Scar. 'Tis easy to't; and there I will attend

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

The wounded chance 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 asham'd to bear me ! - Friends, come hither,

I am so lated in the world', that I

- I have a ship

Have lost my way for ever:
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 resolv'd upon a course,

Which has no need of you; be gone:

My treasure's in the harbour, take it.— O,
I follow'd that I blush to look upon:
My very hairs do mutiny; for the white
Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them
For fear and doting.- Friends, be gone; you shall
Have letters from me to some friends, that will
Sweep your way for you. Pray you, look not sad,
Nor make replies of loathness: take the hint

6 The wounded chance of Antony,] i. e. the broken fortunes oj Antony.

7

so lated in the world,] Alluding to a benighted traveller.

Which my despair proclaims; let that be left
Which leaves itself: to the sea-side straightway:
I will possess you of that ship and treasure.
Leave me, I pray, a little: 'pray you now : —
Nay, do so; for, indeed, I have lost command,
Therefore I pray you: - I'll see you by and by.

8

[Sits down.

Enter EROS and CLEOPATRA, led by CHARMIAN and

IRAS.

Eros. Nay, gentle madam, to him:- Comfort him. Iras. Do, most dear queen.

Char. Do! Why, what else?

Ant. Yes, my lord, yes; He, at Philippi, kept
His sword even like a dancer 9; while I struck
The lean and wrinkled Cassius; and 'twas I,
That the mad Brutus ended: he alone
Dealt on lieutenantry', and no practice had
In the brave squares of war: Yet now

8

Cleo. Ah, stand by.

Eros. The queen, my lord, the queen.

No matter.

I have lost command,] i. e. I entreat you to leave me, because I have lost all power to command your absence.

9- He, at Philippi, kept

His sword even like a dancer ;] i. e. 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.

Dealt on lieutenantry,] i. e. fought by proxy, made war by his lieutenants, or on the strength of his lieutenants,

Iras. Go to him, madam, speak to him; He is unqualitied with very shame.

Cleo. Well then,-Sustain me: - O!

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
'Stroy'd in dishonour.

O my lord, my lord!

Cleo.
Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought,
You would have follow'd.

Ant.
My heart was to thy rudder tied by the strings,
And thou should'st tow me after: O'er my spirit
Thy full supremacy thou knew'st; and that
Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods
Command me.

Egypt, thou knew'st too well,

Cleo.

Ant.

O, my pardon.

Now I must

To the young man send humble treaties, dodge
And palter in the shifts of lowness; who
With half the bulk o'the world play'd as I pleas'd,
Making, and marring fortunes. You did know,
How much you were my conqueror; and that

2 He is unqualitied-] Perhaps, unqualitied signifies unmanned in general, disarmed of his usual faculties.

death will seize her; but-] But has here, as once before in this play, the force of except, or unless.

4 How I convey my shame] How, by looking another way, I withdraw my ignominy from your sight.

3

tied by the strings,] That is, by the heart-string.

My sword, made weak by my affection, would
Obey it on all cause.

Cleo.

O pardon, pardon.

Ant. Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates All that is won and lost: Give me a kiss;

Even this repays me. We sent our schoolmaster,
Is he come back? Love, I am full of lead:
Some wine, within there, and our viands: - Fortune

most, when most she offers blows.

[Exeunt.

SCENE X.

Cæsar's Camp, in Egypt.

Enter CESAR, DOLABELLA, THYREUS, and Others.

Cæs. Let him appear that's come from Antony. Know you him?

Dol.

Cæsar, 'tis his schoolmaster:"

An argument that he is pluck'd, when hither
He sends so poor a pinion of his wing,

Which had superfluous kings for messengers,
Not many moons gone by.

Cæs.

Enter EUPHRONIUS.

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."

6

·his schoolmaster:] The name of this person was Euphronius.

He was schoolmaster to Antony's children by Cleopatra.

7

as petty to his ends,

As is the morn-dew on the myrtle-leaf

To his grand sea.] His grand sea may mean his full tide of prosperity; or it may mean the sea from which the dew-drop is exhaled. Shakspeare might have considered the sea as the source of dews as well as rain. His is used instead of its.

Cæs.

Be it so; Declare thine office.

Eup. Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and
Requires to live in Egypt: which not granted,
He lessens his requests; and to thee sues
To let him breathe between the heavens and earth,
A private man in Athens: This for him.
Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness;
Submits her to thy might; and of thee craves
The circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs,
Now hazarded to thy grace.

8

Cæs.
For Antony,
I have no ears to his request. The queen
Of audience, nor desire, shall fail; so she
From Egypt drive her all-disgraced friend,"
Or take his life there: This if she perform,
She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.
Eup. Fortune pursue thee!

Cæs.

Bring him through the bands.
[Exit EUPHRONIUS.

To try thy eloquence, now 'tis time: Despatch;
From Antony win Cleopatra: promise, [to THYREUS.
And in our name, what she requires; add more,
From thine invention, offers: women are not,
In their best fortunes, strong: but want will perjure
The ne'er-touch'd vestal: Try thy cunning, Thyreus ;
Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we
Will answer as a law.

Thyr.

Cæsar, I go.

Cas. Observe how Antony becomes his flaw;'
And what thou think'st his very action speaks
In every power that moves.

8

Thyr.

royalty.

1

Cæsar, I shall. [Exeunt.

circle of the Ptolemies-] The diadem; the ensign of

- friend,] i. e. paramour.

-how Antony becomes his flaw;] That is, how Antony conforms himself to this breach of his fortune.