Eros. There's ftrange news, come, Sir.

Eno. What, man?

Eros. Cæfar and Lepidus have made war upon Pow pey.

Eno. This is old; what is the fuccefs?

Eros. Cæfar, having made ufe of him in the wars gainft Pompey, presently denied him rivalty, would not let him partake in the glory of the action; and not refting here, accufes him of letters he had formerly wrote to Pompey. Upon his own appeal, feizes him; so the poor Third is up, 'till death enlarge his confine.

Eno. Then 'would thou had'ft a pair of chaps, no more, and throw between them all the food thou hait, they'll grind the other. Where's Antony?

Eros. He's walking in the garden thus; and fpurns The rush that lies before him. Crys, "fool Lepidus! And threats the throat of that his Officer,

That murder'd Pompey.

Eno. Our great Navy's rigg'd.

Eros. For Italy and Cefar; more, Domitius, My lord defires you prefently; my news

I might have told hereafter:

Eno. 'Twill be naught; but let it be; bring me to

Antony.

Eros. Come, Sir.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to the Palace in Rome.

Enter Cæfar, Agrippa, and Mecænas.

Cal. Co

Ontemning Rome, he has done all this, and

more,

In Alexandria; here's the manner of it:

I'th' market-place on a Tribunal filver'd,
Cleopatra and himfelf in chairs of gold
Were publickly enthron'd; at the feet, fat
Cafario, whom they call my father's fon;
And all the unlawful iffue, that their luft
Since then hath made between them. Unto her
He
gave the 'ftablishment of Egypt, made her
Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia,
Abfolute Queen.

Mec.

Mec. This is the publick eye?

Caf. I'th' common fhew place, where they exercise. His fons were there proclaim'd the Kings of Kings; Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia

He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he affign'd
Syria, Cilicia, and Phenicia : fhe

In the habiliments of the Goddefs Ifis

That day appear'd, and oft before gave audience,
As 'tis reported, fo.

Mec. Let Rome be thus inform'd.

Agr. Who, queafie with his infolence already, Will their good thoughts call from him.

Caf. The people know it, and have now receiv'd His accufations.

Agr. Whom does he accufe?

Caf. Cafar; and that having in Sicily
Sextus Pompeius fpoil'd, we had not rated him
His part o'th' Ifle. Then does he fay, he lent me
Some Shipping unreftor'd. Laftly, he frets,
That Lepidus of the Triumvirate

Should be depos'd; and, being, that we detain
All his revenue.

Agr. Sir, this fhould be answer'd.

Caf. 'Tis done already, and his messenger gone: I told him, Lepidus was grown too cruel ;

That he his high authority abus'd,

And did deferve his Change. For what I've conquer'd, grant him part; but then, in his Armenia,

I

And other of his conquer'd Kingdoms, I

Demand the like.

Mec. He'll never yield to that.

Caf. Nor muft he then be yielded to in this.

Enter Octavia, with Attendants.

Oda. Hail, Cafar, and my lord! hail, moft dear Cafar!

Caf. That ever I fhould call thee Caft away!

Oa. You have not call'd me fo, nor have you caufe. Caf. Why haft thou ftol'n upon us thus? you come

not

Like Cafar's fifter; the wife of Antony
Should have an army for an ufher, and
The neighs of horfe to tell of her approach,
Long ere the did appear. The trees by th' way
Should have borne men, and expectation fainted,
Longing for what it had not. Nay, the duft
Should have afcended to the roof of heav'n,

Rais'd by your populous troops; but you are come (21) A market maid to Rome, and have

prevented The oftent of our love; which, left unfhewn,

Is often left unlov'd; we should have met you
By fea and land, fupplying every stage
With an augmented greeting.

Od. Good my

lord,

To come thus was I not constrain'd, but did it
On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,
Hearing that you prepar'd for war, acquainted
My grieving ear withal; whereon I begg'd
His pardon for return.

