That do acknowledge Cæsar, should I find them
So saucy with the hand of she here, (What's her

name,

Since she was Cleopatra ?)-Whip him, fellows,
Till, like a boy, you see him cringe his face,
And whine aloud for mercy: Take him hence.
Thyr. Mark Antony,-

Ant.

Tug him away: being whipp'd,

Bring him again:-This Jack of Cæsar's shall
Bear us an errand to him.-

[Exeunt Attend. with THYREUS.

You were half blasted ere I knew you:-Ha!
Have I my pillow left unpress'd in Rome,
Forborne the getting of a lawful race,
And by a gem of women,3 to be abus'd
By one that looks on feeders?14

Cleo.

Good my lord,

Ant. You have been a boggler ever:But when we in our viciousness grow hard, (O misery on't!) the wise gods seel our eyes; In our own filth drop our clear judgments; make us Adore our errors; laugh at us, while we strut To our confusion.

Cleo.

O, is it come to this?

Ant. I found you as a morsel, cold upon Dead Cæsar's trencher: nay, you were a fragment Of Cneius Pompey's; besides what hotter hours, Unregister'd in vulgar fame, you have Luxuriously pick'd out:-For, I am sure, Though you can guess what temperance should be,

4

- a gem of women,] beautiful horses, rich garments, &c. in Chapman's translations, are frequently spoken of as gems. "A jewel of a man," is a phrase still in use among the vulgar. By one that looks on feeders?] A feeder, or an eater, was anciently the term of reproach for a servant. One who looks on. feeders, is one who throws away her regard on servants, such as Antony would represent Thyreus to be.

› Luxuriously pick'd out:] Luxuriously means wantonly.

You know not what it is.

Cleo.

Wherefore is this?

Ant. To let a fellow that will take rewards,
And say, God quit you! be familiar with
My playfellow, your hand; this kingly seal,
And plighter of high hearts!-O, that I were
Upon the hill of Basan, to outroar

The horned herd! for I have savage cause;
And to proclaim it civilly, were like

A halter'd neck, which does the hangman thank
For being yare about him.-Is he whipp'd?

Re-enter Attendants, with Thyreus.

1 Att. Soundly, my lord.

Ant.

Cry'd he? and begg'd he pardon?

1 Att. He did ask favour.

Ant. If that thy father live, let him repent

Thou wast not made his daughter; and be thou sorry To follow Cæsar in his triumph, since

Thou hast been whipp'd for following him: henceforth,

The white hand of a lady fever thee,

Shake thou to look on't.-Get thee back to Cæsar,
Tell him thy entertainment: Look, thou say,
He makes me angry with him: for he seems
Proud and disdainful; harping on what I am;
Not what he knew I was: He makes me angry;
And at this time most easy 'tis to do't;

When my good stars, that were my former guides,
Have empty left their orbs, and shot their fires
Into the abism of hell. If he mislike

My speech, and what is done; tell him, he has
Hipparchus, my enfranchis'd bondman, whom

• The horned herd!] It is not without pity and indignation that the reader of this great poet meets so often with this low jest, which is too much a favourite to be left out of either mirth or fury.

He may at pleasure whip, or hang, or torture,
As he shall like, to quit me: Urge it thou:
Hence, with thy stripes, begone. [Exit THYREUS.
Cleo. Have you done yet?

Ant.

Is now eclips'd; and it portends alone

The fall of Antony!

Cleo.

Alack, our terrene moon

I must stay his time.

Ant. To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes With one that ties his points?

Cleo.

Not know me yet?

Ah, dear, if I be so,

Ant. Cold-hearted toward me?

Cleo.
From my cold heart let heaven engender hail,
And poison it in the source; and the first stone
Drop in my neck: as it determines, so
Dissolve my life! The next Cæsarion smite!1
Till, by degrees, the memory of my womb,
Together with my brave Egyptians all,
By the discandying of this pelleted storm,
Lie graveless; till the flies and gnats of Nile
Have buried them for prey!

- Ant.
I am satisfied..
Cæsar sits down in Alexandria; where
I will oppose his fate. Our force by land
Hath nobly held; our sever'd navy too

Have knit again, and fleet,2 threat'ning most sealike. Where hast thou been, my heart?-Dost thou hear, lady?

If from the field I shall return once more

7 to quit me:] To repay me this insult; to requite me. With one that ties his points?] i. e. with a menial attendant. Points were laces with metal tags, with which the old trunkhose were fastened.

9

as it determines,] That is, as the hailstone dissolves. The next Cæsarion smite!] Cæsarion was Cleopatra's son by Julius Cæsar.

and fleet, Flout and flect were synonymous.

To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood;
I and my sword will earn our chronicle ;3
There is hope in it yet.

Cleo. That's my brave lord! Ant. I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breath'd, And fight maliciously: for when mine hours Were nice and lucky, men did ransome lives Of me for jests; but now, I'll set my teeth, And send to darkness all that stop me.-Come, Let's have one other gaudy night: call to me All my sad captains, fill our bowls; once more Let's mock the midnight bell.

Cleo.

It is my birth-day:

I had thought, to have held it poor; but, since my

lord

Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra.

Ant. We'll yet do well.

Cleo. Call all his noble captains to my lord.

Ant. Do so, we'll speak to them; and to-night I'll force

The wine peep through their scars.-Come on, my

queen;

There's sap in't yet. The next time I do fight,

9 I and my sword will earn our chronicle;] I and my sword will do such acts as shall deserve to be recorded.

* Were nice and lucky,] Nice is trifling.

5

gaudy night:] This is still an epithet bestowed on feast days in the colleges of either university, Gawdy, or Grand days in the Inns of court, are four in the year, Ascension day, Midsummer day, All-saints day, and Candlemas day. "The etymology of the word," says Blount, in his Dictionary, may be taken from Judge Gawdy, who (as some affirm) was the first institutor of those days; or rather from gaudium, 'because (to say truth) they are days of joy, as bringing good cheer to the hungry students. In colleges they are most commonly called Gawdy, in inns of court Grand days, and in some other places they are called Collar days." Days of good cheer, in some of the foreign universities, are called Gaudeamus days.

I'll make death love me; for I will contend
Even with his pestilent scythe.

[Exeunt ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, and Attendants. Eno. Now he'll out-stare, the lightning. To be furious,

Is, to be frighted out of fear: and in that mood,
The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still,
A diminution in our captain's brain

Restores his heart: When valour preys on reason,
It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek
Some way to leave him.

[Exit.

ACT IV.

SCENE I. Cæsar's Camp at Alexandria.

Enter CESAR, reading a Letter; AGRIPPA, MECENAS, and Others.

Cæs. He calls me boy; and chides, as he had power To beat me out of Egypt: my messenger

He hath whipp'd with rods; dares me to personal

Cæsar to Antony: Let the old ruffian know,
I have many other ways to die; mean time,
Laugh at his challenge.

Mec.

Cæsar must think,

When one so great begins to rage, he's hunted
Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now
Make boot of his distraction: Never anger
Made good guard for itself.

Let our best heads

many battles

Cæs.
Know, that to-morrow the last of

Make boot of-] Take advantage of.