Would, she had never given you leave to come! Cleo. O! never was there queen So mightily betray'd; yet at the first I saw the treasons planted. Ant. Cleopatra,― Cleo. Why should I think, you can be mine, and true, Though you in swearing shake the throned gods, Ant. Most sweet queen, Cleo. Nay, pray you, seek no colour for your going, But bid farewell, and go: when you sued staying, Then was the time for words; no going then: Eternity was in our lips, and eyes; Bliss in our brows' bent; none our parts so poor, Ant. How now, lady! Cleo. I would, I had thy inches; thou should'st know, There were a heart in Egypt. Hear me, queen. Ant. Our services a while, but my full heart Shines o'er with civil swords: Sextus Pompeius Makes his approaches to the port of Rome: Equality of two domestic powers Breeds scrupulous faction. The hated, grown to strength, Are newly grown to love: the condemn'd Pompey, Rich in his father's honour, creeps apace Into the hearts of such as have not thriv'd Cleo. Though age from folly could not give me freedom, It does from childishness.-Can Fulvia die? Ant. She's dead, my queen. Look here, and, at thy sovereign leisure, read O most false love! Cleo. Cleo. Cut my lace, Charmian, come. But let it be. I am quickly ill, and well, The GARBOILS she awak'd ;] "Garboils" was a common word for commotions in the time of Shakespeare; it occurs again afterwards, p. 31; and it was used by the best authors, although Stanihurst fell under the ridicule of Hall, in his 6th satire, of book i. "Manhood and garboils shall he chant with changed feet." Stanihurst employs the word in the opening of his English-hexameter translation of the Æneid, 1584, in the line, Now, manhood and garboils I chaunt, and martial horror.” We quote from the beautiful reprint of this very rare and curious work, made at Edinburgh in 1836, we believe, under the editorial superintendence of Mr. Maidment. Scotland has contributed her full share of valuable works of this description. 7 - I am quickly ill, and well, So Antony loves.] i. e. Probably, "I am quickly ill or well, according as Antony loves me." First Cleopatra tells Charmian to cut her lace, then to "let VOL. VIII. C Ant. My precious queen, forbear; And give true evidence to his love, which stands An honourable trial. Cleo. So Fulvia told me. I pr'ythee, turn aside, and weep for her; Ant. Cleo. You can do better yet, but this is meetly. You'll heat my blood: no more. Look, pr'ythee, Charmian, Ant. Now, by my swords, Cleo. But this is not the best. How this Herculean Roman does become The carriage of his chafe. Ant. I'll leave you, lady. Courteous lord, one word. Sir, you and I must part,—but that's not it: And I am all forgotten. Ant. But that your royalty Holds idleness your subject, I should take you Cleo. "Tis sweating labour To bear such idleness so near the heart, As Cleopatra this. But, sir, forgive me; Since my becomings kill me, when they do not it be," the necessity being at an end, in consequence, perhaps, of receiving some indication of love from Antony. 8 Now, by My sword.] "My" is omitted in the folio, 1623, but added in the folio, 1632. Sit laurel'd victory, and smooth success Ant. Let us go. Come; Our separation so abides, and flies, That thou, residing here, go'st yet with me, [Exeunt. SCENE IV. Rome. An Apartment in CÆSAR's House. Enter OCTAVIUS CESAR, LEPIDUS, and Attendants. Cæs. You may see, Lepidus, and henceforth know, It is not Cæsar's natural vice to hate One great competitor.. From Alexandria This is the news: he fishes, drinks, and wastes The lamps of night in revel; is not more manlike Than Cleopatra, nor the queen of Ptolemy More womanly than he hardly gave audience, or Vouchsaf'd to think' he had partners: you shall find there A man, who is the abstract of all faults That all men follow. Lep. I must not think, there are 9 Sit LAUREL'D victory,] "Laurel'd victory" is the emendation of the folio, 1632: that of 1623 has "laurel victory." In all probability the letter d had dropped out in the press. VOUCHSAF'D to think-] Vouchsafe in the folio, 1623, which the folio, 1632, altered to "did vouchsafe." Cæs. You are too indulgent. Let us grant, it is not Amiss to tumble on the bed of Ptolemy; To give a kingdom for a mirth; to sit And keep the turn of tippling with a slave; To reel the streets at noon, and stand the buffet With knaves that smell of sweat: say, this becomes him, (As his composure must be rare indeed, Whom these things cannot blemish) yet must Antony Full surfeits, and the dryness of his bones, As we rate boys; who, being mature in knowledge, Lep. Enter a Messenger. Here's more news. Mess. Thy biddings have been done; and every hour, Most noble Cæsar, shalt thou have report How 'tis abroad. Pompey is strong at sea; That only have fear'd Cæsar: to the ports Cæs. I should have known no less. It hath been taught us from the primal state, 2 No way excuse his FOILS,] Our reading is that of the folio, 1623, and of all the subsequent editions in that form. Malone and modern editors have altered "foils" to soils, without sufficient necessity: the "foils" of Antony are his vices, his foibles, which injure the beauty of his character, and foil or defeat the exercise of his virtues. At the same time it must be allowed, that "foils" for soils would be a very easy misprint, the long s and the ƒ being frequently mistaken. |