Note return to page 1 *&stellam;*Of this play there is no copy earlier than that of 1623. Folio.

Note return to page 2 1Murellus,] I have, upon the authority of Plutarch, &c. given to this tribune, his right name, Marullus. Theobald.

Note return to page 3 2Mar. What mean'st thou by that?] As the Cobler, in the preceding speech, replies to Flavius, not to Marullus; 'tis plain, I think, this speech must be given to Flavius. Theobald. I have replaced Marullus, who might properly enough reply to a saucy sentence directed to his colleague, and to whom the speech was probably given, that he might not stand too long unemployed upon the stage.

Note return to page 4 3&lblank; deck'd with ceremonies.] Ceremonies, for religious ornaments. Thus afterwards he explains them by Cæsar's trophies; i. e. such as he had dedicated to the Gods. Warburton.

Note return to page 5 4I have here inserted the word Sennet, from the original edition, that I may have an opportunity of retracting a hasty conjecture in one of the marginal directions in Henry VIII. Sennet appears to be a particular tune or mode of martial musick.

Note return to page 6 5&lblank; strange a hand] Strange, is alien, unfamiliar, such as might become a stranger.

Note return to page 7 6&lblank; passions of some difference,] With a fluctuation of discordant opinions and desires.

Note return to page 8 7To stale with ordinary oaths my love, &c.] To invite every new protestor to my affection by the stale or allurement of customary oaths.

Note return to page 9 8And I will look on both indifferently;] This is a contradiction to the lines immediately succeeding. If he lov'd honour, more than he fear'd death, how could they be both indifferent to him? Honour thus is but in equal balance to death, which is not speaking at all like Brutus: for, in a soldier of any ordinary pretensions, honour should always preponderate. We must certainly read, And I will look on death indifferently. What occasion'd the corruption, I presume, was, the transcribers imagining, the adverb indifferently must be applied to two things oppos'd. But the use of the word does not demand it; nor does Shakespeare always apply it so. In the present passage it signifies neglectingly; without fear, or concern: And so Casca afterwards, again in this act, employs it. And dangers are to me indifferent. I weight them not; nor am deterr'd on the score of danger. Warburton. This long note is very trifling. When Brutus first names honour and death, he calmly declares them indifferent; but as the image kindles in his mind, he sets honour above life. Is not this natural?

Note return to page 10 9His coward lips did from their colour fly,] A plain man would have said, the colour fled from his lips, and not his lips from their colour. But the false expression was for the sake of as false a piece of wit: a poor quibble, alluding to a coward flying from his colours. Warb.

Note return to page 11 1&lblank; get the start of the majestick world, &c.] This image is extremely noble: it is taken from the olympic games. The majestick world is a fine periphrasis for the Roman empire: their citizens set themselves on a footing with Kings, and they called their dominion Orbis Romanus. But the particular allusion seems to be to the known story of Cæsar's great pattern Alexander, who being asked, Whether he would run the course at the Olympic games, replied, Yes, if the racers were Kings. Warb.

Note return to page 12 2&lblank; eternal devil &lblank;] I should think that our authour wrote rather, infernal devil.

Note return to page 13 3&lblank; chew upon this;] Consider this at leisure; ruminate on this.

Note return to page 14 4&lblank; ferret, &lblank;] A ferret has red eyes.

Note return to page 15 5'Would he were fatter; &lblank;] Johnson, in his Bartholomew-fair, unjustly sneers at this passage, in Knockham's speech to the Pigwoman. Come, there's no malice in fat folks; I never fear thee, and I can 'scape thy lean moon-calf there. Warburton.

Note return to page 16 6a man of any occupation,] Had I been a mechanick, one of the Plebeians to whom he offered his throat.

Note return to page 17 7Thy honourable Metal may be wrought From what it is dispos'd; &lblank;] The best metal or temper may be worked into qualities contrary to its original constitution.

Note return to page 18 8If I were Brutus now, and he were Cassius, He should not humour me. &lblank;] This is a reflexion on Brutus's ingratitude; which concludes, as is usual on such occasions, in an encomium on his own better conditions. If I were Brutus, (says he) and Brutus, Cassius, he should not cajole me as I do him. To humour signifies here to turn and wind him, by inflaming his passions. The Oxford Editor alters the last line to Cæsar should not love me. What he means by it, is not worth inquiring. Warb. The meaning, I think, is this, Cæsar loves Brutus, but if Brutus and I were to change places, his love should not humour me, should not take hold of my affection, so as to make me forget my principles.

Note return to page 19 9&lblank; Brought you Cæsar home?] Did you attend Cæsar home?

Note return to page 20 1&lblank; sway of earth] The whole weight or momentum of this globe.

Note return to page 21 2Who glar'd upon me, &lblank;] The first edition reads, Who glaz'd upon me, &lblank; Perhaps, Who gaz'd upon me.

Note return to page 22 3Why birds and beasts, from quality and kind,] That is, Why they deviate from quality and nature. This line might perhaps be more properly placed after the next line. Why birds and beasts, from quality and kind, Why all these things change from their ordinance.

Note return to page 23 4&lblank; and children calculate;] Calculate here signifies to foretel or prophesy: For the custom of foretelling fortunes by judicial Astrology (which was at that time much in vogue) being performed by a long tedious calculation, Shakespeare, with his usual liberty, employs the species [calculate] for the genus [foretel.] Warburton. Shakespeare found the liberty established. To calculate a nativity, is the technical term.

Note return to page 24 5My answer must be made. &lblank;] I shall be called to account, and must answer as for seditious words.

Note return to page 25 6&lblank; Hold my hand:] Is the same as, here's my hand.

Note return to page 26 7Be factious for redress &lblank;] Factious seems here to mean active.

Note return to page 27 8Is fev'rous, like the work &lblank;] The old edition reads, It favours, like the work &lblank; I think we should read, In favour's, like the work we have in hand; Most bloody, fiery, and most terrible. Favour is look, countenance, appearance.

Note return to page 28 9Remorse from Power: &lblank;] Remorse, for mercy. Warb.

Note return to page 29 1&lblank; common proof.] Common experiment.

Note return to page 30 2&lblank; base degrees] Low steps.

Note return to page 31 3&lblank; as his kind, &lblank;] According to his nature.

Note return to page 32 4Is not to-morrow, boy, the first of March?] We should read Ides: For we can never suppose the speaker to have lost fourteen days in his account. He is here plainly ruminating on what the soothsayer told Cæsar [Act I. Scene 2.] in his presence. [—Beware the Ides of March.] The boy comes back and says, Sir, March is wasted fourteen days. So that the morrow was the Ides of March, as he supposed. For March, May, July, and October, had six nones each, so that the fifteenth of March was the Ides of that month. Warb.

Note return to page 33 5In former editions, Sir, March is wasted fifteen days. The editors are slightly mistaken: It was wasted but fourteen days; this was the dawn of the 15th, when the boy makes his report. Theobald.

Note return to page 34 6Between the acting of a dreadful thing, And the first motion, &c.] That nice critic, Dionysius of Halicarnassus, complains, that, of all kind of beauties, those great strokes, which he calls the terrible graces, and which are so frequent in Homer, are the rarest to be found in the following writers. Amongst our countrymen it seems to be as much confined to the British Homer. This description of the condition of conspirators, before the execution of their design, has a pomp and terror in it that perfectly astonishes. The excellent Mr. Addison, whose modesty made him sometimes dissident in his own genius, but whose true judgment always led him to the safest guides, (as we may see by those many fine strokes in his Cato borrowed from the Philippios of Cicero) has paraphrased this fine description; but we are no longer to expect those terrible graces which animate his original. O think, what anxious moments pass between The birth of plots, and their last fatal periods. Oh, 'tis a dreadful interval of time, Fill'd up with horror all, and big with death. Cato. I shall make two remarks on this fine imitation. The first is, that the subjects of the two conspiracies being so very different, (the fortunes of Cæsar and the Roman Empire being concerned in the one; and that of a few auxiliary troops only in the other) Mr. Addison could not, with propriety, bring in that magnificent circumstance which gives one of the terrible graces of Shakespeare's description; The Genius, and the Mortal Instruments Are then in Council &lblank; For Kingdoms, in the Pagan Theology, besides their good, had their evil Genius's, likewise, represented here, with the most daring stretch of fancy, as sitting in consultation with the conspirators, whom he calls their Mortal Instruments. But this, as we say, would have been too pompous an apparatus to the rape and desertion of Syphax and Sempronius. The other thing observable is, that Mr. Addison was so struck and affected with these terrible graces in his original, that instead of imitating his author's sentiments, he hath, before he was aware, given us only the copy of his own impressions made by them. For, Oh, 'tis a dreadful interval of time, Fill'd up with Horror all, and big with death, are but the affections raised by such forcible Images as these, &lblank; All the Int'rim is Like a Phantasma, or a hideous Dream. &lblank; the State of Man, Like to a little Kingdom, suffers then The Nature of an insurrection. Comparing the troubled mind of a conspirator to a state of Anarchy, is just and beautiful; but the int'rim, or interval, to an hideous vision, or a frightful dream, holds something so wonderfully of truth, and lays the soul so open, that one can hardly think it possible for any man, who had not some time or other been engaged in a conspiracy, to give such force of colouring to Nature. Warburton. The &grd;&gre;&gric;&grn;&gro;&grn; of the Greek criticks does not, I think, mean sentiments which raise fear, more than wonder, or any other of the tumultuous passions; &grt;&grog; &grd;&gre;&gric;&grn;&gro;&grn; is that which strikes, which astonishes, with the idea either of some great subject, or of the author's abilities. Dr. Warburton's pompous criticism might well have been shortened. The Genius is not the genius of a kingdom, nor are the instruments, conspirators. Shakespeare is describing what passes in a single bosom, the insurrection which a conspirator feels agitating the little kingdom of his own mind; when the Genius, or power that watches for his protection, and the mortal instruments, the passions, which excite him to a deed of honour and danger, are in council and debate; when the desire of action and the care of safety, keep the mind in continual fluctuation and disturbance.

Note return to page 35 7&lblank; of favour.] Any distinction of countenance.

Note return to page 36 8For if thou path, thy native semblance on,] If thou walk in thy true form.

Note return to page 37 9No, not an oath; if that the face of men, &c.] The conspirators propose an oath as the sanction of their mutual faith. This, Brutus, very much in character, opposes: Because an oath was the usual cement of those lawless cabals, which have not virtue enough in themselves to keep their members together: On this consideration his argument against an oath turns: And the motives he thought sufficient to preserve faith amongst them, were these: The sufferance of their souls, i. e. their commiseration for expiring liberty: The time's abuse, i. e. the general corruption of manners which had reduced publick liberty to this condition; and which, that liberty restored, would reform. But now, what is The Face of men? Did he mean they had honest looks. This was a poor and low observation, unworthy Brutus, and the occasion, and the grandeur of his speech: Besides, it is foreign to the turn and argument of his discourse, which is to shew the strong cement of the confederacy, from the justice of their cause, not from the natural honour of the conspirators. His argument stands thus, You require an oath to keep us together; but sure the strong motives that drew us into confederacy will keep us confederated. These motives he enumerates; but The Face of men not being one of these motives must needs be a corrupt reading. Shakespeare, without question, wrote, If that the Fate of men, Or of mankind, which, in the ideas of a Roman, was involved in the fate of their Republick. And this was the principal motive which engaged the God-like Brutus in the undertaking. Warburton. This elaborate emendation is, I think, erroneous. The face of men is the countenance, the regard, the esteem of the publick; in other terms, honour and reputation; or, the face of men may mean, the dejected look of the people. He reads, with the other modern editions, &lblank; If that the face of men, but the old reading is, &lblank; if not the face, &c.

Note return to page 38 1This is imitated by Otway, When you would bind me, is there need of oaths? &c. Venice preserved.

Note return to page 39 2&lblank; take thought, &lblank;] That is, turn melancholy.

Note return to page 40 3For he is superstitious grown of late, Quite from the main opinion he held once Of fantasy, of dreams, and ceremonies:] Cæsar, as well as Cassius, was an Epicurean. By main opinion Cassius intends a compliment to his sect, and means solid, fundamental opinion grounded in truth and nature: As by fantasy is meant ominous forebodings; and by ceremonies, atonements of the Gods by means of religious rites and sacrifices. A little after, where Calphurnia says, Cæsar, I never stood on ceremonies, Yet now they fright me: &lblank; The poet uses Ceremonies in a quite different sense, namely, the turning accidents to omens, a principal superstition of antiquity. Warburton. Main opinion, is nothing more than leading, fixed, predominant opinion.

Note return to page 41 4&lblank; for he loves to hear, &c.] It was finely imagined by the poet, to make Cæsar delight in this sort of conversation. The Author of St. Evremond's life tells us, that the great Prince of Conde took much pleasure in remarking on the foible and ridicule of characters. Warb.

Note return to page 42 5Let not our looks &lblank;] Let not our faces put on, that is, wear or show our designs.

Note return to page 43 6A woman well reputed; Cato's daughter.] This false pointing should be corrected thus, A woman well reputed Cato's daughter. i. e. worthy of my birth, and the relation I bear to Cato. This indeed was a good reason why she should be intrusted with the secret. But the false pointing, which gives a sense only implying that she was a woman of a good character, and that she was Cato's daughter, gives no good reason: For she might be Cato's daughter, and yet not inherit his firmness; and she might be a woman well reputed, and yet not the best at a secret. But if she was well reputed Cato's daughter, that is, worthy of her birth, she could neither want her father's love to her country, nor his resolution to engage in its deliverance. Warb.

Note return to page 44 7&lblank; death, a necessary end, &c] This is a sentence derived from the Stoical doctrine of predestination, and is therefore improper in the mouth of Cæsar.

Note return to page 45 8&lblank; in shame of cowardise:] The ancients did not place courage but wisdom in the heart.

Note return to page 46 9In old editions, We heard two lions &lblank;] The first folio, &lblank; We heare &lblank; The copies have been all corrupt, and the passage, of course, unintelligible. But the slight alteration, I have made, restores sense to the whole; and the sentiment will neither be unworthy of Shakespeare, nor the boast too extravagant for Cæsar in a vein of vanity to utter: that he and Danger were two twin-whelps of a lion, and he the elder, and more terrible of the two. Theob.

Note return to page 47 1&lblank; and that Great Men shall press For tinctures, stains, relicks, and cognisance.] That this dream of the statue's spouting blood should signify, the increase of power and empire to Rome from the influence of Cæsar's arts and arms, and wealth and honour to the noble Romans through his beneficence, expressed by the words, From you, great Rome shall suck reviving blood, is intelligible enough. But how these great men should literally press for tinctures, stains, relicks, and cognisance, when the spouting blood was only a symbolical vision, I am at a loss to apprehend. Here the circumstances of the dream, and the interpretation of it, are confounded with one another. This line therefore, For tinctures, stains, relicks, and cognisance, must needs be in way of similitude only; and if so, it appears that some lines are wanting between this and the preceding; which want should, for the future, be marked with asterisks. The sense of them is not difficult to recover, and, with it, the propriety of the line in question. The speaker had said, the Statue signified, that by Cæsar's influence Rome should flourish and increase in empire, and that great men should press to him to partake of his good fortune, just as men run with handkerchiefs, &c. to dip them in the blood of martyrs, that they may partake of their merit. It is true, the thought is from the Christian History; but so small an anachronism is nothing with our poet. Besides, it is not my interpretation which introduces it, it was there before: For the line in question can bear no other sense than as an allusion to the blood of the Martyrs, and the superstition of some Churches with regard to it. Warb. I am not of opinion that any thing is lost, and have therefore marked no omission. The speech, which is intentionally pompous, is somewhat confused. There are two allusions; one to coats armorial, to which princes make additions, or give new tinctures, and new marks of cognisance; the other to martyrs, whose reliques are preserved with veneration. The Romans, says Brutus, all come to you as to a saint, for reliques, as to a prince, for honours.

Note return to page 48 2And reason, &c.] And reason, or propriety of conduct and language, is subordinate to my love.

Note return to page 49 3&lblank; the fates with Traitors do contrive.] The fates join with traitors in contriving thy destruction.

Note return to page 50 4Might fire the blood of ordinary men,] It is plain we should read, &lblank; stir the blood &lblank; Submission does not fire the blood. but melt it to compassion; or, as he says just after, thaw it. So afterwards in this play he says, The power of speech to stir mens bloods. Warb. This is plausible, but not so necessary as that it should be admitted into the text.

Note return to page 51 5And turn pre-ordinance &lblank;] Pre-ordinance, for ordinance already established. Warb.

Note return to page 52 6Into the lane of children. &lblank;] I do not well understand what is meant by the lane of children. I should read, the law of children. It was, change pre-ordinance and decree into the law of children; into such slight determinations as every start of will would alter. Lane and lawe in some manuscripts are not easily distinguished.

Note return to page 53 7&lblank; apprehensive;] Susceptible of fear, or other passions.

Note return to page 54 8&lblank; but one] One, and only one.

Note return to page 55 9&lblank; holds on his rank,] Perhaps, holds on his race; continues his course. We commonly say, To hold a rank, and, To hold on a course or way.

Note return to page 56 1Doth not Brutus bootless kneel?] I would read, Do not Brutus bootless kneel!

Note return to page 57 2In all the editions this speech is ascribed to Brutus, than which nothing is more inconsistent with his mild and philosophical character. But (as I often find speeches in the later editions put into wrong mouths, different from the first published by the author) I think this liberty not unreasonable. Pope. &lblank; Stoop, Romans, stoop,] Mr. Pope has arbitrarily taken away the remainder of this speech from Brutus, and placed it to Casca: because, he thinks, nothing is more inconsistent with Brutus's mild and philosophical character. I have made bold to restore the speech to its right owner. Brutus esteem'd the death of Cæsar a sacrifice to liberty: and, as such, gloried in his heading the enterprise. Besides, our poet is strictly copying a fact in history. Plutarch, in the life of Cæsar, says, “Brutus and his followers, being yet hot with the murder, march'd in a body from the senate-house to the Capitol, with their drawn swords, with an air of confidence and assurance.” And, in the life of Brutus,— “Brutus and his party betook themselves to the Capitol, and in their way shewing their hands all bloody, and their naked swords, proclaim'd liberty to the people.” Theob. Dr. Warburton follows Pope.

Note return to page 58 3&lblank; who else is rank;] Who else may be supposed to have overtopped his equals, and grown too high for the publick safety.

Note return to page 59 4Our arms exempt from malice, &lblank;] This is the reading only of the modern editions, yet perhaps the true reading. The old copy has, Our arms in strength of malice.

Note return to page 60 5&lblank; crimson'd in thy Lethe] Mr. Theobald says, The dictionaries acknowledge no such word as Lethe; yet he is not without supposition, that Shakespear coin'd the word; and yet for al that, the L. might be a D. imperfectly wrote, therefore he will have death instead of it. After all this pother, Lethe was a common French word, signifying death or destruction, from the Latin lethum. War.

Note return to page 61 6&lblank; in the tide of times.] That is, in the course of times.

Note return to page 62 7&lblank; upon the limbs of men;] We should read, &lblank; line of men; i. e. human race. Warburton. Hanmer reads, &lblank; kind of men. I rather think it should be, &lblank; the lives of men. unless we read, &lblank; these lymms of men. That is those bloodhounds of men. The uncommonness of the word lymm easily made the change.

Note return to page 63 8Cry Havock, &lblank;] A learned correspondent has informed me, that, in the military operations of old times, havock was the word by which declaration was made, that no quarter should be given. In a tract intitled, The Office of the Conestable & Mareschall in the Tyme of Werre, contained in the Black Book of the Admiralty, there is the following chapter: “The peyne of hym that crieth havock & of them that followeth hym. etit. V.” “Item Si quis inventus fuerit qui clamorem inceperit qui vocatur Havok.” “Also that no man be so hardy to crye Havok upon peyne that he that is begynner shal be deede therefore: & the remanent that doo the same or folow shall lose their horse & harneis: and the persones of such as foloweth & escrien shal be under arrest of the Conestable & Mareschall warde unto tyme that they have made fyn; & founde suretie no morr to offende; & his body in prison at the Kyng wylle—.”

Note return to page 64 9Countrymen, and Lovers! &c.] There is no where, in all Shakespeare's works, a stronger proof of his not being what we call a scholar, than this; or of his not knowing any thing of the genius of learned antiquity. This speech of Brutus is wrote in imitation of his famed laconic brevity, and is very fine in its kind. But no more like that brevity, than his times were like Brutus's. The ancient laconic brevity was simple, natural and easy: this is quaint, artificial, gingling, and abounding with forced antithesis's. In a word a brevity, that for its false eloquence would have suited any character, and for its good sense would have become the greatest of our author's time; but yet, in a stile of declaiming, that sits as ill upon Brutus as our author's trowsers or collar-band would have done. Warb.

Note return to page 65 1Cæsar has had great wrong.] 3 Pleb. Cæsar had never wrong but with just cause. If ever there was such a line written by Shakespeare, I should fancy it might have its place here, and very humourously in the character of a Plebeian. One might believe Ben Johnson's remark was made upon no better credit than some blunder of an actor in speaking that verse near the beginning of the third act. Know, Cæsar doth not wrong; nor without cause Will he be satisfied. &lblank; But the verse, as cited by Ben Johnson, does not connect with, Will he be satisfied. Perhaps this play was never printed in Ben Johnson's time, and so he had nothing to judge by but as the actor pleased to speak it. Pope. I have inserted this note, because it is Pope's, for it is otherwise of no value. It is strange that he should so much forget the date of the copy before him, as to think it not printed in Johnson's time.

Note return to page 66 2And none so poor &lblank;] The meanest man is now too high to do reverence to Cæsar.

Note return to page 67 3And, in his mantle, &c.] Read the lines thus, And, in his mantle muffling up his face, Which all the while ran blood, great Cæsar fell, Ev'n at the Base of Pompey's Statue. Plutarch tells us, that Cæsar received many wounds in the face on this occasion; so that it might be said to run blood. But, instead of that, the Statue, in this reading, and not the face, is said to do so; it is plain these two lines should be transposed: And then the reflection, which follows, O what a fall was there &lblank; is natural, lamenting the disgrace of being at last subdued in that quarrel in which he had been compleat victor. Warb. I know not whether the transposition be needful: the image seems to be, that the blood of Cæsar flew upon the statue, and trickled down it. And the exclamation, O what a fall was there &lblank; follows better after &lblank; great Cæsar fell, than with a line interposed.

Note return to page 68 4For I have neither wit, &lblank;] The old copy reads, For I have neither writ, nor words, &lblank; which may mean, I have no penned and premeditated oration.

Note return to page 69 5On this side Tiber;] The scene is here in the Forum near the Capitol, and in the most frequented part of the city; but Cæsar's gardens were very remote from that quarter. Trans Tiberim longe cubat is, prope Cæsaris hortos, says Horace: And both the Naumachia and Gardens of Cæsar were separated from the main city by the river; and lay out wide, on a line with Mount Janiculum. Our Author therefore certainly wrote; On that side Tiber; &lblank; And Plutarch, whom Shakespeare very diligently studied, in the life of Marcus Brutus, speaking of Cæsar's Will, expressly says, That he left to the publick his gardens, and walks, beyond the Tiber. Theob.

Note return to page 70 6A small Island] Mr. Rowe, and Mr. Pope after him, have mark'd the scene here to be at Rome. The old copies say nothing of the place. Shakespeare, I dare say, knew from Plutarch, that these Triumvirs met, upon the proscription, in a little island; which Appian, who is more particular, says, lay near Mutina, upon the river Lavinius. Theob. A small Island in the littler river Rhenus, near Bononia. Hanmer.

Note return to page 71 7In the old editions, A barren-spirited fellow, one that feeds On objects, arts, and imitations, &c.] 'Tis hard to conceive, why he should be call'd a barren spirited fellow, that could feed either on objects, or arts: that is, as I presume, form his ideas and judgment upon them; stale and obsolete imitation, indeed, fixes such a character. I am persuaded, to make the poet consonant to himself, we must read, as I have restored the text, On abject Orts, &lblank; i. e. on the scraps and fragments of things rejected and despised by others. Theobald.

Note return to page 72 8In his own change, or by ill officers,] The sense of which is this, Either your master, by the change of his virtuous nature, or by his officers abusing the power he had intrusted to them, hath done some things I could wish undone. This implies a doubt which of the two was the case. Yet, immediately after, on Pindarus's saying, His master was full of regard and honour, he replies, he is not doubted. To reconcile this we should read, In his own charge, or by ill officers, i. e. either by those under his immediate command, or under the command of his lieutenants who had abused their trust. Charge is so usual a word in Shakespeare, to signify the forces committed to the trust of a commander, that I think it needless to give any instances. Warburton. The arguments for the change proposed are insufficient. Brutus could not but know whether the wrongs committed were done by those who were immediately under the command of Cassius, or those under his officers. The answer of Brutus to the servant is only an act of artful civility; his question to Lucilius proves, that his suspicion still continued. Yet I cannot but suspect a corruption, and would read, In his own change, or by ill offices. That is, either changing his inclination of himself, or by the ill offices and bad influence of others.

Note return to page 73 9&lblank; ev'ry nice offence &lblank;] i. e. small trifling offence. Warb.

Note return to page 74 1I had rather be a dog, and bay the moon, Than such a Roman.] The poets and common people, who generally think and speak alike, suppose the dog bays the moon, out of envy to its brightness; an allusion to this notion makes the beauty of the passage in question: Brutus hereby insinuates a covert accusation against his friend, that it was only envy at Cæsar's glory set Cassius on conspiring against him; and ancient history seems to countenance such a charge. Cassius understood him in this sense, and with much conscious pride retorts the charge by a like insinuation, &lblank; Brutus, bay not me. Warb.

Note return to page 75 2To hedge me in; &lblank;] That is, to limit my authority by your direction or censure.

Note return to page 76 3To make conditions.] That is, to know on what terms it is fit to confer the offices which are at my disposal.

Note return to page 77 4Go to; you are not Cassius.] We are not to understand this as if Brutus had said, You are not an able soldier, which would be wrangling on a childish question beneath the character of Brutus. On the contrary, when Cassius had made so unbecoming a boast, Brutus, in his reply, only reproves him for degeneracy: And he could not do it in words more pathetic than in saying, You are not Cassius; i. e. You are no longer that brave, disinterested, philosophic Cassius, whose character was made up of honour and patriotism; but are sunk down to the impotency and corruption of the times. Warburton. There is no danger of misinterpretation, nor much need of expositions. Cassius had not said he was an able soldier, but a soldier whose longer experience made him more able to make conditions.

Note return to page 78 5&lblank; than to wring From the hard hands of peasants their vile trash,] This is a noble sentiment, altogether in character, and expressed in a manner inimitably happy. For to wring, implies both to get unjustly, and to use force in getting: And hard hands signify both the peasant's great labour and pains in acquiring, and his great unwillingness to quit his hold. Warburton.

Note return to page 79 6Bru. I do not, till you practise them on me.] But was this talking like Brutus? Cassius complained that his friend made his infirmities greater than they were. To which Brutus replies, not till those infirmities were injuriously turned upon me. But was this any excuse for aggravating his friend's failings? Shakespeare knew better what was fit for his hero to say, and certainly wrote and pointed the line thus, I do not. Still you practise them on me. i. e. I deny your charge, and this is a fresh injury done me. Warburton. The true meaning, which will make all emendation unnecessary, is this; I do not look for your faults, I only see them, and mention them with vehemence, when you force them into my notice, by practising them on me.

Note return to page 80 7If that thou be'st a Roman, take it forth, &c.] But why is he bid to rip out his heart, if he were a Roman? There is no other sense but this, If you have the courage of a Roman. But this is so poor, and so little to the purpose, that the reading may be justly suspected. The occasion of this quarrel was Cassius's refusal to supply the necessities of his friend, who charges it on him as a dishonour and crime, with great asperity of language. Cassius, to shew him the injustice of accusing him of avarice, tells him he was ready to expose his life in his service; but at the same time, provoked and exasperated at the other's reproaches, he upbraids him with the severity of his temper, that would pardon nothing, but always aimed at the life of the offender; and delighted in his blood, though a Roman, and attached to him by the strongest bonds of alliance; hereby obliquely insinuating the case of Cæsar. The sense being thus explained, it is evident we should read, If that thou needst a Roman's, take it forth. i. e. if nothing but another Roman's death can satisfy the unrelenting severity of your temper, take my life as you did Cæsar's. Warburton. I am not satisfied with the change proposed, yet cannot deny, that the words, as they now stand, require some interpretation. I think he means only, that he is so far from avarice, when the cause of his country requires liberality, that if any man should wish for his heart, he would not need enforce his desire any otherwise, than by shewing that he was a Roman.