Caf. Which foon he granted, (22)

(21)

but you are come

A Market-maid to Rome; and bave prevented

Being

The Oftentation of our Love, which left unshewn,] This dragging, inharmonious Alexandrine, I am perfuaded, is the Manufacture of our Player-Editors. They lov'd a founding Word; and feeing One that did not fo fully answer that End, and one that they, perhaps, were not immediately acquainted with, they, doubtless, took it for an Abbreviation. I dare fay, the Poer wrote;

The Oftent of our Love, which, left unshewn,

1. e. The Shewing, Token, Demonftration of our Love: and he uses it both in these Acceptations, and likewise to signify Oftentation. The Alexandrine therefore is wholly unnecessary. -Which foon be granted,

(22)

Being an Abstract 'tween bis Luft and bim.] Antony very foon comply'd to let O&avia go, at her Request, fays Cafar; and why? Because she was an abstract between his inordinate Paffion and him. If Mr. Pope, or any other of the Editors understand this, I'll willingly fubmit to be taught the Meaning; but till then, I met believe, the Poet wrote;

Being an Obftru&t 'tween his luft and him.
On. Do not fay fo, my lord.

Caf. I have eyes upon him,

And his affairs come to me on the wind:
Where is he now?

Oa. My lord, in Athens.

Caf. No, my moft wronged fifter; Cleopatra Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire Up to a whore, who now are levying

The Kings o'th' earth for war. He hath affembled
Bocchus the King of Libya, Archelaus,
Of Cappadocia, Philadelphos King

Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian King Adullas,
King Malchus of Arabia, King of Pont,
Herod of Jewry, Mithridates King
Of Comagene, Polemon and Amintas,
The King of Mede, and Lycaonia,
With a more larger lift of fcepters.
Oa. Ay me, most wretched,

That have my heart parted betwixt two friends,
That do afflict each other!

Caf. Welcome hither;

Your letters did with-hold our breaking forth,
'Till we perceiv'd, both how you were wrong led,
And we in negligent danger; cheer your heart.
Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
O'er your content thefe ftrong neceffities;

But let determin'd things to Destiny
Hold unbewail'd their way.

Welcome to Romel;

Nothing more dear to me. You are abus'd

Beyond the mark of thought; and the high Gods, (23)T

Being an Obftra& 'tween bis Luft and bim.

i. e. His Wife being an Obstruction, a Bar, to the Profecution of his wanton Pleasures with Cleopatra. And I am the rather convinc'd that this is the true Reading, becaufe Mr. Warburton ftarted the Emendation too, unknowing that I had meddled with the Paffage.

(23)

-and the high Gods,

To do you juice, make his Miniftens
of Us, and thofe that love you.

Why

To do you juftice, make their ministers
Of us, and those that love you. Be of comfort,
And ever welcome to us.

Agr. Welcome, lady.

Mec. Welcome, dear Madam.

Each heart in Rome does love and pity you;
Only th' adulterous Antony, moft large
In his abominations, turns you off,

And gives his potent regiment to a trull,
That nofes it against us.

Oct. Is it fo, Sir?

Caf. It is most certain: fifter, welcome; pray you, Be ever known to patience. My dear'ft fifter!

[Exeunt.

SCENE, near the Promontory of Actium.
Enter Cleopatra and Enobarbus.

Cleo.

I

Will be even with thee, doubt it not.
Eno. But why, why, why?

Cleo. Thou haft forespoke my being in these wars;
And fay'ft, it is not fit.

Eno. Well; is it, is it?

Cleo. Is't not denounc'd against us? why fhould not we be there in perfon?

Eno. Well, I could reply; if we should ferve with horfe and mares together, the horfe were merely loft; the mares would bear a foldier and his horfe.

Cleo. What is't you fay?

Eno. Your prefence needs muft puzzle Antony; Take from his heart, take from his brain, from's time, What should not then be fpar'd. He is already Traduc'd for levity, and 'tis faid in Rome,

Why muft Shakespeare be guilty of fuch an obvious falfe Concord? the bigb Gods make his Minifters? He has not writ thus in a parellel Paffage; and therefore the Abfurdity ought to be laid to the Editors.

Macbeth

Is ripe for fbaking, and the Pow'rs above
Put on their laftruments.

Macbeth.

That