Ant. You do mistake your business; my brother

never

Did urge me in his act: I did enquire it;
And have my learning from some true reports,2
That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather
Discredit my authority with yours;

And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your cause? Of this, my letters
Before did satisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
As matter whole you have not to make it with,
It must not be with this.

Cæs.

You praise yourself By laying defects of judgment to me; but You patch'd up your excuses.

Ant.

Not so, not so;

I know you could not lack, I am certain on't,
Very necessity of this thought, that I,

Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,
Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars
Which 'fronted3 mine own peace. As for
my wife,
I would you had her spirit in such another:*
The third o'the world is yours; which with a snaffle
You may pace easy, but not such a wife.

Eno. 'Would we had all such wives, that the men might go to wars with the women!

Ant. So much uncurable, her garboils, Cæsar, Made out of her impatience, (which not wanted Shrewdness of policy too.) I grieving grant, Did you too much disquiet: for that, you must But say, I could not help it.

true reports,] Reports for reporters.
'fronted-] i. e. opposed.

I would you had her spirit in such another:] Antony means to say, I wish you had the spirit of Fulvia, embodied in such another woman as her; I wish you were married to such another spirited woman; and then you would find, that though you can govern the third part of the world, the management of such a woman is not an easy matter.

VOL. VIII.

DD

Cæs.

I wrote to you,

When rioting in Alexandria; you

Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Did gibe my missive out of audience.
Ant.

Sir,

He fell upon me, ere admitted; then
Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
Of what I was i' the morning: but, next day,
I told him of myself; which was as much
As to have ask'd him pardon: Let this fellow
Be nothing of our strife; if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

Cæs.

The article of your oath; which
Have tongue to charge me with.
Lep.

You have broken shall never

you

Soft, Cæsar.

Ant. No, Lepidus, let him speak;

The honour's sacred" which he talks on now,
Supposing that I lack'd it: But on, Cæsar;
The article of my oath,-

Cæs. To lend me arms, and aid, when I requir'd

The which

them;

you

both denied.

Ant.

Neglected, rather;

I told him of myself;] i. e. told him the condition I was in, when he had his last audience.

6 The honour's sacred-] The meaning appears to be this:-"Cæsar accuses Antony of a breach of honour in denying to send him aid when he required it, which was contrary to his oath. Antony says, in his defence, that he did not deny his aid, but, in the midst of dissipation, neglected to send it: that having now brought his forces to join him against Pompey, he had redeemed that error; and that therefore the honour which Cæsar talked of, was now sacred and inviolate, supposing that he had been somewhat deficient before, in the performance of that engagement."The adverb now refers to is, not to talks on; and the line should be pointed thus:

The honour's sacred that he talks on, now,
Supposing that I lack'd it. M. MASON.

And then, when poison'd hours had bound me up
From mine own knowledge. As nearly as I may,
I'll play the penitent to you: but mine honesty
Shall not make poor my greatness, nor my power.
Work without it: Truth is, that Fulvia,
To have me out of Egypt, made wars here;
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
So far ask pardon, as befits mine honour
To stoop in such a case.

Lep.

8

'Tis nobly spoken.

Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no further The griefs between ye: to forget them quite, Were to remember that the present need

Speaks to atone you.9

Lep.

Worthily spoke, Mecænas. Eno. Or, if you borrow one another's love for the instant, you may, when you hear no more words of Pompey, return it again: you shall have time to wrangle in, when you have nothing else to do.

Ant. Thou art a soldier only; speak no more. Eno. That truth should be silent, I had almost forgot.

Ant. You wrong this presence, therefore speak

no more.

Eno. Go to then; your considerate stone.1 Cæs. I do not much dislike the matter, but The manner of his speech: for it cannot be, We shall remain in friendship, our conditions So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew

Work without it:] Nor my greatness work without mine honesty.

9

1

The griefs-] i. e. grievances.

to atone you.] i. e. reconcile you.

your considerate stone.] Mr. Tollet explains the passage in question thus: "I will henceforth seem senseless as a stone, however I may observe and consider your words and actions."

What hoop should hold us staunch, from edge to

edge

O' the world I would pursue it.

Agr.

Cæs. Speak, Agrippa.

Give me leave, Cæsar,

Agr. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side, Admir'd Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

Caes.

Say not so, Agrippa;

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof
Were well deserv'd of rashness.

Ant. I am not married, Cæsar: let me hear
Agrippa further speak,

Agr. To hold you in perpetual amity,

To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts
With an unslipping knot, take Antony
Octavia to his wife: whose beauty claims
No worse a husband than the best of men;
Whose virtue, and whose general graces, speak
That which none else can utter. By this marriage,
All little jealousies, which now seem great,

And all great fears, which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing: truths would be but tales,
Where now half tales be truths: her love to both,
Would, each to other, and all loves to both,
Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke;
For 'tis a studied, not a present thought,
By duty ruminated.

Ant.

Will Cæsar speak?

Cæs. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is spoke already.

Ant.

If I would say, Agrippa, be it so,
To make this good?

Caes.

What power is in Agrippa,

The power of Cæsar, and

May I never

His power unto Octavia.

Ant.

To this good purpose, that so fairly shows,
Dream of impediment!-Let me have thy hand:
Further this act of grace; and, from this hour,
The heart of brothers govern in our loves,

And sway our great designs!

Cæs.

There is my hand.
A sister I bequeath you, whom no brother
Did ever love so dearly: Let her live

To join our kingdoms, and our hearts; and never Fly off our loves again!

Lep.

Happily, amen!

Ant. I did not think to draw my

Pompey;

sword 'gainst

For he hath laid strange courtesies, and great,
Of late upon me: I must thank him only,
Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;2

At heel of that, defy him.

Lep.

8

Of us must Pompey presently be sought,

Or else he seeks out us.

Ant.

Time calls upon us:

And where lies he?

What's his strength

Cæs. About the Mount Misenum.

Ant.

By land?

Cæs.

Great, and increasing: but by sea

He is an absolute master.

Ant.

So is the fame.

'Would, we had spoke together? Haste we for it: Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, despatch we The business we have talk'd of.

Cæs.

With most gladness;

2 Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;] Lest I be thought too willing to forget benefits, I must barely return him thanks, and then I will defy him.

Of us, &c.] In the language of Shakspeare's time, meansby us.