SCENE III.-The same. Before the Palace.

Enter two Soldiers, to their guard.

1 SOLD. Brother, good night: to-morrow is the day. 2 SOLD. It will determine one way: fare you well. Heard you of nothing strange about the streets?

1 SOLD. Nothing. 2 SOLD.

Good night to you.

1 SOLD.

What news?

Belike 't is but a rumour.

Well, sir, good night.

Enter two other Soldiers.

2 SOLD.

Soldiers,

Have careful watch.

3 SOLD. And you.

Good night, good night.

[The first and second go to their posts.

4 SOLD. Here we: [Taking their posts.] and if to-morrow Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope

Our landmen will stand up.

Peace!

what noise?

List, list!

Under the earth!

It signs well.

Peace, I say! What should this mean?

2 SOLD. "Tis the god Hercules, whom Antony lov❜d,

3 SOLD. Do you hear, masters? do you hear? 1 SOLD. Follow the noise so far as we have quarter; Let's see how 't will give off.

SOLDIERS. [Speaking together.] Content: 't is strange.

SCENE IV.-The same. A Room in the Palace.

[Exeunt.

Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA; CHARMIAN, IRAs, and others,

attending.

ANT. Eros! mine armour, Eros!

■ It signs well,-] It is a good sign, an auspicious omen,

CLEO.

Sleep a little.

ANT. No, my chuck.-Eros, come; mine armour, Eros!

Well, well:

The armourer of my heart;-false, false; this, this.
CLEO. Sooth, la, I'll help: thus it must be.a
ANT.
We shall thrive now.-Seest thou, my good fellow?
Go, put on thy defences.

EROS.

CLEO. Is not this buckled well?

ANT.

Briefly, sir.

Rarely, rarely;

He that unbuckles this, till we do please

To doff't for our repose, shall hear a storm.-
Thou fumblest, Eros; and my queen's a squire
More tight at this than thou: despatch.—Ô, love,
That thou couldst see my wars to-day, and knew'st
The royal occupation! thou shouldst see

A workman in 't.

Enter an Officer armed.

Good morrow to thee; welcome:

Thou look'st like him that knows a warlike charge.
To business that we love we rise betime,

And go to't with delight.

OFF.

Early though 't be, have on their riveted trim,

A thousand, sir,

And at the port expect you.

[Shout and flourish of trumpets without.

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: rebukeable,

(*) Old text, thine; corrected by Johnson.

[Kisses her.

(†) First folio, Alex.

thus it must be.] This and the two preceding speeches stand thus in the old

copies,

"CLEO. Nay, Ile helpe too, Anthony.

What's this for? Ah let be, let be, thou art

The Armourer of my heart: False, false: This, this,
Sooth-law Ile helpe: Thus it must bee,"

and were correctly arranged by Hanmer and Malone.

And worthy shameful check it were, to stand
On more mechanic 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.
Lead me.

CHAR. Please you, retire to your chamber?
CLEO.
He goes forth gallantly. That he and Cæsar might
Determine this great war in single fight!

Then, Antony, but now,-Well, on.

SCENE V.-Antony's Camp near Alexandria.

[Exeunt.

Trumpets sound. Enter ANTONY and EROS; an Officer meeting them. OFF.* 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!

OFF.*
Hadst 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.

OFF.*

Who's gone this morning?

Who!

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

Say, I am none of thine.

ANT.

What say'st thou ?

OFF.

Sir,

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!-Despatch.-Enobarbus!

SCENE VI.-Cæsar's Camp before Alexandria.

[Exeunt.

Flourish. Enter CÆSAR, with AGRIPPA, ENOBARBUS, and others. CES. Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight:

Our will is Antony be took alive;

Make it so known.

AGR.

Cæsar, I shall.

(*) First folio, Eros.

[Exit.

CES. The time of universal peace

is near:

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

Plant those that have revolted in the van,

That Antony may seem to spend his fury
Upon himself.

[Exeunt all except ENOBARBUS.

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 CESAR'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.

Mock not, Enobarbus.

SOLD.
I tell you true: best 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.

ENO. I am alone the villain of the earth,
And feel I am so most. O, Antony,

Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paid

My better service, when my turpitude

[Exit.

Thou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart:

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:

blows-] Swells.

b

(*) First folio, dissuade.

thought-] "Thought," as Malone remarks, " in this passage means melancholy.'

Cæsar himself has work, and our oppression
Exceeds what we expected.

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 home
With clouts about their heads.

ANT.

Thou bleed'st apace.

SCAR. I had a wound here that was like a T,

But now 't is made an H.a

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.

[Exeunt.

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 gests.b-To-morrow,
Before the sun shall see's, 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 't had been
Each man's like mine; you have shown all Hectors.
Enter the city, clip your wives, your friends,
Tell them your feats; whilst they with joyful tears
Wash the congealment from your wounds, and kiss
The honour'd gashes whole.-Give me thy hand;

c

Enter CLEOPATRA, attended.

To this great fairy I'll commend thy acts,

Make her thanks bless thee.-O, thou day o' the world,
Chain mine arm'd neck! leap thou, attire and all,

Through proof of harness to my heart, and there

Ride on the pants triumphing!

[To SCARUS.

-an H.] The same play (if any were intended here) on HI and ache occurs in 'Much Ado About Nothing," Act III. Sc. 4.

b our gests.-] Our exploits. So Theobald. The old copies have guests.

c

fairy-] Enchantress.

d-proof of harness-] Armour of proof.