Of youth upon him; from which, the world should note As i'the command of Cæsar: I dare him therefore And answer me declin'd, sword against sword, [Exeunt ANTONY and EUPHRONIUS. To suffer all alike. That he should dream, Enter an Attendant. Att. A messenger from Cæsar. Cleo. What, no more ceremony?-See, my women ! Against the blown rose may they stop their nose, That kneel'd unto the buds.-Admit him, sir. Eno. Mine honesty, and I, begin to square. The loyalty, well held to fools, does make Cleo. Cæsar's will? Enter THYREUS. Thyr. Hear it apart. Cleo. None but friends; say boldly. Thyr. So, haply, are they friends to Antony. Eno. He needs as many, sir, as Cæsar has; Or needs not us. If Cæsar please, our master Will leap to be his friend: For us, you know, Whose he is, we are; and that's, Cæsar's. [Aside. [8] I require of Cesar not to depend on that superiority which the comparison of our different fortunes may exhibit to him, but to answer me man to man, in this decline of my age or power. JOHNSON. [9] Exhibited, like gladiators, to the public gaze. HENLEY. [1] Enobarbus is deliberating upon desertion, and finding it is more prudent to fomake a fool, and more reputable to be faithful to him, makes no positive conclusion. JOHNSON. Thyr. So. Thus then, thou most renown'd; Cæsar entreats, Cleo. Go on: Right royal. Thyr. He knows, that you embrace not Antony As you did love, but as you fear'd him. Cleo. O! Thyr. The scars upon your honour, therefore, he Does pity, as constrained blemishes, Not as deserv'd. Cleo. He is a god, and knows What is most right: Mine honour was not yielded, Eno. To be sure of that, I will ask Antony.-Sir, sir, thou'rt so leaky, That we must leave thee to thy sinking, for Thyr. Shall I say to Cæsar What you require of him? For he partly begs [Aside. [Exit ENO. To be desir'd to give. It much would please him, To lean upon : But it would warm his spirits, To hear from me you had left Antony, And put yourself under his shrowd, The universal landlord. Cleo. What's your name? Thyr. My name is Thyreus. Say to great Cæsar this, In disputation I kiss his conquering hand: tell him, I am prompt Thyr. 'Tis your noblest course. Wisdom and fortune combating together, If that the former dare but what it can, No chance may shake it. Give me grace to lay [2] That is, "Cesar intreats, that at the same time you consider your desperate fortunes, you would consider he is Cesar:" That is, generous and forgiving, able and willing to restore them. WARBURTON. [8] The poet certainly wrote: Say to great Cesar this, In deputation I kiss his conqu’ring hand: That is, by proxy; I depute you to pay him that duty in my name. WARB. My duty on your hand.' Cleo. Your Cæsar's father Oft, when he hath mus'd of taking kingdoms in, As it rain'd kisses. Re-enter ANTONY and ENObarbus. Ant. Favours, by Jove that thunders !— What art thou, fellow? Thyr. One, that but performs The bidding of the fullest man, and worthiest Eno. You will be whipp'd. Ant. Approach, there :-Ay, you kite!-Now gods and devils! 5 Authority melts from me: Of late, when I cry'd ho!, Antony yet. Take hence this Jack, and whip him. Ant. Moon and stars! Whip him :-Were't twenty of the greatest tributaries So saucy with the hand of she here, (What's her name, Ant. Tug him away: being whipp'd, Bring him again :-This Jack of Cæsar's shall [Exeunt Attend. with THYREUS. You were half blasted ere I knew you :-Ha! Have I my pillow left unpress'd in Rome, And by a gem of women, to be abus'd By one that looks on feeders ? Grant me the favour. JOHNSON. [5] A muss, a scramble. POPE. 6) 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. Thus, in Cymbeline: that base wretch, One bred of alms, and foster'd with cold dishes, Cleo. Good my lord, Ant. You have been a boggler ever :→ (O misery on't!) the wise gods seal our eyes; Cleo. O, is it come to this? Ant. I found you as a morsel, cold upon Though you can guess what temperance should be, Cleo. Wherefore is this? Ant. To let a fellow that will take rewards, The horned herd!" for I have savage cause; A halter'd neck, which does the hangman thank 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 Thou hast been whipp'd for following him : henceforth, Shake thou to look on't.-Get thee back to Cæsar, [7] 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. JOHNSON. The idea of the horned herd was caught from Psalm xxii. 12: "Many ozen are come about me: fat bulls of Basan close me in on every side." STEEVENS. 10 VOL. VIII. G When my good stars, that were my former guides, My speech, and what is done; tell him, he has Cleo. Have you done yet? Ant. Alack, our terrene moon Is now eclips'd; and it portends alone Cleo. I must stay his time. [Exit THYREUS. Ant. To flatter Cæsar, would you mingle eyes With one that ties his points? Cleo. Not know me yet? Ant. Cold-hearted toward me? Cleo. Ah, dear, if I be so, From my cold heart let heaven engender hail, : Dissolve my life! The next Cæsarion smite !! Ant. I am satisfied: Cæsar sits down in Alexandria; where I will oppose his fate. Our force by land Have knit again, and fleet,' threat'ning most sea-like. If from the field I shall return once more To kiss these lips, I will appear in blood; I and my sword will earn our chronicle ; Cleo. That's my brave lord! Ant. I will be treble-sinew'd, hearted, breath'd, [8] To repay me this insult; to requite me. JOHNSON. STEEV. |