Which fronted mine own peace. As for my Wife,
I would, you had her spirit in such another;
The third o' th' world is yours, which with a fnaffle
You may pace eafy, 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
Shrewdnefs of policy too, I grieving grant,
Did you too much difquiet: For that you muft
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 feafted, and did want
Of what I was i' th' morning; but, next day,
I told him of myfelf which was as much
As to have afk'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

Have tongue to charge me with.
Lep. Soft, Cafar.-

Ant. No, Lepidus, let him fpeak;

fhall never

The Honour's facred which he talks on now,

Suppofing

Dr. Warburton feems to understand this paffage thus; The honour which he talks of me as lacking, is unviolated, I never lacked it. This may perhaps be the true meaning, but before I read the note, I understood it thus: Lepidus interrupts Cafar, on the fuppofition that what he is about

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 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 honefty
Shall not make poor my Greatnefs; nor my Power
Work without it. Truth is, that Fulvia,
To have me out of Ægypt, made wars here;
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
So far afk pardon, as befits mine Honour
To stoop in such 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 fhall have time to

wrangle in, when you have nothing else to do.

Ant. Thou art a Soldier only; fpeak no more.
Eno. That truth fhould be filent, I had almost for-

got.

Ant. You wrong this Prefence, therefore fpeak no

more.

Eno. Go to then: "your confiderate ftone.

about to fay will be too harsh to be endured by Antony; to which Antony replies, No, Lepidus, let bim fpeak, the fecurity of honour on which he now fpeaks, on

Caf.

which this conference is held now, is facred, even fuppofing that I lacked honour before.

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-your confiderate ftone.-] This line is paffed by all the editors,

Caf. 7 I do not much diflike 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.

Cef. Speak, Agrippa.

Agr. Thou haft a Sifter by the Mother's fide, Admir'd O&avia! great Mark Antony

Is now a Widower.

Caf. Say not fo, Agrippa ;

If Cleopatra heard you, your Reproof
Were well deferv'd of rafhnefs.

tors, as if they underflood it, and believed it univerfally intelligible. I cannot find in it any very obvious, and hardly any poffible meaning. I would therefore read,

Go to then, you confiderate ones. You, who diflike my frankness and temerity of speech, and are fo confiderate and difcreet, go to, do your own buñinéfs.

7 I do not much diflike the matter, but

The manner of his Speech:-] What, not diflike the matter of it? when he fays prefently after, that he would do every thing to prevent the evil Encbarbus predicted. Befides, are we to fuppofe that common civility would fuller him to take the fame liberty with Antony's lieutenant, that Antony himself did? Shakespear

but the mischiefs he speaks of, which I diflike. This agrees with what follows, and is faid with much urbanity, and thow of friendship. WARBURTON.

I think the old reading right. I do not, fays Cafar, think the man wrong, but too free of his interpofition; for't cannot be, we fall remain in friendship: yet if it were poffible, I would endea vour it. The confideration of the ceremony due from Cæfar to the Lieutenant of Antony, is a criticifm of the lowest rate, unworthy of confutation.

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-your Reproof Were well deferv'd] In the old edition,

your proof Were well deferv'd Which Mr. Theobald with his ufual triumph, changes to a praf, which he explains, allowance. Dr. Warburton inferted reproof very properly into Harmer's edition, but forgot it in his own.

Ant.

Ant. I am not married, Cafar; let me hear Agrippa 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, whofe Beauty claims
No worse a Hufband than the best of men;
Whofe Virtue, and whofe general Graces fpeak
That which none elfe 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 ftudied, not a prefent thought,
By duty ruminated.

Ant. Will Cæfar 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,
To make this good?

Caf. The Power of Cafar, and
His Power unto Olavia.

Ant. May I never

To his 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 'gainst

Pompey.

For he hath laid ftrange courtefies and great
Of late upon me. I muft thank him only,
Left my remembrance fuffer ill report;
At heel of that, defy him.

Lep. Time calls upon's:

Of us must Pompey prefently be fought,
Or elfe he feeks out us.

Ant. Where lies he?

Caf. About the Mount Mifenus.
Ant. What is his ftrength by Land?
Caf. Great, and increafing; but by Sea
He is an abfolute Mafter.

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 most gladness;

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

Ant. Let us, Lepidus, not lack your company.

Lep. Noble Antony, not fickness fhould detain me.

[Flourish. Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Manent Enobarbus, Agrippa, Mecænas.

Mec. Welcome from Egypt, Sir.

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

Agr. Good Enobarbus!

9 Left my remembrance fuffer

muft barely return him thanks,

Mec.

ill report;] Left I be thought and then I will defy him. too willing to forget benefits, I

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