His wife, who's dead, did trefpaffes to Cæfar;
His brother warr'd upon him, although I think,
Not mov'd by Antony.

Pom. I know not, Menas,

How leffer enmities may give way to greater. Wer't not that we ftand up against them all, "Twere pregnant, they fhould (4) fquare between

themselves,

For they have entertained caufe enough
To draw their fwords; but how the fear of us
May cement their divifions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be't, as our Gods will have't! it only stands
(5) Our lives upon, to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.

Lep.

G

SCENE II.

Changes to Rome.

Enter Enobarbus and Lepidus.

[Exeunt.

WOOD Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,
And fhall become you well, t' entreat your
th
Captain

To foft and gentle speech.

Eno. I fhall entreat him

To answer like himfelf; if Cæfar move him,
Let Antony look over Cafar's head,

And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,

(4)-Square] That is, quarrel.

(5) Our lives upon,] This play is not divided into acts by the authour or firft editors, and therefore the prefent divifion may be altered at pleafure. I think the firft act may be commodioully continued to this place, and the fecond act opened with the interview of the chiet perfons, and a change of the state of action. Yet it must be confeffed, that it is of fmall importance, where thefe unconnected and defultory fcenes are interrupted.

F 3

Ant. Sit, Sir.

Caf. Nay, then

Ant. I learn, you take things ill, which are not fo; Or, being, concern you not.

Caf. I must be laught at,

If, or for nothing, or a little, I

Should fay myself offended, and with you
Chiefly i'th' world; More laught at, that I should
Once name you derogately, when to found
Your name it not concern'd me.

Ant. My being in Egypt, Cafar, what was❜t to you?
Caf. No more than my refiding here at Rome
Might be to you in Egypt; yet, if you there
Did practife on my ftate, your being in Egypt
Might be my queftion.

Ant. How intend you, practis'd?

Caf. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befal. Your Wife and Brother Made wars upon me; and (8) their conteftation Was theam for you, you were the word of war.

(8)their conteftation

Was theam for you, you were the word of war.] The only meaning of this can be, that the war, which Antony's wife and brother made upon Cæfar, was theam for Antony too to make war; or was the occafion why he did make war. But this is directly contrary to the context, which fhews, Antony did neither en courage them to it, nor fecond them in it. We cannot doubt then, but the poet wrote;

and their conteftation

Was theam'd for you.

i. e. The pretence of their war was on your account, they took up arms in your name, and you were made the theme and fubject of their infurrection. WARBURTON.

I am neither fatisfied with the reading nor the emendation; theam'd is, I think, a word unauthorifed, and very harsh. Perhaps we may read,

-their conteftation

Had theam from you, you were the word th' war. The difpute derived its fubject from you. It may be corrected by mere tranfpofition,

their conteftation

You were theam for, you were the word.

F 4

Ant

Ant. So much uncurbable her garboiles, Cafar, Made out of her impatience, which not wanted Shrewdness of policy too, I grieving grant, Did you too much difquiet: For that you muft But fay, I could not help it.

Caf. I wrote to you,

When rioting in Alexandria, your

Did pocket up my letters; and with taunts
Did gibe my miffive out of audience.

Ant. Sir, he fell on me, ere admitted; then
Three Kings I had newly feafted, and did want
Of what I was i' th' morning; but, next day,
(4) I told him of myself which was as much
As to have afk'd him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our ftrife, if we c contend,
Out of our queftion wipe him.

Caf. You have broken

The article of your oath, which you shall never
Have tongue to charge me with.

Lep. Soft, Cæfar.

Ant. No, Lepidus, let him fpeak;

(5) The honour's facred which he talks on now, Suppofing that I lackt it. But, on, Cæfar; The article of my oath

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

The which you both deny'd..

Ant. Neglected, rather;

And then, when poifon'd hours had bound me up

WARBURTON.

(4). I told him of myself] i. e. told him the condition I was in, when he had his laft audience. (5) The Honour's facred-] Sacred, for unbroken, unviolated.

WARBURTON.

Dr. Warburton feems to understand this paffage thus; The honour which he talks of me as lacking, is unviolated, I never lacked it. This may perhaps be the true meaning, but before I read the note, I understood it thus: Lepidus interrupts Gefar, on the fuppofition that what he is about to fay will be too harsh to be endured by Antony; to which Antony replies, No, Lepidus, let him fpeak, the fecurity of honour on which he now fpeaks,, on which this conference is held now, is facred, even fuppofing that I lacked honour before.