Note return to page 81 8Thou! awake.] The accent is so unmusical and harsh, 'tis impossible the poet could begin his verse thus. Brutus certainly was intended to speak to both his other men; who both awake, and answer, at an instant. I read, Varro! awake. Warb.

Note return to page 82 9&lblank; warn us &lblank;] To warn, seems to mean here the same as to alarm. Hanmer reads, They mean to wage us.

Note return to page 83 1&lblank; Casca, &lblank;] Casca struck Cæsar on the neck, coming like a degenerate cur behind him.

Note return to page 84 2&lblank; three and thirty wounds] Thus all the editions implicitly; but I have ventur'd to reduce this number to three and twenty from the joint authorities of Appian, Plutarch, and Suetonius: And, I am persuaded, the error was not from the poet but his transcribers. Theobald.

Note return to page 85 3The very last time we sha'l speak together. What are you then determined to do?] i. e. I am resolved in such a case to kill myself. What are you determined of? Warb.

Note return to page 86 4&lblank; arming myself with patience, &c.] It is evident, that, between these words and the foregoing, a sentence is dropped out to this effect [on the contrary, true courage is seen in the] arming myself with patience, &c. As the text stands at present, the two different sentiments of dislike and approbation are run together, as parts related to one another. Warb. Dr. Warburton thinks, that in this speech something is lost, but there needed only a parenthesis to clear it. The construction is this; I am determined to act according to that philosophy which directed me to blame the suicide of Cato, arming myself with patience.

Note return to page 87 5&lblank; and to Tharsus send his body:] Thus all the editions hitherto, very ignorantly. But the whole tenor of history warrants us to write, as I have restor'd the text, Thassos. Theob.

Note return to page 88 6&lblank; being Cato's Son.] i. e. worthy of him. Warb.

Note return to page 89 7Luc. Only I yield to die; There is so much, that thou wilt kill me straight;] This last line is unintelligible; the reason of which is the loss of the preceding. For by the circumstances I collect, that the reply of the soldier to the words, Only I yield to die, is wanting; which circumstances may lead us too to the discovery of what that reply was; and reciprocally by that reply to the recovery of the sense of this unintelligible line. I think then it appears probable, that when Lucilius had said, Only I yield to die; the soldier, by a very natural curiosity, pertinently demanded, Whether there was yet much resistance on the part of the enemy? To which Lucilius, who had a mind to die, as pertinently answer'd, There is so much, that thou wilt kill me straight; i. e. so much resistance still on foot, that thou wilt choose to rid me out of the way, that thou may'st go, without the embarras of prisoners, to the assistance of thy friends who still want it. Warburton. Dr. Warburton has been much inclined to find lacunæ, or passages broken by omission, throughout this play. I think he has been always mistaken. The soldier here says, Yield, or thou diest. Lucilius replies, I yield only on this condition, that I may die; here is so much gold as thou seest in my hand, which I offer thee as a reward for speedy death. What now is there wanting?

Note return to page 90 8I'll tell the news. &lblank;] The old copy reads, I'll tell thee news. &lblank;

Note return to page 91 9Farewel to thee too. Strato.] Thus the modern editions, I think, rightly. The old folio reads, Farewel to thee, to Strato, countrymen.

Note return to page 92 Of this tragedy many particular passages deserve regard, and the contention and reconcilement of Brutus and Cassius is universally celebrated; but I have never been strongly agitated in perusing it, and think it somewhat cold and unaffecting, compared with some other of Shakespeare's plays; his adherence to the real story, and to Roman manners, seems to have impeded the natural vigour of his genius.

Note return to page 93 *&stellam;*Of this Tragedy there is no ancient edition but that of the Folio 1623.

Note return to page 94 1&lblank; reneges &lblank;] Renounces. Pope.

Note return to page 95 2And is become the bellows, and the fan, To cool a Gypsy's lust. &lblank;] In this passage something seems to be wanting. The bellows and fan being commonly used for contrary purposes, were probably opposed by the authour, who might perhaps have written, &lblank; is become the bellows, and the fan, To kindle and to cool a Gypsy's lust.

Note return to page 96 3&lblank; Gypsy's lust. &lblank;] Gypsy is here used, both in the original meaning for an Egyptian, and in its accidental sense, for a bad woman.

Note return to page 97 4The triple pillar &lblank;] Triple is here used improperly for third, or one of three. One of the Triumvirs, one of the three masters of the world. The triple pillar of the world transform'd Into a Strumpet's fool. &lblank;] The metaphor is here miserably mangled. We should read, Into a Strumpet's stool. The pillar of the world, says he, is transformed into a strumpet's Stool. Alluding to the custom of strumpets sitting in the lap of their lovers. So Ajax in Troilus and Cressida, calls Thersites, Thou stool for a witch. Shakespeare too, in the use of pillar and stool, had regard perhaps to the etymology of the latter word, which comes from &grS;&grt;&grua;&grl;&gro;&grst;, columna. Warburton. This emendation is ingenious, but being not necessary, I have left it in the note.

Note return to page 98 5&lblank; bourn &lblank;] Bound or limit. Pope.

Note return to page 99 6Then must thou needs find out new heav'n, &c.] Thou must set the boundary of my love at a greater distance than the present visible universe affords.

Note return to page 100 7&lblank; The sum.] Be brief, sum thy business in a few words.

Note return to page 101 8&lblank; and the wide arch Of the rang'd Empire fall! &lblank;] Taken from the Roman custom of raising triumphal arches to perpetuate their victories. Extremely noble. Warb. I am in doubt whether Shakespeare had any idea but of a fabrick standing on pillars. The later editions have all printed, the raised empire, for the ranged empire, as it was first given. It is not easy to guess how Dr. Warburton missed this opportunity of inserting a French word, by reading, &lblank; and the wide arch Of derang'd empire fall! &lblank; Which, if deranged were an English word, would be preferable both to raised and rang'd.

Note return to page 102 9&lblank; to weet,] To know. Pope.

Note return to page 103 1&lblank; Antony Will be himself. Ant. But stirr'd by Cleopatra.] But, in this passage, seems to have the old Saxon signification of without, unless, except. Antony, says the Queen, will recollect his thoughts, unless kept, he replies, in commotion by Cleopatra.

Note return to page 104 2change his horns with garlands.] This is corrupt; the true reading evidently is, must charge his horns with garlands, i. e. make him a rich and honourable cuckold, having his horns hung about with garlands. Warburton. Sir Thomas Hanmer reads, not improbably, change for horns his garlands. I am in doubt, whether to change, is not merely to dress, or to dress with changes of garlands.

Note return to page 105 3I had rather heat my liver &lblank;] To know why the lady is so averse from heating her liver, it must be remembered, that a heated liver is supposed to make a pimpled face.

Note return to page 106 4Char. Oh, excellent! I love long life better than figs.] Here Shakespeare has copied ancient manners with as much beauty as propriety: This being one of those ominous speeches, in which the ancients were so superstitious: For the aspicks, by which Charmian died, and after her mistress, were conveyed in a basket of figs. Omens (a superstition which Pythagoras first taught the Greeks) were the undesigned consequence of words casually spoken. The words were sometimes taken from the speaker, and applied by the hearers to the speaker's own affairs, as in the case of Paulus Æmilius, after his conquest of Macedon. Sometimes again the words of the speaker were transferred to the affairs of the hearer, as in the case of the same Paulus before his conquest of Macedon. Itaque rebus divinis quæ publicè fierent, ut faverent linguis, imperabatur. Cicero de Divin. l. 1. Warburton.

Note return to page 107 5Then, belike, my children shall have no names;] i. e. be of no note, a Greek mode of expression; in which language, &grd;&gri;&grwa;&grn;&gru;&grm;&gro;&grst; signifies both double-named and famous, because anciently famous men had an agnomen taken from their exploits. Warb. I am not inclined to believe that there is so much learning in either of the lady's speeches. She here only says, If I have already had the best of my fortune, then I suppose I shall never name children, that is, I am never to be married. However, tell me the truth, tell me, how many boys and wenches?

Note return to page 108 6If every of your wishes had a womb, And foretold every wish, a million.] This nonsense should be reformed thus, If ev'ry of your wishes had a womb, And fertil ev'ry wish, &lblank; Warburton. For foretel, in ancient editions, the latter copies have foretold. Foretel favours the emendation, which is made with great acuteness; yet the original reading may, I think, stand. If you had as many wombs as you will have wishes, and I should foretel all these wishes, I should foretel a million of children. It is an ellipsis very frequent in conversation; I should shame you, and tell all; that is, and if I should tell all. And is for and if, which was anciently, and is still provincially used for if.

Note return to page 109 7Char. Our worser thoughts heav'ns mend. Alex. Come, his fortune, his fortune. O, let him marry a woman, &c.] Whose fortune does Alexas call out to have told? But, in short, this I dare pronounce to be so palpable and signal a transposition, that I cannot but wonder it should have slipt the observation of all the editors; especially, of the sagacious Mr. Pope, who has made this declaration, That if, throughout the plays, had all the speeches been printed without the very names of the persons, he believes one might have applied them with certainty to every speaker. But in how many instances has Mr. Pope's want of judgment falsified this opinion? The fact is evidently this; Alexas brings a fortune-teller to Iras and Charmian, and says himself, We'll know all our fortunes. Well; the soothsayer begins with the women; and some jokes pass upon the subject of husbands and chastity: After which, the women hoping for the satisfaction of having something to laugh at in Alexas's fortune, call him to hold out his hand, and wish heartily he may have the prognostication of cuckoldom upon him. The whole speech, therefore, must be plac'd to Charmian. There needs no stronger proof of this being a true correction, than the observation which Alexas immediately subjoins on their wishes and zeal to hear him abused. Theobald.

Note return to page 110 8&lblank; extended Asia;] i. e. widened or extended the bounds of the lesser Asia. Warb. To extend, is a term used for to seize; I know not whether that be not the sense here.

Note return to page 111 9When our quick winds lie still; &lblank;] We should read minds. The m was accidentally turn'd the wrong way at the press. The sense is this, While the active principle within us lies immerged in sloth and luxury, we bring forth vices instead of virtues, weeds instead of flowers and fruits: But the laying before us our ill condition plainly and honestly is, as it were, the first culture of the mind, which gives hopes of a future harvest. This he says to encourage the messenger to hide nothing from him. Warb. This emendation is ingenious, but doubtful. The sense may be, that man, not agitated by censure, like soil not ventilated by quick winds, produces more evil than good.

Note return to page 112 1&lblank; the present pleasure, By revolution lowring, does become The opposite of itself; &lblank;] The allusion is to the sun's diurnal course; which rising in the east, and by revolution lowering, or setting in the west, becomes the opposite of itself. Warb. This is an obscure passage. The explanation which Dr. Warburton has offered is such, that I can add nothing to it; yet perhaps Shakespeare, who was less learned than his commentator, meant only, that our pleasures, as they are revolved in the mind, turn to pain.

Note return to page 113 2poorer moment;] For less reason; upon meaner motives.

Note return to page 114 3it shews to man the tailors of the earth, comforting therein, &c.] I have printed this after the original, which, though harsh and obscure, I know not how to amend. Sir Tho. Hanmer reads, They shew to man the tailors of the earth comforting him therein. I think the passage, with somewhat less alteration, for alteration is always dangerous, may stand thus; It shews to men the tailors of the earth, comforting them, &c.

Note return to page 115 4The cause of our expedience &lblank;] Expedience, for expedition. Warb.

Note return to page 116 5&lblank; more urgent touches,] Things that touch me more sensibly, more pressing motives.

Note return to page 117 6Petition us at home. &lblank;] Wish us at home; call for us to reside at home.

Note return to page 118 7&lblank; the courser's hair, &c.] Alludes to an old idle notion that the hair of a horse, dropt into corrupted water, will turn to an animal. Pope.

Note return to page 119 8&lblank; Say, our pleasure, To such whose places under us, require Our quick remove from hence.] Such is this passage in the first copy. The late editors have all altered it, or received it altered in silence thus: &lblank; Say, our pleasure, To such whose place is under us, requires Our quick remove from hence. This is hardly sense. I believe we should read, Their quick remove from hence. Tell our design of going away to those, who being by their places obliged to attend us, must remove in haste.

Note return to page 120 9I did not send you. &lblank;] You must go as if you came without my order or knowledge.

Note return to page 121 1&lblank; a race of heav'n. &lblank;] i. e. had a smack or flavour of heaven. Warburton. This word is well explained by Dr. Warburton; the race of wine is the taste of the foil. Sir T. Hanmer, not understanding the word, reads, ray.

Note return to page 122 2Remains in use &lblank;] The poet seems to allude to the legal distinction between the use and absolute possession.

Note return to page 123 3&lblank; My more particular, And that which most with you should save my going, Is Fulvia's death.] Thus all the more modern editions; the first and second folio's read, safe: All corruptedly. Antony is giving several reasons to Cleopatra, which make his departure from Ægypt necessary; most of them, reasons of state; but the death of Fulvia, his wife, was a particular and private call. Cleopatra is jealous of Antony, and suspicious that he is seeking colours for his going. Antony replies to her doubts, with the reasons that obliged him to be absent for a time; and tells her, that, as his wife Fulvia is dead, and so she has no rival to be jealous of, that circumstance should be his best plea and excuse, and have the greatest weight with her for his going. Who does not see now, that it ought to be read, &lblank; should salve my going, Theobald. Mr. Upton reads, I think rightly, &lblank; safe my going.

Note return to page 124 4O most false love! Where be the sacred vials thou shouldst fill With sorrowful water? &lblank;] Alluding to the lachrymatory vials, or bottles of tears, which the Romans sometimes put into the urn of a friend.

Note return to page 125 5&lblank; to Egypt. &lblank;] To me, the queen of Egypt.

Note return to page 126 6Oh, my oblivion is a very Antony, And I am all forgotten.] The plain meaning is, My forgetfulness makes me forget myself. But she expresses it by calling forgetfulness, Antony; because forgetfulness had forgot her, as Antony had done. For want of apprehending this quaintness of expression, the Oxford Editor is forced to tell us news, That all forgotten is an old way of speaking, for apt to forget every thing. Warb. I cannot understand the learned critick's explanation. It appears to me, that she should rather have said, O my remembrance is a very Antony, And I am all forgotten. It was her memory, not her oblivion, that, like Antony, was forgetting and deserting her. I think a slight change will restore the passage. The Queen, having something to say, which she is not able, or would seem not able to recollect, cries out, O my oblivion!—'Tis a very Antony. The thought of which I was in quest is a very Antony, is treacherous and fugitive, and has irrevocably left me, And I am all forgotten. If this reading stand, I think the explanation of Hanmer must be received. But I will venture another change, by reading, And I am all forgone. I am all deserted and undone. If any regard can be had to exactness of versification, the measure authorises my reading.

Note return to page 127 7But that your royalty Holds Idleness your subject, I I should take you For Idleness itself.] i. e. But that your charms hold me, who am the greatest fool on earth in chains, I should have adjudged you to be the greatest. That this is the sense, is shewn by her answer, 'Tis sweating labour To bear such Idleness so near the heart, As Cleopatra, this.&lblank; Warburton.

Note return to page 128 8One great competitor. &lblank;] Perhaps, Our great competitor.

Note return to page 129 9&lblank; as the spots of heavn'n, More fiery by night's blackness;] If by spots are meant stars, as night has no other fiery spots, the comparison is forced and harsh, stars having been always supposed to beautify the night; nor do I comprehend what there is in the counter-part of this simile, which answers to night's blackness. Hanmer reads, &lblank; spots on ermine, Or fires, by night's blackness.

Note return to page 130 1&lblank; purchas'd; &lblank;] Procured by his own fault or endeavour.

Note return to page 131 2&lblank; say, this becomes him; As his composure must be rare, indeed, Whom these things cannot blemish; &lblank;] This seems inconsequent. I read, And his composure, &c. Grant that this becomes him, and if it can become him, he must have in him something very uncommon; yet, &c.

Note return to page 132 3So great weight in his lightness. &lblank;] The word light is one of Shakespeare's favourite play-things. The sense is, His trifling levity throws so much burden upon us.

Note return to page 133 4Call on him for't. &lblank;] Call on him, is, visit him. Says Cæsar, If Antony followed his debaucheries at a time of leisure, I should leave him to be punished by their natural consequences, by surfeits and dry bones.

Note return to page 134 5&lblank; boys, who, being mature in knowledge,] For this Hanmer, who thought the maturity of a boy an inconsistent idea, has put, &lblank; who, immature in knowledge, but the words experience and judgment require that we read mature: though Dr. Warburton has received the emendation. By boys mature in knowledge, are meant, boys old enough to know their duty.

Note return to page 135 6That only have fear'd Cæsar:] Those whom not love but fear made adherents to Cæsar, now shew their affection for Pompey.

Note return to page 136 7&lblank; he, which is, was wish'd, until he were: And the ebb'd man, ne'er lov'd till ne'er worth love, Comes fear'd, by being lack'd.] Let us examine the sense of this in plain prose. The earliest histories inform us, that the man in supreme command was always wish'd to gain that command, till he had obtain'd it. And he, whom the multitude has contentedly seen in a low condition, when he begins to be wanted by them, becomes to be fear'd by them. But do the multitude fear a man, because they want him? Certainly we must read, Comes dear'd, by being lack'd. i. e. endear'd, a favourite to them. Besides, the context requires this reading; for it was not fear, but love, that made the people flock to young Pompey, and what occasion'd this reflexion. So in Coriolanus, I shall be lov'd, when I am lack'd. Warb.

Note return to page 137 8Goes to, and back, lashing the varying tide, To rot itself with motion.] How can a flag, or rush, floating upon a stream, and that has no motion but what the fluctuation of the water gives it, be said to lash the tide? This is making a scourge of a weak ineffective thing, and giving it an active violence in its own power. All the old editions read lacking. 'Tis true, there is no sense in that reading; but the addition of a single letter will not only give us good sense, but the genuine word of our author into the bargain. &lblank; Lacquing the varying tide, i. e. floating backwards and forwards with the variation of the tide, like a page, or lacquey, at his master's heels. Theob.

Note return to page 138 9&lblank; which they ear &lblank;] To ear, is to plow; a common metaphor.

Note return to page 139 1Lack blood to think on't, &lblank;] Turn pale at the thought of it.

Note return to page 140 2&lblank; Mandragora.] A plant, of which the infusion was supposed to procure sleep. Shakespeare mentions it in Othello: Not poppy, nor Mandragora, Can ever med'cine thee to that sweet sleep.

Note return to page 141 3&lblank; that great med'cine hath With his tinct gilded thee.] Alluding to the philosopher's stone, which, by its touch, converts base metal into gold. The Alchemists call the matter, whatever it be, by which they perform transmutation, a medicine.

Note return to page 142 4&lblank; arm-gaunt steed,] i. e. his steed worn lean and thin by much service in war. So Farefax, His stall-worn steed the champion stout bestrode. Warb. On this note Mr. Edwards has been very lavish of his pleasantry, and indeed has justly censured the misquotation of stall-worn for stall-worth, which means strong, but makes no attempt to explain the word in the play. Mr. Seward, in his preface to Beaumont, has very elaborately endeavoured to prove, that an armgaunt steed is a steed with lean shoulders. Arm is the Teutonick word for want, or poverty. Arm-gaunt may be therefore an old word, signifying, lean for want, ill fed. Edwards's observation, that a worn-out horse is not proper for Atlas to mount in battle, is impertinent; the horse here mentioned seems to be a post-horse, rather than a war-horse. Yet as armgaunt seems not intended to imply any defect, it perhaps means, a horse so slender that a man might clasp him, and therefore formed for expedition. Hanmer reads, &lblank; arm-girt steed.

Note return to page 143 5Was beastly dumb by him] Mr. Theobald reads dumb'd, put to silence. Alexas means (says he) the horse made such a neighing that if he had spoke he could not have been heard. A very pretty speech, and agreeable to the politeness of one of Cleopatra's courtiers. Shakespeare wrote, Was beastly done by him. i. e. the sense of what I would have spoke the horse declared, tho' in inarticulate sounds. The case was this, Alexas came to take leave of Antony, who recommended a message to him to his mistress. Alexas then had no more to do but make his compliments: But in that instant Antony mounted his war-horse, long accustomed to bear him, who no sooner felt his master's weight, but, as is usual for horses of service, neighed in a very sprightly manner. This circumstance (such a one as poets and romances when they speak of their heros' adventures, never fail to improve) Alexas is made to turn to a compliment on Antony, which could not but please Cleopatra. I was going, says he, to pay my farewel compliments to Antony, to predict his future successes, and to salute him with the usual appellations of victory, when the horse got the start of me; and by his neighing so high and sprightly, shewed him to be sensible that he had a hero on his back whom he was bearing to conquest. But we are not to suppose that Alexas after this did not make his speech, but let the hero's horse do it for him. This was only a small interruption to his compliments, which, as a flattering circumstance, he mentions to please his mistress. The error of dumb for done, seems to have been occasioned by the editor's mistaking the word high for loud, whereas it here signifies sprightly. Warburton. The passage seems not to deserve much care. It probably is as it was written, and means what Theobald has expressed.

Note return to page 144 6My sallad days: When I was green in judgment, cold in blood! To say, as I said then, &lblank;] This puzzles the late editor, Mr. Theobald. He says, Cleopatra may speak very naturally here with contempt of her judgment at that period: But how truly with regard to the coldness of her blood may admit some question: And then employs his learning to prove, that at this cold season of her blood, she had seen twenty good years. But yet he thinks his author may be justified, because Plutarch calls Cleopatra at those years, &grK;&groa;&grr;&grh;, which by ill luck proves just the contrary; for that state which the Greeks designed by &grK;&groa;&grr;&grh;, was the very height of blood. But Shakespeare's best justification is restoring his own sense, which is done merely by a different pointing. My sallad days; When I was green in judgment. Cold in blood! To say as I said then. Cold in blood, is an upbraiding expostulation to her maid. These, says she, were my sallad days, when I was green in judgment; but your blood is as cold as my judgment, if you have the same opinion of things now as I had then. Warburton.

Note return to page 145 7&lblank; unpeople Ægypt.] By sending out messengers.

Note return to page 146 8The persons are so named in the first edition; but I know not why Menecrates appears; Menas can do all without him.

Note return to page 147 9While we are suitors to their Throne, decays The thing we sue for.] This nonsense should be read thus, While we are suitors to their Throne, delay's The thing we sue for. Menecrates had said, The Gods do not deny that which they delay. The other turns his words to a different meaning, and replies, Delay is the very thing we beg of them, i. e. the delay of our enemies in making preparation against us; which he explains afterwards, by saying Mark Antony was tied up by lust in Ægypt; Cæsar, by avarice at Rome; and Lepidus employed in keeping well with both. Warb. It is not always prudent to be too hasty in exclamation; the reading which Dr. Warburton rejects as nonsense, is in my opinion right; if delay be what they sue for, they have it, and the consolation offered becomes superfluous. The meaning is, While we are praying, the thing for which we pray is losing its value.

Note return to page 148 1In old editions, My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope Says, it will come to th' full.] What does the relative it belong to? It cannot in sense relate to hope, nor in concord to powers. The Poet's allusion is to the moon; and Pompey would say, he is yet but a half-moon, or crescent; but his hopes tell him, that crescent will come to a full orb. Theobald.

Note return to page 149 2&lblank; thy wan lip!] In the old edition it is &lblank; thy wand lip! Perhaps, for fond lip, or warm lip.

Note return to page 150 3&lblank; But let us rear The higher our opinion, that our stirring Can from the lap of Ægypt's widow pluck The near lust-wearied Antony] Sextus Pompeius, upon hearing that Antony is every hour expected in Rome, does not much relish the news. He is twice the soldier, (says he) that Octavius and Lepidus are; and I did not think, the petty war, which I am raising, would rouze him from his amours in Ægypt.— But why should Pompey hold a higher opinion of his own expedition, because it awak'd Antony to arms, who was near weary, almost surfeited, of lascivious pleasures? Indolent and stupid editors, that can dispense with words without ever weighing the reason of them! How easy is the change to the true reading! The ne'er-lust-wearied Antony. If Antony, though never tir'd of luxury, yet mov'd from that charm, upon Pompey's stirring, it was a reason for Pompey to pride himself upon being of such consequence. Theobald. Could it be imagined, after this swelling exultation, that the first edition stands literally thus, The neere Lust-wearied Antony.

Note return to page 151 4&lblank; square &lblank;] That is, quarrel.

Note return to page 152 5Our lives upon,] This play is not divided into acts by the authour 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.

Note return to page 153 6Were I the wearer of Antonio's beard, I would not shav't to-day.] Alluding to the phrase, I will beard him. Warburton. I believe he means, I would meet him undressed, without shew of respect.

Note return to page 154 7Nor curstness grow to th' matter.] Let not ill humour be added to the real subject of our difference.

Note return to page 155 8&lblank; their contestation Was theam 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 Cæsar, was theam for Antony too to make war; or was the occasion why he did make war. But this is directly contrary to the context, which shews, Antony did neither encourage them to it, nor second them in it. We cannot doubt then, but the poet wrote; &lblank; and their contestation Was theam'd for you. i. e. The pretence of their war was on your account, they took up arms in your name, and you were made the theme and subject of their insurrection. Warb. I am neither satisfied with the reading nor the emendation; theam'd is, I think, a word unauthorised, and very harsh. Perhaps we may read, &lblank; their contestation Had theme from you, you were the word o' th' war. The dispute derived its subject from you. It may be corrected by mere transposition, &lblank; their contestation You were theme for, you were the word.

Note return to page 156 9&lblank; my brother never Did urge me in his act: &lblank;] i. e. never did make use of my name as a pretence for the war. Warburton.

Note return to page 157 1Having alike your cause? &lblank;] The meaning seems to be, having the same cause as you to be offended with me. But why, because he was offended with Antony, should he make war upon Cæsar? May it not be read thus, &lblank; Did he not rather Discredit my authority with yours, And make the wars alike against my stomach, Hating alike our cause?

Note return to page 158 2As matter whole you've not to make it with,] The original copy reads, As matter whole you have to make it with. Without doubt erroneously; I therefore only observe it, that the reader may more readily admit the liberties which the editors of this authour's works have necessarily taken.

Note return to page 159 3&lblank; fronted &lblank;] That is, opposed.

Note return to page 160 4I told him of myself; &lblank;] i. e. told him the condition I was in, when he had his last audience. Warburton.

Note return to page 161 5The Honour's sacred &lblank;] Sacred, for unbroken, unviolated. Warburton. Dr. Warburton seems to understand this passage thus; The honour which he talks of me as lacking, is unviolated, I never lacked it. This may perhaps be the true meaning, but before I read the note, I understood it thus: Lepidus interrupts Cæsar, on the supposition that what he is about to say will be too harsh to be endured by Antony; to which Antony replies, No, Lepidus, let him speak, the security of honour on which he now speaks, on which this conference is held now, is sacred, even supposing that I lacked honour before.

Note return to page 162 6&lblank; your considerate stone. &lblank;] This line is passed by all the editors, as if they understood it, and believed it universally intelligible. I cannot find in it any very obvious, and hardly any possible meaning. I would therefore read, Go to then, you considerate ones. You, who dislike my frankness and temerity of speech, and are so considerate and discreet, go to, do your own business.

Note return to page 163 7I do not much dislike the matter, but The manner of his speech: &lblank;] What, not dislike the matter of it? when he says presently after, that he would do every thing to prevent the evil Enobarbus predicted. Besides, are we to suppose that common civility would suffer him to take the same liberty with Antony's lieutenant, that Antony himself did? Shakespeare wrote, I do not much dislike the manner, but The matter of his speech: &lblank; i. e. 'tis not his liberty of speech, but the mischiefs he speaks of, which I dislike. This agrees with what follows, and is said with much urbanity, and show of friendship. Warburton. I think the old reading right. I do not, says Cæsar, think the man wrong, but too free of his interposition; for't cannot be, we shall remain in friendship: yet if it were possible, I would endeavour it. The consideration of the ceremony due from Cæsar to the Lieutenant of Antony, is a criticism of the lowest rate, unworthy of confutation.

Note return to page 164 8&lblank; your Reproof Were well deserv'd &lblank;] In the old edition, &lblank; your proof Were well deserv'd &lblank; Which Mr. Theobald, with his usual triumph, changes to approof, which he explains, allowance. Dr. Warburton inserted reproof very properly into Hanmer's edition, but forgot it in his own.

Note return to page 165 9Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;] Lest I be thought too willing to forget benefits, I must barely return him thanks, and then I will defy him.

