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 cause '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 spirit in fuch another;
The third o' th' world is yours, which with a fnaffie
You may pace eafie; 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 difquiet: For That you must
But fay, I could not help it.

Caf. I wrote to you,

When rioting in Alexandria, you

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 feasted, and did want
Of what I was i' th' morning: but, next day,
I told him of myself; which was as much
As to have ask'd him pardon. Let this fellow
Be nothing of our ftrife: 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. Soft, Cafar.

Ant. No, Lepidus, let him fpeak;

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

And then, when poifon'd hours had bound me up
From mine own knowledge; as nearly as I may,
I'll play the Penitent to you. But mine honesty.
Shall not make poor my Greatness; nor my Power
Work without it. Truth is, that Fulvia,
To have me out of Egypt, made wars here;
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
So far ask pardon, as befits mine Honour
To stoop in fuch a case.

Lep. 'Tis nobly spoken.

Mec. If it might please you, to enforce no further
The griefs between ye: to forget them quite,
Were to remember, that the prefent Need

Speaks to atone you.

Lep. Worthily fpoken, Mecanas.

Eno. Or, if you borrow one another's love for the inftant, you may, when you hear no more words of Pompey, return it again: you shall have time to wrangle in,, when you have nothing else to do.

Ant. (11) Thou art a Soldier only; fpeak no more.. Eno. That truth fhould be filent, I had almost forgot. Ant. You wrong this Prefence, therefore speak no

more.

Eno. Go to then your confiderate ftone.Caf. I do not much dislike the matter, but. The manner of his fpeech: for't cannot be, We fhall remain in friendship, our conditions So differing in their acts. Yet, if I knew What hoop would hold us ftaunch, from edge to edge O' th' world, I would purfue it..

Agr. Give me leave, Cafar.

(11) Thou art a Soldier, only speak no more.] I think, the Transpofition of the Comma here is abfolutely neceffary, because the Remove will give a Senfe which the Context feems to require. The Argument betwixt Antony and Cæfar turns upon high Matters of State; and Enobarbus bufily interpofing with his bluntReflections, Antony checks him, and would fay, "Don't you "pretend to mix your Counfel in thefe Affairs, that are only ❝a Soldier, and Action all your Talent..

Gaf

Cef. Speak, Agrippa.

Agr. Thou haft a Sifter by the Mother's fide,
Admir'd Octavia! great Mark Antony
Is now a Widower.

Caf. Say not fo, Agrippa;

(12) If Cleopatra heard you, your Approof Were well deferv'd of rafhness.

Ant. I am not married, Cæfar, let me hear
Aprippa further speak.

Agr. To hold you in perpetual Amity,
To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts
With an unflipping knot, take Antony

Octavia to his Wife; whose Beauty claims
No worse a Husband than the best of men;
Whofe Virtue, and whofe general Graces fpeak
That which none else can utter. By this marriage,
All little jealoufies, which now feem great,

And all great fears, which now import their dangers,
Would then be nothing. Truths would be but tales,
Where now half tales be truths: her love to both
Would each to other, and all loves to both
Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke,
For 'tis a studied, not a present thought,
By duty ruminated.

Ant. Will Cafar speak?

Caf. Not 'till he hears how Antony is touch'd With what is fpoke already.

Ant. What Power is in Agrippa

(If I would fay," Agrippa, be it fo,").

(12) If Cleopatra beard You, your proof were

Well deferved of Rabness.] But was Agrippa's barely faying, that Antony was a Widower, any Proof that he was fo? Befides, will Well deferved of Rafbnefs run, as the initial Part of a Verse, in Mr. Pope's Ear? If fo, Emphafis and Cadence are tuned peculiarly, to his Service. I make no Scruple to restore, If Cleopatra beard You, your Approof

Were well deferv'd of Rafness.

I have in a former Note juftified our Author's Ufage of this Word, Approof, i. e. Allowance, admitting.

To

To make this good?

Caf. The Power of Cæfar, and His Power unto Octavia.

Ant. May I never

To this good purpose, that fo fairly fhews,
Dream of impediment! let me have thy hand;
Further this act of grace: and, from this hour,
The heart of brothers govern in our loves,
And fway our great defigns!

Caf. There is my hand:

A Sifter I bequeath you, whom no Brother
Did ever love fo dearly. Let her live

To join our kingdoms, and our Hearts, and never
Fly off our loves again!

Lep. Happily, amen.

Ant. I did not think to draw my fword 'gainft

Pompey,

Of late upon me.

great

For he hath laid ftrange courtefies and
I must thank him only,
Left my remembrance fuffer ill report;
At heel of that, defie him.

Lep. Time calls upon's:

Of us muft Pompey presently be fought,
Or else he feeks out us.

Ant. Where lyes he?

Caf. About the Mount Misenum.
Ant. What is his ftrength by Land?
Caf. Great and increafing: but by Sea

He is an abfolute Master.

Ant. So is the fame.

Would, we had spoke together! hafte we for it
Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we
The bufinefs we have talk'd of.

Caf. With moft gladness;

And do invite you to my Sifter's view,
Whither straight I'll lead you.

Ant. Let us, Lepidus, not lack your company.
Lep. Noble Antony, not fickness should detain me..

[Flourish. Exeunt.

Manent

Manent Enobarbus, Agrippa, Mecenas.

Mec. Welcome from Egypt, Sir.

Eno. Half the heart of Cafar, worthy Mecanas! my honourable friend, Agrippa!

Agr. Good Enobarbus!

Mec. We have caufe to be glad, that matters are fo well digested: you stay'd well by't in Egypt.

Eno. Ay, Sir, we did fleep day out of countenance, and made the night light with drinking.

Mec. Eight wild boars roafted whole at a breakfast, and but twelve perfons there;- Is this true?

Eno. This was but as a flie by an eagle: we had much more monstrous matter of feaft, which worthily deserved noting.

Mec. She's a moft triumphant Lady, if report be fquare to her.

Eno. When she first met Mark Antony, she purs'd up his heart upon the river of Cydnus.

Agr. There the appear'd, indeed; or my reporter devis'd well for her.

Eno. I will tell you;

The barge fhe fat in, like a burnish'd Throne,
Burnt on the water; the poop was beaten gold,
Purple the fails, and fo perfumed, that

The Winds were love-fick with 'em; th' oars were

filver,

Which to the tune of flutes kept ftroke, and made
The water, which they beat, to follow fafter,
As amorous of their ftrokes. For her own person,
It beggar'd all defcription; fhe did lye
In her pavilion, cloth of gold, of tifsue,
O'er picturing that Venus, where we fee

The Fancy out-work Nature. On each fide her,
Stood pretty dimpled Boys, like fmiling Cupids,
With divers-colour'd fans, whose wind did feem
To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,
And what they undid, did.

Agr. Oh, rare for Antony!

Ena. Her Gentlewomen, like the Nereids,

Sa