"Twere pregnant they should square between them felves; For they have entertained cause enough 6 [Exeunt -Square-That is, quarrel. So, in The Shoemaker's Holiday, or the gentle Craft, 1600: "What? Square they, mafter Scott?" Sir, no doubt: "Lovers are quickly in, and quickly out." STEEVENS, See Vol. IV. p. 346, n. 2. Malone. 7-It only Stands Our lives upon, &c.] i. e. to exert our utmost force, is the only confequential way of fecuring our lives. So, in King Richard III: for it ftands me much upon "To ftop all hopes" &c. i. e. is of the utmost confequence to me. See Vol. XIV. p. 437, n. 3. STEEVENS. 8 This play is not divided into Acts by the author or first editors, and therefore the present divifion may be altered at pleafure. I think the first Act may be commodioufly continued to this place, and the second A&t opened with the interview of the chief perfons, and a change of the state of action. Yet it must be confeffed, that it is of fmall importance, where these unconnected and desultory scenes are interrupted. Johnson. SCENE II. Rome. A Room in the Houfe of Lepidus. Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS. LEP. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed, And shall become you well, to entreat your captain To foft and gentle speech. ENO. I fhall entreat him To answer like himself: if Cæfar move him, Let Antony look over Cæfar's head, And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter, I would not shave to-day.9 LEP. For private ftomaching. 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 paffion: But, pray you, ftir no embers up. means, I would JOHNSON. 9 Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard, I would not have to-day.] I believe he meet him undressed, without fhow of respect. 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 circumftance was in Shakspeare's thoughts. MALONE. ENO. Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS. And yonder, Cæfar. Enter CESAR, MECENAS, and AGRIPPA. ANT. If we compofe well here,' to Parthia: Hark you, Ventidius. CES. Mecænas; afk Agrippa. Lep. I do not know, Noble friends, That which combin'd us was moft great, and let not A leaner action rend us. What's amifs, 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 befeech,) Touch you the foureft points with sweetest terms, Nor curftness grow to the matter.2 ANT. 'Tis spoken well: Were we before our armies, and to fight, I fhould do thus. I CES. Welcome to Rome. Thank you. If we compofe well here,] i. e. if we come to a lucky com pofition, agreement. So afterwards: "I crave our compofition may be written." i. e. the terms on which our differences are fettled. STEEVENS. 2 Nor curftnefs 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 fo; Or, being, concern you not. CES. I must be laugh'd at, If, or for nothing, or a little, I Should fay myself offended; and with you Chiefly i' the world: more laugh'd at, that I should 3 Cæf. Sit. Ant. Sit, fir! Antony appears to be jealous of a circumftance which feemed to indicate a consciousness of fuperiority in his too fuccessful partner in power; and accordingly refents the invitation of Cæfar to be feated: Cæfar answers, Nay, then ; i. e. if you are fo ready to refent what I meant as an act of civility, there can be no reafon to fuppofe you have temper enough for the business on which at prefent we are met. The former editors leave a full point at the end of this, as well as the preceding fpeech. STEEVENS. The following circumftance may ferve to ftrengthen Mr. Steevens's opinion: When the fictitious Sebaftian made his appearance in Europe, he came to a conference with the Conde de Lemos; to whom, after the firft exchange of civilities, he faid, Conde de Lemos, be covered. And being afked, by that nobleman, by what pretences he laid claim to the fuperiority expreffed by fuch permiffion, he replied, I do it by right of my birth; I am Sebaftian. JOHNSON. I believe, the author meant no more than that Cæfar fhould defire Antony to be feated: "Sit." To this Antony replies, Be you, fir, feated firft: "Sit, fir." "Nay, then" rejoins Cæfar, if you ftand on ceremony, to put an end to farther talk on a matter of fo little moment, I will take my feat.--However, I have too much respect for the two preceding editors, to fet 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. CES. No more than my refiding here at Rome Might be to you in Egypt: Yet, if you there Did practise on my state,4 your being in Egypt Might be my question.5 ANT. How intend you, practis'd? CES. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent, By what did here befal me. Your wife, and bro ther, Made wars upon me; and their contestation 4 Did practife on my ftate.] To practife means to employ unwarrantable arts or ftratagems. So, in The Tragedie of Antonie, done into English by the Countess of Pembroke, 1595: nothing kills me fo 66 "As that I do my Cleopatra fee See Vol. VI. p. 390, n. 2. STEEVENS. question.] i. e. My theme or subject of conversation. So again in this scene: "Out of our question wipe him." See Vol. IX. p. 317, n. 7. MALONE. Was theme for you, you were the word of war.] The only meaning of this can be, that the war, which Antony's wife and brother made upon Cæfar, was theme for Antony too to make war; or was the occafion why he did make war. But this is directly contrary to the context, which fhows, Antony did neither encourage them to it, nor fecond them in it. We cannot doubt then, but the poet wrote: and their conteftation Was them'd for you, i.e. The pretence of the war was on your account, they took |