Note return to page 166 1O'er-picturing that Venus, where we see, &c.] Meaning the Venus of Protogenes mentioned by Pliny, l. 35. c. 10. Warburton.

Note return to page 167 2And what they undid, did.] It might be read less harshly, And what they did, undid.

Note return to page 168 3&lblank; tended her i' th' eyes.] Perhaps tended her by th' eyes, discovered her will by her eyes.

Note return to page 169 4And made their Bends adornings. &lblank;] This is sense indeed, and may be understood thus, her maids bowed with so good an air, that it added new graces to them. But this is not what Shakespeare would say: Cleopatra, in this famous scene, personated Venus just rising from the waves: at which time the Mythologists tell us, the Sea-deities surrounded the goddess to adore, and pay her homage. Agreeably to this fable Cleopatra had dressed her maids, the poet tells us, like Nereids. To make the whole therefore conformable to the story represented, we may be assured, Shakespeare wrote, And made their Bends adorings. They did her observance in the posture of adoration, as if she had been Venus. Warb.

Note return to page 170 5&lblank; which, but for vacancy, Had gone &lblank;] Alluding to an axiom in the peripatetic philosophy then in vogue, that Nature abhors a vacuum. Warb.

Note return to page 171 6I see it in my Motion, have it not in my Tongue;] What motion? I can trace no sense in this word here, unless the author were alluding to that agitation of the divinity, which diviners pretend to when the sit of foretelling is upon them; but then, I think verily, he would have wrote, emotion. I am persuaded, Shakespeare meant that the Soothsayer should say, he saw a reason in his thought or opinion, though he gave that thought or opinion no utterance. Theobald. I see it in my motion, &lblank;] i. e. the divinitory agitation. Warb.

Note return to page 172 7Becomes a Fear, &lblank;] i. e. a fearful thing. The abstract for the concrete. Warburton. Mr. Upton reads, Becomes afear'd, &lblank; The common reading is more poetical.

Note return to page 173 8&lblank; his quails &lblank;] The ancients used to match quails as we match cocks.

Note return to page 174 9&lblank; inhoop'd, at odds. &lblank;] Thus the old copy. Inhoop'd is inclosed, confined, that they may fight. The modern editions read, Beat mine, in whoop'd at odds.

Note return to page 175 1&lblank; musick, moody food] The mood, is the mind, or mental disposition. Van Haaren's panegyrick on the English begins, Groot-moedig. Volk, [great-minded Nation.] Perhaps here is a poor jest intended between mood the mind and moods of musick.

Note return to page 176 2Tawny-finn'd fish; &lblank;] The first copy reads, Tawney fine fish. &lblank;

Note return to page 177 3&lblank; whilst I wore his sword Philippan.] We are not to suppose, nor is there any warrant from history, that Antony had any particular sword so call'd. The dignifying weapons, in this sort, is a custom of much more recent date. This therefore seems a compliment à posteriori. We find Antony afterwards, in this play, boasting of his own prowess at Philippi. Ant. Yes, my Lord, yes; he at Philippi kept His sword e'en like a dancer; while I strook The lean and wrinkled Cassius; &c. That was the greatest action of Antony's life; and therefore this seems a fine piece of flattery, intimating, that his sword ought to be denominated from that illustrious battle, in the same manner as modern heroes in romance are made to give their swords pompous names. Theobald.

Note return to page 178 4Not like a formal man.] Formal, for ordinary. Warb. Rather decent, regular.

Note return to page 179 5I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail Rich pearls upon thee.] That is, I will give thee a kingdom; it being the eastern ceremony, at the coronation of their Kings, to powder them with gold-dust and seed-pearl; so Milton, &lblank; the gorgeous East with liberal hand Showers on her Kings barbaric pearl and gold. In the life of Timur-bec or Tamerlane, written by a Persian contemporary author, are the following words, as translated by Monsieur Petit de la Croix, in the account there given of his coronation, Book ii. chap. 1. Les Princes du sang royal & les Emirs repandirent à pleines mains sur sa téte quantitè d'or & de pierreries selon la coûtume. Warb.

Note return to page 180 6That art not what thou'rt sure of! &lblank;] For this, which is not easily understood, Sir Tho. Hanmer has given, That say'st but what thou'rt sure of! &lblank; I am not satisfied with the change, which, though it affords sense, exhibits little spirit. I fancy the line consists only of abrupt starts. Oh, that his fault should make a knave of thee, That art—not what?—Thou'rt sure on't.—Get thee hence. That his fault should make a knave of thee that art—but what shall I say thou art not?— Thou art then sure of this marriage. —Get thee hence. Dr. Warburton has received Sir T. Hanmer's emendation.

Note return to page 181 7Let him for ever go. &lblank;] She is now talking in broken sentences, not of the Messenger, but Antony.

Note return to page 182 8Thou canst not fear us, &lblank;] Thou canst not affright us with thy numerous navy.

Note return to page 183 9But since the cuckow builds not for himself,] Since like the cuckow, that seizes the nests of other birds, you have invaded a house which you could not build, keep it while you can.

Note return to page 184 1What counts hard fortune casts, &c.] Metaphor from making marks or lines in casting accounts in arithmetick. Warb.

Note return to page 185 2I will praise any man that will praise me,] The poet's art in delivering this humourous sentiment (which gives us so very true and natural a picture of the commerce of the world) can never be sufficiently admired. The confession could come from none but a frank and rough character like the speaker's: and the moral lesson insinuated under it, that flattery can make its way through the most stubborn manners, deserves our serious reflexion. Warburton.

Note return to page 186 3some o' their plants] Plants, besides its common meaning, is here used for the foot, from the Latin.

Note return to page 187 4They have made him drink alms-drink.] A phrase, amongst good-fellows, to signify that liquor of another's share which his companion drinks to ease him. But it satirically alludes to Cæsar and Antony's admitting him into the triumvirate, in order to take off from themselves the load of envy. Warburton.

Note return to page 188 5As they pinch one another by the disposition.] A phrase equivalent to that now in use, of Touching one in a sore place. Warb.

Note return to page 189 6a Partizan] A pike.

Note return to page 190 7To be call'd into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in't, are the holes where eyes should be, which pitifully disaster the cheeks.] This speech seems to be mutilated; to supply the deficiencies is impossible, but perhaps the sense was originally approaching to this: To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in it, is a very ignominious state; great offices are the holes where eyes should be, which, if eyes be wanting, pitifully disaster the cheeks.

Note return to page 191 8&lblank; thy pall'd fortunes &lblank;] Palled, is vapid, past its time of excellence; palled wine, is wine that has lost its original spriteliness.

Note return to page 192 9&lblank; strike the vessels, &lblank;] Try whether the casks sound as empty.

Note return to page 193 1In old editions, The Holding ev'ry man shall beat] The company are to join in the burden, which the poet stiles, the Holding. But how were they to beat this with their sides? I am persuaded, the poet wrote: The Holding ev'ry man shall bear, as loud As his strong sides can volly. The breast and sides are immediately concerned in straining to sing as loud and forcibly as a man can. Theobald.

Note return to page 194 2Oh, Antony, you have my father's house.] The historian Paterculus says, Cum Pompeio quoque circa Misenum pax inita: Qui hand absurdè cum in navi Cæsaremque et Antonium cœna exriperet, dixit: In Carinis suis se cœnam dare: referens hoc dictum ad loci nomen, in quo paterna domus ab Antonio possidebatur. Out author, though he lost the joke, yet seems willing to commemorate the story. Warburton.

Note return to page 195 3&lblank; that, without the which A soldier and his sword grant scarce distinction:] Grant, for afford. It is badly and obscurely expressed; but the sense is this, Thou hast that, Ventidius, which if thou didst want, there would be no distinction between thee and thy sword. You would both be equally cutting and senseless. This was wisdom or knowledge of the world. Ventidius had told him the reasons why he did not pursue his advantages: And his friend, by this compliment, acknowledges them to be of weight. Warburton.

Note return to page 196 4&lblank; Arabian bird!] The Phœnix.

Note return to page 197 5&lblank; bards, poets, &lblank;] Not only the tautology of bards and poets, but the want of a correspondent action for the Poet, whose business in the next line is only to number, makes me suspect some fault in this passage, which I know not how to mend.

Note return to page 198 6&lblank; as my furthest bond] As I will venture the greatest pledge of security on the trial of thy conduct.

Note return to page 199 7The elements be kind, &c.] This is obscure. It seems to mean, May the different elements of the body, or principles of life, maintain such proportion and harmony as may keep you cheerful.

Note return to page 200 8Believe't, 'till I weep too.] I have ventur'd to alter the tense of the verb here, against the authority of all the copies. There was no sense in it, I think, as it stood before. Theobald.

Note return to page 201 9When the best hint was giv'n him, he o'erlook'd, Or did it from his teeth.] The first folio reads, not look'd. Dr. Thirlby advis'd the emendation which I have inserted in the text. Theobald.

Note return to page 202 1&lblank; the mean time, lady, I'll raise the preparation of a war, Shall stain your brother; &lblank;] Thus the printed copies. But, sure, Antony, whose business here is to mollify Octavia, does it with a very ill grace: and 'tis a very odd way of satisfying her, to tell her, the war, he raises, shall stain, i. e. cast an odium upon her brother. I have no doubt, but we must read, with the addition only of a single letter, Shall strain your brother. &lblank; i e. Shall lay him under constraints; shall put him to such shifts, that he shall neither be able to make a progress against, or to prejudice me. Plutarch says; that Octavius, understanding the sudden and wonderful preparations of Antony, was astonish'd at it; for he himself was in many wants; and the people were sorely oppressed with grievous exactions. Theob. I do not see but stain may be allowed to remain unaltered, meaning no more than shame or disgrace.

Note return to page 203 2&lblank; wars 'twixt you 'twain would be, &c.] The thought is wonderfully sublime. It is taken from Curtius's leaping into the gulf in the Forum, in order to close the gap. As that was closed by one Roman, so it is insinuated, that if the whole world were to cleave, Romans only could solder up the chasm. The expression is exact. For as metal is soldered by metal more pure and noble, so the globe was to be soldered up by men, who are only a more refined earth. Warburton. This wonderful allusion is, I believe, more in the thought of the commentator than of the poet. The sense is, that war between Cæsar and Antony would engage the world between them, and that the slaughter would be great in so extensive a commotion.

Note return to page 204 3rivality,] Equal rank.

Note return to page 205 4Upon his own appeal,] To appeal, in Shakespeare, is to accuse; Cæsar seized Lepidus without any other proof than Cæsar's accusation.

Note return to page 206 5Then 'would thou hadst a pair of chaps, no more, and throw between them all the food thou hast, they'll grind the other. Where's Antony?] This is obscure, I read it thus, Then, world, thou hast a fair of chaps, no more, And throw between them all the food thou hast, They'll grind the one the other. Where's Antony? Cæsar and Antony will make war on each other, though they have the world to prey upon between them.

Note return to page 207 6&lblank; More, Domitius.] I have something more to tell you, which I might have told at first, and delayed my news. Antony requires your presence.

Note return to page 208 7For Lydia Mr. Upton, from Plutarch, has restored Lybia.

Note return to page 209 8Which soon he granted, Being an Abstract 'tween his lust and him.] Antony very soon comply'd to let Octavia go at her request, says Cæsar; and why? Because she was an abstract between his inordinate passion and him; this is absurd. We must read, Being an Obstruct 'tween his lust and him. i. e. his wife being an obstruction, a bar to the prosecution of his wanton pleasures with Cleopatra. Warburton.

Note return to page 210 9Mr. Upton remarks, that there are some errours in this enumeration of the auxiliary Kings; but it is probable that the authour did not much wish to be accurate.

Note return to page 211 1&lblank; potent regiment &lblank;] Regiment, is government, authority; he puts his power and his empire into the hands of a false woman. It may be observed, that trull was not, in our authour's time, a term of mere infamy, but a word of slight contempt, as wench is now.

Note return to page 212 2&lblank; forespoke my being &lblank;] To forespeak, is to contradict, to speak against, as forbid is to order negatively.

Note return to page 213 3By Hercules, I think, I am, i' th' right. Can. Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows Not in the pow'r on't: &lblank;] That is, his whole conduct becomes ungoverned by the right, or by reason.

Note return to page 214 4&lblank; distractions &lblank;] Detachments; separate bodies.

Note return to page 215 5Th' Antonias, &c.] Which Plutarch says, was the name of Cleopatra's ship. Pope.

Note return to page 216 6The greater cantle &lblank;] A piece or lump. Pope. Cantle is rather a corner. Cæsar in this play mentions the three-neck'd world. Of this triangular world every Triumvir had a corner.

Note return to page 217 7&lblank; token'd &lblank;] Spotted.

Note return to page 218 8&lblank; ribauld &lblank;] A luxurious squanderer. Pope. The word is in the old edition ribaudred, which I do not understand, but mention it, in hopes others may raise some happy conjecture.

Note return to page 219 9Whom leprosy o'ertake! &lblank;] Leprosy, an epidemical distemper of the Ægyptians; to which Horace probably alludes in the controverted line, Contaminato cum grege turpium Morbo virorum.

Note return to page 220 1The brieze upon her, &lblank;] The brieze is the gad fly, which in summer stings the cows, and drives them violently about.

Note return to page 221 2The wounded chance of Antony, &lblank;] I know not whether the authour, who loves to draw his images from the sports of the field, might not have written, The wounded chafe of Antony, &lblank; The allusion is to a deer wounded and chased, whom all other deer avoid. I will, says Enobarbus, follow Antony, though chased and wounded. The common reading however may very well stand.

Note return to page 222 3&lblank; so lated in the world, &lblank;] Alluding to a benighted traveller.

Note return to page 223 4&lblank; I've lost command.] I am not master of my own emotions.

Note return to page 224 5&lblank; He at Philippi kept His sword e'en like a dancer, &lblank;] In the Morisco, and perhaps anciently in the Fyrrhick dance, the dancers held swords in their hands with the points upward.

Note return to page 225 6&lblank; and 'twas I, That the mad Brutus ended; &lblank;] Nothing can be more in character, than for an infamous debauched tyrant to call the heroic love of one's country and public liberty, madness. Warb.

Note return to page 226 7&lblank; he alone Dealt on lieutenantry, &lblank;] I know not whether the meaning is, that Cæsar only acted as lieutenant at Philippi, or that he made his attempts only on lieutenants, and left the Generals to Antony.

Note return to page 227 8&lblank; death will seize her, but Your comfort, &c.] But has here, as once before in this play, the force of except, or unless.

Note return to page 228 9How I convey my shame &lblank;] How, by looking another way, I withdraw my ignominy from your sight.

Note return to page 229 1&lblank; ty'd by th' string,] That is, by the heart string.

Note return to page 230 2The circle of the Ptolemies &lblank;] The diadem; the ensign of royalty.

Note return to page 231 3&lblank; how Antony becomes his flaw;] That is, how Antony conforms himself to this breach of his fortune.

Note return to page 232 4Think, and die.] Read, Drink, and die. This reply of Enobarbus seems grounded upon a particularity in the conduct of Antony and Cleopatra, which is related by Plutarch: that, after their defeat at Actium, they instituted a society of friends who entered into engagement to die with them, not abating in the mean time any part of their luxury, excess and riot, in which they had liv'd before. Hanmer. This reading offered by Sir T. Hanmer, is received by Dr. Warburton and Mr. Upton, but I have not advanced it into the page, not being convinced that it is necessary. Think, and die; that is, Reflect on your folly, and leave the world, is a natural answer.

Note return to page 233 5&lblank; he being The meered question. &lblank;] The meered question is a term which I do not understand. I know not what to offer, except, The mooted question. &lblank; That is, the disputed point, the subject of debate. Mere is indeed a boundary, and the meered question, if it can mean any thing, may, with some violence of language, mean, the disputed boundary.

Note return to page 234 6&lblank; his gay comparisons apart, And answer me declin'd, &lblank;] I require of Cæsar not to depend on that superiority which the comparison of our different fortunes may exhibit to him, but to answer me man to man, in this decline of my age or power.

Note return to page 235 7The loyalty, well held to fools, &c.] After Enobarbus has said, that his honesty and he begin to quarrel, he immediately falls into this generous reflection: “Tho' loyalty, stubbornly preserv'd to a master in his declin'd fortunes, seems folly in the eyes of fools; yet he, who can be so obstinately loyal, will make as great a figure on record, as the conqueror.” I therefore read, Though loyalty, well held, to fools does make Our faith meer folly &lblank; Theobald. I have preserved the old reading: Enobarbus is deliberating upon desertion, and finding it is more prudent to forsake a fool, and more reputable to be faithful to him, makes no positive conclusion. Sir T. Hanmer follows Theobald; Dr. Warburton retains the old reading.

Note return to page 236 8&lblank; Cæsar intreats, Not to consider in what case thou stand'st Further than he is Cæsar.] i e. Cæsar intreats, that at the same time you consider your desperate fortunes, you wou'd consider he is Cæsar: That is, generous and forgiving, able and willing to restore them. Warb.

Note return to page 237 9Most kind messenger; Say to great Cæsar this in Disputation, I kiss his conqu'ring hand: &lblank;] The poet certainly wrote, Most kind messenger, Say to great Cæsar this; in deputation I kiss his conqu'ring hand: &lblank; i. e. by Proxy; I depute you to pay him that duty in my name. Warburton.

Note return to page 238 1Tell him, that from his all-obeying breath, &c.] Doom is declared rather by an all-commanding, than an all-obeying breath. I suppose we ought to read, &lblank; all obeyed breath.

Note return to page 239 2&lblank; Give me grace &lblank;] Grant me the favour.

Note return to page 240 3Like boys unto a muss, &lblank;] i. e. a scramble. Pope.

Note return to page 241 4By one that looks on feeders?] One that waits at the table while others are eating.

Note return to page 242 5The horned herd, &lblank;] Is it not without pity and indignation that the reader of this great Poet meets so often with this low jest, which is too much a favourite to be left out of either mirth or fury.

Note return to page 243 6&lblank; to quit me. &lblank;] To repay me this insult; to requite me.

Note return to page 244 7By the discattering of this pelletted storm,] This reading we owe first, I presume, to Mr. Rowe: and Mr. Pope has very faithfully fall'n into it. The old folio's read, d s andering: from which corruption both Dr. Thirlby and I saw, we must retrieve the word with which I have reform'd the text. Theobald.

Note return to page 245 8&lblank; and float, &lblank;] This is a modern emendation, perhaps right. The old reading is, &lblank; and fleet, &lblank;

Note return to page 246 9Were nice and lucky, &lblank;] Nice, for delicate, courtly, flowing in peace. Warb. Nice rather seems to be, just fit for my purpose, agreeable to my wish. So we vulgarly say of any thing that is done better than was expected, it is nice.

Note return to page 247 1I have many other ways to die: &lblank;] What a reply is this to Antony's challenge? 'tis acknowledging that he should die under the unequal combat; but if we read, He hath many other ways to die: mean time, I laugh at his challenge. In this reading we have poinanty, and the very repartee of Cæsar. Let's hear Plutarch. After this, Antony sent a challenge to Cæsar, to fight him hand to hand, and received for answer, that he might find several other ways to end his life. Upton. I think this emendation deserves to be received. It had, before Mr. Upton's book appeared, been made by Sir T. Hanmer.

Note return to page 248 2Make boot of &lblank;] Take advantage of.

Note return to page 249 3&lblank; take all.] Let the survivor take all. No composition, victory or death.

Note return to page 250 4&lblank; one of those odd tricks, &lblank;] I know not what obscurity the editors find in this passage. Trick is here used in the sense in which it is uttered every day by every mouth elegant and vulgar: yet Sir T. Hanmer changes it to freaks, and Dr. Warburton, in his rage of Gallicism, to traits.

Note return to page 251 5&lblank; or if, A mangled shadow. &lblank;] Or if you see me more, you will see me a mangled shadow, only the external form of what I was.

Note return to page 252 6&lblank; onion-ey'd &lblank;] I have my eyes as full of tears as if they had been fretted by onions.

Note return to page 253 7&lblank; death and honour. &lblank;] That is, an honourable death. Upton.

Note return to page 254 8&lblank; thine iron &lblank;] I think it should be rather, &lblank; mine iron &lblank;

Note return to page 255 9Nay, I'll help too.] These three little speeches, which in the other editions are only one, and given to Cleopatra, were happily disentangled by Sir T. Hanmer.

Note return to page 256 1Briefly, Sir.] That is, quickly, Sir.

Note return to page 257 2Eros. The Gods make this a happy day to Antony!] 'Tis evident, as Dr. Thirlby likewise conjectur'd, by what Antony immediately replies, that this line should not be placed to Eros, but to the Soldier, who, before the battle of Actium, advis'd Antony to try his fate at land. Theob.

Note return to page 258 3&lblank; Dispatch, my Eros.] The old edition reads, &lblank; Dispatch Enobarbus. Perhaps, it should be, &lblank; Dispatch! To Enobarbus!

Note return to page 259 4Our will is, Antony be took alive;] It is observable with what judgment Shakespeare draws the character of Octavius. Antony was his Hero; so the other was not to shine: yet being an historical character, there was a necessity to draw him like. But the ancient historians his flatterers, had delivered him down so fair, that he seems ready cut and dried for a Hero. Amidst these difficulties Shakespeare has extricated himself with great address. He has admitted all those great strokes of his character as he found them, and yet has made him a very unamiable character, deceitful, mean-spirited, narrow-minded, proud and revengeful. Warburton.

Note return to page 260 5Shall bear the olive freely.] i. e. shall spring up every where spontaneously and without culture. Warburton.

Note return to page 261 6&lblank; persuade] The old copy has dissuade, perhaps rightly.

Note return to page 262 7&lblank; This blows my heart;] All the latter editions have, &lblank; This bows my heart; I have given the original word again the place from which I think it unjustly excluded. This generosity, says Enobarbus, swells my heart, so that it will quickly break, if thought break it not, a swifter mean.

Note return to page 263 8&lblank; and our oppression] Oppression, for opposition. Warb. Sir T. Hanmer has received opposition. Perhaps rightly.

Note return to page 264 9&lblank; run one before, And let the Queen know of our Guests; &lblank;] What Guests was the Queen to know of? Antony was to fight again on the morrow; and he had not yet said a word of marching to Alexandria, and treating his officers in the Palace. We must read, And let the Queen know of our Gests. i. e. res gestæ; our feats, our glorious actions. A term then in common use. Warb. This passage needs neither correction nor explanation. Antony after his success intends to bring his officers to sup with Cleopatra, and orders notice to be given her of their guests.

Note return to page 265 1To this great fairy &lblank;] Mr. Upton has well observed, that fairy, which Dr. Warburton and Sir T. Hanmer explain by Inchantress, comprises the idea of power and beauty.

Note return to page 266 2&lblank; get goal for goal of youth. &lblank;] At all plays of barriers, the boundary is called a goal; to win a goal, is to be superiour in a contest of activity.

Note return to page 267 3Bear our hackt targets, like the men that owe them.] i. e, hackt as much as the men are, to whom they belong. Warb. Why not rather, Bear our hack'd targets with spirit and exaltation, such as becomes the brave warriors that own them.

Note return to page 268 4&lblank; Throw my heart] The pathetick of Shakespeare too often ends in the ridiculous. It is painful to find the gloomy dignity of this noble scene destroyed by the intrusion of a conceit so far-fetched and unaffecting.

Note return to page 269 5Hark, how the drums demurely &lblank;] Demurely, for solemnly. Warburton.

Note return to page 270 6They have put forth the haven. Further on,] These words, further on, though not necessary, have been inserted in the later editions, and are not in the first.

Note return to page 271 7Where their appointment we may best discover, And look on their endeavour.] i. e. where we may best discover their numbers, and see their motions. Warburton.

Note return to page 272 8But being charg'd, we will be still by land, Which, as I take't, we shall;] i. e. unless we be charged we will remain quiet at land, which quiet I suppose we shall keep. But being charged was a phrase of that time, equivalent to unless we be, which the Oxford Editor not understanding, he has alter'd the lines thus, Not being charg'd, we will be still by land, Which as I take't we shall not. Warburton.

Note return to page 273 9&lblank; Triple-turn'd whore! &lblank;] She was first for Antony, then was supposed by him to have turned to Cæsar, when he found his messenger kissing her hand, then she turned again to Antony, and now has turned to Cæsar. Shall I mention what has dropped into my imagination, that our authour might perhaps have written triple-tongued? Double-tongued is a common term of reproach, which rage might improve to triple-tongued. But the present reading may stand.

Note return to page 274 1That spaniel'd me at heels, &lblank;] All the editions read, That pannell'd me at heels, &lblank; Sir T. Hanmer substituted spaniel'd by an emendation, with which it was reasonable to expect that even rival commentators would be satisfied; yet Dr. Warburton proposes pantler'd, in a note, of which he is not injured by the suppression, and Mr. Upton having in his first edition proposed plausibly enough, That paged me at heels, &lblank; in the second edition retracts his alteration, and maintains pannell'd to be the right reading, being a metaphor taken, he says, from a pannel of wainscot.

Note return to page 275 2&lblank; this grave charm,] I know not by what authority, nor for what reason, this grave Charm, which the first, the only original copy, exhibits, has been through all the modern editions changed to this gay Charm. By this grave Charm, is meant, this sublime, this majestick beauty.

Note return to page 276 3&lblank; to the very heart of loss.] To the utmost loss possible.

Note return to page 277 4&lblank; Most monster-like, be shewn For poor'st diminutives, for dolts; &lblank;] As the allusion here is to monsters carried about in shews, it is plain, that the words, for poorest diminutives, must mean for the least piece of money; we must therefore read the next word, for doits, i. e. farthings. which shews what he means by poorest diminutives. Warb.

Note return to page 278 5With her prepared nails. &lblank;] i. e. with nails which she suffered to grow for this purpose. Warb.

Note return to page 279 6Let me lodge Lichas &lblank;] Sir T. Hanmer reads thus, &lblank; thy rage Led thee lodge Lichas—and &lblank; Subdue thy worthiest self. &lblank; This reading, harsh as it is, Dr. Warburton has received, after having rejected many better. The meaning is, Let me do something in my rage, becoming the successor of Hercules. Led thee lodge Lichas on the horns o' th' moon,] This image our poet seems to have taken from Seneca's Hercules, who says Lichas being launched into the air, sprinkled the clouds with his blood. Sophocles, on the same occasion, talks at a much soberer rate. Warburton.

Note return to page 280 7Pack'd cards with Cæsar, and false play'd my Glory Unto an enemy's triumph &lblank;] Shakespeare has here, as usual, taken his metaphor from a low trivial subject; but has enobled it with much art, by so contriving that the principal term in the subject form whence the metaphor was taken, should belong to, and suit the dignity of the subject to which the metaphor is transferred: thereby providing at once for the integrity of the figure, and the nobleness of the thought. And this by the word triumph, which either signifies Octavius's conquests, or what we now call, contractedly, the trump at cards, then called the triumph or the triumphing sort. Warb. This explanation is very just, the thought did not deserve so good an annotation.

Note return to page 281 8The battery from my heart. &lblank;] I would read, This battery from my heart. &lblank;

Note return to page 282 9&lblank; seal then, and all is done.] Metaphor taken from civil contracts, where, when all is agreed on, the sealing compleats the contract; so he had determined to die, and nothing remain'd but to give the stroke. The Oxford Editor not apprehending this, alters it to—sleep then.— Warb. I believe the reading is, &lblank; seel then, and all is done. To seel hawks, is to close their eyes. The meaning will be,   &lblank; since the torch is out, Lie down and stray no further.   Now all labour Marrs what it does,—seel then, and all is done. Close thine eyes for ever, and be quiet.

Note return to page 283 1&lblank; pleacht arms, &lblank;] Arms folded in each other.

Note return to page 284 2His baseness that ensued?] The poor conquer'd wretch that followed.

Note return to page 285 3&lblank; the worship of the whole world &lblank;] The worship, is the dignity, the authority.

Note return to page 286 4O thou Sun, Burn the great Sphere thou mov'st in!—darkling stand The varying shore o' th' world!] &lblank; The varying shore o' th' world! i. e. of the Earth, where light and darkness make an incessant variation. But then, if the Sun should set on fire the whole Sphere, in which he was supposed to move, how could the Earth stand darkling? On the contrary it would be in perpetual light. Therefore, if we will allow Cleopatra not to be quite mad, we must believe she said, Turn from th' great Sphere i. e. forsake it, fly off from it: and then indeed the consequence would be, that the varying shore would become invariably dark. Warburton. She desires the Sun to burn his own orb, the vehicle of light, and then the earth will be dark.

