A better ear.-Menas, I did not think,

This amorous surfeiter would have don'd his helm2
For such a petty war: his soldiership

Is twice the other twain: But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow3 pluck
The ne'er lust-wearied Antony.

MEN.

I cannot hope,
Cæsar and Antony shall well greet together:
His wife, that's dead, did trespasses to Cæsar ;
His brother warr'd upon him, although, I think,
Not mov'd by Antony.

Ром.
I know not, Menas,
How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
Were't not that we stand up against them all,

Menas is an interpolation, and that the passage originally stood as follows:

Pom.

I could have given -I did not think. STEEVENS.

Less matter better ear.—

would have don'd his helm-] To don is to do on, to put on. So, in Webster's Dutchess of Malfy, 1628:

3

"Call upon our dame aloud,

"Bid her quickly don her shrowd," STEEVENS.

Egypt's widow-] Julius Cæsar had married her to young Ptolemy, who was afterwards drowned. STEEVENS.

4

I cannot hope, &c.] Mr. Tyrwhitt, the judicious editor of The Canterbury Tales of Chaucer, in five vols. 8vo. 1775, &c. observes, that to hope, on this occasion, means to expect. So, in The Reve's Tale, v. 4027 :

"Our manciple I hope he wol be ded." STEEVENS. 5 -warr'd upon him;]The old сору has-wan'd. The emendation, which was made by the editor of the second folio, is supported by a passage in the next scene, in which Cæsar says to Antony:

---- your wife and brother

"Made wers upon me." MALONE,

'Twere pregnant they should square between themselves;

For they have entertained cause enough

To draw their swords: but how the fear of us
May cement their divisions, and bind
up

The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be it as our gods will have it! It only stands
Our lives upon," to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.

6

[Exeunt.

square] That is, quarrel. So, in The Shoemaker's Holiday, or the gentle Craft, 1600:

7

"What? square they, master Scott ???

66 Şir, no doubt:

"Lovers are quickly in, and quickly out.”

See Vol. IV. p. 346, n. 2. MALOne.

It only stands

STEEVENS.

Our lives upon, &c.] i. e. to exert our utmost force, is the only consequential way of securing our lives.

So, in King Richard III:

66 for it stands me much upon

"To stop all hopes" &c.

i. e. is of the utmost consequence to me. See Vol. XIV. p. 497, n. 3. STEEVENS.

This play is not divided into Acts by the author or first editors, and therefore the present division may be altered at pleasure. I think the first Act may be commodiously continued to this place, and the second Act opened with the interview of the chief persons, and a change of the state of action. Yet it must be confessed, that it is of small importance, where these unconnected and desultory scenes are interrupted. JOHNSON.

1

SCENE II.

Rome. A Room in the House of Lepidus.

Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS.

LEP. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, to entreat your captain To soft and gentle speech.

I shall entreat him

ENO.
To answer like himself: if Cæsar move him,
Let Antony look over Cæsar's head,

And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,
I would not shave to-day."

LEP.

For private stomaching.

ENO.

'Tis not a time

Every time

Serves for the matter that is then born in it.

LEP. But small to greater matters must give way.

ENO. Not if the small come first.

LEP.

Your speech is passion: But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes The noble Antony.

• Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,

I would not shave to-day.] I believe he means, I would meet him undressed, without show of respect. JOHNSON.

Plutarch mentions that Antony, "after the overthrow he had at Modena, suffered his beard to grow at length, and never clipt it, that it was marvelous long." Perhaps this circumstance was in Shakspeare's thoughts. MALOne.

ENO.

Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS.

And yonder, Cæsar.

Enter CÆSAR, MECENAS, and Agrippa.

ANT. If we compose well here,1 to Parthia: Hark you, Ventidius.

CES.

Mecænas; ask Agrippa.

LEP.

I do not know,

Noble friends,

That which combin'd us was most great, and let

not

A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,
May it be gently heard: When we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Murder in healing wounds: Then, noble partners,
(The rather, for I earnestly beseech,)

Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
Nor curstness grow to the matter.2

ANT.

'Tis spoken well:

Were we before our armies, and to fight,

I should do thus.

1

CES. Welcome to Rome.

ANT.

Thank you.

If we compose well here,] i. e. if we come to a lucky composition, agreement. So, afterwards:

"I crave our composition may be written-.'

i. e. the terms on which our differences are settled. STEEVENS.

Nor curstness grow to the matter.] Let not ill-humour be

added to the real subject of our difference. JOHNSON.

ANT. I learn, you take things ill, which are not

If, or for nothing, or a little, I

Should say myself offended; and with you
Chiefly i' the world: more laugh'd at, that I should

i.

* Cæs. Sit.

Ant. Sit, sir!] Antony appears to be jealous of a circumstance which seemed to indicate a consciousness of superiority in his too successful partner in power; and accordingly resents the invitation of Cæsar to be seated: Cæsar answers, Nay, then; e. if you are so ready to resent what I meant as an act of civility, there can be no reason to suppose you have temper enough for the business on which at present we are met. The former editors leave a full point at the end of this, as well as the preceding speech. STEEVENS.

The following circumstance may serve to strengthen Mr. Steevens's opinion: When the fictitious Sebastian made his appearance in Europe, he came to a conference with the Conde de Lemos; to whom, after the first exchange of civilities, he said, Conde de Lemos, be covered. And being asked, by that nobleman, by what pretences he laid claim to the superiority expressed by such permission, he replied, I do it by right of my birth; I am Sebastian. Johnson.

I believe, the author meant no more than that Cæsar should desire Antony to be seated: "Sit." To this Antony replies, Be

66

you, sir, seated first: Sit, sir." "Nay, then" rejoins Cæsar, if you stand on ceremony, to put an end to farther talk on a matter of so little moment, I will take my seat.However, I have too much respect for the two preceding editors, to set my judgment above their concurring opinions, and therefore have left the note of admiration placed by Mr. Steevens at the end of Antony's speech, undisturbed. MALONE.