Apuleius intitled one of his Tracts De Deô Socratis, and not, as it fhould have been more claffically, De Dæmonio Sacratis; when the Queftion in the Book was whether a Damon, i. e. an inferior or Demi-god did not attend that Philofopher; which he determines in the Affirmative. For had he done That, the Word Damon being become, fince the preaching of the Gofpel, fo odious, Socrates would have been esteem'd a Damoniac, or One poffefs'd with an Evil Spirit. Mr. Warburton.

He beats thee 'gainft the odds. Thy luftre thickens,
When he fhines by: I fay again, thy Spirit
Is all afraid to govern thee near him :
But, he away, 'tis noble.

Ant. Get thee gone :

Say to Ventidius, I would fpeak with him.

[Exit Sooth, He fhall to Parthia; be it art, or hap, He hath spoke true. The very dice obey him; And, in our Sports, my better cunning faints Under his chance; if we draw lots, he speeds; His cocks do win the battel still of mine, When it is all to nought: and his quailes ever Beat mine, in-hoop'd at odds. I will to Egypt; And though I make this marriage for my peace, I'th' eaft my pleasure lies. Oh, come, Ventidius,

Enter Ventidius.

You must to Parthia, your commiffion's ready:
Follow me and receive't.

Enter Lepidus, Mecenas, and Agrippa.

[Exeunt,

Lep. Trouble your felves no farther: pray you, haften Your Generals after.

Agr. Sir, Mark Antony

Will e'en but kifs Octavia, and we'll follow.

Lep. 'Till I fhall fee you in your Soldiers' drefs, Which will become you both, farewel.

Mec. We fhall,

As I conceive the journey, be at th' Mount

Before you, Lepidus.

Lep. Your way is fhorter,

My purposes do draw me much about;

You'll win two days upon me.

Both. Sir, good fuccefs.

Lep. Farewel.

[Exeunt,

SCENE

SCENE changes to the Palace in Alexandria.

Cleo.

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras and Alexas.

GIVE me fome mufick: mufick, moody food

Of us that trade in love. —

Omnes. The musick, hoa!

Enter Mardian the Eunuch.

Cleo. Let it alone, let's to billiards: come, Charmian.

Char. My arm is fore, best play with Mardian. Cleo. As well a Woman with an Eunuch play'd, As with a Woman. Come, you'll play with me, Sir? Mar. As well as I can, Madam.

Cleo. And when good will is fhew'd, tho't come too fhort,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now.
Give me mine angle, we'll to th' river, there,
My mufick playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finn'd fish; my bended hook fhall pierce
Their flimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,
I'll think them every one an Antony,

And fay, ah ha! you're caught,

Char. 'Twas merry, when

You wager'd on your angling; when your Diver
Did hang a falt fish on his hook, which he
With fervency drew up.

Cleo. That time! oh times!

I laught him out of patience, and that night
I laught him into patience; and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed:
Then put my tires and mantles on him, (26) whilst
I wore his fword Philippan. Oh, from Italy; -

whil

Enter

(26) I wore his Sword Philippan.] We are not to fuppofe, nor is there any Warrant from Hiftory, that Antony had any particular Sword fo call'd. The dignifying Weapons, in this Sort, is a Cuftom of much more recent Date. This therefore feems a Compliment à pofteriori. We

R 4

find

Enter a Messenger.

Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
That long time have been barren.
Mef. Madam! Madam!--

Cleo. Antony's dead?—

If thou fay fo, villain, thou kill'ft thy Mistress:
But well and free,

If thou fo yield him, there is gold, and here
My blueft veins to kifs: a hand, that Kings
Have lipt, and trembled kiffing.
Mef. Firft, Madam, he is well.
Cleo. Why, there's more gold.

we ufe

But, firrah, mark,

To fay, the dead are well: bring it to that,
The gold, I give thee, will I melt and pour
Down thy ill-urtering throat.

Mef. Good Madam, hear me.
Cleo. Well, go to, I will:

But there's no goodness in thy face. If Antony
Be free and healthful; why fo tart a favour
To trumpet fuch good tidings? if not well,
Thou should't come like a fury crown'd with snakes,
Not like a formal man.

Mef. Will't please you hear me?

Cleo. I have a mind to ftrike thee, ere thou speak'ft; Yet if thou fay, Antony lives, 'tis well,

Or friends with Cafar, or not captive to him,

I'll fet thee in a fhower of gold, and hail

Rich pearls upon thee.

Mef. Madam, he's well.

Cleo. Well faid.

find Antony afterwards, in this Play, boasting of his own Prowess at Philippi.

Ant. Yes, my Lord, yes; he at Philippi kept

His Sword e'en like a Dancer, while I ftrook

The lean and wrinkled Caffius; &c.

That was the greatest Action of Antony's Life; and therefore This seems a fine Piece of Flattery, intimating, that his Sword ought to be denominated from that illuftrious Battle, in the fame manner as modern Heroes in Romance are made to give their Swords pompous Names.

Mef.

Mef. And friends with Cæfar.

Cleo. Thou'rt an honeft man.

Mef. Cæfar, and he, are greater friends than ever.
Cleo. Make thee a fortune from me.

Mef. But yet, Madam -

Cleo. I do not like but yet, it do's allay
The good precedence; fie upon but yet;
But yet is as a jaylor to bring forth

Some monstrous Malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend,
Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear,

The good and bad together he's friends with Cafar,
In ftate of health, thou fay'ft; and thou fay'ft, free.
Mef. (27) Free, Madam! no: I made no fuch Re-
port.

He's bound unto Octavia.

Cleo. For what good turn?

Mef. For the best turn i'th' bed.

Cleo. I am pale, Charmian.

Mef. Madam, he's married to Octavia.

Cleo. The most infectious peftilence upon thee!

[blocks in formation]

[Strikes him down.

[Strikes him.

Hence, horrible villain, or I'll fpurn thine eyes
Like balls before me; I'll unhair thy head:

[She bales him up and down. Thou shalt be whipt with wire, and stew'd in brine, Smarting in lingring pickle.

Mef. Gracious Madam,

I, that do bring the news, made not the match.
Cleo. Say, 'tis not fo, a Province I will give thee,
And make thy fortunes proud: the blow, thou hadft,
Shall make thy peace, for moving me to rage;
And I will boot thee with what gift befide
Thy modefty can beg.

(27) Free, Madam! no; I have made no fuch Sport.] I don't know how to account for this odd Piece of Negligence in Mr. Pope. 'Tis true, this is the Reading in Mr. Rowe's Edition: and there are many Inftances to fufpect, that he implicitly follow'd the Steps of that Editor, without collating the Copies of better Authority. The elder Folio's both read plainly, as I have reform'd the Text.

Mef.

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