Note return to page 287 5I here importune death &lblank;] I solicite death to delay; or, I trouble death by keeping him waiting. I here importune death a while, untill Of many thousand kisses the poor last I lay upon thy lips.—Come down. Cleo. I dare not, Dear, dear my Lord, your pardon; that I dare not, Lest I be taken! &lblank;] What curious hobbling versification do we encounter here in the last line but one? Besides, how inconsistently is the lady made to reply? Antony says, he only holds life, till he can give her one last kiss: and she cries, she dares not: What dares she not do? kiss Antony? But how should she? she was above lock'd in her monument; and he below, on the outside of it. With a very slight addition, I think, I can cure the whole; and have a warrant from Plutarch for it into the bargain. Now Plutarch says, that “Antony was caried in his men's arms into the entry of the monument: Notwithstanding Cleopatra would not open the gates, but came to the high windows, and cast out certain chains and ropes, &c.”—So that Antony might very reasonably desire her to come down; and she as reasonably excuse herself, for fear of being insnared by Cæsar. Theobald. Mr. Theobald's emendation is received by the succeeding editors; but it seems not necessary that a dialogue so distressful should be nicely regular. I have therefore preserved the original reading in the text, and the emendation below.

Note return to page 288 6&lblank; still conclusion, &lblank;] Sedate determination; silent coolness of resolution.

Note return to page 289 7Here's sport, indeed! &lblank;] I suppose the meaning of these strange words is, here's trifling, you do not work in earnest.

Note return to page 290 8Quicken with kissing.] That is, Revive by my kiss.

Note return to page 291 9&lblank; huswife Fortune &lblank;] This despicable line has occurred before.

Note return to page 292 1The soldier's pole &lblank;] He at whom the soldiers pointed, as at a pageant held high for observation.

Note return to page 293 2The common copies, Peace, peace, Iras. Cleo. No more but a meer woman, &lblank;] Cleopatra is fallen into a swoon; her maids endeavour to recover her by invoking her by her several titles. At length, Charmion says to the other, Peace, peace, Iras; on which Cleopatra comes to herself, and replies to these last words, No, you are mistaken, I am a mere woman like yourself. Thus stands this senseless dialogue. But Shakespeare never wrote it so: We must observe then, that the two women call her by her several titles, to see which best pleased her; and this was highly in character: the Ancients thought, that not only Men, but Gods too, had some names which, above others, they much delighted in, and would soonest answer to; as we may see by the hymns of Orpheus, Homer, and Callimachus. The Poet, conforming to this notion, makes the maids say, Sovereign Lady, Madam, Royal Ægypt, Empress. And now we come to the place in question: Charmion, when she saw none of these titles had their effect, invokes her by a still more flattering one; Peace, peace, Isis! for so it should be read and pointed: i. e. peace, we can never move her by these titles: Let us give her her favourite name of the Goddess Isis. And now Cleopatra's answer becomes pertinent and fine; No more but a mere woman; and commanded By such poor passion as the maid that milks. i. e. I now see the folly of assuming to myself those flattering titles of divinity. My misfortunes, and my impotence in bearing them, convince me I am a mere woman, and subject to all the passions of the meanest of my species. Here the Poet has followed History exactly, and what is more, his author Plutarch in Antonio; who says, that Cleopatra assumed the habit and attributes of that Goddess, and gave judgments or rather oracles to her people under the quality of the NEW ISIS &grK;&grl;&gre;&gro;&grp;&graa;&grt;&grr;&gra; &grm;&greg;&grn; &grl;&grag;&grr; &grk;&gra;&grig; &grt;&gro;&grt;&gre; &grk;&gra;&grig; &grt;&grog;&grn; &gras;&grl;&grl;&gro;&grn; &grx;&grr;&groa;&grn;&gro;&grn; &gres;&gri;&grst; &grp;&grl;&grh;&grq;&gro;&grst; &gres;&grc;&gri;&gro;&gruc;&grs;&gra; &grs;&grt;&gro;&grl;&grh;&grn; &grer;&grt;&grea;&grr;&gra;&grn; &grir;&gre;&grr;&grag;&grn; &grE;&grS;&grI;&grD;&grO;&grST; &gres;&grl;&graa;&grm;&grb;&gra;&grn;&gre;, &grk;&gra;&grig; &grN;&grE;&grA; &grI;&grS;&grI;&grST; &gres;&grx;&grr;&grh;&grm;&graa;&grt;&gri;&grz;&gre;. Warb. Of this note it may be truly said, that it at least deserves to be right, nor can he, that shall question the justness of the emendation, refuse his esteem to the ingenuity and learning with which it is proposed. Hanmer had proposed another emendation, not injudiciously. He reads thus, Iras. Royal Ægypt! Empress! Cleo. Peace, peace, Iras. No more but a meer woman, &c. That is, no more an Empress, but a meer woman. It is somewhat unfortunate that the words, meer woman, which so much strengthen the opposition to either Empress or Isis, are not in the original edition, which stands thus, No more but in a woman. Meer woman was probably the arbitrary reading of Rowe. I suppose however that we may justly change the ancient copy thus, No more, but e'en a woman &lblank; which will well enough accommodate either of the editors. I am inclined to think that she speaks abruptly, not answering her woman, but discoursing with her own thoughts. No more—but e'en a woman. I have no more of my wonted greatness, but am even a woman, on the level with other women; were I what I once was, &lblank; It were for me To throw my scepter, &c. If this simple explanation be admitted, how much labour has been thrown away. Peace, peace, Iras, is said by Charmion, when she sees the Queen recovering, and thinks speech troublesome.

Note return to page 294 3Enter Cæsar, Agrippa, Dolabella, and Menas.] But Menas and Menecrates, we may remember, were the two famous pirates link'd with Sextus Pompeius, and who assisted him to infest the Italian coast. We no where learn, expresly in the Play, that Menas ever attach'd himself to Octavius's party. Notwithstanding the old folios concur in marking the entrance thus, yet in the two places in the scene, where this character is made to speak, they have mark'd in the margin, Mec. so that, as Dr. Thirlby sagaciously conjectur'd, we must cashier Menas, and substitute Mecænas in his room. Menas, indeed, deserted to Cæsar no less than twice, and was preferr'd by him. But then we are to consider, Alexandria was taken, and Antony kill'd himself, Anno U. C. 723. Menas made the second revolt over to Augustus, U. C. 717; and the next year was slain at the siege of Belgrade in Pannonia, five years before the death of Antony. Theobald.

Note return to page 295 4Dol. Cæsar, I shall.] I make no doubt, but it should be mark'd here, that Dolabella goes out. 'Tis reasonable to imagine, he should presently depart, upon Cæsar's command; so that the speeches, placed to him in the sequel of this scene, must be transferr'd to Agrippa, or he is introduced as a mute. Besides, that Dolabella should be gone out, appears from this, that when Cæsar asks for him, he recollects that he had sent him on business. Theobald.

Note return to page 296 5&lblank; The round world should have shook Lions into civil streets, &c.] I think here is a line lost, after which it is vain to go in quest. The sense seems to have been this: The round world should have shook, and this great alteration of the system of things should send lions into streets, and citizens into dens. There is sense still, but it is harsh and violent.

Note return to page 297 6&lblank; but it is tidings To wash the eyes of Kings!] That is, May the Gods rebuke me, if this be not tidings to make Kings weep. But, again, for if not.

Note return to page 298 7Waged equal in him.] For waged, the modern editions have weigh'd.

Note return to page 299 8&lblank; should have divided Our equalness to this. &lblank;] That is, should have made us, in our equality of fortune, disagree to a pitch like this, that one of us must die.

Note return to page 300 9A poor Ægyptian yet; the Queen my mistress, &c.] If this punctuation be right, the man means to say, that he is yet an Ægyptian; that is, yet a servant of the Queen of Ægypt; though soon to become a subject of Rome.

Note return to page 301 1&lblank; her life in Rome Would be eternal in our triumph.] Hanmer reads judiciously enough, but without necessity, Would be eternalling our triumph. The sense is, If she dies here, she will be forgotten, but if I send her in triumph at Rome, her memory and my glory will be eternal.

Note return to page 302 2&lblank; Fortune's knave,] The servant of fortune.

Note return to page 303 3&lblank; and it is great To do that thing, that ends all other deeds; Which shackles accidents, and bolts up change; Which sleeps, and never palates more the Dung: The beggar's nurse, and Cæsar's] The action of Suicide is here said, to shackle accidents; to bolt up change; to be the beggar's nurse, and Cæsar's. So far the description is intelligible. But when it is said, that it sleeps and never palates more the Dung, we find neither sense nor propriety; which is occasioned by the loss of a whole line between the third and fourth, and the corrupt reading of the last word in the fourth. We should read the passage thus, &lblank; and it is great To do that thing, that ends all other deeds; Which shackles accidents, and bolts up change; [Lulls wearied nature to a sound repose] (Which sleeps, and never palates more the Dugg:) The beggar's nurse, and Cæsar's. That this line in hooks was the substance of that lost, is evident from its making sense of all the rest: which are to this effect, It is great to do that which frees us from all the accidents of humanity, lulls our over-wearied nature to repose, (which now sleeps, and has no more appetite for worldly enjoyments,) and is equally the nurse of Cæsar and the beggar. Warb. I cannot perceive the loss of a line, or the need of an emendation. The commentator seems to have entangled his own ideas; his supposition that suicide is called the beggar's nurse, and Cæsar's. and his concession that the position is intelligible, shew, I think, a mind not intent upon the business before it. The difficulty of the passage, if any difficulty there be, arises only from this, that the act of suicide, and the state which is the effect of suicide, are confounded. Voluntary death, says she, is an act which bolts up change; it produces a state, Which sleeps, and never palates more the dung, The beggar's nurse, and Cæsar's. Which has no longer need of the gross and terrene sustenance, in the use of which Cæsar and the beggar are on a level. The speech is abrupt, but perturbation in such a state is surely natural.

Note return to page 304 4&lblank; that will pray in aid for kindness,] Praying in aid is a law term, used for a petition made in a court of justice for the calling in of help from another that hath an interest in the cause in question. Oxford Editor.

Note return to page 305 5&lblank; send him The Greatness he has got. &lblank;] I allow him to be my conqueror; I own his superiority with complete submission.

Note return to page 306 6Char. You see, how easily she may be surpriz'd,] Here Charmion, who is so faithful as to die with her mistress, by the stupidity of the editors is made to countenance and give directions for her being surpriz'd by Cæsar's messengers. But this blunder is for want of knowing, or observing, the historical fact. When Cæsar sent Proculeius to the Queen, he sent Gallus after him with new instructions: and while one amused Cleopatra with propositions from Cæsar, through crannies of the monument; the other scaled it by a ladder, entred at a window backward, and made Cleopatra, and those with her, prisoners. I have reform'd the passage therefore, (as, I am persuaded, the author design'd it;) from the authority of Plutarch. Theobald. This line in the first edition is given not to Charmion, but to Proculeius; and to him it certainly belongs, though perhaps misplaced. I would put it at the end of his foregoing speech, Where he for grace is kneel'd to. [Aside to Gallus.] You see, how easily she may be surpriz'd. Then while Cleopatra makes a formal answer, Gallus, upon the hint given, seizes her, and Proculeius, interrupting the civility of his answer. &lblank; your plight is pity'd Of him that caus'd it. Cries out, Guard her, 'till Cæsar comes.

Note return to page 307 7&lblank; who are in this Reliev'd, but not betray'd.] As plausible as this reading is, it is corrupt. Had Shakespeare used the word reliev'd, he would have added, and not betray'd. But that he used another word the reply shews, What, of death too: which will not agree with relieved; but will direct us to the genuine word, which is, Bereav'd, but not betray'd. i. e. bereav'd of death, or of the means of destroying yourself, but not betray'd to your destruction. By the particle too, in her reply, she alludes to her being before bereav'd of Antony. And thus his speech becomes correct, and her reply pertinent. Warb. I do not think the emendation necessary, since the sense is not made better by it, and the abruptness of Cleopatra's answer is more forcible in the old reading.

Note return to page 308 8For languish, I think we may read, anguish.

Note return to page 309 9Worth many babes and beggars.] Why death wilt thou not rather seize a Queen, than employ thy force upon babes and beggars.

Note return to page 310 1If idle talk will once be necessary,] This nonsense should be reform'd thus, If idle Time will once be necessary. i. e. if repose be necessary to cherish life, I will not sleep. Warb. I do not see that the nonsense is made sense by the change. Sir T. Hanmer reads, If idle talk will once be accessary; Neither is this better. I know not what to offer better than an easy explanation. That is, I will not eat, and if it will be necessary now for once to waste a moment in idle talk of my purpose, I will not sleep neither. In common conversation we often use will be, with as little relation to futurity. As, Now I am going it will be fit for me to dine first.

Note return to page 311 2A Sun and Moon, which kept their course, and lighted The little o' th' Earth. Dol. Most sovereign creature!] What a blessed limping verse these hemistichs give us! Had none of the editors an ear to find the hitch in its pace? There is but a syllable wanting, and that, I believe verily, was but of a single letter. I restore, The little O o' th' Earth. i. e. the little orb or circle. Our poet in other passages chuses to express himself thus. Theob.

Note return to page 312 3&lblank; For his bounty, There was no winter in't: an Antony it was, That grew the more by reaping.] There was certainly a contrast, both in the thought and terms, design'd here, which is lost in an accidental corruption. How could an Antony grow the more by reaping? I'll venture, by a very easy change, to restore an exquisite fine allusion; which carries its reason with it too, why there was no winter in his bounty. &lblank; For his bounty, There was no Winter in't: an Autumn 'twas, That grew the more by reaping. I ought to take notice, that the ingenious Dr. Thirlby likewise started this very emendation, and had mark'd it in the margin of his book. Theobald.

Note return to page 313 4&lblank; yet t' imagine An Antony were Nature's piece 'gainst Fancy, Condemning shadows quite.] This is a fine sentiment; but by the false reading and pointing becomes unintelligible. Though when set right, obscure enough to deserve a comment. Shakespeare wrote, &lblank; yet t' imagine An Antony, were Nature's prize 'gainst Fancy, Condemning shadows quite. The sense of which is this, Nature, in general, has not materials enough to furnish out real forms, for every model that the boundless power of the imagination can sketch out: [Nature wants matter to vie strange forms with Fancy.] But though this be true in general, that nature is more poor, narrow, and confined than fancy, yet it must be owned, that when nature presents an Antony to us, she then gets the better of fancy, and makes even the imagination appear poor and narrow: Or, in our author's phrase, [condemns shadows quite] The word prize, which I have restored, is very pretty, as figuring a contention between nature and imagination about the larger extent of their powers; and nature gaining the prize by producing Antony. Warb. In this passage I cannot discover any temptation to critical experiments. The word piece, is a term appropriated to works of art. Here Nature and Fancy produce each their piece, and the piece done by Nature had the preference. Antony was in reality past the size of dreaming; he was more by Nature than Fancy could present in sleep.

Note return to page 314 5I cannot project mine own cause so well] Project signifies to invent a cause, not to plead it; which is the sense here required. It is plain then we should read, I cannot procter my own cause so well. The technical term, to plead by an advocate. Warburton. Sir T. Hanmer reads, I cannot parget my own cause &lblank; meaning, I cannot whitewash, varnish, or gloss my cause. I believe the present reading to be right. To project a cause, is to represent a cause; to project it well, is to plan or contrive a scheme of defence.

Note return to page 315 6&lblank; 'tis exactly valued, Not petty things admitted. &lblank;] Sagacious Editors! Cleopatra gives in a list of her wealth, says, 'tis exactly valued, but that petty things are not admitted in this list: and then she appeals to her treasurer, than she has reserv'd nothing to herself. And when he betrays her, she is reduced to the shift of exclaiming against the ingratitude of servants, and of making apologies for having secreted certain trifles. Who does not see, that we ought to read, Not petty things omitted? For this declaration lays open her falshood; and makes her angry when her treasurer detects her in a direct lie. Theobald. Notwithstanding the wrath of Mr. Theobald, I have restored the old reading. She is angry afterwards, that she is accused of having reserved more than petty things. Dr. Warburton and Sir T. Hanmer follow Theobald.

Note return to page 316 7&lblank; seel my lips,] Sew up my mouth.

Note return to page 317 8Parcel the sum &lblank;] The word parcel, in this place, I suspect of being wrong, but know not what to substitute.

Note return to page 318 9Through th' ashes of my chance.] Or fortune. The meaning is, Begone, or I shall exert that royal spirit which I had in my prosperity, in spite of the imbecillity of my present weak condition. This taught the Oxford Editor to alter it to mischance. Warburton.

Note return to page 319 1Be't known, that we the Greatest are misthought For things that others do; and when we fall, We answer others' merits, in our names Are therefore to be pitied.] This false pointing has rendered the sentiment, which was not very easy at best, altogether unintelligible. The lines should be pointed thus. Be 't known, that we, the Greatest, are misthought For things that others do. And when we fall We answer. Others' merits, in our names Are therefore to be pitied. i. e. We monarchs, while in power, are accused and blamed for the miscarriages of our ministers; and when any misfortune hath subjected us to the power of our enemies, we are sure to be punished for those faults. As this is the case, it is but reasonable that we should have the merit of our ministers' good actions, as well as bear the blame of their bad. But she softens the word merit into pity. The reason of her making the reflexion was this: Her former conduct was liable to much censure from Octavius, which she would hereby artfully insinuate was owing to her evil ministers. And as her present conduct, in concealing her treasure, appeared to be her own act, she being detected by her minister; she begs, that as she now answers for her former minister's miscarriages, so her present minister's merit in this discovery, might likewise be placed to her account: Which she thinks but reasonable. The Oxford Editor is here again at his old work of altering what he did not understand, and so transforms the passage thus, &lblank; and when we fall, We pander others' merits with our names; And therefore to be pitied. Warburton. I do not think that either of the criticks have reached the sense of the authour, which may be very commodiously explained thus; We suffer at our highest state of elevation in the thoughts of mankind for that which others do, and when we fall, those that contented themselves only to think ill before, call us to answer in our own names for the merits of others. We are therefore to be pitied. Merits is in this place taken in an ill sense, for actions meriting censure. If any alteration be necessary, I should only propose, Be't known, that we at greatest, &c.

Note return to page 320 2Make not your thoughts your prisons; &lblank;] I once wished to read, Make not your thoughts your poison; &lblank; Do not destroy yourself by musing on your misfortune. Yet I would change nothing, as the old reading presents a very proper sense. Be not a prisoner in imagination, when in reality you are free.

Note return to page 321 3&lblank; scall'd rhimers] Sir T. Hanmer reads, &lblank; stall'd rhimers. Scall'd was a word of contempt, implying poverty, disease, and filth.

Note return to page 322 4&lblank; quick Comedians] The gay inventive players.

Note return to page 323 5&lblank; boy my Greatness,] The parts of women were acted on the stage by boys. Hanmer.

Note return to page 324 6Their most absurd intents. &lblank;] Why should Cleopatra call Cæsar's designs absurd? She could not think his intent of carrying her in triumph, such, with regard to his own glory: and her finding an expedient to disappoint him, could not bring it under that predicament. I much rather think, the Poet wrote; Their most assur'd intents. &lblank; i. e. the purposes, which they make themselves most sure of accomplishing. Theobald. I have preserved the old reading. The design certainly appeared absurd enough to Cleopatra, both as she thought it unreasonable in itself, and as she knew it would fail.

Note return to page 325 7&lblank; now the fleeting moon No planet is of mine.] Alluding to the Ægyptian devotion paid to the moon under the name of Isis. Warburton.

Note return to page 326 8&lblank; the pretty worm of Nilus &lblank;] Worm is the Teutonick word for serpent; we have the blind worm and slow worm still in our language, and the Norwegians call an enormous monster, seen sometimes in the Northern ocean, the Sea-worm.

Note return to page 327 9but he, that will believe all that they say, shall never be saved by half that they do:] Shakespeare's Clowns are always jokers, and deal in sly satire. It is plain this must be read the contrary way, and all and half change places. Warburton.

Note return to page 328 1will do his kind.] The serpent will act according to his nature.

Note return to page 329 2He'll make demand of her, &lblank;] He will enquire of her concerning me, and kiss her for giving him intelligence.

Note return to page 330 3O Antony! nay, I will take thee too.] As there has been hitherto no break in this verse, nor any marginal direction, thee necessarily must seem to refer to Antony. But Cleopatra is here designed to apply one aspick to her arm, as she had before clap'd one to her breast. And the last speech of Dolabella in the Play is a confirmation of this. The like is on her arm. Theob.

Note return to page 331 4&lblank; Your Crown's awry;] This is well amended by the editors. The old editions had, &lblank;Your Crown's away.

Note return to page 332 5&lblank; something blown;] The flesh is somewhat puffed or swoln.

Note return to page 333 THIS Play keeps curiosity always busy, and the passions always interested. The continual hurry of the action, the variety of incidents, and the quick succession of one personage to another, call the mind forward without intermission from the first Act to the last. But the power of delighting is derived principally from the frequent changes of the scene; for, except the feminine arts, some of which are too low, which distinguish Cleopatra, no character is very strongly discriminated. Upton, who did not easily miss what he desired to find, has discovered that the language of Antony is, with great skill and learning, made pompous and superb, according to his real practice. But I think his diction not distinguishable from that of others: the most tumid speech in the Play is that which Cæsar makes to Octavia. The events, of which the principal are described according to history; are produced without any art of connection or care of disposition.

Note return to page 334 Story taken from Boccace's Decameron. Day 2. Novel 9. little besides the names being historical. Pope. Of this Play there is no edition before that of 1623. Folio.

Note return to page 335 1You do not meet a man, but frowns; our bloods No more obey the heavens than our Courtiers; But seem, as does the King's.] The thought is this, we are not now (as we were wont) influenced by the weather but by the King's looks. We no more obey the heavens [the sky] than our Courtiers obey the heavens [God]. By which it appears, that the reading—our bloods is wrong. For tho' the blood may be affected with the weather, yet that affection is discovered not by change of colour, but by change of countenance. And it is the outward not the inward change that is here talked of, as appears from the word seem. We should read therefore, &lblank; our brows No more obey the heavens, &c. Which is evident from the preceding words, You do not meet a man but frowns. And from the following, &lblank; But not a Courtier, Altho' they wear their faces to the bent Of the King's look, but hath a heart that is Glad at the thing they scoul at. The Oxford Editor improves upon this emendation, and reads, &lblank;our looks No more obey the heart ev'n than our courtiers; But by venturing too far, at a second emendation, he has stript it of all thought and sentiment. Warburton. This passage is so difficult, that commentators may differ concerning it without animosity or shame. Of the two emendations proposed, Hanmer's is the more licentious; but he makes the sense clear, and leaves the reader an easy passage. Dr. Warburton has corrected with more caution, but less improvement: His reasoning upon his own reading is so obscure and perplexed, that I suspect some injury of the press. I am now to tell my opinion, which is, that the lines stand as they were originally written, and that a paraphrase, such as the licentious and abrupt expressions of our authour too frequently require, will make emendation unnecessary. We do not meet a man but frowns; our bloods—our countenances, which, in popular speech, are said to be regulated by the temper of the blood,—no more obey the laws of heav'n,— which direct us to appear what we really are,—than our Courtiers; —that is, than the bloods of our Courtiers; but our bloods, like theirs,—still seem, as doth the King's.

Note return to page 336 2I do extend him, Sir within himself; Crush him together, &lblank;] Thus the late editor, Mr. Theobald, has given the passage, and explained it in this manner, I extend him within the lists and compass of his merit: Which is just as proper as to say, I go out within doors. To extend a thing within itself is the most insufferable nonsense: because the very etymology of the word shews, that it signifies the drawing out any thing beyond its lists and compass. Besides, a common attention was sufficient to perceive that Shakespeare, in this sentence, used extend and crush together, as the direct opposites to one another; which, in this editor's sense, they are not; but only different degrees of the same thing. We should read and point the passage thus, I don't extend him, Sir: within himself Crush him together &lblank; i. e. I do not extend him; on the contrary I crush him together. Warburton. I am not able to perceive that the old reading is insufferable. I extend him within himself: My praise, however extensive, is within his merit. What is there in this which common language and common sense will not admit?

Note return to page 337 3&lblank; liv'd in Court, Which rare it is to do, most prais'd, most lov'd,] This encomium is high and artful. To be at once in any great degree loved and praised is truly rare.

Note return to page 338 4A glass that featur'd them;] Such is the reading in all the modern editions, I know not by whom first substituted, for A glass that feared them; &lblank; I have displaced featur'd, though it can plead long prescription, because I am inclined to think that feared has the better title. Mirrour was a favourite word in that age, for an example, or a pattern, by noting which the manners were to be formed, as dress is regulated by looking in a glass. When Don Belliarus6Q0235 is stiled the mirrour of knighthood, the idea given is not that of a glass in which every knight may behold his own resemblance, but an example to be viewed by knights as often as a glass is looked upon by girls, to be viewed, that they may know, not what they are, but what they ought to be. Such a glass may fear the more mature, as displaying excellencies which they have arrived at maturity without attaining. To fear, is here, as in other places, to fright.

Note return to page 339 5Always reserv'd my holy duty, &lblank;] I say I do not fear my father, so far as I may say it without breach of duty.

Note return to page 340 6Though ink be made of gall.] Shakespeare, even in this poor conceit, has confounded the vegetable galls used in ink, with the animal gall, supposed to be bitter.

Note return to page 341 7A year's age on me.] Dr. Warburton reads, A yare age on me. It seems to me, even from Skinner, whom he cites, that yare is used only as a personal quality. Nor is the authority of Skinner sufficient, without some example, to justify the alteration. Hanmer's reading is better, but rather too far from the original copy, &lblank; Thou heapest many A year's age on me. I read,   &lblank; thou heap'st Years, ages on me.

Note return to page 342 8&lblank; a touch more rare Subdues all pangs, all fears.] Rare is used often for eminently good; but I do not remember any passage in which it stands for eminently bad. May we read, &lblank; a touch more near. Cura Deam propior luctusque domesticus angit. Ovid. Shall we try again, &lblank; a touch more rear. Crudum vulnus. But of this I know not any example. There is yet another interpretation, which perhaps will remove the difficulty. A touch more rare, may mean, a nobler passion.

Note return to page 343 9&lblank; a puttock.] A kite.

Note return to page 344 1her beauty and her brain, &c.] I believe the Lord means to speak a sentence. Sir, as I told you always, beauty and brain go not together.

Note return to page 345 2She's a good Sign,] If sign be the true reading, the poet means by it constellation, and by reflection is meant influence. But I rather think, from the answer, that he wrote shine. So in his Venus and Adonis, As if, from thence, they borrowed all their shine. Warburton. There is acuteness enough in this note, yet I believe the poet meant nothing by sign, but fair outward shew.

Note return to page 346 3&lblank; 'twere a paper lost As offer'd mercy is. &lblank;] i. e. Should one of his letters miscarry, the loss would be as great as that of offer'd mercy. But the Oxford Editor amends it thus. &lblank; 'twere a paper lost, With offer'd mercy in it. Warburton.

Note return to page 347 4&lblank; for so long As he could make me with his eye, or ear, Distinguish him from others. &lblank;] But how could Posthumus make himself distinguish'd by his ear to Pisanio? By his tongue he might, to the other's ear: and this was certainly Shakespeare's intention. We must therefore read, As he could make me with this eye, or ear, Distinguish him from others. The expression is &grd;&gre;&gri;&grk;&grt;&gri;&grk;&grwc;&grst;, as the Greeks term it: the party speaking points to that part spoken of. Warburton. Sir T. Hanmer alters it thus, &lblank; for so long As he could mark me with his eye, or I Distinguish &lblank; The reason of Hanmer's reading was, that Pisanio describes no address made to the ear.

Note return to page 348 5&lblank; 'till the diminution Of space had pointed him sharp as my needle;] But the increase of distance is the augmentation, not the diminution of space between the object and the beholder: which augmentation occasions the diminution of the object. We should read therefore, &lblank; 'till the diminution Of's space &lblank; i. e. of his space, or of that space which his body occupied; and this is the diminution of the object by the augmentation of space. Warburton. The diminution of space, is the diminution, of which space is the cause. Trees are killed by a blast of lightning, that is, by blasting, not blasted lightning.

Note return to page 349 6&lblank; next vantage.] Next opportunity.

Note return to page 350 7&lblank; or ere I could Give him that parting kiss, which I had set Between two charming words,] There is an inexpressible prettiness in the whole of this idea. The image is taken from a gem set between two others of a different kind. But what were these two charming words, between which the kiss was set? This may be thought too nice an inquiry. If we consider Shakespeare as having only the vague idea of two fond words in general, the douceurs, with which lovers are used to entertain one another, the whole force and beauty of the passage will be lost. Without question by these two charming words she would be understood to mean, Adieu, Posthumus. The one Religion made so: and the other, Love. Warb. Edwards has justly remarked, that the word of religion here mentioned is seldom used with any religion, and often where no religious idea can be admitted.

