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Says, it will come to th' full. Mark Antony
In Ægypt fits at dinner, and will make

No wars without doors. Cafar gets money, where
He loses hearts; Lepidus flatters both,

Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,

Nor either cares for him.

Mene. Cafar and Lepidus are in the field,
A mighty strength they carry.
Pom. Where have you this? 'tis false.
Mene. From Silvius, Sir.

Pom. He dreams; I know, they are in Rome together,

Looking for Antony: but all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wan lip!
Let witchcraft join with beauty; lust with both!
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks,
Sharpen with cloyless sawce his appetite;
That fleep and feeding may prorogue his honour,
Even 'till a Lethe'd dulness

How now, Varrius ?

Enter Varrius.

Var. This is most certain, that I shall deliver:
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
Expected. Since he went from Ægypt, 'tis
A space for farther travel.

Pom. I could have given less matter
A better ear. Menas, I did not think,
This am'rous surfeiter would have donn'd his helm
For fuch a petty war; his foldiership

concord to powers. It is evident beyond a doubt, that the poet's allufion is to the Moon: and that Pompey would fay, he is yet but a half moon, or crefcent; but his hopes tell him, that crefcent will come to a full orb. To this effect, therefore, I have ventur'd to reform the text. The poet uses the word again in Midsummer Night's

Dream.

Moon. This lanthorn doth the horned moon present.
Dem. He should have worn the horns on his head.

Thef. He is no crefcent, and his horns are invisible within the circumferences

Is twice the other twain; but let us rear (18),
The higher our opinion, that our ftirring
Can, from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck
The ne'er luft-wearied Antony.

Men. I cannot hope,

Cæfar and Antony shall well greet together.
His wife, who's dead, did trespasses to Cafar;
His brother warr'd upon him, although I think,
Not mov'd by Antony.

Pom. I know not, Menas,

How lesser enmities may give way to greater. Wer't not that we stand up against them all, selves; 'Twere pregnant, they should square between them-For they have entertained cause enough

To draw their swords; but how the fear of us.

May cement their divisions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be't, as our Gods will have't! it only stands
Our lives upon, to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.

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The bigber our opinion, that our ftirring-
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck
The near luft-wearied Antony.]

[Exeunt.

Sextus Pompeius, upon hearing that Antony is every hour expected in Rome, does not much relish the news. He is twice the foldier, (fays be) that Octavius and Lepidus are; and I did not think, the petty. war, which I am raising, would rouze him from his amours in Ægypt. -But why should Pompey hold a higher opinion of his own expedition, because.it awak'd Antony to arms, who was near weary, almost furfeited, of lascivious pleasures ? Indolent and stupid editors, that can dispense with words, without ever weighing the reason of them!. How easy is the change to the true reading!

The ne'er luft wearied Antony.

If Antony, tho' never tired of luxury, yet mov'd from that charm upon. Pompey's stirring, it was a reason for Pompey to pride himself upon. being of such consequence. Imade this emendation in the Appendix to my SHAKESPEARE Restor'd, and Mr. Pope has thought fit to correct his last edition accordingly..

SCENE changes to Rome.

Enter Enobarbus and Lepidus.

Lep. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, t'entreat your Captain

To soft and gentle speech.

Eno. I shall entreat him

To answer, like himself; if Cafar move him,

Let Antony look over Casar's head,

And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
Were I the wearer of Antonio's beard,

I would not shave't to-day.

Lep. 'Tis not a time for private stomaching.
Eno. Every time

Serves for the matter that is then born in't.

Lep. But small to greater matters must give way.
Eno. Not if the small come first.

Lep. Your speech is passion;

But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes
The noble Antony.

Enter Antony and Ventidius.

Eno. And yonder, Cafar.

Enter Cæfar, Mecænas, and Agrippa.

Ant. If we compose well here, to Parthia

Hark, Ventidius.

Caf. I do not know; Mecenas, ask Agrippa.

Lep. Noble friends,

That which combin'd us was most great, and let not
A leaner action rend us, What's amiss,
May it be gently heard. When we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Murther in healing wounds. Then, noble Partners,
(The rather, for I earnestly beseech)

'Touch you the sowrest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness grow to th' matter.
Ant. 'Tis spoken well;

1

Were

Were we before our armies and to fight,
I should do thus.

Caf. Welcome to Rome.

Ant. Thank you.

Caf. Sit.

Ant. Sit, Sir.

Caf. Nay then

[Flourish.

Ant. I learn, you take things ill, which are not so:

Or being, concern you not.

Caf. I must be laught at,

If, or for nothing, or a little, I

Should fay my self 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 Ægypt, Cafar, what was't to you?
Cas. No more than my refiding here at Rome

Might be to you in Ægypt: yet if you there
Did practise on my state, your being in Ægypt
Might be my question.

Ant. How intend you, practis'd?

Cas. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befall. (19) Your wife and brother Made wars upon me; and their contestation Was theam'd for you, you were the word of war.

Ant. You do mistake your business: my brother never Did urge me in his act: I did inquire it,

And have my learning from some true reports

(19)

- Your wife and brother

Made wars upon me; and 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 Cafar, was theam for Antony too to make war; or was the oceasion why he did make war. Put this is directly contrary to the context, which shews, Antony did neither encourage them to it, nor second 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 theam and subject of their infurrection. Mr. Warburton. That

That drew their fwords with you. Did he not rather
Difcredit my authority with yours,

And make the wars alike against my stomach,
Having alike your caufe? of this, my letters
Before did fatisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
(As matter whole you've not to make it with)
It must not be with this.

Caf. You praise your self,

By laying defects of judgment to me: but
You patch up your
excuses.

Ant. Not fo, not fo;

I know, you could not lack, (I'm certain on't)
Very neceffity of this thought, that I,

Your Partner in the caufe 'gainft which he fought,
Could not with grateful eyes attend those wars,
Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,
I would, you had her fpirit in fuch another;
The third o'th' world is yours, which with a fnaffle
You may pace eafy; but not fuch a wife.

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

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 disquiet: For that you must
But fay, I could not help it.

Cel. I wrote to you,

When rioting in Alexandria, you

Tid 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 feasted, and did want
Of what I was i'th' morning: but, next day,
I told him of my self; which was as much
As to have afk'd him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our strife: if we contend,
Out of our question wipe him.

Caf. You have broken

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

Lep.

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