Enter SCARUS. Scar. All the whole synod of them! Gods and goddesses, What's thy passion ? Scar. The greater cantle1 of the world is lost With very ignorance; we have kissed away Kingdoms and provinces. Eno. How appears the fight? Scar. On our side like the tokened pestilence, Where death is sure. Yon ribaudred hag3 of Egypt, Whom leprosy o'ertake! i'the midst o'the fight,When vantage like a pair of twins appeared, Both as the same, or rather ours the elder,The brize 4 upon her, like a cow in June, Hoists sails, and flies. Eno. That I beheld; Mine eyes did sicken at the sight, and could not Endure a further view. Scar. She once being loofed,5 The noble ruin of her magic, Antony, Experience, manhood, honor, ne'er before Did violate so itself. Eno. Alack, alack! 1 A cantle is a portion, a scantling, a fragment; it also signified a corner, and a quarter-piece of any thing. It is from the old French chantel or eschantille. 2 The death of those visited by the plague was certain, when particular eruptions appeared on the skin; and these were called God's tokens. 3 The old copy reads, "ribaudred nag, which was altered by Steevens and Malone into "ribald-rid nag," but quite unnecessarily. Ribaudred is obscene, indecent in words or acts. Thus Baret:-" A ribaudrous and filthie tongue; os obscænum et impudicum. or wordes, filthiness, uncleanness." And in frayne fro suche foule and rebaudry wordes." context required we should read hag instead of nag, which was an easy typographical error. Ribaudrie, villanie in actes 4 The brize is the œstrum, or gadfly, so troublesome to cattle in the summer months. 5 To loof is to bring a ship close to the wind. This expression is in the old translation of Plutarch. Enter CANIDIUS. Can. Our fortune on the sea is out of breath, And sinks most lamentably. Had our general Most grossly, by his own. Eno. Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good Indeed. night Can. Towards Peloponnesus are they fled. What further comes. Can. To Cæsar will I render My legions, and my horse; six kings already Show me the way of yielding. Eno. I'll yet follow [Aside. The wounded chance1 of Antony, though my reason Sits in the wind against me. [Exeunt. SCENE IX. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace. Enter ANTONY and Attendants. Ant. Hark, the land bids me tread no more upon't; It is ashamed to bear me! - Friends, come hither. I am so lated in the world, that I Have lost my way forever. I have a ship Laden with gold; take that, divide it; fly, And make your peace with Cæsar. Att. Fly! not we. Ant. I have fled myself; and have instructed cowards To run, and show their shoulders. Friends, be gone; I have myself resolved upon a course, Which has no need of you; be gone. My treasure's in the harbor; take it.-0, 1 "Wounded chance." This phrase is nearly of the same import as "broken fortunes." 2 Belated, benighted. I followed that I blush to look upon. [Sits down. Enter Eros, and CLEOPATRA, led by CHARMIAN and Eros. Nay, gentle madam, to him;-comfort him. Iras. Do, most dear queen. Char. Do! why, what else? Cleo. Let me sit down. O Juno! Ant. No, no, no, no, no. Eros. See you here, sir? Ant. O, fie, fie, fie. Char. Madam, Iras. Madam; O good empress ! Eros. Sir, sir, — Ant. Yes, my lord, yes;-he, at Philippi, kept His sword e'en like a dancer; 2 while I struck That the mad Brutus ended: he alone : 1.،، "1 have lost all power to command your r absence." 2 The meaning appears to be, that Cæsar never offered to draw his sword, but kept it in the scabbard, like one who dances with a sword on, which was formerly the custom in England. It is alluded to in All's Well that Ends Well: Bertram, lamenting that he is kept from the wars, says: "I shall stay here the forehorse to a smock, E Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had In the brave squares of war. Cleo. Ah, stand by. Yet now-no matter. Eros. The queen, my lord, the queen. Iras. Go to him, madam, speak to him; He is unqualitied with very shame. Cleo. Well then, - Sustain me;-Oh! Eros. Most noble sir, arise; the queen approaches ; Her head's declined, and death will seize her; but3 Your comfort makes the rescue. Ant. I have offended reputation; A most unnoble swerving. Eros. Sir, the queen. Ant. O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See, How I convey my shame out of thine eyes, By looking back on what I have left behind 'Stroyed in dishonor. Cleo. O my lord, my lord! Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought, You would have followed. Ant. Egypt, thou knew'st too well, My heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings, Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods Command me. Ant. Now I must To the young man send humble treaties, dodge How much you were my conqueror; and that 1 "Dealt on lieutenantry" probably means only "fought by proxy," made war by his lieutenants, or on the strength of his lieutenants. 2 Unqualitied seems to mean here unsoldiered; quality being used for profession. 3 But is here used in its exceptive sense. 4 " How, by looking another way, I withdraw my ignominy from your sight." 1 i My sword, made weak by my affection, would Cleo. O, pardon, pardon. Ant. Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates 1 Even this repays me. --We sent our schoolmaster ; knows We scorn her most, when most she offers blows. [Exeunt. SCENE X. Cæsar's Camp in Egypt. Enter CÆSAR, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, and others. Cas. Let him appear that's come from Antony. Know you him? Dol. Cæsar, 'tis his schoolmaster; 2 An argument that he is plucked, when hither Which had superfluous kings for messengers, Not many moons gone by. Enter EUPHRONIUS. Cas. Approach, and speak. Eup. Such as I am, I come from Antony. I was of late as petty to his ends, As is the morn-dew on the myrtle leaf To his grand sea.3 Cas. Be it so; declare thine office. Eup. Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and Requires to live in Egypt; which not granted, To let him breathe between the heavens and earth, A private man in Athens. This for him. 1 Values. 2 Euphronius, schoolmaster to Antony's children by Cleopatra. 3 "His grand sea" appears to mean the sea from which the dew-drop is exhaled. |