Note return to page 351 8&lblank; comes in my Father; And, like the tyrannous breathing of the North, Shakes all our buds from growing.] Had Imogen employed this image of the North wind shaking the tender buds, to express her father's rage at the discovery of the marriage, it had been proper to have said, Shakes all our buds from growing; because by banishing Posthumus, he quite cut off the fruits of their loves and alliance, which were things of duration; and in this case the buds of fruit-trees had been meant. But that was a thing passed, the discovery had been made, and his banishment denounced. She is here telling, how her father came in while Posthumus was taking his last farewel of her; and while they were going to interchange some tender words to one another, which was a pleasure, had it not been interrupted, but of a short and momentary duration. In this case then it is plain, that not buds of fruit-trees, but buds of flowers are alluded to: and if so, the present reading, which refers to buds of fruit-trees, is corrupt, and we must conclude that Shakespeare wrote, Shakes all our buds from blowing. i. e. from opening, as full-blown flowers do. And I suppose that his using the word blowing here, was the reason why in the foregoing line he says, breathing of the North, instead of blowing of the North; (tho' breathing be not very proper to express the rage and bluster of the North wind) the repetition of which word, as it had then been used in two different senses, would have had an ill effect. Warb. So many words to prove so little! A bud, without any distinct idea, whether of flower or fruit, is a natural representation of any thing incipient or immature; and the buds of flowers, if flowers must be meant, grow to flowers, as the buds of fruits grow to fruits.

Note return to page 352 9makes him] In the sense in which we say, This will make or mar you.

Note return to page 353 1words him &lblank; a great deal from the matter.] Makes the description of him very distant from the truth.

Note return to page 354 2under her colours,] Under her banner; by her influence.

Note return to page 355 3rather shun'd to go even with what I heard, &c.] This is expressed with a kind of fantastical perplexity. He means, I was then willing to take for my direction the experience of others, more than such intelligence as I had gathered myself.

Note return to page 356 4which may, without contradiction,] Which, undoubtedly, may be publickly told.

Note return to page 357 5tho' I profess, &c.] Though I have not the common obligations of a lover to his mistress, and regard her not with the fondness of a friend, but the reverence of an adorer.

Note return to page 358 6If she went before others I have seen, as that diamond of yours out-lustres many I have beheld, I could not believe she excelled many;] What? if she did really excel others, could he not believe she did excel them? Nonsense. We must strike out the negative, and the sense will be this, I can easily believe your mistress excels many, tho' she be not the most excellent; just as I see that diamond of yours is of more value than many I have beheld, tho' I know there are other diamonds of much greater value. Warb.

Note return to page 359 7to convince the honour of my mistress;] Convince, for overcome. Warburton. So in Macbeth, &lblank;their malady convinces The great essay of art.

Note return to page 360 8abus'd] Decided.

Note return to page 361 9approbation] Proof.

Note return to page 362 1Iach. You are a friend, and therein the wiser;] I correct it, You are afraid, and therein the wiser. What Iachimo says, in the close of his speech, determines this to have been our Poet's reading. But, I see, you have some Religion in you, that you fear. Warburton. Friend will bear a proper sense. You are a friend to the Lady, and therein the wiser, as you will not expose her to hazard; and that you fear, is a proof of your religious fidelity.

Note return to page 363 2Iach. &lblank; If I bring you no sufficient testimony that I have enjoy'd the dearest bodily part of your mistress, my ten thousand ducats are yours; so is your diamond too; if I come off, and leave her in such honour as you have trust in, she your jewel, this your jewel, and my gold are yours, &c. Post. I embrace these conditions, &c.] This was a wager between the two speakers. Iachimo declares the conditions of it; and Posthumus embraces them: as well he might; for Iachimo mentions only that of the two conditions, which was favourable to Posthumus, namely, that if his wife preserved her honour he should win: concerning the other, in case she preserved it not, Iachimo, the accurate expounder of the wager, is silent. To make him talk more in character, for we find him sharp enough in the prosecution of his bet, we should strike out the negative, and read the rest thus, If I bring you sufficient testimony that I have enjoy'd, &c. my ten thousand ducats are Mine; so is your diamond too. If I come off, and leave her in such honour, &c. she your jewel, &c. and my gold are yours. Warburton. I once thought this emendation right, but am now of opinion, that Shakespeare intended that Iachimo, having gained his purpose, should designedly drop the invidious and offensive part of the wager, and to flatter Posthumus, dwell long upon the more pleasing part of the representation. One condition of a wager implies the other, and there is no need to mention both.

Note return to page 364 3Other conclusions? &lblank;] Other experiments. I commend, says Walton, an angler that tries conclusions, and improves his art.

Note return to page 365 4Your Highness Shall from this practice but make hard your heart;] There is in this passage nothing that much requires a note, yet I cannot forbear to push it forward into observation. The thought would probably have been more amplified, had our authour lived to be shocked with such experiments as have been published in later times, by a race of men that have practised tortures without pity, and related them without shame, and are yet suffered to erect their heads among human beings. Cape saxa manu, cape robora, pastor.

Note return to page 366 5I do not like her. &lblank;] This soliloquy is very inartificial. The speaker is under no strong pressure of thought; he is neither resolving, repenting, suspecting, nor deliberating, and yet makes a long speech, to tell himself what himself knows.

Note return to page 367 6&lblank; to shift his being,] To change his abode.

Note return to page 368 7&lblank; that leans?] That inclines towards its fall.

Note return to page 369 8Of leigers for her sweet; &lblank;] A leiger ambassador, is one that resides at a foreign court, to promote his master's interest.

Note return to page 370 9&lblank; but most miserable Is the desire, that's glorious. &lblank;] Her husband, she says, proves her supreme grief. She had been happy had she been stoln as her brothers were, but now she is miserable, as all those are who have a sense of worth and honour superior to the vulgar, which occasions them infinite vexations from the envious and worthless part of mankind. Had she not so refined a taste as to be content only with the superior merit of Posthumus, but could have taken up with Cloten, she might have escaped these persecutions. This elegance of taste, which always discovers an excellence and chuses it, she calls with great sublimity of expression, The desire that's glorious; which the Oxford Editor not understanding alters to, The degree that's glorious. Warb.

Note return to page 371 1&lblank; Bles'd be those, How mean soe'er, that have, their honest wills, Which seasons comfort. &lblank;] The last words are equivocal: but the meaning is this. Who are beholden only to the seasons for their support and nourishment; so that, if those be kindly, such have no more to care for or desire. Warburton. I am willing to comply with any meaning that can be extorted from the present text, rather than change it, yet will propose, but with great diffidence, a slight alteration: &lblank; Bless'd be those, How mean soe'er, that have their honest wills, With reason's comfort. &lblank; Who gratify their innocent wishes with reasonable enjoyments.

Note return to page 372 2&lblank; and the rich crop Of sea and land, &lblank;] He is here speaking of the covering of sea and land, Shakespeare therefore wrote, &lblank; and the rich cope. Warburton.

Note return to page 373 3&lblank; and the twinn'd stanes Upon the number'd beach? &lblank;] I have no idea, in what sense the beach, or shore, should be called number'd. I have ventured, against all the copies, to substitute, Upon th' unnumber'd beach? &lblank; i. e. the infinite extensive beach, if we are to understand the epithet as coupled to that word. But, I rather think, the poet intended an hypallage, like that in the beginning of Ovid's Metamorphoses; (In nova fert animus mutatas dicere formas Corpora.) And then we are to understand the passage thus; and the infinite number of twinn'd stones upon the beach. Theobald. Upon th'unnumber'd beach?] Sense and the antithesis oblige us to read this nonsense thus, Upon the humbl'd beach? &lblank; i. e. because daily insulted with the flow of the tide. Warb. I know not well how to regulate this passage. Number'd is perhaps numerous. Twinn'd stones, I do not understand. Twinn'd shells, or pairs of shells, are very common. For twinn'd, we might read, twin'd; that is, twisted, convolved: But this sense is more applicable to shells than to stones.

Note return to page 374 4Should make desire vomit emptiness, Not so allur'd to feed.] i. e. that appetite, which is not allured to feed on such excellence, can have no stomach at all; but, though empty, must nauseate every thing. Warburton. I explain this passage in a sense almost contrary. Iachimo, in this counterfeited rapture, has shewn how the eyes and the judgment would determine in favour of Imogen, comparing her with the present mistress of Posthumus, and proceeds to say, that appetite too would give the same suffrage. Desire, says he, when it approach'd sluttery, and considered it in comparison with such neat excellence, would not only be not so allured to feed, but, seized with a fit of loathing, would vomit emptiness, would feel the convulsions of disgust, though, being unfed, it had nothing to eject.

Note return to page 375 5He's strange, and peevish.] He's a foreigner, and easily fretted.

Note return to page 376 6&lblank; timely knowing,] Rather timely known.

Note return to page 377 7What both you spur and stop.] What it is that at once incites you to speak, and restrains you from it.

Note return to page 378 8&lblank; join gripes with hands, &c.] The old edition reads, &lblank; join gripes with hands Made hard with hourly falshood, (falshood as With labour) then by peeping in an eye, &c. I read, &lblank; then lye peeping &lblank; The authour of the present regulation of the text I do not know, but have suffered it to stand, tho' not right. Hard with falshood, is, hard by being often griped with frequent change of hands.

Note return to page 379 9&lblank; hir'd with that self-exhibition] Gross strumpets, hired with the very pension which you allow your husband.

Note return to page 380 1As in a Romish stew, &lblank;] The stews of Rome are deservedly censured by the reformed. This is one of many instances in which Shakespeare has mingled the manners of distant ages in this play.

Note return to page 381 2No, my Lord, &c.] This, I believe, should stand thus: 1 Lord. No, my Lord. 2 Lord. Nor crop the ears of them. [Aside.

Note return to page 382 3with your comb on.] The allusion is to a fool's cap, which had a comb like a cock's.

Note return to page 383 4every companion,] The use of companion was the same as of fellow now. It was a word of contempt.

Note return to page 384 5&lblank; he'd make. &lblank;] In the old editions, &lblank; he'ld make. &lblank; Hanmer, &lblank; hell made. &lblank; In which he is followed by Dr. Warburton.

Note return to page 385 6&lblank; our Tarquin &lblank;] The speaker is an Italian.

Note return to page 386 7Did softly press the rushes, &lblank;] It was the custom in the time of our authour, to strew chambers with rushes, as we now cover them with carpets. The practice is mentioned in Caius de Ephemera Britannica.

Note return to page 387 8&lblank; white and azure, lac'd With blue of heav'n's own tinct. &lblank;] We should read. &lblank; white with azure lac'd, The blue of heav'n's own tinct. i. e. the white skin laced with blue veins. Warburton.

Note return to page 388 9&lblank; that dawning May bear the raven's eye: &lblank;] Some copies read, bare, or make bare; others, ope. But the true reading is bear, a term taken from heraldy, and very sublimely applied. The meaning is, that morning may asssume the colour of the raven's eye, which is grey. Hence it is so commonly called the grey-ey'd morning. And Romeo and Juliet. I'll say you grey is not the morning's eye. Had Shakespeare meant to bare or open the eye, that is, to awake, he had instanced rather in the lark than raven, as the earlier riser. Besides, whether the morning bared or opened the raven's eye was of no advantage to the speaker, but it was of much advantage that is should bear it, that is, become light. Yet the Oxford Editor judiciously alters it to, May bare its raven-eye. Warburton. I have received Hanmer's emendation.

Note return to page 389 1His steeds to water at those springs On chalic'd flowers that lies:] i. e. the morning sun dries up the dew which lies in the cups of flowers. Warburton. Hanmer reads, Each chalic'd flower supplies; To escape a false concord. But correctness must not be obtained by such licentious alterations. It may be noted, that the cup of a flower is called calix, whence chalice.

Note return to page 390 2&lblank; pretty bin] is very properly restored by Hanmer, for pretty is; but he too grammatically reads. With all the things that pretty bin.

Note return to page 391 3&lblank; his goodness fore-spent on us,] i. e. the good offices done by him to us heretofore. Warburton.

Note return to page 392 4&lblank; one of your great knowing Should learn (being taught) forbearance.] But sure, whoever is taught, necessarily learns. Learning is not the fit and reasonable consequence of being taught, but is the thing itself. As it is superfluous in the expression, so (which is the common condition of nonsense) it is deficient in the sentiment. It is no mark of a knowing person that he has learnt forbearance simply. For forbearance becomes a virtue, or point of civil prudence, only as it respects a forbidden object. Shakespeare, I am persuaded, wrote, &lblank; one of your great knowing Should learn (being tort) forbearance. i. e. one of your wisdom should learn (from a sense of your pursuing a forbidden object) forbearance: which gives us a good and pertinent meaning in a correct expression. Tort, an old French word, signifying the being in the wrong, is much in use amongst our old English writers, which those who have not read them, may collect, from its being found in the Etymologicon of the judicious Skinner. Warb Edwards has sufficiently sported with the emendation. The plain sense is, That a man who is taught forbearance should learn it.

Note return to page 393 5To leave you in your Madness, 'twere my Sin; I will not. Imo. Fools are not mad folks. Clot. Do you call me fool? Imo. As I am mad, I do:] But does she really call him fool? The acutest critic would be puzzled to find it out, as the text stands. The reasoning is perplexed by a slight corruption; and we must restore it thus, Fools cure not mad folks. You are mad, says he, and it would be a crime in me to leave you to yourself. Nay, says she, why should you stay? A fool never cur'd madness. Do you call me fool? replies he, &c. All this is easy and natural. And that cure was certainly the poet's word, I think, is very evident from what Imogen immediately subjoins: If you'll be patient, I'll no more be mad; That cures us both. i. e. if you'll cease to torture me with your foolish solicitations, I'll cease to shew towards you any thing like madness; so a double cure will be effected, of your folly, and my suppos'd frenzy. Warburton.

Note return to page 394 6&lblank; verbal: &lblank;] Is, so verbose, so full of talk.

Note return to page 395 7The contract, &c.] Here Shakespeare has not preserved, with his common nicety, the uniformity of character. The speech of Cloten is rough and harsh, but certainly not the talk of one, Who can't take two from twenty, for his heart, And leave eighteen. His argument is just and well enforced, and its prevalence is allowed throughtout all civil nations: As for rudeness, he seems not to be much undermatched.

Note return to page 396 8&lblank; in self-figur'd knot;] This is nonsense. We should read, &lblank; self-finger'd knot; i. e. a knot solely of their own tying, without any regard to parents, or other more publick considerations. Warburton. But why nonsense? A self-figured knot is a knot formed by yourselves.

Note return to page 397 9 Sir T. Hanmer regulatates this line thus; &lblank; all made such men. Ciot. How now? Imo. Pisanio!

Note return to page 398 1&lblank; a jewel, that too casually Hath left my arm &lblank;] i. e. too many chances of losing it have arisen from my carelesness. Warburton.

Note return to page 399 2&lblank; mingled with their courages, &lblank;] The old folio has this odd reading: &lblank; Their discipline, (Now wing-led with their courages) will make known.

Note return to page 400 3To their approvers, &lblank;] i. e. to those who try them. Warb.

Note return to page 401 4And Cydnus swell'd above the banks, or for The press of boats, or pride.] This is an agreeable ridicule on poetical exaggeration, which gives human passions to inanimate things: and particularly, upon what he himself writes in the foregoing play on this very subject. &lblank; And made The water, which they beat, to follow faster, As amorous of their strokes. But the satire is not only agreeably turned, but very artfully employed; as it is a plain indication, that the speaker is secretly mocking the credulity of his hearer, while he is endeavouring to persuade him of his wife's falshood. The very same kind of satire we have again, on much the same occasion, in The two Gentlemen of Verona, where the false Proteus says to his friend, of his friend's mistress, &lblank; and she hath offer'd to the doom, Which unrevers'd stands in effectual force, A sea of melting pearl, which some call tears. A certain gaiety of heart, which the speaker strives to conceal breaking out under a satire, by which he would insinuate to his friend the trifling worth of woman's tears. Warburton. It is easy to sit down, and give our authour meanings which he never had. Shakespeare has no great right to censure poetical exaggeration, of which no poet is more frequently guilty. That he intended to ridicule his own lines is very uncertain, when there are no means of knowing which of the two plays was written first. The commentator has contented himself to suppose, that the foregoing play in his book was the play of earlier composition. Nor is the reasoning better than the assertion. If the language of Iachimo be such as shews him to be mocking the credibility of his hearer, his language is very improper, when his business was to deceive. But the truth is, that his language is such as a skilful villain would naturally use, a mixture of airy triumph and serious deposition. His gayety shews his seriousness to be without anxiety, and his seriousness proves his gayety to be without art.

Note return to page 402 5So likely to report themselves;] So near to speech. The Italians call a portrait, when the likeness is remarkable, a speaking picture.

Note return to page 403 6Was as another nature, dumb; &lblank;] This nonsense should without question be read and pointed thus, Has as another nature done; out-went her, Motion and breath left out. i. e. has worked as exquisitely, nay has exceeded her if you will put motion and breath out of the question. Warburton. This emendation I think needless. The meaning is this, The Sculptor was as nature, but as nature dumb; he gave every thing that nature gives, but breath and motion. In breath is included speech.

Note return to page 404 7&lblank; This is her honour: Let it be granted you have seen all this, &c.] Iachimo impudently pretends to have carried his point; and, in confirmation, is very minute in describing to the husband all the furniture and adornments of his wife's bedchamber. But how is fine furniture any ways a Princess's honour? It is an apparatus suitable to her dignity, but certainly makes no part of her character. It might have been call'd her father's honour, that her allotments were proportion'd to her rank and quality. I am persuaded, the poet intended Posthumus should say; “This particular description, which you make, can't convince me that I have lost my wager: Your memory is good; and some of these things you may have learned from a third hand, or seen yourself; yet I expect proofs more direct and authentick.” I think there is little question but we ought to restore the place as I have done. &lblank; What's this t' her honour? Theobald. This emendation has been followed by both the succeeding editors, but I think it must be rejected. The expression is ironical. Iachimo relates many particulars, to which Posthumus answers with impatience. &lblank; This is here honour. That is, And the attainment of this knowledge is to pass for the corruption of her honour.

Note return to page 405 8&lblank; if you can Be pale, &lblank;] If you can forbear to flush your cheek with rage.

Note return to page 406 9&lblank; The vows of women, &c.] The love vowed by women no more abides with him to whom it is vowed, than women adhere to their virtue.

Note return to page 407 1&lblank; I'm sure She could not lose it; her attendants are All honourable; they induc'd to steal it! And, by a stranger!—no, &lblank;] The abusd conclusions of jealousy are here admirably painted and exposed. Posthumus, on the credit of a bracelet, and an oath of the party concerned, judges against all apperances from the intimate knowledge of his wife's honour, that she was false to his bed; and grounds that judgment, at last, upon much less appearances of the honour of her attendants. Now common sense, from his belief of the honour of his wife's attendants, should either have made him conclude in favour of hers; or if he rejected the much stronger appearances of honour in her, he should, at the same time, have rejected those much weaker in her attendants. But Shakespeare knew at what distance reason and love are wont to be, and has, therefore, made them keep their distance here. Warburton.

Note return to page 408 2The cognizance &lblank;] The badge; the token; the visible proof.

Note return to page 409 3Worthy the pressing, &lblank;] Thus the modern editions. The old folio reads, Worthy her pressing, &lblank;

Note return to page 410 4With rocks unscalable, &lblank;] This reading is Hanmer's. The old editions have, With oaks unscalable, &lblank;

Note return to page 411 5Poor ignorant baubles,] Ignorant, for of no use. Warb. Rather unacquainted with the nature of our boisterous seas.

Note return to page 412 *&lblank; against all colour, &lblank;] Without any pretence of right.

Note return to page 413 6&lblank; keep at utterance. &lblank;] i. e. at extreme distance. Warb More properly, in a state of hostile defiance, and deadly opposition.

Note return to page 414 7&lblank; I am perfect,] I am well informed.

Note return to page 415 8&lblank; what false Italian, As pois'nous-tongu'd, as handed,] About Shakespeare's time, the practice of poisoning was very common in Italy, and the suspicion of Italian poisons yet more common.

Note return to page 416 9&lblank; take in some virtue. &lblank;] To take in a town, is to conquer it.

Note return to page 417 1Oh, learn'd, indeed, were that astrologer, &c.] This was a very natural thought. She must needs be supposed, in her circumstances, to be extremely solicitous about the future; and desirous of coming to it by the assistance of that superstition. Warburton.

Note return to page 418 2For it doth physick love; &lblank;] That is, grief for absence, keeps love in health and vigour.

Note return to page 419 3&lblank; Blest be You bees, that makes these locks of counsel! Lovers, And men in dang'rous bonds, pray not alike. Though forfeitures you cast in prison, yet You clasp young Cupid's tables.] Here seems to be some corruption. Opening the letter she gives a benediction to the bees, with whose wax it was sealed, then makes a reflection, the bees have no such grateful remembrance from men who have sealed bonds which put their liberty in danger, and are sent to prison if they forfeit; but wax is not made terrible to lovers, by its effect on debtors. I read therefore, Though forfeitures them cast in prison, yet We clasp young Cupid's tables. You and vm. are, in the old angular hand, much alike.

Note return to page 420 4loyal to his vow, and your increasing in love;] I read, Loyal to his vow and you; increasing in love.

Note return to page 421 5That run i'th' clock's behalf. &lblank;] This fantastical expression means no more than sand in an hour-glass, used to measure time. Warburton.

Note return to page 422 6A Franklin's housewife.] A Franklin is literally a freeholder, with a small estate, neither villain nor vassal.

Note return to page 423 7I see before me, man, nor here, nor here, Nor what ensues; but have a fog in them, That I cannot look thro'. &lblank;] Where is the substantive, to which this relative plural, them, can possibly have any reference? There is none; and the sense, as well as grammar, is defective. I have ventur'd to restore, against the authority of the printed copies, &lblank; but have a fog in ken, That I cannot look thro'. &lblank; Imogen would say, “Don't talk of considering, man; I neither see present events, nor consequences; but am in a mist of fortune, and resolv'd to proceed on the project determin'd.” In ken, means, in prospect, within sight, before my eyes. Theobald. I see before me, man: nor here nor there, Nor what ensues, but have a fog in them, That I cannot look thro'. &lblank;] Shakespeare says she can see before her, yet on which side soever she looks, there is a fog which she cannot see thro'. This nonsense is occasioned by the corrupt reading of, but have a fog, for, that have a fog; and then all is plain. I see before me, (says she) for there is no fog on any side of me which I cannot see thro'. Mr. Theobald objects to a fog in them, and asks for the substantive to which the relative plural [them] relates. The substantive is places, implied in the words here, there, and what ensues: for not to know that Shakespeare perpetually takes these liberties of grammar, is knowing nothing of his author. So that there is no need for his strange stuff of a Fog in Ken. Warburton. This passage may, in my opinion, be very easily understood, without any emendation. The lady says, I can see neither one way nor other, before me nor behind me, but all the ways are covered with an impenetrable fog. There are objections insuperable to all that I can propose, and since reason can give me no counsel, I will resolve at once to follow my inclination.

Note return to page 424 8&lblank; their impious Turbants on,] The idea of a giant was, among the readers of romances, who were almost all the readers of those times, always confounded with that of a Saracen.

Note return to page 425 9This service is not service, &c.] In war it is not sufficient to do duty well; the advantage rises not from the act, but the acceptance of the act.

Note return to page 426 1&lblank; than doing nothing for a bauble;] i. e. vain titles of honour gained by an idle attendance at court. But the Oxford Editor reads, for a bribe. Warburton. The Oxford Editor knew the reason of his alteration, though his censurer knew it not. The old edition reads, Richer, than doing nothing for a babe. Of babe, some corrector made bauble; and Hanmer thought himself equally authorised to make bribe. I think babe cannot be right.

Note return to page 427 2To stride a limit.] To overpass his bound.

Note return to page 428 3What should we speak of,] This dread of an old age, unsupplied with matter for discourse and meditation, is a sentiment natural and noble. No state can be more destitute than that of him who, when the delights of sense forsake him, has no pleasures of the mind.

Note return to page 429 4I' th' Cave, &c.] Mr. Pope reads, Here in the Cave, wherein their thoughts do hit The roof of Palaces; &lblank; but the sentence breaks off imperfectly. The old editions read, I' th' Cave, whereon the Bow their thoughts do hit, &c. Mr. Rowe saw this likewise was faulty; and therefore amended it thus: I'th' Cave, where, on the Bow, their thoughts do hit, &c. I think, it should be, only with the alteration of one letter, and the addition of another; I' th' Cave, there, on the Brow, And so the grammar and syntax of the sentence is compleat. We call the arching of a tavern, or overhanging of a hill, metaphorically, the Brow; and in like manner the Greeks and Latins used &gros;&grf;&grr;&grug;&grst;, and Supercilium. Theob. &lblank; tho' trained up thus meanly, I' th' Cave there on the brow, &lblank;] The old editions read, I' th' Cave whereon the bow; which tho ' very corrupt, will direct us to the true reading, which when rightly pointed, is thus, &lblank; tho' trained up thus meanly. I' th' Cave wherein they bow &lblank; i. e. thus meanly brought up. Yet in this very Cave, which is so low that they must bow or bend in entering it, yet are their thoughts so exalted, &c. This is the antithesis. Belarius had spoken before of the lowness of this cave. A goodly day! not to keep house with such Whose roof's as low as ours: see, boys! this gate Instructs you how t' adore the heav'ns; and bows you To morning's holy offce. Warb. Hanmer reads, I' th' Cave, here in this brow. I think the reading is this, I' th' Cave, where in the Bow, &c. That is, they are trained up in the cave, where their thoughts in hitting the bow, or arch of their habitation, hit the roofs of a palaces. In other words, though their condition is low, their thoughts are high. The sentence is at last, as Theobald remarks, abrupt, but perhaps not less suitable to Shakespeare. I know not whether Dr. Warburton's conjecture be not better than mine.

Note return to page 430 5&lblank; I stole these babes;] Shakespeare seems to intend Belarius for a good character, yet he makes him forget the injury which he has done to the young princes, whom he has robbed of a kingdom only to rob their father of heirs. The latter part of this soliloquy is very inartificial, there being no particular reason why Belarius should now tell to himself what he could not know better by telling it.

Note return to page 431 6&lblank; drug-damn'd &lblank;] This is another allusion to Italian poisons.

Note return to page 432 7&lblank; states,] Persons of highest rank.

Note return to page 433 8&lblank; Some Jay of Italy] There is a prettiness in this expression, Putta, in Italian, signifying both a Jay and a Whore. I suppose from the gay feathers of that bird. Warburton.

Note return to page 434 9Whose mother was her painting, &lblank;] This puzzles Mr. Theobald much: he thinks it may signify whose mother was a bird of the same feather; or that it should be read, whose mother was her planting. What all this means I know not. In Mr. Row's edition the M in mother happening to be reversed at the press, it came out Wother. And what was very ridiculous, Gildon employed himself (properly enough indeed) in finding a meaning for it. In short, the true word is meether, a north country word, signifying beauty. So that the sense of, her meether was her painting, is, that she had only an appearance of beauty, for which she was beholden to her paint. Warburton. The word meether I never read nor heard. The present reading, I think, may stand; some jay of Italy, made by art the creature, not of nature, but of painting. In this sense painting may be not improperly termed her mother.

Note return to page 435 1&lblank; So thou, Posthumus, Wilt lay the leven to all proper men;] When Posthumus thought his wife false, he unjustly scandalized the whole sex. His wife here, under the same impressions of his infidelity, attended with more provoking circumstances, acquits his sex, and lays the fault where it was due. The poet paints from nature. This is life and manners. The man thinks it a dishonour to the superiority of his understanding to be jilted, and therefore flatters his vanity into a conceit that the disgrace was inevitable from the general infidelity of the sex. The woman, on the contrary, not imagining her credit to be at all affected in the matter, never seeks out for so extravagant a consolation; but at once eases her malice and her grief, by laying the crime and damage at the door of some obnoxious coquet. Warb. Hanmer reads, &lblank; lay the level &lblank; without any necessity.

Note return to page 436 2Something's afore 't &lblank;] The old copy reads, Something's afoot.

Note return to page 437 3Whom now thou tir'st on, &lblank;] A hawk is said to tire upon that which he pecks; from tirer, French.

