Enter other Officers, and Soldiers.

2 Off. The morn is fair.-Good morrow, general. All. Good morrow, general.

Ant.

'Tis well blown, lads.

This morning, like the spirit of a youth

That means to be of note, begins betimes.-
So, so; come, give me that: this way; well said.
Fare thee well, dame, whate'er becomes of me:
This is a soldier's kiss: rebukable,

[Kisses her.
And worthy shameful check it were, to stand
On more mechanick compliment; I'll leave thee
Now, like a man of steel.-You, that will fight,
Follow me close; I'll bring you to't.—Adieu.

[Exeunt ANTONY, EROS, Officers, and Soldiers. Char. Please you, retire to your chamber?

Lead me.

Cleo. He goes forth gallantly. forth gallantly. That he and Cæsar might Determine this great war in single fight! Then, Antony,-But now,-Well, on. [Exeunt.

SCENE V.

Antony's Camp near Alexandria.

Trumpets sound. Enter ANTONY and EROS; a
Soldier meeting them.

Sold. The gods make this a happy day to Antony!
Ant. 'Would, thou and those thy scars had once
prevail'd

To make me fight at land!

Sold.

Had'st thou done so,

The kings that have revolted, and the soldier

That has this morning left thee, would have still Follow'd thy heels.

Ant.

Sold.

Who's gone this morning?

One ever near thee: Call for Enobarbus,
He shall not hear thee; or from Cæsar's camp

Say, I am none of thine.

What say'st thou?

Who?

Ant.

Sold.

He is with Cæsar.

Eros.

Sir,

Sir, his chests and treasure

Is he gone?

Most certain.

He has not with him.

Ant.

Sold.

Ant. Go, Eros, send his treasure after; do it; Detain no jot, I charge thee: write to him (I will subscribe) gentle adieus, and greetings: Say, that I wish he never find more cause To change a master.-O, my fortunes have Corrupted honest men:-Eros, despatch, [Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

Cæsar's Camp before Alexandria.

Flourish. Enter CESAR, with AGRIPPA, ENOBARBUS, and Others.

Cas. Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight: Our will is, Antony be took alive;'

7 Our will is, Antony be took alive ;] It is observable with what judgment Shakspeare draws the character of Octavius. Antony was his hero; so the other was not to shine: yet being an historical character, there was a necessity to draw him like. But the ancient historians, his flatterers, had delivered him down so fair, that he seems ready cut and dried for a hero. Amidst these difficulties Shakspeare has extricated himself with great address. He has admitted all those great strokes of his character as he found them, and yet has made him a very unamiable character, deceitful, meanspirited, narrow-minded, proud, and revengeful. WARBURTON,

f

Make it so known.

Agr.

Cæsar, I shall. [Exit AGRIPPA.

Caes. The time of universal peace is near:

Prove this a prosperous day, the three-nook'd world Shall bear the olive freely.

Go, charge Agrippa

Is come into the field.

Cæs.

Plant those that have revolted in the van,
That Antony may seem to spend his fury
Upon himself.

Exeunt CESAR and his Train.
Eno. Alexas did revolt; and went to Jewry,
On affairs of Antony; there did persuade
Great Herod to incline himself to Cæsar,
And leave his master Antony: for this pains,
Cæsar hath hang'd him. Canidius, and the rest
That fell away, have entertainment, but
No honourable trust. I have done ill;
Of which I do accuse myself so sorely,
That I will joy no more.

Sold.

Enter a Soldier of Cæsar's.

Enobarbus, Antony

-Hath after thee sent all thy treasure, with
His bounty overplus: The messenger
Came on my guard; and at thy tent is now,
Unloading of his mules.

Eno. I give it you.

Sold. Mock me not, Enobarbus. I tell you true: Best that you. saf'd the bringer Out of the host; I must attend mine office, Or would have done't myself. Your emperor Continues still a Jove. [Exit Soldier. Eno. I am alone the villain of the earth,

And feel I am so most.8

O Antony,

Thou mine of bounty, how would'st thou have paid
My better service, when my turpitude

Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart:9
If swift thought break it not, a swifter mean
Shall outstrike thought: but thought will do't, I feel.'
I fight against thee!-No: I will go seek

Some ditch, wherein to die; the foul'st best fits
My latter part of life.

[Exit.

SCENE VII.

Field of Battle between the Camps.

Alarum. Drums and Trumpets. Enter AGRIPPA, and Others.

Agr. Retire, we have engag'd ourselves too far: Cæsar himself has work, and our oppression2 Exceeds what we expected.

[Exeunt.

Alarum. Enter ANTONY and SCARUS, wounded.

Scar. O my brave emperor, this is fought indeed! Had we done so at first, we had driven them homeWith clouts about their heads.

Ant.

Thou bleed'st

арасе.

8 And feel I am so most.] i. e. I am pre-eminently the first, the greatest villain of the earth. To stand alone, is still used in that sense, where any one towers above his competitors. And feel I am so most, must signify, I feel or know it myself, more than any other person can or does feel it. REED.

9 This blows my heart:] This generosity, (says Enobarbus,) swells my heart, so that it will quickly break, if thought break it not, a swifter mean.

1

but thought will do't, I feel.] Thought, in this passage, as in many others, signifies melancholy.

2

and our oppression- i. e. the force by which we are oppressed or overpowered.

Scar. I had a wound here that was like a T, But now 'tis made an H.

Ant.

They do retire.

Scar. We'll beat 'em into bench-holes; I have yet Room for six scotches more.

Enter EROS.

Eros. They are beaten, sir; and our advantage

serves

For a fair victory.

Scar.

Let us score their backs, And snatch 'em up, as we take hares, behind; 'Tis sport to maul a runner.

Ant.
Once for thy spritely comfort, and ten-fold.
For thy good valour. Come thee on.

Scar,

I will reward thee

I'll halt after. [Exeunt.

SCENE VIII.

Under the Walls of Alexandria.

Alarum. Enter ANTONY, marching; SCARUS, and Forces.

Ant. We have beat him to his camp; Run one before,

And let the queen know of our guests.-To-morrow,
Before the sun shall see us, we'll spill the blood
That has to-day escap'd. I thank you all;
For doughty-handed are you; and have fought
Not as you serv'd the cause, but as it had been
Each man's like mine; you have shown all Hectors,
Enter the city, clip your wives,3 your friends,

clip your wires,] To clip is to embrace,