My music playing far off, I will betray Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce I'll think them every one an Antony, And say, Ah, ha! you're caught. CHAR. 'T was merry when You wager'd on your angling; when your diver CLEO. That time,-0, times!- Enter a Messenger. O, from Italy! Ramb thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears, MESS. Madam, madam, CLEO. Antony's dead!—If thou say so, villain, MESS. First, madam, he is well. CLEO. Why, there's more gold. But, sirrah, mark; we use Το say the dead are well: bring it to that, The gold I give thee will I melt and pour Down thy ill-uttering throat. MESS. Good madam, hear me. Well, go to, I will; But there's no goodness in thy face: if Antony To trumpet such good tidings! If not well, Thou shouldst come like a Fury crown'd with snakes, MESS. Will 't please you hear me? CLEO. I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak'st: Yet, if thou say Antony lives, 't is well; (*) Old text, Tawny fine. his sword Philippan.] The sword so named after the great battle of Philippi. b Ram thou, &c.] Hanmer was of opinion Shakespeare wrote,-"Rain thou," &c. Assuredly not; the expression in the text is quite characteristic of the speaker. Be free and healthful-so tart a favour, &c.] Some editors, after Hanmer, print,"why so tart a favour," &c. da formal man.] A composed, sober-minded man. Thus in "The Comedy of Errors," Act V. Sc. 1, "With wholesome syrups, drugs, and holy prayers, To make of him a formal man again." But yet, madam, MESS. Cæsar and he are greater friends than ever. MESS. CLEO. I do not like but yet, it does allay The good precedence; fie upon but yet! Some monstrous malefactor. Pr'ythee, friend, The good and bad together: he's friends with Cæsar; CLEO. For what good turn? MESS. Madam, he's married to Octavia. MESS. Good madam, patience. I am pale, Charmian. [Strikes him down. [She hales him up and down. Horrible villain! or I'll spurn thine eyes Thou shalt be whipp'd with wire, and stew'd in brine, MESS. Gracious madam, I that do bring the news made not the match. CLEO. Say 't is not so, a province I will give thee, MESS. CLEO. Rogue, thou hast liv'd too long. He's married, madam. [Draws a knife. [Exit. MESS. Nay, then I'll run. --- What mean you, madam? I have made no fault. CHAR. Good madam, keep yourself within yourself; CLEO. Some innocents 'scape not the thunderbolt.- Though it be honest, it is never good To bring bad news: give to a gracious message MESS. CLEO. Is he married?. I have done my duty. I cannot hate thee worser than I do If thou again say Yes. MESS. He's married, madam. CLEO. The gods confound thee! dost thou hold there still? CLEO. CLEO. He is married? CLEO. O, that his fault should make a knave of thee, [Exit Messenger. CHAR. CLEO. Lead me from hence; I am paid for 't now. I faint:-0, Iras, Charmian!-'t is no matter.- Report the feature of Octavia, her years, Her inclination; let him not leave out The colour of her hair:-bring me word quickly.- [Exit ALEXAS. ■ That art not what thou 'rt sure of!-] Mason's arrangement of this passage,— "That art not!-What? thou 'rt sure of 't?" is preferred by Steevens and some later editors; but the simple change proposed, though not adopted, by Malone, is more Shakespearian, "That art not what thou'rt sore of!" Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon, The other way's a Mars."-Bid you Alexas [TO MARDIAN. Bring me word how tall she is.-Pity me, Charmian, [Exeunt. SCENE VI.-Near Misenum. Flourish. Enter POMPEY and MEÑAS from one side, with drum and trumpet; from the other, CESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, ENOBARBUS, MECENAS, with Soldiers marching. POм. Your hostages I have, so have you mine; And we shall talk before we fight. That first we come to words; and therefore have we Our written purposes before us sent; Which, if thou hast consider'd, let us know If 't will tie up thy discontented sword, POM. CES. Take your time. ANT. Thou canst not fear us, Pompey, with thy sails, We'll speak with thee at sea: at land, thou know'st How much we do o'er-count thee. POM. At land, indeed, Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon, An allusion to the "double" pictures in vogue formerly, of which Burton says,-"Like those double or turning pictures; stand before which you see a fair maid, on the one side an ape, on the other an owl." And Chapman, in "All Fools," Act I. Sc. 1, "But like a couzening picture, which one way b Made the all-honour'd, &c.] "The" is inserted from the second folio. Thou dost o'er-count me of my father's house; a LEP. The offers we have sent you. CAS. Be pleas'd to tell us There's the point. ANT. Which do not be entreated to, but weigh What it is worth embrac'd. CES. To try a larger fortune. And what may follow, You have made me offer Of Sicily, Sardinia; and I must Rid all the sea of pirates; then, to send CES., ANT., LEP. That's our offer. POM. Know then, I came before you here, a man prepar'd ANT. I have heard it, Pompey; And am well studied for a liberal thanks Which I do owe you. POM. Let me have your hand: I did not think, sir, to have met you here. ANT. The beds i' the east are soft; and thanks to you, That call'd me, timelier than my purpose, hither; For I have gain'd by 't. CAS. Since I saw you last, Well, I know not There is a change upon you. POM. What counts harsh Fortune casts upon my face; But in my bosom shall she never come, To make my heart her vassal. POм. I hope so, Lepidus. Thus we are agreed; I crave our composition may be written, And seal'd between us. POMм. We'll feast each other ere we part; and let's Draw lots who shall begin. amy father's house;] The circumstance to which this taunt refers is told in North's Plutarch:-" Afterwards, when Pompey's house was put to open sale, Antonius bought it; but when they asked him money for it, he made it very straunge, and was offended with them." |