Note return to page 438 4I'll wake mine eye-balls first. Imo. Wherefore then.] This is the old reading. The modern editions for wake read break, and supply the deficient syllable by ah, wherefore. I read, I'll wake mine eye-balls out first, or, blind first.

Note return to page 439 5To be unbent, &lblank;] To have thy bow unbent, alluding to a hunter.

Note return to page 440 6&lblank; Now, if you could wear a mind Dark as your fortune is, &lblank;] What had the darkness of her mind to do with the concealment of person, which is here advised? On the contrary, her mind was to continue unchanged, in order to support her change of fortune. Shakespeare wrote, Now, if your could wear a mien. Or according to the French orthography, from whence I presume arose the corruption; Now, if you could wear a mine. Warb. I believe that, when this passage is considered, there will be found no need of emendation. To wear a dark mind, is to carry a mind impenetrable to the search of others. Darkness applied to the mind is secrecy, applied to the fortune is obscurity. The next lines are obscure. You must, says Pisanio, disguise that greatness, which, to appear hereafter in its proper form, cannot yet appear without great danger to itself.

Note return to page 441 7&lblank; full of view; &lblank;] With opportunities of examining your affairs with your own eyes.

Note return to page 442 8Though peril to my modesty, &lblank;] I read. Through peril &lblank; I would for such means adventure through peril of my modesty; I would risque every thing but real dishonour.

Note return to page 443 9&lblank; nay, you must Forget that rarest treasure of your cheek; Exposing it (but oh the harder Heart, Alack, no remedy) &lblank;] Who does this harder Heart relate to? Posthumus is not here talk'd of; besides, he knew nothing of her being thus expos'd to the inclemencies of weather: he had enjoin'd a course, which would have secur'd her from these incidental hardships. I think, common sense obliges us to read, But, oh, the harder Hap! i. e. the more cruel your fortune, that you must be oblig'd to such shifts. Warburton. I think it very natural to reflect in this distress on the cruelty of Posthumus.

Note return to page 444 1&lblank; which you'll make him know,] This is Hanmer's reading. The common books have it, &lblank; which will make him know. Mr. Theobald, in one of his long notes, endeavours to prove, that it should be, &lblank; which will make him so. He is followed by Dr. Warburton.

Note return to page 445 2&lblank; we'll even All that good time will give us. &lblank;] We'll make our work even with our time; we'll do what time will allow.

Note return to page 446 3&lblank; This attempt I'm soldier to, &lblank;] i. e. I have inlisted and bound myself to it. Warburton.

Note return to page 447 4And that she hath all courtly parts more exquisite Than lady Ladies woman; from each one The best she hath, &lblank;] The second line is intolerable nonsense. It should be read and pointed thus, Than lady Ladies; winning from each one &lblank; The sense of the whole is this, I love her because she has, in a more exquisite degree, all those courtly parts that ennoble [lady] women of quality [ladies,] winning from each of them the best of their good qualities, &c. Lady is a plural verb, and Ladies a noun governed of it; a quaint expression in Shakespeare's way, and suiting the folly of the character. Warburton. I cannot perceive the second line to be intolerable, or to be nonsense. The speaker only rises in his ideas. She has all courtly parts, says he, more exquisite than any lady, than all ladies, than all womankind. Is this nonsense?

Note return to page 448 5Or this, or perish &lblank;] These words, I think, belong to Cloten, who, requiring the paper, says, Let's see't; I will pursue her Even to Augustus' throne. Or this, or perish. Then Pisanio giving the paper, says to himself. She's far enough, &c.

Note return to page 449 6Is sorer, &lblank;] Is a greater, or heavier crime.

Note return to page 450 7If any thing that's civil, &lblank;] Civil, for human creature. Warburton. If any thing that's civil, speak; if savage, Take or lend. &lblank;] She is in doubt, whether this cave be the habitation of a man or a beast. If it be the former, she bids him speak; if the latter, that is, the den of a savage breast, what then? Take or lend—We should read, Take 'or 't end. &lblank; i. e. take my life ere famine end it. Or was commonly used for ere; this agrees to all that went before. But the Oxford Editor cuts the knot; Take, or yield food says he. As if it was possible so plain a sentence should ever have been blundered into Take or lend. Warburton. I suppose the emendation proposed will not easily be received; it is strained and obscure, and the objection against Hanmer's reading is likewise very strong. I question whether, after the words, if savage, a line be not lost, I can offer nothing better than to read, &lblank; Ho! who's here? If any thing that's civil, take or lend, If savage, speak. If you are civilisedand peaceable, take a price for what I want, or lend it for a future recompence; if you are rough inhospitable inhabitants of the mountain, speak, that I may know the state.

Note return to page 451 8I'd bid for you, as I'd buy.] This is Hanmer's reading. The other copies, I bid for you, as I do buy.

Note return to page 452 9&lblank; then had my prize Been less, and so more equal ballasting.] Hanmer reads plausibly, but without necessity, price, for prize, and balancing, for ballasting. He is followed by Dr. Warburton. The meaning is, Had I been a less prize, I should not have been too heavy for Posthumus.

Note return to page 453 1That nothing-gift of differing multitudes,] The poet must mean, that court, that obsequious adoration, which the shifting vulgar pay to the great, is a tribute of no price or value. I am persuaded therefore, our poet coined this participle from the French verb, and wrote. That nothing-gift of defering multitudes, i. e. obsequious, paying deference. —Deferer, Ceder par respect a quelcun, obeir, condescendere, &c. Deferent, civil, respectueux, &c. Richelet. Theob. He is followed by Sir T. Hanmer and Dr. Warburton; but I do not see why differing may not be a general epithet, and the expression equivalent to the many-headed rabble.

Note return to page 454 2&lblank; and to you, the tribunes, For this immediate levy, he commands His absolute commission. &lblank;] Commands his commission is such a phrase as Shakespeare would hardly have used. I have ventur'd to substitute; &lblank; he commends His absolute commission. &lblank; i. e. he recommends the care of making this levy to you; and gives you an absolute commission for so doing. Warburton. The plain meaning is, he commands the commission to be given to you. So we say, I ordered the materials to the workmen.

Note return to page 455 3ill-perseverant] Hanmer. The former editions have imperseverant.

Note return to page 456 4before thy face,] Posthumus was to have his head struck off, and then his garments cut to pieces before his face; we should read,—her face, i. e. Imogen's, done to despite her, who had said, she esteem'd Posthumus's garment above the person of Cloten. Warburton.

Note return to page 457 5Stick to your journal course; the breach of custom Is breach of all &lblank;] Keep your daily course uninterrupted; if the stated plan of life is once broken, nothing follows but confusion.

Note return to page 458 6How much the quantity, &lblank;] I read, As much the quantity, &lblank;

Note return to page 459 7I could not stir him.] Not move him to tell his story.

Note return to page 460 8&lblank; gentle, but unfortunate;] Gentle, is well-born, of birth above the vulgar.

Note return to page 461 9Mingle their spurs together.] Spurs, an old word for the fibres of a tree. Pope.

Note return to page 462 1&lblank; stinking Elder, &lblank;] Shakespeare had only seen English vines which grow against walls, and therefore may be sometimes entangled with the Elder. Perhaps we should read untwine from the vine.

Note return to page 463 2&lblank; the snatches in his voice, And burst of speaking, &lblank;] This is one of our authour's strokes of observation. An abrupt and tumultuous utterance very frequently accompanies a confused and cloudy understanding.

Note return to page 464 3In the old editions, Being scarce made up, I mean, to man, he had not apprehension Of roaring terrors; for defect of judgment Is oft the cause of fear. &lblank;] If I understand this passage, it is mock reasoning as it stands, and the text must have been slightly corrupted. Belarius is giving a description of what Cloten formerly was; and in answer to what Arviragus says of his being so fell. “Ay, says Belarius, he was so fell, and being scarce then at man's estate, he had no apprehension of roaring terrors, i. e. of any thing that could check him with fears.” But then, how does the inference come in, built upon this? For defect of judgment is oft the cause of fear. I think, the poet meant to have said the mere contrary. Cloten was defective in judgment, and therefore did not fear. Apprehensions of fear grow from a judgment in weighing dangers. And a very easy change, from the traces of the letters, gives us this sense, and reconciles the reasoning of the whole passage. &lblank; for th' effect of judgment Is oft the cause of fear. Theobald. Hanmer reads, with equal justness of sentiment, &lblank; for defect of judgment Is oft the cure of fear. &lblank; But, I think, the play of effect and cause more resembling the manner of our authour.

Note return to page 465 4I'm perfect, what; &lblank;] I am well informed, what. So in this play, I'm perfect, the Pannonians are in arms.

Note return to page 466 5&lblank; take us in;] To take in, was the phrase in use for to apprehend an out-law, or, to make him amenable to publick justice.

Note return to page 467 6&lblank; Though his honour Was nothing but mutation, &c.] What has his honour to do here, in his being changeable in this sort? in his acting as a madman, or not? I have ventur'd to substitute humour, against the authority of the printed copies: and the meaning seems plainly this. “Though he was always fickle to the last degree, and govern'd by humour, not found sense; yet not madness itself could make him so hardy to attempt an enterprise of this nature alone, and unseconded.” Theobald. &lblank; Though his honour Was nothing but mutation, &lblank;] Mr. Theobald, as usual, not understanding this, turns honour to humour. But the text is right, and means, that the only notion he had of honour, was the fashion, which was perpetually changing. A fine stroke of satire, well expressed: yet the Oxford Editor follows Mr. Theobald. Warburton.

Note return to page 468 7Did make my way long forth.] Fidele's sickness made my walk forth from the cave tedious.

Note return to page 469 8&lblank; revenges That possible strength might meet] Such pursuit of vengeance as fell within any possibility of opposition.

Note return to page 470 9I'd let a parish of such Clotens blood,] This nonsense should be corrected thus. I'd let a marish of such Clotens blood, i. e. a marsh or lake. So Smith, in his account of Virginia, Yea Venice, at this time the admiration of the earth, was at first but a marish, inhabited by poor fishermen. In the first book of Maccabees, chap. ix. ver. 42. the Translator use the word in the same sense. Warburton. The learned commentator has dealt the reproach of nonsense very liberally through this play. Why this is nonsense, I cannot discover. I would, says the young Prince, to recover Fidele, kill as many Clotens as would fill a parish.

Note return to page 471 1Oh, melancholy! Who ever yet could sound thy bottom? find The ooze, to shew what coast thy sluggish care Might eas'liest harbour in? &lblank;] But as plausible as this at first sight may seem, all those, who know any thing of good writing, will agree, that our author must have wrote, &lblank; to shew what coast thy sluggish carrack Might eas'liest harbour in? &lblank; Carrack is a slow, heavy built vessel of burden. This restores the uniformity of the metaphor, compleats the sense, and is a word of great propriety and beauty to design a melancholic person. Warburton.

Note return to page 472 2&lblank; The Ruddock would, With charitable bill, bring thee all this; Yea, and furr'd moss besides. When flow'rs are none. To winter-ground thy course.] Here again, the metaphor is strangely mangled. What sense is there in winter-grounding a coarse with moss? A coarse might indeed be said to be winter-grounded in good thick clay. But the epithet furr'd to moss directs us plainly to another reading, To winter-gown thy coarse &lblank; i. e. the summer habit shall be a light gown of flowers, thy winter habit a good warm furr'd gown of moss. Warburton. The Ruddock is the Red-breast.6Q0239

Note return to page 473 3He was paid for that: &lblank;] Hanmer reads, He has paid for that: rather plausibly than rightly. Paid is for punished. So Johnson, Twenty things more, my friend, which you know due, For which, or pay me quickly, or I'll pay you.

Note return to page 474 4&lblank; reverence, That angel of the world, &lblank;] Reverence, or due regard to subordination, is the power that keeps peace and order in the world.

Note return to page 475 5Fear no more, &c.] This is the topic of consolation that nature dictates to all men on these occasions. The same farewell we have over the dead body in Lucian. &grT;&grea;&grk;&grn;&gro;&grn; &grasa;&grq;&grl;&gri;&gro;&grn; &gro;&grusa;&grk;&gre;&grt;&gri; &grd;&gris;&gry;&grha;&grs;&gre;&gri;&grst;, &gro;&grusa;&grk;&gri;&grt;&gri; &grp;&gre;&gri;&grn;&grha;&grs;&gre;&gri;&grst;, &c. Warburton.

Note return to page 476 6Fear not slander, &c.] Perhaps, Fear not slander's censure rash.

Note return to page 477 7Consign to thee, &lblank;] Perhaps, Consign to this. &lblank; And in the former stanza, for all follow this, we might read, all follow thee.

Note return to page 478 8For the obsequies of Fidele, a song was written by my unhappy friend, Mr. William Collins of Chichester, a man of uncommon learning and abilities. I shall give it a place at the end in honour of his memory.

Note return to page 479 9'Twas thou, &c.] The old copy reads thus, &lblank; Thou Conspir'd with that irregulous divel Cloten. I suppose it should be, Conspir'd with th' irreligious devil Cloten.

Note return to page 480 1Last night, the very Gods shew'd me a vision.] The very Gods may, indeed, signify the Gods themselves immediately, and not by the intervention of other agents or instruments; yet I am persuaded the reading is corrupt, and that Shakespeare wrote, Last night, the warey Gods &lblank; Warey here signifying, animadverting, forewarning, ready to give notice; not, as in its more usual meaning, cautious, reserved. Warburton. Of this meaning I know not any example, nor do I see any need of alteration. It was no common dream, but sent from the very Gods, or the Gods themselves.

Note return to page 481 2&lblank; who was he, That, otherwise than noble Nature did, Hath alter'd that good picture?] The editor, Mr. Theobald, cavils at this passage. He says, it is far from being strictly grammatical; and yet, what is strange, he subjoins a paraphrase of his own, which shews it to be strictly grammatical. For, says he, the construction of these words is this, who hath alter'd that good picture otherwise than nature alter'd it. I suppose then this editor's meaning was, that the grammatical construction would not conform to the sense; for a bad writer, like a bad man, generally says one thing, and means another, He subjoining, Shakespeare designed to say, If the text be genuine, who hath alter'd that good picture from what noble nature at first made it. Here again he is mistaken; Shakespeare meant, like a plain man, just as he spoke; and as our editor first paraphrased him, who hath alter'd that good picture otherwise than nature alter'd it? And the solution of the difficulty in this sentiment, which so much perplexed him, is this: The speaker sees a young man without a head, and consequently much shorten'd in stature; on which he breaks out into this exclamation, who hath alter'd this good form, by making it shorter; to contrary to the practice of nature which by yearly accession of growth alters it by making it taller. No occasion then for the editor to change did into bid with an allusion to the command against murder; which then should have been forbid instead of bid. Warburton. Here are many words upon a very slight debate. The sense is not much cleared by either critick. The question is asked, not about a body, but a picture, which is not very apt to grow shorter or longer. To do a picture, and a picture is well done, are standing phrases; the question therefore is, who has altered this picture, so as to make it otherwise than nature did it.

Note return to page 482 3&lblank; these poor pickaxes &lblank;] Meaning her fingers.

Note return to page 483 4&lblank; arm him. &lblank;] That is, Take him up in your arms. Hanmer.

Note return to page 484 5Changes to Cymbeline's Palace.] This scene is omitted against all authority by Sir T. Hanmer. It is indeed of no great use in the progress of the fable, yet it makes a regular preparation for the next Act.

Note return to page 485 6&lblank; our jealousy Does yet depend.] My suspicion is yet undetermined; if I do not condemn you, I likewise have not acquitted you. We now say, the cause is depending.

Note return to page 486 7Your preparation, &c.] Your forces are able to face such an army as we hear the enemy will bring against us.

Note return to page 487 8&lblank; to the note o' th' King, &lblank;] I will so distinguish myself, that the King shall remark my valour.

Note return to page 488 9&lblank; a Render Where we have liv'd; &lblank;] An account of our place of abode. This dialogue is a just representation of the superfluous caution of an old man.

Note return to page 489 1&lblank; whose answer &lblank;] The retaliation of the death of Cloten would be death, &c.

Note return to page 490 2&lblank; their quarter'd fires, &lblank;] Their fires regularly disposed.

Note return to page 491 3bloody handkerchief.] The bloody token of Imogen's death, which Pisanio in the foregoing act determined to send.

Note return to page 492 4Yea, bloody cloth, &c.] This is a soliloquy of nature, uttered when the offervescence of a mind agitated and perturbed spontaneously and inadvertently discharges itself in words. The speech, throughout all its tenour, if the last conceit be excepted, seems to issue warm from the heart. He first condemns his own violence; then tries to disburden himself, by imputing part of the crime to Pisanio; he next sooths his mind to an artificial and momentary tranquillity, by trying to think that he has been only an instrument of the gods for the happiness of Imogen. He is now grown reasonable enough to determine, that having done so much evil he will do no more; that he will not fight against the country which he has already injured; but as life is not longer supportable, he will die in a just cause, and die with the obscurity of a man who does not think himself worthy to be remembered.

Note return to page 493 5&lblank; to put on, &lblank;] Is to incite, to instigate.

Note return to page 494 6&lblank; each elder worse,] For this reading all the later editors have contentedly taken, &lblank; each worse than other. without enquiries whence they have received it. Yet they know, or might know, that it has no authority. The original copy reads, &lblank; each elder worse. The last deed is certainly not the oldest, but Shakespeare calls the deed of an elder man an elder deed.

Note return to page 495 7And make them dread it, to the doers' thrift.] The Divinity-schools have not furnish'd juster observations on the conduct of providence, than Posthumus gives us here in his private reflections. You Gods, says he, act in a different manner with your different creatures; You snatch some hence for little faults; that's love; To have them fall no more. Others, says our poet, you permit to live on, to multiply and increase in crimes, And make them dread it, to the doers' thrift. Here's a relative without an antecedent substantive; which is a breach of grammar. We must certainly read, And make them dreaded, to the doers' thrift. i. e. others you permit to aggravate one crime with more; which enormities not only make them revered and dreaded, but turn in other kinds to their advantage. Dignity, respect, and profit, accrue to them from crimes committed with impunity. Theob. This emendation is followed by Hanmer. Dr. Warburton reads, I know not whether by the printer's negligence, And make them dread, to the doers' thrift. There seems to be no very satisfactory sense yet offered. I read, but with hesitation, And make them deeded, to the doers' thrift. The word deeded I know not indeed where to find; but Shakespeare has, in another sense, undeeded, in Macbeth: &lblank; My sword I sheath again undeeded. I will try again, and read thus, &lblank; others you permit To second ills with ills, each other worse, And make them trade it to the doers' thrift. Trade and thrift correspond. Our authour plays with trade, as it signifies a lucrative vocation, or a frequent practice. So Isabella says, Thy sins not accidental, but a trade.

Note return to page 496 8&lblank; Do your best wills, And make me blest t' obey! &lblank;] So the copies. It was more in the manner of our authour to have written, &lblank; Do your blest wills, And make me blest t' obey.

Note return to page 497 9&lblank; for preservation cas'd, or shame,] Shame, for modesty. Warburton. Sir T. Hanmer reads the passage thus: Than some for preservation cas'd. For shame, Make good the passage, cry'd to those that fled, Our Britain's Harts die flying, &c. The old reading is right.

Note return to page 498 1A rout, confusion thick. &lblank;] This is read as if it was a thick confusion, and only another term for rout: whereas confusion-thick should be read thus with an hyphen, and is a very beautiful compound epithet to rout. But Shakespeare's fine diction is not a little obscured throughout by thus disfiguring his compound adjectives. Warburton. I do not see what great addition is made to fine diction by this compound. Is it not as natural to enforce the principal event in a story by repetition, as to enlarge the principal figure in a picture?

Note return to page 499 2&lblank; bugs &lblank;] Terrors.

Note return to page 500 3Nay, do not wonder at it;] Sure, this is mock reasoning with a vengeance. What! because he was made fitter to wonder at great actions, than to perform any, is he therefore forbid to wonder? Not and but are perpetually mistaken for one another in the old editions. Theobald. There is no need of alteration. Posthumus first bids him not wonder, then tells him in another mode of reproach, that wonder is all that he was made for.

Note return to page 501 4&lblank; I, in mine own woe charm'd.] Alluding to the common superstition of Charms being powerful enough to keep men unhurt in battle. It was derived from our Saxon ancestors, and so is common to us with the Germans, who are above all other people given to this superstition, which made Erasmus, where, in his Moriæ Encomium, he gives to each nation its proper characteristic, say, Germani corporum proceritate &c magiæ cognitione sibi placent: and Prior, in his Alma, North Britons hence have second sight: And Germans free from gunshot fight. Warb.

Note return to page 502 5&lblank; favourer to the Roman,] The editions before Hanmer's for Roman read Briton; and Dr. Warburton reads Briton still.

Note return to page 503 6&lblank; great the answer be] Answer, as once in this play before, is retaliation.

Note return to page 504 7That gave th' affront with them.] That is, that turned their faces to the enemy.

Note return to page 505 8You shall not now be stoll'n,] This wit of the Gaoler alludes to the custom of putting a lock on a horse's leg, when he is turned to pasture.

Note return to page 506 9&lblank; to satisfy, If of my freedom 'tis the main part, take No stricter render of me, than my all.] What we can discover from the nonsense of these lines is, that the speaker, in a fit of penitency, compares his circumstances with a debtor's, who is willing to surrender up all to appease his creditor. This being the sense in general, I may venture to say, the true reading must have been this, &lblank; to satisfy, I d'off my freedom; 'tis the main part; take No stricter Render of me than my all. The verb d'off is too frequently used by our author to need any instances; and is here employed with peculiar elegance, i. e. To give all the satisfaction I am able to your offended Godheads, I voluntarily divest myself of my freedom: 'tis the only thing I have to atone with, &lblank; take No stricter Render of me, than my all. Warburton.

Note return to page 507 1&lblank; cold bonds. &lblank;] This equivocal use of bonds is another instance of our authour's infelicity in pathetick speeches.

Note return to page 508 2Solemn musick: &c.] Here follow a vision, a masque, and a prophesy, which interrupt the fable without the least necessity, and unmeasurably lengthen this act. I think it plainly foisted in afterwards for meer show, and apparently not of Shakespeare. Pope.

Note return to page 509 3That from me my Posthumus ript] The old copy reads, That from me was Posthumus ript. Perhaps we should read, That from my my womb Posthumus ript, Came crying 'mongst his foes.

Note return to page 510 4'Tis still a dream; or else such stuff, as madmen Tongue, and brain not—do either both, or nothing— Or senseless speaking, or a speaking such As sense cannot untie. &lblank;] The obscurity of this passage arises from part of it being spoke of the prophesy, and part to it. This writing on the Tablet (says he) is still a dream, or else the raving of madness. Do thou, O Tablet, either both, or nothing; either let thy words and sense go together, or be thy bosom a rasa tabula. As the words now stand they are nonsense, or at least involve in them a sense which I cannot divelope. Warburton. The meaning, which is too thin to be easily caught, I take to be this: This is a dream or madness, or both—or nothing—but whether it be a speech without consciousness, as in a dream, or a speech uninteligible, as in madness, be it as it is, it is like my course of life. We might perhaps read, Whether both, or nothing &lblank;

Note return to page 511 5and sorry that you are paid too much;] Tavern bills, says the Gaoler, are the sadness of parting, as the procuring of mirth— you depart reeling with too much drink; sorry that you have paid too much, and—what? sorry that you are paid too much. Where is the opposition? I read, And merry that you are paid so much. I take the second paid to be 'paid, for appaid, filled, satiated.

Note return to page 512 6debtor, and creditor,] For an accounting book.

Note return to page 513 7jump the after-enquiry] That is, venture at it without thought. So Macbeth, I'd jump the life to come.

Note return to page 514 8&lblank; one that promis'd nought But begg'ry and poor Looks.] But how can it be said, that one, whose poor Looks promise beggary, promised poor Looks too? it was not the poor look which was promised: that was visible. We must read, But begg'ry and poor Luck. This sets the matter right, and makes Belarius speak sense and to the purpose. For there was the extraordinary thing; he promis'd nothing but poor Luck, and yet perform'd all these wonders. Warburton. To promise nothing but poor looks, may be, to give no promise of courageous behaviour.

Note return to page 515 9So feat, &lblank;] So ready; so dexterous in waiting.

Note return to page 516 1&lblank; favour is familiar &lblank;] I am acquainted with his countenance.

Note return to page 517 2One sand another Not more resembles that sweet rosy lad,] A slight corruption has made nonsense of this passage. One grain might resemble another, but none a human form. We should read, Not more resembles, that he th' sweet rosy lad. Warb. There was no great difficulty in the line, which, when properly pointed, needs no alteration.

Note return to page 518 3&lblank; for feature, laming] Feature, for proportion of parts, which Mr. Theobald not understanding, would alter to stature. &lblank; for feature, laming The shrine of Venus, or straight-pight Minerva, Postures beyond brief nature; &lblank;] i. e. The ancient statues of Venus and Minerva, which exceeded, in beauty of exact proportion, any living bodies, the work of brief nature, i. e. of hasty, unelaborate nature. He gives the same character of the beauty of the Antique in Antony and Cleopatra: O'er picturing that Venus where we see The fancy out-work nature. It appears, from a number of such passages as these, that our author was not ignorant of the fine arts. A passage in De Piles' Cours de peinture par principes will give great light to the beauty of the text.—Peu de sentimens ont été partagez sur la beauté de l' antique. Les gens d'esprit qui aiment les beaux arts ont estimé dans tous les tems ces merveilleux ouvrages. Nous voyons dans les anciens Auteurs quantité de passages ou pour loüer les beautez vivantes on les comparoit aux statuës. Ne vous imaginez (dit Maxime de Tyr) de pouvoir jamais trouver une beauté naturelle, qui le dispute aux statuës. Ovid, ou il fait la description de Cyllare, le plus beau de Centaures, dit Qu'il avoit une si grande vivacité dans le visage, que le col, les épaules, les mains, & l'estomac en etoient si beaux qu' on pouvoit assurer qu' en tout ce qu'il avoit de l' homme c' etoit la meme beauté que l' on remarque dans les statuës les plus parfaites. Et Philostrate, parlant de la beauté de Neoptoleme, & de la ressemblance qu' il avoit avec son pere Achilles dit, Qu' en beauté son pere avoit autant d' avantage sur lui que les statuës en ont sur les beaux hommes. Les auteurs modernes ont suivi ces mêmes sentimens sur la beauté de l' Antique. Je reporterai seulement celui de Scaliger. Le Moyen, dit il, que nous puissions rien voir qui aproche de la perfection des belles statuës, puisqu' il est permis à l' art de choisir, de retrancher, d' adjoûter, de diriger, & qu' au contrarie, la nature s' est toujours alterée depuis la creation du premier homme en qui Dieu joignit la beauté de la forme à celle de l' innocence. This last quotation from Scaliger well explains what Shakespeare meant by Brief Nature; i. e. inelaborate, hasty, and careless as to the elegance of form, in respect of art, which uses the peculiar address, above explained, to arrive at perfection. Warburton.

Note return to page 519 4&lblank; averring notes] Such marks of the chamber and pictures, as averred or confirmed my report.

Note return to page 520 5&lblank; and She herself.] That is, She was not only the temple of Virtue, but Virtue herself.

Note return to page 521 6&lblank; these staggers &lblank;] This wild and delirious perturbation. Staggers is the horse's apoplexy.

Note return to page 522 7Think, that you are upon a rock. &lblank;] In this speech, or in the answer, there is little meaning. I suppose, she would say, Consider such another act as equally fatal to me with precipitation from a rock, and now let me see whether you will repeat it.

Note return to page 523 8By tasting of our wrath?] But how did Belarius undo or forfeit his merit by tasting or feeling the King's wrath? We should read, By Hasting of our wrath? i. e. by hastening, provoking; and as such a provocation is undutiful, the demerit, consequently, undoes or makes void his former worth, and all pretensions to reward. Warburton. There is no need of change; the consequence is taken for the whole action; by tasting is by forcing us to make thee taste.

Note return to page 524 9Your pleasure was my near offence, &lblank;] I think this passage may better be read thus, Your pleasure was my dear offence, my punishment Itself was all my treason; that I suffer'd, Was all the harm I did. &lblank; The offence which cost me so dear was only your caprice. My sufferings have been all my crime.

Note return to page 525 1Thou weep'st, and speak'st.] Thy tears give testimony to the sincerity of thy relation, and I have the less reason to be incredulous, because the actions which you have done within my knowledge are more incredible than the story which you relate. The King reasons very justily.

Note return to page 526 2When ye were so, indeed.] The folio gives, When we were so, indeed. If this be right, we must read, Imo. I, you brothers. Arv. When we were so, indeed.

