Re-enter ANTONY and SCARUS. Ant. Yet they're not join'd: Where yonder pine does stand, I shall discover all: I'll bring thee word Scar. [Exit. Swallows have built In Cleopatra's sails their nests: the augurers Say, they know not, they cannot tell;-look grimly, His fretted fortunes give him hope, and fear, Ant. Alarum afar off, as at a Sea Fight. Re-enter ANTONY. All is lost; This foul Egyptian hath betrayed me: My fleet hath yielded to the foe; and yonder Hast sold me to this novice; and my heart O sun, thy uprise shall I see no more: 8 Triple-turn'd whore !] She first belonged to Julius Cæsar, then to Antony, and now, as he supposes, to Augustus. It is not likely that in recollecting her turnings, Antony should not have that in contemplation which gave him most offence. Their wishes, do discandy, melt their sweets, Whose bosom was my crownet, my chief end,' Enter CLEOpatra. Ah, thou spell! Avaunt. Cleo. Why is my lord enrag'd against his love? Ant. Vanish; or I shall give thee thy deserving, And blemish Cæsar's triumph. Let him take thee, And hoist thee up to the shouting Plebeians: Follow his chariot, like the greatest spot Of all thy sex; most monster-like, be shown 9 this grave charm,] By this grave charm, is meant, this sublime, this majestick beauty; or rather, this deadly, or destructive piece of witchcraft. was my crownet, my chief end,] i. e. last purpose, probably from finis coronat opus. Like a right gipsy, hath, at fast and loose, Beguil'd me, &c.] There is a kind of pun in this passage, arising from the corruption of the word Egyptian into gipsy. The old law-books term such persons as ramble about the country, and pretend skill in palmistry and fortune-telling, Egyptians. Fast and loose is a term to signify a cheating game, of which the following is a description. A leathern belt is made up into a number of intricate folds, and placed edgewise upon a table. One of the folds is made to resemble the middle of the girdle, so that whoever should thrust a skewer into it would think he held it fast to the table; whereas, when he has so done, the person with whom he plays may take hold of both ends, and draw it away. This trick is now known to the common people, by the name of pricking at the belt or girdle, and perhaps was practised by the Gypsies in the time of Shakspeare. SIR J. HAWKINS. to the very heart of loss.] To the utmost loss possible. 4 For poor'st diminutives, to dolts ;* and let With her prepared nails. [Erit CLEO.] 'Tis well thou'rt gone, If it be well to live: But better 'twere Thou fell'st into my fury, for one death Let me lodge Lichas on the horns o'the moon ; 5 SCENE XI. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace. Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and MARDIAN. 6 Cleo. Help me, my women! O, he is more mad Than Telamon for his shield; the boar of Thessaly Was never so emboss'd.7 Char. To the monument; There lock yourself, and send him word you are dead. most monster-like, be shown For poor'st diminutives, to dolts;] i. e. shown as monsters are, not only for the smallest piece of money, but to the most stupid and vulgar spectators. Let me lodge Lichas on the horns o' the moon ;] This image our poet may have taken from Seneca's Hercules, who says Lichas being launched into the air, sprinkled the clouds with his blood; or more probably from Golding's version of Ovid's Metamorphosis. 6 Than Telamon for his shield ;] 1. e. than Ajax Telamon for the armour of Achilles, the most valuable part of which was the shield. The boar of Thessaly was the boar killed by Meleoger. 1 Was never so emboss'd.] A hunting term; when a deer is hard run, and foams at the mouth, he is said to be imbost. The soul and body rive not more in parting, Cleo. [Exeunt. Enter ANTONY and EROS. Ant. Eros, thou yet behold'st me? Eros. Ay, noble lord. Ant. Sometime, we see a cloud that's dragonish: A vapour, sometime, like a bear, or lion, A tower'd citadel, a pendant rock, A forked mountain, or blue promontory With trees upon't, that nod unto the world, And mock our eyes with air: Thou hast seen these Ay, my lord. Ant. That, which is now a horse, even with a thought, The rack dislimns; and makes it indistinct, As water is in water. Eros. It does, my lord. Ant. My good knave, Eros, now thy captain is Even such a body: here I am Antony ; They are black vesper's pageants.] The beauty both of the expression and the allusion is lost, unless we recollect the frequency and the nature of these shows in Shakspeare's age. • The rack dislimns;] i. e. the fleeting away of the clouds destroys the picture. Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave. Nay, weep not, gentle Eros; there is left us Enter MARDIAN. She has robb'd me of my sword. No, Antony; Mar. My mistress lov'd thee, and her fortunes mingled With thine entirely. Ant. Hence, saucy eunuch; peace; She hath betray'd me, and shall die the death. Mar. Death of one person can be paid but once; And that she has discharg'd: What thou would'st do, Is done unto thy hand; the last she spake Was, Antony! most noble Antony! Then in the midst a tearing groan did break Between her heart and lips: she render'd life, Ant. Dead then? Dead. Ant. Eros, unarm; the long day's task is done, And we must sleep:-That thou depart'st hence safe, Does pay thy labour richly; Go.-Off, pluck off ;[Exit MARDIAN. The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my sides! |