Hath, with his Parthian force, (8) extended Afia; From Euphrates his conquering banner shook, From Syria to Lydia, and Ionia; Whilft Ant. Antony, thou wouldft fay Ant. Speak to me home, mince not the gen'ral tongue; Name Cleopatra as fhe's call'd in Rome. us, Is as our earing. Fare thee well a while. Mef. At your noble pleasure. Ant. From Sicyon, how the news? Speak there. Mef. The Man from Sicyon.-Is there fuch an one ? [Exit firft Meffenger. Attend. He ftays upon your will. Ant. Let him appear. Thefe ftrong Egyptian fetters I muft break, Enter another Messenger, with a Letter Or lofe myself in dotage. What are you? 2 Mef. Fulvia thy wife is dead. Ant. Where died the ? (8). -extended Afia ;]. e. widened or extended the bounds of the leffer Afia. WARBURTON. To extend, is a term used for to feize; I know not whether that be not the fenfe here, (9) When our quick WINDS lie ftill ;- -] We fhould read MINDS. The m was accidentally turn'd the wrong way at the prefs. The fenfe is this, While the active principle within us lies immerged in floth and luxury, we bring forth vices inftead of virtues, weeds inftead of flowers and fruits: But the laying before us our ill condition plainly and boneftly is,, as it 1 were, the fuft cul ture of the mind, which gives hopes of a future harvest. This he fays to encourage the meffenger to hide nothing from him. WARBURTON. This emendation is ingenious, but doubtful. The fenfe may be, that man, not agitated by cenfure, like foil not ventilated by quick winds, produces more evil than good. E 5 2 Mef. 2 Mef. In Sicyon. Her length of fickness, with what else more serious The oppofite of itself; fhe's good, being gone; Enter Enobarbus. Eno. What's your pleaíure, Sir? Ant. I muft with hafte from hence. Eno. Why, then we kill all our women; we fee how mortal an unkindness is to them; if they suffer our departure, death's the word. Ant. I must be gone. Eno. Under a compelling occafion, let women die. It were pity to caft them away for nothing; though between them and a great caufe, they should be efteem'd nothing. Cleopatra, catching but the least noise of this, dies inftantly; I have feen her die twenty times upon far (2) poorer moment; I do think, there is mettle in death, which commits fome loving act upon her, he hath such a celerity in dying. (1) the present pleasure, By revolution low'ring, does become The allufion is to the fun's diarnal courfe; which rifing in the east, and by revolution lowering, or fetting in the west, becomes the oppofite of itself. WARBURTON. This is an obfcure paffage. The explanation which Dr. War burton has offered is fuch, that I can add nothing to it; yet perhaps Shakespeare, who was lefs learned than his commentator, meant only, that our pleasures, as they are revolved in the mind, turn to pain. (2) poorer moment;] For less reason; upon meaner motives. Ant. Ant. She is cunning paft man's thought. Eno. Alack, Sir, no; her paffions are made of nothing but the fineft part of pure love. We cannot call her winds and waters, fighs and tears, they are greater ftorms and tempefts than almanacks can report. This cannot be cunning in her; if it be, fhe makes a fhow'r of rain as well as Jove. Ant. 'Would I had never feen her! Eno. Oh, Sir, you had then left unfeen a wonderful piece of work, which, not to have been bleft with al, would have difcredited your travel. Ant. Fulvia is dead. Eno. Sir! Ant. Fulvia is dead. Ant. Dead. Eno. Why, Sir, give the Gods a thankful facrifice: when it pleaseth their Deities to take the wife of a man from him, (3) it fhews to man the tailors of the earth, comforting therein, that when old robes are worn out, there are members to make new. If there were no more women but Fulvia, then had you indeed a cut, and the cafe were to be lamented; this grief is crowned with confolation, your old fmock brings forth a new petticoat. And, indeed, the tears live in an onion that should water this forrow. Ant. The bufinefs fhe hath broached in the ftate, Cannot endure my abfence. Eno. And the bufinefs, you have broach'd here, cannot be without you; efpecially that of Cleopatra's, which wholly depends on your abode. Ant. No more light anfwers. Let our officers Have notice what we parpofe. I fhall break (3) it fhews to man the tailors of the earth, comforting therein, &c.] I have printed this after the original, which, though harfh and obfcure, I know not how to amend. Sir Tho. Hanmer reads, They fhew to man the tailors of the earth comforting him therein. I think the paffage, with fomewhat leis alteration, for alteration is always dangerous, may ftand thus; It fhews to men the tailors of the earth comforting them, &c. (4) The caufe of our expedience to the Queen, Eno. I'll do't. (4) The caufe of our expedience pedition. [Exeunt. Expedience, for ex WARBURTON. (5) more urgent touches,] Things that touch me more fenfibly, more preffing motives. (6) Petition us at home.] With us at home; call for us to refide at home. (7) -the courfer's hair, &c.] Alludes to an old idle notion that the hair of a horfe, dropt into corrupted water, will turn to an animal. (8) Say, our pleasure, To fuch whofe places under us, require POPE. Our quick remove from hence.] Such is this paffage in the first copy. The late editors have all altered it, or received it altered in filence thus: -Say, our pleasure, To fuch whofe place is under us, requires Our quick remove from bence. This is hardly fenfe. I believe we should read, Their quick remove from hence. Tell our defign of going away to thofe, who being by their places obliged to attend us, muft remove in haste. SCENE SCENE IV. Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Alexas, and Iras. Cleo. Where is he? Char. I did not fee him fince. Cleo. See, where he is, who's with him, what he does. (9) I did not fend you.. -If you find him fad, Say, I am dancing; if in mirth, report, That I am fudden fick. Quick, and return. Char. Madam, methinks, if you did love him dearly, You do not hold the method to enforce The like from him. Cleo. What fhould I do, I do not? Char. In each thing give him way, crofs him in nothing. Cleo. Thou teacheft, like a fool, the way to lofe him. Char. Tempt him not fo, too far. I wish forbear; In time we hate that which we often fear. Enter Antony. But here comes Antony. Cleo. I'm fick and fullen. Ant. I am forry to give breathing to my purpose. Cleo. Help me away, dear Charmian, I fhall fall; It cannot be thus long, the fides of nature Will not fuftain it. Ant. Now, my deareft Queen, [Seeming to faint. Cleo Pray you, ftand farther from me. Ant. What's the matter? Cleo. I know, by that fame eye, there's fome good news. What fays the marry'd woman ? (9) I did not fend you.-] You must go as if you came without my order or knowledge. |