Note return to page 527 3&lblank; fierce abridgment] Fierce is vehement, rapid.

Note return to page 528 4Why fled you from the court, and whether these?] It must be rectified thus; Why fled you from the court? and whither? These, &c. The King is asking his daughter, how she has lived; why she fled from the court, and to what place: And having enumerated so many particulars, he stops short. Theobald.

Note return to page 529 5My peace we will begin &lblank;] I think it better to read, By peace we will begin. &lblank;

Note return to page 530 THIS Play has many just sentiments, some natural dialogues, and some pleasing scenes, but they are obtained at the expence of much incongruity. To remark the folly of the fiction, the absurdity of the conduct, the confusion of the names and manners of different times, and the impossibility of the events in any system of life, were to waste criticism upon unresisting imbecillity, upon faults too evident for detection, and too gross for aggravation.

Note return to page 531 The Editions of this Play are, 1. Quarto. 1609. G. Eld. for R. Boniand and H. Whalley. 2. Quarto. No date. G. Eld. for R. Boniand and H. Whalley. *&stellam;*I have the Folio and first Quarto. The Folio is the corrected and complete copy.

Note return to page 532 1The story was originally written by Lollius, an old Lombard authour, and since by Chaucer. Pope. It is also found in an old story-book of the three destructions of Troy, from which many of the circumstances of this play are borrowed, they being to be found to where else. Theobald. Troilus and Cressida.] Before this play of Troilus and Cressida, printed in 1609, is a bookseller's preface, shewing that first impression to have been before the play had been acted, and that it was published without Shakespeare's knowlege, from a copy that had fallen into the bookseller's hands. Mr. Dryden thinks this one of the first of our author's plays: but on the contrary, it may be judged from the fore-mentioned preface that it was one of his last; and the great number of observations both moral and politic, (with which this piece is crowded more than any other of his) seems to confirm my opinion. Pope.

Note return to page 533 *&lblank; Priam's six-gated city Dardan and Timbria, Helias, Chetas, Trojan, And Antenonidus, with mossy staples And corresponsive and fulfilling bolts Stir up the sons of Troy.] This has been a most miserably mangled passage, through all the editions; corrupted at once into false concord and false reasoning. Priam's six-gated City stirre up the sons of Troy?—Here's a verb plural governed of a Nominative singular. But that is easily remedied. The next question to be ask'd, is, In what sense a city having six strong gates, and those well barr'd and bolted, can be said to stir up its inhabitants? unless they may be supposed to derive some spirit from the strength of their fortifications. But this could not be the poet's thought. He must mean, I take it, that the Greeks had pitched their tents upon the plains before Troy; and that the Trojans were securely barricaded within the walls and gates of their city. This sense my correction restores. To sperre, or spar, from the old Teutonic word, (SPERREN) signifies, to shut up, defend by barrs, &c. Theobald.

Note return to page 534 †A prologue arm'd, &lblank;] I come here to speak the prologue, and come in armour; not defying the audience, in confidence of either the author's or actor's abilities, but merely in a character suited to the subject, in a dress of war, before a warlike play.

Note return to page 535 2&lblank; fonder than ignorance;] Fonder, for more childish. Warburton.

Note return to page 536 3And skill-less, &c.] Mr. Dryden, in his alteration of this play, has taken this speech as it stands, except that he has changed skilless to artless, not for the better, because skill-less refers to skill and skilful.

Note return to page 537 4&lblank; and spirit of sense Hard as the palm of ploughman. &lblank;] Read, and (spite of sense) in a parenthesis. The meaning is, though our senses contradict it never so much, yet the cignet's down is not only harsh, when compar'd to the softness of Cressid's hand, but hard as the hand of ploughman. Spite, I suppose, was first corrupted to spite, and from thence arose spirit. Warburton. I think this passage more forcible and elegant without an alteration. In comparison with Cressid's hand, says he, the spirit of sense, the utmost degree, the most exquisite power of sensibility, which implies a soft hand, since the sense of touching, as Scaliger says in his Exercitations, resides chiefly in the fingers, is hard as the callous and insensible palm of the ploughman. Hanmer reads, &lblank; to th' spirit of sense. It is not proper to make a lover profess to praise his mistress in spite of sense, for tho' he often does it in spite of the sense of others, his own senses are subdued to his desires.

Note return to page 538 5She has the mends.] She may mend her complexion by the assistance of cosmeticks.

Note return to page 539 6&lblank; Hector, whose patience Is, as a Virtue, fix'd, &lblank;] Patience sure was a virtue, and therefore cannot, in propriety of expression, be said to be like one. We should read, Is as the Virtue fix'd, &lblank; i. e. his patience is as fixed as the Goddess Patience itself. So we find Troilus a little before saying, Patience herself what Goddess ere she be, Doth lesser blench at sufferance than I do. It is remarkable that Dryden, when he alter'd this play, and found this false reading, alter'd it with judgment to, &lblank; whose patience Is fix'd like that of Heav'n. Which he would not have done had he seen the right reading here given, where his thought is so much better and nobler expressed. Warburton. I think the present text may stand. Hector's patience was as a virtue not variable and accidental, but fixed and constant. If I would alter it, it should be thus, &lblank; Hector, whose patience Is all a virtue fix'd, &lblank; All, in old English, is the intensive or enforcing particle.

Note return to page 540 7Before the Sun rose, he was harnest light,] Why harnest light? Does the poet mean, that Hector had put on light armour? Or that he was sprightly in his arms, even before sun-rise? Or is a conundrum aim'd at, in Sun rose, and harnest light? A very slight alteration makes all these constructions unnecessary, and gives us the poet's meaning in the properest terms imaginable. Before the Sun rose, he was harness-dight, i. e. compleatly drest, accoutred, in arms. It is frequent with our poet, from his masters Chaucer and Spenser, to say dight for deck'd; pight, for pitch'd; &c. and from them too he uses harness for armour. Theobald. Before the Sun rose, he was harnest light,] Does the poet mean (says Mr. Theobald) that Hector had put on light armour? mean! what else could he mean? He goes to fight on foot; and was not that the armour for his purpose. So Fairfax in Tasso's Jerusalem, The other Princes put on harness light As footmen use &lblank; Yet, as if this had been the highest absurdity, he goes on, Or does he mean that Hector was sprightly in his arms even before sun-rise? or is a conundrum aim'd at, in Sun rose and harnest light? Was any thing like it? but to get out of this perplexity, he tells us that a very slight alteration makes all these constructions unnecessary, and so changes it to harness-dight. Yet indeed the very slightest alteration will at any time let the poet's sense thro' the critic's fingers: And the Oxford Editor very contentedly takes up with what is left behind, and reads harness-dight too, in order, as Mr. Theobald well expresses it, To make all construction unnecessary. Warburton. How does it appear that Hector was to fight on foot rather today than on any other day? It is to be remembered, that the ancient heroes never fought on horseback; nor does their manner of fighting in chariots seem to require less activity than on foot.

Note return to page 541 8that his valour is crusht into folly, his folly sauced with discretion:] Valour crusht into folly is nonsense; but it is of the first editor's making; who seeing crouded go before, concluded that crusht (which is oft indeed the consequence) must needs follow. He did not observe that the poet here employs a Kitchen-metaphor, which would have led him to the true reading, His valour is crusted into folly, his folly sauced with discretion. Thus is Ajax dished up by the poet. The expression is humourous. His temper is represented as so hot that his valour becomes overbaked, and so is crusted or hardened into folly or temerity: yet the hardness of his folly is sauced or softened with discretion, and so made palatable. Warb. This emendation does not want ingenuity or humour; but I cannot see so clearly that the present reading is nonsense. To be crushed into folly, is to be confused and mingled with folly, so as that they make one mass together.

Note return to page 542 9Good morrow, cousin Cressid; What do you talk of? Good morrow, Alexander;—How do you, cousin?] Good morrow, Alexander —is added in all the editions, says Mr. Pope, very absurdly, Paris not being on the stage.—Wonderful acuteness: But, with submission, this gentleman's note is much more absurd; for it falls out very unluckily for his remark, that though Paris is, for the generality, in Homer call'd Alexander; yet, in this play, by any one of the characters introduc'd, he is call'd nothing but Paris. The truth of the fact is this. Pandarus is of a busy, impertinent, insinuating character; and 'tis natural for him, so soon as he has given his cousin the good-morrow, to pay his civilities too to her attendant. This is purely &grea;&grn; &grhsa;&grq;&gre;&gri;, as the grammarians call it; and gives us an admirable touch of Pandarus's character. And why might not Alexander be the name of Cressid's man? Paris had no patent, I suppose, for engrossing it to himself. But the late Editor, perhaps, because we have had Alexander the Great, Pope Alexander, and Alexander Pope, would not have so eminent a name prostituted to a common valet. Theobald.

Note return to page 543 1Ilium] Was the palace of Troy.

Note return to page 544 2Two and fifty hairs,] I have ventured to substitute one and fifty, I think, with some certainty. How else can the number make out Priam, and his fifty sons? Theobald.

Note return to page 545 3&lblank; the rich shall have more.] To give one the nod, was a phrase signifying to give one a mark of folly. The reply turns upon this sense alluding to the expression give, and should be read thus, The mich shall have more, i. e. much. He that has much folly already shall then have more. This was a proverbial speech, implying that benefits fall upon the rich. The Oxford Editor alters it to, The rest shall have none. Warburton. I wonder why the commentator should think any emendation necessary, since his own sense is fully expressed by the present reading. Hanmer appears not to have understood the passage. That to give the nod signifies to set a mark of folly, I do not know; the allusion is to the word noddy, which, as now, did, in our authour's time, and long before, signify, a silly fellow, and may, by its etymology, signify likewise full of nods. Cressid means, that a Noddy shall have more nods. Of such remarks as these is a comment to consist?

Note return to page 546 4money to boot.] So the folio. The old quarto, with more force, Give an eye to boot.

Note return to page 547 5upon my wit, to defend my wiles;] So read both the copies; yet perhaps the authour wrote, Upon my wit, to defend my will. The terms wit and will were, in the language of that time, put often in opposition.

Note return to page 548 6At your own house, there he unarms him.] These necessary words added from the quarto edition. Pope. The words added are only, there he unarms him.

Note return to page 549 7&lblank; joy's soul lies in the doing:] So read both the old editions, for which the later editions have poorly given, &lblank; the soul's joy lies in doing.

Note return to page 550 8That she &lblank;] Means, that woman.

Note return to page 551 9Then though &lblank;] The quarto reads, then; the folio and the modern editions read improperly, that.

Note return to page 552 1&lblank; my heart's content &lblank;] Content, for capacity. Warburton.

Note return to page 553 2Broad, quarto; the folio reads loud.

Note return to page 554 3With due observance of thy goodly Seat.] Goodly is an epithet carries no very great compliment with it; and Nestor seems here to be paying deference to Agamemnon's state and pre-eminence. The old books have it,—to thy godly Seat; godlike, as I have reform'd the text, seems to me the epithet design'd; and is very conformable to what Æneas afterwards says of Agamemnon; Which is that God in office, guiding men? So godlike Seat is here, State supreme above other commanders. Theobald. This emendation Theobald might have found in the quarto, which has, &lblank; the godlike seat.

Note return to page 555 4&lblank; Nestor shall apply Thy latest words. &lblank;] What were these latest words? A common-place observation, illustrated by a particular image, that opposition and adversity were useful to try and distinguish between the valiant man and the coward, the wise man and the fool. The application of this was to the Greeks, who had remained long unsuccessful before Troy, but might make a good use of their misfortunes by learning patience and perseverance. Now Nestor promises that he will make this application; but we find nothing like it. He only repeats Agamemnon's general observation, and illustrates it by another image; from whence it appears, that Shakespeare wrote, &lblank; Nestor shall supply Thy latest word. &lblank; And it must be owned, the poet never wrote any thing more in character. Nestor, a talkative old man, was glad to catch at this common-place, as it would furnish him with much matter for prate. And, therefore, on pretence that Agamemnon had not been full enough upon it, he begs leave to supply the topic with some diversified flourishes of his own. And what could be more natural than for a wordy old man to call the repetition of the same thought, a supplial. We may observe further, that according to this reading the introductory apology, With due observance of thy goodly Seat, is very proper: it being a kind of insinuation, to the prejudice of Agamemnon's facundity, that Nestor was forced to supply his speech. Whereas had the true reading been apply, the apology had been impertinent: for in such a case we must have supposed, this was a preconcerted division of the argument between the two orators. Warburton. I suppose the reader is long since contented rather to take either word than read the argument. Nestor applies the words to another instance.

Note return to page 556 5&lblank; patient breast, &lblank;] The quarto, not so well. &lblank; ancient breast.

Note return to page 557 6&lblank; the thing of courage,] It is said of the tiger, that in storms and high winds he rages and roars most furiously. Hanmer.

Note return to page 558 7Returns to chiding fortune.] For returns, Hanmer reads replies, unnecessarily, the sense being the same. The folio and quarto have retires, corruptly.

Note return to page 559 8&lblank; speeches; which were such, As Agamemnon and the hand of Greece Should hold up high in brass; and such again, As venerable Nestor, hatch'd in silver, Should—knit all Greeks ears To his experienc'd tongue: &lblank;] Ulysses begins his oration with praising those who had spoken before him, and marks the characteristick excellencies of their different eloquence, strength and sweetness, which he expresses by the different metals on which he recommends them to be engraven for the instruction of posterity. The speech of Agamemnon is such that it ought to be engraven in brass, and the tablet held up by him on the one side, and Greece on the other, to shew the union of their opinion. And Nestor ought to be exhibited in silver, uniting all his audience in one mind by his soft and gentle elocution. Brass is the common emblem of strength, and silver of gentleness. We call a soft voice a silver voice, and a persuasive tongue a silver tongue. I once read for hand, the baud of Greece, but I think the text right. To hatch, is a term of art for a particular method of engraving. Hacher, to cut, French.

Note return to page 560 9Agam. Speak, &c.] This speech is not in the quarto.

Note return to page 561 1The speciality of Rule &lblank;] The particular rights of supreme authority.

Note return to page 562 2When that the General is not like the hive,] The image is taken from the government of bees. But what are we to understand by this line? either it has no meaning, or a meaning contrary to the drift of the speaker. For either it signifies, that the General and the hive are not of the same degree or species, when as the speaker's complaint is, that the hive acts so perversely as to destroy all difference of degree between them and the General: or it must signify, that the General has private ends and interests distinct from that of the hive; which defeats the very end of the speaker; whose purpose is to justify the General, and expose the disobedience of the hive. We should certainly then read, When that the General not likes the hive: i. e. when the soldiers like not, and refuse to pay due obedience to their General: This being the very case he would describe, and shew the mischiefs of. Warb. No interpretation was ever more perverse than those of the commentator. The meaning is, When the General is not to the army like the hive to the bees, the repository of the stock of every individual, that to which each particular resorts with whatever he has collected for the good of the whole, what honey is expected? what hope of advantage? The sense is clear, the expression is confused.

Note return to page 563 3The heav'ns themselves, &lblank;] This illustration was probably derived from a passage in Hooker: If celestial spheres should forget their wonted motion; if the Prince of the lights of heaven should begin to stand; if the moon should wander from her beaten way, and the seasons of the year blend themselves, what would become of man? The heav'ns themselves, the planets, and this center,] i. e. the center of the earth; which, according to the Ptolemaic system then in vogue, is the center of the Solar System. Warb.

Note return to page 564 4&lblank; But when the Planets In evil mixture to disorder wander, &c.] By Planets Shakespeare here means Comets, which by some were supposed to be excentrical planets. The evil effects here recapitulated were those which superstition gave to the appearance of Comets. Warburton. I believe the poet, according to astrological opinions, means, when the planets form malignant configurations, when their aspects are evil towards one another. This he terms evil mixture.

Note return to page 565 5&lblank; Oh, when degree is shaken,] I would read, &lblank; So when degree is shaken.

Note return to page 566 6The enterprize &lblank;] Perhaps we should read, Then enterprize is sick. &lblank;

Note return to page 567 7&lblank; brotherhoods in cities,] Corporations; companies; confraternities.

Note return to page 568 8&lblank; Right and Wrong, Between whose endless jar Justice resides, Would lose their names, &lblank;] The editor, Mr. Theobald, thinks that the second line is no bad comment upon what Horace has said on this subject; &lblank; sunt certi denique fines, Quos ultra citraque nequit consistere rectum. But if it be a comment on the Latin poet, it is certainly the worst that ever was made. Horace says, with extreme good sense, that there are certain bounds beyond which, and short of which, Justice or Right cannot exist. The meaning is, because if it be short of those bounds, Wrong prevails; if it goes beyond, Justice tyrannises; according to the common proverb of Summum jus summa injuria. Shakespeare says, that Justice resides between the endless jar of right and wrong. Here the two extremes, between which Justice resides, are right and wrong; in Horace the two extremes, between which Justice resides, are both wrong. A very pretty comment this truly, which puts the change upon us; and instead of explaining a good thought of Horace, gives us a nonsensical one of its own. For to say the truth, this is not only no comment on Horace, but no true reading of Shakespeare. Justice is here represented as moderating between Right and Wrong, and acting the over-complaisant and ridiculous part of Don Adriano de Armado in Love's Labour's Lost, who is called, with inimitable humour, A man of Compliments; whom Right and Wrong Have chose as Umpire of their Mutiny. This is the exact office of Justice in the present reading: But we are not to think that Shakespeare in a serious speech would dress her up in the garb of his fantastick Spaniard. We must rather conclude that he wrote, Between whose endless jar Justice presides; i. e. always determines the controversy in favour of Right; and thus justice is properly characterised without the author's ever dreaming of commenting Horace. Warburton. Surely all this is needless. If Justice presides between them, she must reside between them; if she sits with authority, she must sit.

Note return to page 569 9That by a pace &lblank;] That goes backward step by step.

Note return to page 570 1&lblank; with a purpose It hath to climb. &lblank;] With a design in each man to aggrandise himself, by slighting his immediate superiour.

Note return to page 571 2&lblank; bloodless emulation] An emulation not vigorous and active, but malignant and sluggish.

Note return to page 572 *Thy topless Deputation &lblank;] I don't know what can be meant by topless, but the contrary to what the speaker would insinuate. I suspect the poet wrote Stopless, i. e. unlimited; which was the case. Warburton. Topless is that has nothing topping or overtopping it; supreme; sovereign.

Note return to page 573 3&lblank; as near as the extremest ends, &c.] The parallels to which the allusion seems to be made are the parallels on a map. As like as East to West.

Note return to page 574 4All our abilities, gifts, natures, shapes, Severals and generals of grace exact, Atchievements, plots, &c.] The meaning is this, All our good qualities, severals and generals of grace: i. e. whether they be several and belong to particular men, as prudence to Ulysses, experience to Nestor, magnanimity to Agamemnon, valour to Ajax, &c. or whether they be general and belonging to the Greek nations in general, as valour, polished manners, &c. all these good qualities, together with our atchievements, plots, orders, &c. are all turned into ridicule by the buffoonery of Achilles and Patroclus. This is the sense; but what then is the meaning of grace exact? no other can be made of it, than that Achilles and Patroclus exactly mimick all our qualities and actions. But the speaker thought very differently of their buffoonery: the imitation, he says, being as unlike the original as Vulcan to his wife. The fault lies here; exact should be exacts; and belongs to the second division, namely the enumeration of the actions; and should be read thus; All our abilities, gifts, natures, shapes Several, and generals of grace; exacts, Atchievements, plots, &c. i. e. exactments, publick taxes, and contributions for carrying on the war. Warburton. Hanmer reads, though of grace exact. I see no great need of emendation; the meaning is plain; of grace exact, of excellence irreprehensible.

Note return to page 575 5&lblank; to make paradoxes.] Paradoxes may have a meaning, but it is not clear and distinct. I wish the copies had given, &lblank; to make parodies.

Note return to page 576 6&lblank; bears his head In such a rein. &lblank;] That is, holds up his head as haughtily. We still say of a girl, she bridles.

Note return to page 577 7How rank soever rounded in with danger.] A rank weed is a high weed. The modern editions silently read, How hard soever &lblank;

Note return to page 578 8&lblank; and know by measure Of their observant toil the enemies' weight;] I think it were better to read, &lblank; and know the measure, By their observant toil, of th' enemies' weight.

Note return to page 579 9&lblank; kingly ears?] The quarto, &lblank; kingly eyes.

Note return to page 580 1&lblank; Achilles' arm,] So the copies. Perhaps the authour wrote, &lblank; Alcides' arm.

Note return to page 581 2&lblank; bid the cheek &lblank;] So the folio. The quarto has, &lblank; on the cheek &lblank;

Note return to page 582 3&lblank; long continu'd truce] Of this long truce there has been no notice taken; in this very act it is said, that Ajax coped Hector yesterday in the battle.

Note return to page 583 4&lblank; rusty &lblank;] Quarto, resty.

Note return to page 584 5&lblank; more than in confession,] Confession, for profession. Warb.

Note return to page 585 6&lblank; to her own lips he loves,] That is, confession made with idle vows to the lips of her whom he loves.

Note return to page 586 7And in my vantbrace &lblank;] An armour for the arm, avantbras. Pope.

Note return to page 587 8&lblank; nursery &lblank;] Alluding to a plantation, called a nursery.

Note return to page 588 9The purpose is perspicuous ev'n as Substance, Whose grossness little characters sum up.] That is, the purpose is as plain as body or substance; and tho' I have collected this purpose from many minute particulars, as a gross body is made up of small insensible parts, yet the result is as clear and certain as a body thus made up is palpable and visible. This is the thought, tho' a little obscured in the conciseness of the expression. Warburton.

Note return to page 589 1And, in the publication, make no strain.] Nestor goes on to say, make no difficulty, no doubt, when this duel comes to be proclaim'd, but that Achilles, dull as he is, will discover the drift of it. This is the meaning of the line. So afterwards, in this play, Ulysses says, I do not strain at the position, i. e. I do not hesitate at, I make no difficulty of it. Theob.

Note return to page 590 2&lblank; scantling] That is a measure, proportion. The carpenter cuts his wood to a certain scantling.

Note return to page 591 3&lblank; small pricks] Small points compared with the volumes.

Note return to page 592 4Which entertain'd &lblank;] These two lines are not in the quarto.

Note return to page 593 5&lblank; share &lblank;] So the quarto. The folio, wear.

Note return to page 594 6Must tar the mastiffs on, &lblank;] Tarre, an old English word signifying to provoke or urge on. See King John, Act 4. Scene 1. &lblank; like a Dog Snatch at his Master that doth tar him on. Pope.

Note return to page 595 7Act II.] This play is not divided into Acts in any of the original editions.

Note return to page 596 8The plague of Greece] Alluding perhaps to the plague sent by Apollo on the Grecian army.

Note return to page 597 9Speak then, thou unsalted leaven, speak;] The reading obtruded upon us by Mr. Pope, was unsalted leaven, that has no authority or countenance from any of the copies; nor that approaches in any degree to the traces of the old reading, you whinid'st leaven. This, 'tis true, is corrupted and unintelligible; but the emendation, which I have coin'd out of it, gives us a sense apt and consonant to what Ajax would say, unwinnow'dst leaven. —“Thou lump of sour dough, kneaded up out of a flower, unpurg'd and unsisted, with all the dross and bran in it.”— Theobald. Speak then, thou whinid'st leaven,] This is the reading of the old copies: It should be windyest, i. e. most windy; leaven being made by a great fermentation. This epithet agrees well with Thersites's character. Warburton. Hanmer preserves, whinid'st, the reading of the folio; but does not explain it, nor do I understand it. If the folio be followed, I read, vinew'd, that is mouldy leven. Thou composition of mustiness and sourness. Theobald's assertion, however confident, is false. Unsalted leven is in the old quarto. It means, sour without salt, malignity without wit. Shakespeare wrote first unsalted, but recollecting that want of salt was no fault in leven, changed it to vinew'd.

Note return to page 598 1in Greece] The quarto adds these words, when thou art forth in the incursions, thou strikest as slow as another.

Note return to page 599 2that thou bark'st at him] I read, O that thou bark'dst at him.

Note return to page 600 3Nestor, whose wit was mouldy ere their Grandsires had nails] This is one of these editors wise riddles. What! Was Nestor's wit mouldy, before his Grandsire's toes had any nails? Preposterous nonsense! and yet so easy a change, as one poor pronoun for another, sets all right and clear. Theobald.

Note return to page 601 4when Achilles' brach bids me,] The folio and quarto read, Achilles' brooch. Brooch is an appendant ornament. The meaning may be, equivalent to one of Achilles's hangers on.

Note return to page 602 5The past-proportion of his infinite?] Thus read both the copies. The meaning is, that greatness to which no measure bears any proportion. The modern editors silently give, The vast proportion &lblank;

Note return to page 603 6And fly like chidden Mercury from Jove, Or like a star disorb'd! &lblank;] These two lines are misplaced in all the folio editions. Pope.

Note return to page 604 7And the Will dotes, that is inclinable] Old edition, not so well, has it, attributive. Pope. By the old edition Mr. Pope means the old quarto. The folio has, as it stands, inclinable. I think the first reading better; the will dotes that attributes or gives the qualities which it affects; that first causes excellence, and then admires it.

Note return to page 605 8Without some image of th' affected merit.] We should read, &lblank; th' affected's merit. i. e. without some mark of merit in the thing affected. Warb. The present reading is right. The will affects an object for some supposed merit, which Hector says, is uncensurable, unless the merit so affected be really there.

Note return to page 606 9&lblank; soil'd them; &lblank;] So reads the quarto. The folio, &lblank; spoil'd them:

Note return to page 607 1&lblank; unrespective sieve,] That is, into a common voider. Sieve is in the quarto. The folio reads, &lblank; unrespective fame, for which the modern editions have silently printed, &lblank; unrespective place.

Note return to page 608 2&lblank; pale the morning.] So the quarto. The folio and modern editors, &lblank; stale the morning.

Note return to page 609 3And do a deed that fortune never did,] If I understand this passage, the meaning is, Why do you by censuring the determination of your own wisdoms, degrade Helen, whom fortune has not yet deprived of her value, or against whom, as the wife of Paris, fortune has not in this war so declared, as to make us value her less. This is very harsh, and much strained.

Note return to page 610 4But thieves, &lblank;] Hanmer reads, Base thieves, &lblank;

Note return to page 611 5&lblank; distaste &lblank;] Corrupt; change to a worse taste.

Note return to page 612 6&lblank; benummed wills, &lblank;] That is, inflexible, immoveable, no longer obedient to superiour direction.

Note return to page 613 7There is a law &lblank;] What the law does in every nation between individuals, justice ought to do between nations.

Note return to page 614 8Is this in way of truth; &lblank;] Though considering truth and justice in this question, this is my opinion; yet as a question of honour, I think on it as you.

Note return to page 615 9&lblank; the performance of our heaving spleens,] The execution of spite and resentment.

Note return to page 616 1&lblank; emulation &lblank;] That is, envy, factious contention.

Note return to page 617 2without drawing the massy irons] That is, without drawing their swords to cut the web. They use no means but those of violence.

Note return to page 618 3the bon-each,] In the quarto, the Neapolitan bon-each.

Note return to page 619 4decline the whole question.] Deduce the question from the first case to the last.

Note return to page 620 5Patroclus is a fool.] The four next speeches are not in the quarto.

Note return to page 621 6of the prover.] So the quarto.

Note return to page 622 7Now the dry, &c.] This is added in the folio.

Note return to page 623 8He sent our messengers, &lblank;] This nonsense should be read, He shent our messengers, &lblank; i. e. rebuked, rated. Warb.

Note return to page 624 9composure,] So reads the quarto very properly, but the folio, which the moderns have followed, has, it was a strong counsel.

Note return to page 625 1noble State,] Person of high dignity; spoken of Agamemnon.

Note return to page 626 2&lblank; under-write &lblank;] To subscribe, in Shakespeare, is to obey.

Note return to page 627 3His pettish lunes, &lblank;] This is Hanmer's emendation of his pettish lines. The old quarto reads, His course and time. This speech is unfaithfully printed in modern editions.

Note return to page 628 4pheese his pride;] To pheese is to comb or curry.

Note return to page 629 5Not for the worth &lblank;] Not for the value of all for which we are fighting.

Note return to page 630 6Ajax. I will knead him, I'll make him supple, he is not yet through warm. Nest. Force him with praises; &c.] The latter part of Ajax's speech is certainly got out of place, and ought to be assign'd to Nestor, as I have ventur'd to transpose it. Ajax is feeding on his vanity, and boasting what he'll do to Achilles; he'll pash him o'er the face, he'll make him eat swords; he'll knead him, he'll supple him, &c. Nestor and Ulysses slily labour to keep him up in this vein; and to this end Nestor craftily hints, that Ajax is not warm yet, but must be cram'd with more flattery. Theobald.

Note return to page 631 7Nest. Ay, my good son.] In the folio and in the modern editions Ajax desires to give the title of father to Ulysses; in the quarto, more naturally, to Nestor.

Note return to page 632 8love's visible soul.] So Hanmer. The other editions have invisible, which perhaps may be right, and may mean the soul of love invisible every where else.

Note return to page 633 *And, my Lord, he desires you,] Here I think the speech of Pandarus should begin, and the rest of it should be added to that of Helen, but I have followed the copies.

Note return to page 634 9&lblank; with my disposer Cressida.] I think disposer should, in these places, be read dispouser; she that would separate Helen from him. Warburton. I do not understand the word disposer, nor know what to substitute in its place. There is no variation in the copies.

Note return to page 635 1sweet Lord,] In the quarto, sweet lad.

Note return to page 636 2Yet that, which seems the wound to kill,] To kill the wound, is no very intelligible expression, nor is the measure preserved. We might read, These lovers cry, Oh! oh! they die: But that which seems to kill, Doth turn, &c. So dying love lives still. Yet as the wound to kill may mean the wound that seems mortal, I alter nothing.

Note return to page 637 3&lblank; and too sharp in sweetness,] So the folio and all modern editions; but the quarto more accurately, &lblank; tun'd too sharp in sweetness.

Note return to page 638 4we'll put you i' th' files.] Alluding to the custom of putting men suspected of cowardice in the middle places. Hanmer.

Note return to page 639 5The faulcon as the tercel, for all the ducks i' th' river:] Pandarus means, that he'll match his niece against her lover for any bett. The tercel is the male hawk; by the faulcon we generally understand the female. Theobald.

Note return to page 640 6our head shall go bare, till merit crown it;] I cannot forbear to observe, that the quarto reads thus: Our head shall go bare, till merit lower part no affection, in reversion, &c. Had there been no other copy, how could this have been corrected? The true reading is in the folio.

Note return to page 641 7his addition shall be humble.] We will give him no high or pompous titles.

Note return to page 642 8&lblank; but you are wise, Or else you love not: To be wise and love, Exceeds man's might, &c.] I read, &lblank; but we're not wise, Or else we love not; to be wise and love, Exceeds man's might, &lblank; Cressida, in return to the praise given by Troilus to her wisdom, replies, That lovers are never wise; that it is beyond the power of man to bring love and wisdom to a union.

Note return to page 643 9Might be affronted with the match &lblank;] I wish my integrity might be met and matched with such equality and force of pure unmingled love.

Note return to page 644 1And simpler than the infancy of truth.] This is fine: and means, Ere truth, to defend itself against deceit in the commerce of the world, had, out of necessity, learn'd worldly policy. Warburton.

Note return to page 645 2&lblank; Plantage to the Moon.] I formerly made a silly conjecture, that the true reading was, &lblank; Planets to their Moons. But I did not reflect that it was wrote before Galileo had discovered the Satellites of Jupiter. So that Plantage to the Moon is right, and alludes to the common opinion of the influence the Moon has over what is planted or sown, which was therefore done in the increase. Rite Latonæ puerum canentes, Rite crescentum face noctilucam, Prosperam frugum &lblank; Hor. L. 4. Od. 6. Warburton. Plantage is not, I believe, a general term, but the herb which we now call plantain, in Latin, plantago, which was, I suppose, imagined to be under the peculiar influence of the Moon.

Note return to page 646 3As truth's authentick author to be cited.] This line is absolute nonsense. We should read, As truth authentick, ever to be cited, i. e. when all comparisons of truth are exhausted, they shall be then all summed up in this great one, this authentick truth ever to be cited, as true as Troilus. Warburton. Here again the commentator finds nonsense, where I cannot find it. Troilus, says he, shall crown the verse, as a man to be cited as the authentick authour of truth; as one whose protestations were true to a proverb.

Note return to page 647 4inconstant men] So Hanmer. In the copies it is constant.

Note return to page 648 5&lblank; appear it to you, That, through the sight I bear in things to come, I have abandon'd Troy. &lblank;] This reasoning perplexes Mr. Theobald, He foresaw his country was undone; he ran over to the Greeks; and this he makes a merit of, says the Editor. I own (continues he) the motives of his oratory seem to me somewhat perverse and unnatural. Nor do I know how to reconcile it, unless our poet purposely intended to make Chalcas act the part of a true priest, and so from motives of self-interest insinuate the merit of service. The Editor did not know how to reconcile this. Nor I neither. For I don't know what he means by the motives of his oratory, or, from motives of self-interest to insinuate merit. But if he would insinuate, that it was the poet's design to make his priest self interested, and to represent to the Greeks that what he did for his own preservation was done for their service, he is mistaken. Shakespeare thought of nothing so silly, as it would be to draw his priest a knave, in order to make him talk like a fool. Tho' that be the fate which generally attends their abusers. But Shakespeare was no such; and consequently wanted not this cover for dulness. The perverseness is all the Editor's own, who interprets, &lblank; through the sight I have in things to come I have abandoned Troy &lblank; To signify, by my power of prescience finding my country must be ruined, I have therefore abandoned it to seek refuge with you; whereas the true sense is, Be it known unto you, that on account of a gift or faculty I have of seeing things to come, which faculty I suppose would be esteemed by you as acceptable and useful, I have abandoned Troy my native Country. That he could not mean what the Editor supposes, appears from these considerations, First, if he had represented himself as running from a falling city, he could never have said, I have—expos'd myself, From certain and possess'd conveniencies, To doubtful fortunes &lblank; Secondly, The absolute knowledge of the fall of Troy was a secret hid from the inferior Gods themselves; as appears from the poetical history of that war. It depended on many contingences whose existence they did not foresee. All that they knew was, that if such and such things happened Troy would fall. And this secret they communicated to Cassandra only, but along with it, the fate not to be believed. Several others knew each a several part of the secret; one, that Troy could not be taken unless Achilles went to the war; another, that it could not fall while it had the Palladium; and so on. But the secret, that it was absolutely to fall, was known to none. The sense here given will admit of no dispute amongst those who know how acceptable a Seer was amongst the Greeks. So that this Calchas, like a true priest, if it must needs be so, went where he could exercise his profession with most advantage. For it being much less common amongst the Greeks than the Asiaticks, there would be there a greater demand for it. Warburton. I am afraid, that after all the learned commentator's efforts to clear the argument of Calchas, it will still appear liable to objection; nor do I discover more to be urged in his defence, than that though his skill in divination determined him to leave Troy, yet that he joined himself to Agamemnon and his army by unconstrain'd good-will; and though he came as a fugitive escaping from destruction, yet his services after his reception being voluntary and important, deserved reward. This argument is not regularly and distinctly deduced, but this is, I think, the best explication that it will yet admit.

Note return to page 649 6&lblank; through the sight I bear in things, to Jove] This passage in all the modern editions is silently depraved, and printed thus: &lblank; through the sight I bear in things to come, The word is so printed that nothing but the sense can determine whether it be love or Jove I believe that the editors read it as love, and therefore made the alteration to obtain some meaning.

Note return to page 650 7In most accepted pain.] Sir T. Hanmer, and Dr. Warburton after him, read, In most accepted pay. They do not seem to understand the construction of the passage. Her presence, says Calchas, shall strike off, or recompence the service I have done, even in these labours which were most accepted.

Note return to page 651 8&lblank; derision medicinable] All the modern editions have decision. The old copies are apparently right. The folio in this place agrees with the quarto, so that the corruption was at first merely accidental.

Note return to page 652 9&lblank; how dearly ever parted,] i. e. how exquisitely soever his virtues be divided and balanced in him. So in Romeo and Juliet, Stuft, as they say with honourable parts, proportioned as one's thoughts would wish a man. Warburton. I do not think, that in the word parted is included any idea of division; it means, however excellently endowed, with however dear or precious parts enriched or adorned.

Note return to page 653 1To others' eyes, &c. That most pure spirit, &c.] These two lines are totally omitted in all the editions but the first quarto. Pope.

Note return to page 654 2&lblank; in his circumstance, &lblank;] In the detail or circumduction of his argument.

Note return to page 655 3The unknown Ajax &lblank;] Ajax, who has abilities which were never brought into view or use.

Note return to page 656 4How some men creep in skittish Fortune's hall,] This is said with design that Achilles should apply it to himself and Ajax. But as creep is to be applied to Achilles, it conveys a wrong idea, as representing one who is timorous and afraid to atchieve great acts: whereas it should represent one entirely negligent in atchieving them. For this was then Achilles's case. So that we should read, How some men sleep in skittish Fortune's hall. For he was the first favourite of fortune; yet when he got into her presence instead of pushing his way, he became entirely negligent and unconcerned for her favours. Warburton. To creep is to keep out of sight from whatever motive. Some men keep out of notice in the hall of Fortune, while others, though they but play the ideot, are always in her eye, in the way of distinction.

Note return to page 657 5&lblank; feasting &lblank;] Folio. The quarto has fasting. Either word may bear a good sense.

Note return to page 658 6Time hath, my Lord, a wallet at his back,] This speech is printed in all the modern editions with such deviations from the old copy, as exceed the lawful power of an editor.

Note return to page 659 7In the old copy, &lblank; Perseverance, dear my Lord, Keeps Honour bright: To have done, is to hang Quite out of fashion, like a rusty nail In monumental mockery. Take the instant way, For honour, &c.

Note return to page 660 8&lblank; and there you lie,] These words are not in the folio.

Note return to page 661 9&lblank; to the abject rear, &lblank;] So Hanmer. All the editors before him read, &lblank; to the abject, near.

Note return to page 662 1&lblank; o'er-run, &c.] The quarto wholly omits the simile of the horse, and reads thus: And leave you hindmost, then what they do in present. The folio seems to have some omission, for the simile begins, Or like a gallant horse &lblank;

Note return to page 663 2For beauty, wit, &c] The folio and quarto, &lblank; For beauty, wit, High birth, vigour of bone, desert in service, Love, charity &lblank; I do not deny but the changes produce a more easy lapse of numbers, but they do not exhibit the work of Shakespeare.

Note return to page 664 3And go to dust, that is a little gilt, More laud than gilt o'er-dusted] In this mangled condition do we find this truly fine observation transmitted, in the old folio's. Mr. Pope saw it was corrupt, and therefore, as I presume, threw it out of the text; because he would not indulge his private sense in attempting to make sense of it. I owe the foundation of the amendment, which I have given to the text, to the sagacity of the ingenious Dr. Thirlby. I read, And give to dust, that is a little gilt, More laud than they will give to gold o'er dusted. Theobald. This emendation has been received by the succeeding editors, but recedes too far from the copy.

Note return to page 665 4Made emulous missions &lblank;] Missions, for divisions, i. e. goings out, on one side and the other. Warburton. The meaning of mission seems to be dispatches of the gods from heaven, about mortal business, such as often happened at the siege of Troy.

Note return to page 666 5Knows almost &c.] For this elegant line the quarto has only, Knows almost every thing.

Note return to page 667 6Keeps place with thought; &lblank;] i. e. there is in the providence of a state, as in the providence of the universe, a kind of ubiquity. The expression is exquisitely fine. Yet the Oxford Editor alters it to keeps pace, and so destroys all its beauty. Warburton.

Note return to page 668 7&lblank; with which relation Durst never meddle, &lblank;] There is a secret administration of affairs, which no history was ever able to discover.

Note return to page 669 8&lblank; to air.] So the quarto. The folio, &lblank; to airy air.

Note return to page 670 9Omission to do, &c.] By neglecting our duty we commission or enable that danger of dishonour, which could not reach us before, to lay hold upon us.

Note return to page 671 1with a politick regard,] With a sly look.

Note return to page 672 2During all question of the gentle Truce:] Question, for force, virtue. Warburton. How question should mean force or virtue, I cannot find. If such latitude of exposition be allowed, what can be difficult? I once thought to read, During all quiet of the gentle Truce: But I think question means intercourse, interchange of conversation.

Note return to page 673 3And thou shalt hunt a lion that will fly With his face back in humane gentleness.] Thus Mr. Pope in his great sagacity pointed this passage in his first edition, not deviating from the error of the old copies. What conception he had to himself of a lion flying in humane gentleness, I wont pretend to affirm: I suppose, he had the idea of as gently as a lamb, or as what our vulgar call an Essex lion, a calf. If any other lion fly with his face turn'd backward, it is, fighting all the way as he retreats: and in this manner it is, Æneas professes that he shall fly when he's hunted. But where then are the symptoms of humane gentleless? My correction of the pointing restores good sense, and a proper behaviour in Æneas. As soon as ever he has return'd Diomedes's Brave, he stops short and corrects himself for expressing so much fury in a time of truce; from the fierce soldier becomes the courtier at once; and, remembring his enemy to be a guest and an ambassador, welcomes him as such to the Trojan camp.— Theobald.

Note return to page 674 4&lblank; by Venus' hand I swear,] This oath was used to insinuate his resentment for Diomedes wounding his mother in the hand. Warburton.

Note return to page 675 5His purpose meets you; &lblank;] I bring you his meaning and his orders.

Note return to page 676 6&lblank; a flat tamed piece;] i. e. a piece of wine out of which the spirit is all flown. Warburt.

Note return to page 677 7Both merits pois'd, each weighs no less nor more, But he as he, which heavier for a whore.] I read, But he as he, each heavier for a whore. Heavy is taken both for weighty, and for sad or miserable. The quarto reads, But he as he, the heavier for a whore. I know not whether the thought is not that of a wager. It must then be read thus, But he as he, Which heavier for a whore? That is, for a whore staked down, which is the heavier?

Note return to page 678 8We'll not commend what we intend to sell.] But this is not talking like a chapman: for if it be the custom for the buyer to dispraise, it is the custom too for the seller to commend. Therefore, if Paris had an intention to sell Helen, he should, by this rule, have commended her. But the truth was, he had no such intention, and therefore did prudently not to commend her: which shews Shakespeare wrote, We'll not commend what we intend not sell. i. e. what we intend not to sell. The Oxford Editor has thought fit to honour this paraphrase by making it the text. Warb. I believe the meaning is only this: though you practise the buyer's art, we will not practise the seller's. We intend to sell Helen dear, yet will not commend her.

Note return to page 679 9&lblank; Sleep kill &lblank;] So the old copies. The moderns have, &lblank; sleep seal &lblank;

Note return to page 680 †As tediously &lblank;] The folio has, As hideously as hell.

Note return to page 681 1A poor Chipochia,] This word, I am afraid, has suffer'd under the ignorance of the editors; for it is a word in no living language that I can find. Pandarus says it to his niece, in a jeering sort of tenderness. He would say, I think, in English—Poor innocent! Poor fool! ha'st not slept to night? These appellations are very well answer'd by the Italian word capocchio: for capocchio signifies the thick head of a club; and thence metaphorically, a head of not much brain, a sot, dullard, heavy gull. Theobald.

Note return to page 682 2Matter is so rash. &lblank;] My business is so hasty and so abrupt.

Note return to page 683 3Deliver'd to us, &c.] So the folio. The quarto thus, Delivered to him, and forthwith.

Note return to page 684 4&lblank; the secrets of nature. Have not more gift in taciturnity.] This is the reading of both the elder folio's: but the first verse manifestly halts, and betrays its being defective. Mr. Pope substitutes The secrets of neighbour Pandar. If this be a reading ex fide codicum (as he professes all his various readings to be) it is founded on the credit of such copies, as it has not been my fortune to meet with. I have ventur'd to make out the verse thus; The secret'st things of nature, &c. i. e. the arcana naturæ, the mysteries of nature, of occult philosophy, or of religious ceremonies. Our poet has allusions of this sort in several other passages. Theobald. Mr. Pope's reading is in the old quarto. So great is the necessity of collation.

Note return to page 685 5The grief, &c.] The folio reads, The grief is fine, full perfect, that I taste, And no less in a sense as strong As that which causeth it. &lblank; The quarto otherwise, The grief is fine, full, perfect, that I taste, And violenteth in a sense as strong As that which causeth it. &lblank; Violenteth is a word with which I am not acquainted, yet perhaps it may be right. The reading of the text is without authority.

Note return to page 686 6&lblank; strain'd &lblank;] So the quarto. The folio and all the moderns have strange.

Note return to page 687 7For I will throw my glove to Death &lblank;] That is, I will challenge Death himself in defence of thy fidelity.

Note return to page 688 8&lblank; catch meer simplicity.] The meaning, I think, is, while others, by their art, gain high estimation, I, by honesty, obtain a plain simple approbation.

Note return to page 689 9&lblank; the moral of my wit. Is plain and true, &lblank;] That is, the governing principle of my understanding; but I rather think we should read, &lblank; the motto of my wit Is plain and true. &lblank;

Note return to page 690 1possess thee what she is.] I will make thee fully understand. This sense of the word possess is frequent in our authour.

Note return to page 691 2To shame the seal of my petition tow'rds thee, By praising her. &lblank;] To shame the seal of a petition is nonsense. Shakespeare wrote, To shame the zeal &lblank; and the sense is this: Grecian, you use me discourteously; you see, I am a passionate lover, by my petition to you; and therefore you should not shame the zeal of it, by promising to do what I require of you, for the sake of her beauty: when, if you had good manners, or a sense of a lover's delicacy, you would have promised to do it, in compassion to his pangs and sufferings. Warburton.

Note return to page 692 3&lblank; my list; &lblank;] This I think is right, though both the old copies read lust.

Note return to page 693 4Æneas.] These four lines are not in the quarto, being probably added at the revision.

Note return to page 694 5&lblank; bias check] Swelling out like the bias of a bowl.

Note return to page 695 6I'll make my match to live.] I will make such bargains as I may live by, such as may bring me profit, therefore will not take a worse kiss than I give.

Note return to page 696 7Why, beg then.] For the sake of rhime, we should read, Why, beg two. If you think kisses worth begging, beg more than one.

Note return to page 697 8Ulys. Never's my day, and then a kiss of you.] I once gave both these lines to Cressida. She bids Ulysses beg a kiss; he asks that he may have it. When Helen is a maid again. &lblank; She tells him that then he shall have it. When Helen is a maid again, &lblank; Cre. I am your debtor, claim it when 'tis due, Never's my day, and then a kiss for you. But I rather think that Ulysses means to slight her, and that the present reading is right.

Note return to page 698 9&lblank; motive of her body:] Motive, for part that contributes to motion.

Note return to page 699 1&lblank; a Coasting &lblank;] An amorous address; courtship.

Note return to page 700 2&lblank; sluttish spoils of opportunity,] Corrupt wenches, of whose chastity every opportunity may make a prey.

Note return to page 701 3'Tis done like Hector, but securely done,] In the sense of the Latin, secarus—securus admodum de bello, animi securi homo. A negligent security arising from a contempt of the object opposed. Warburton. Agam. 'Tis done like Hector, but securely done;] It seems absurd to me, that Agamemnon should make a remark to the disparagement of Hector for pride, and that Æneas should immediately say, If not Achilles, Sir, what is your name? To Achilles I have ventur'd to place it; and consulting Mr. Dryden's alteration of this play, I was not a little pleas'd to find, that I had but seconded the opinion of that Great Man in this point. Theo. As the old copies agree, I have made no change.

Note return to page 702 4Valour and pride excell themselves in Hector;] It is an high absurdity to say, that any thing can excell in the extremity of little; which little too, is as blank as nothing. Without doubt Shakespeare wrote, Valour and pride parcell themselves in Hector; i. e. divide themselves in Hector in such a manner, that the one is almost infinite; the other almost nothing. For the use of this word we may see Richard III. &lblank; their woes are parcelled. Warburton. I would not petulantly object, that excellence may as well be little as absurdity be high, but to direct the reader's attention rather to sense than words. Shakespeare's thought is not exactly deduced. Nicety of expression is not his character. The meaning is plain, Valour, says Æneas, is in Hector greater, than valour in other men, and pride in Hector is less than pride in other men. So that Hector is distinguished by the excellence of having pride less than other pride, and valour more than other valour.

Note return to page 703 5&lblank; an impair thought &lblank;] A thought unsuitable to the dignity of his character. This word I should have changed to impure, were I not over-powered by the unanimity of the editors, and concurrence of the old copies.

Note return to page 704 6&lblank; Hector &lblank; subscribes To tender objects; &lblank;] That is; yields, gives way.

Note return to page 705 7&lblank; thus translate him to me.] Thus explain his character.

Note return to page 706 8Not Neoptolemus so mirable, (On whose bright crest, Fame, with her loud'st O yes, Cries, this is he;) could promise to himself, &c.] That is to say, You, an old veteran warrior, threaten to kill me, when not the young son of Achilles (who is yet to serve his appentisage in war, under the Grecian generals, and on that account called &grN;&gre;&gro;&grp;&grt;&groa;&grl;&gre;&grm;&gro;&grst;) dare himself entertain such a thought. But Shakespeare meant another sort of man, as is evident from. On whose bright crest, &c. Which characterises one who goes foremost and alone: and can therefore suit only one, which one was Achilles; as Shakespeare himself has drawn him, The great Achilles, whom opinion crowns The sinew and the forehand of our Host. And again, Whose glorious deeds but in these fields of late Made em'lous missions 'mongst the Gods themselves, And drove great Mars to faction. And indeed the sense and spirit of Hector's speech requires that the most celebrated of his adversaries should be picked out to be defied; and this was Achilles. with whom Hector had his final affair. We must conclude then that Shakespeare wrote, Not Neoptolemus's sire irascible On whose bright crest &lblank; Irascible is an old school term, and is an epithet suiting his character, and the circumstances he was then in. Impiger, iracundus, inexorabilis, acer. But our editor Mr. Theobald, by his obscure diligence, had found out that Wynken de Werde, in the old chronicle of The three destructions of Troy, introduces one Neoptolemus into the ten years quarrel, a person distinct from the son of Achilles, and therefore will have it, that Shakespeare here means no other than the Neoptolemus of this worthy chronicler. He was told, to no purpose, that this fancy was absurd. For first, Wynken's Neoptolemus is a common-rate warrior, and so described as not to fit the character here given. Secondly, It is not to be imagined that the poet should on this occasion make Hector refer to a character not in the play, and never so much as mentioned on any other occasion. Thirdly, Wynken's Neoptolemus is a warrior on the Trojan side, and slain by Achilles. But Hector must needs mean by one who could promise a thought of added honour torn from him, a warrior amongst his enemies on the Grecian side. Warburton. After all this contention it is difficult to imagine that the critick believes mirable to have been changed to irascible. I should sooner read, Not Neoptolemus th' admirable; as I know not whether mirable can be found in any other place. The correction which the learned commentator gave to Hanmer, Not Neoptolemus' sire so mirable, as it was modester than this, was preferable to it. But nothing is more remote from justness of sentiment, than for Hector to characterise Achilles as the father of Neoptolemus, a youth that had not yet appeared in arms, and whose name was therefore much less known than his father's. My opinion is, that by Neoptolemus the authour meant Achilles himself, and remembering that the son was Pyrrhus Neoptolemus, considered Neoptolemus as the nomen gentilitium, and thought the father was likewise Achilles Neoptolemus.

Note return to page 707 9We'll answer it.] That is, answer the expectance.

Note return to page 708 1Worthy of arms! &lblank;] Folio. Worthy all arms! &lblank; Quarto. The quarto has only the two first and the last line of this salutation; the intermediate verses seem added on a revision.

Note return to page 709 2Mock not, &c.] The quarto has here a strange corruption, Mock not thy affect, the untraded earth.

Note return to page 710 3And seen thee scorning forfeits &lblank;] Folio. The quarto has, &lblank; despising many forfeits &lblank;

Note return to page 711 4This line is not in the quarto.

Note return to page 712 5Beat loud the tabourins. &lblank;] For this the quarto and the latter editions have, To taste your bounties. &lblank; The reading which I have given from the folio seems chosen at the revision, to avoid the repetition of the word bounties.

Note return to page 713 6Thou crusty batch of Nature, &lblank;] Batch is changed by Theobald to botch, and the change is justified by a pompous note, which discovers that he did not know the word batch. What is more strange, Hanmer has followed him. Batch is any thing baked.

Note return to page 714 7The surgeon's box,] In this answer Thersites only quibbles upon the word tent. Hanmer.

Note return to page 715 8Male-varlet,] Hanmer reads male-harlot, plausibly enough, except that it seems too plain to require the explanation which Patroclus demands.

Note return to page 716 9cold palsies,] This catalogue of loathsome maladies ends in the folio at cold palsies. This passage, as it stands, is in the quarto; the retrenchment was in my opinion judicious. It may be remarked, though it proves nothing, that, of the few alterations made by Milton in the second edition of his wonderful poem, one was, an enlargement of the enumeration of diseases.

Note return to page 717 1you ruinous, &c.] Patroclus reproaches Thersites with deformity, with having one part crowded into another.

Note return to page 718 2thou idle immaterial skein of sley'd silk,] All the terms used by Thersites of Patroclus, are emblematically expressive of flexibility, compliance, and mean officiousness.

Note return to page 719 3Out, gall!] Hanmer reads Nut-gall, which answers well enough to finch-egg; it has already appeared, that our Authour thought the nut-gall the bitter gall. He is called nut, from the conglobation of his form; but both the copies read, Out, gall!

Note return to page 720 4Finch-egg!] Of this reproach I do not know the exact meaning. I suppose he means to call him singing bird, as implying an useless favourite, and yet more, something more worthless, a singing bird in the egg, or generally, a slight thing easily crushed.

Note return to page 721 5A token from her daughter, &c.] This is a circumstance taken from the story book of the three destructions of Troy. Oxford Editor.

Note return to page 722 6And the goodly transformation of Jupiter there, his brother, the bull, the primitive statue, and oblique memorial of cuckolds;] He calls Menelaus the transformation of Jupiter, that is, as himself explains it, the bull, on account of his horns, which he had as a cuckold. This cuckold he calls the primitive statue of cuckolds; i. e. his story had made him so famous, that he stood as the great archetype of this character. But how was he an oblique memorial of cuckolds? can any thing be a more direct memorial of cuckolds, than a cuckold? and so the foregoing character of his being the primitive statue of them plainly implies. To reconcile these two contradictory epithets therefore we should read, &lblank; and oblisque memorial of cuckolds. He is represented as one who would remain an eternal monument of his wife's infidelity. And how could this be better done than by calling him an obelisque memorial? of all human edifices the most durable. And the sentence rises gradually, and properly from a statue to an obelisque. To this the editor Mr. Theobald replies, that the bull is called the primitive statue: by which he only giveth us to understand, that he knoweth not the difference between the English articles a and the. But by the bull is meant Menelaus; which title Thersites gives him again afterwards —The cuckold and the cuckold-maker are at it—the bull has the game—But the Oxford Editor makes quicker work with the term oblique, and alters it to antique, and so all the difficulty's evaded. Warb.

Note return to page 723 7forced with wit,] Stuffed with wit. A term of cookery. In this speech I do not well understand what is meant by loving quails.

Note return to page 724 8&lblank; spirits and fires!] This Thersites speaks upon the first sight of the distant lights.

Note return to page 725 9her cliff.] That is, her key. Clef, French.

Note return to page 726 1You flew to great distraction. &lblank;] So the moderns. The folio has, You flow to great distruction &lblank; The quarto, You flow to great destruction. &lblank; I read, You show too great distraction.

Note return to page 727 2In old editions. As I kiss thee. Dio. Nay, do not snatch it from me: Cre. He that takes that, must take my heart withal. Dr. Thirlby thinks, this should be all plac'd to Cressida. She had the sleeve, and was kissing it rapturously: and Diomede snatches it back from her. Theobald.

Note return to page 728 3By all Diana's waiting women yonder,] i. e. the stars which she points too. Warburton.

Note return to page 729 4But with my heart, &c.] I think it should be read thus, But my heart with the other eye doth see.

Note return to page 730 5A proof of strength she could not publish more;] She could not publish a stronger proof.

Note return to page 731 6That doth invert that test of eyes and ears.] What test? Troilus had been particularizing none in his foregoing words, to govern or require the relative here. I rather think, the words are to be thus split; That doth invert th' attest of eyes and ears. i. e. That turns the very testimony of seeing and hearing against themselves. Theobald. This is the reading of the quarto.

Note return to page 732 7I cannot conjure Trojan.] That is, I cannot raise spirits in the form of Cressida.

Note return to page 733 8If there be rule in unity itself,] I do not well understand what is meant by rule in unity. By rule our authour, in this place as in others, intends virtuous restraint, regularity of manners, command of passions and appetites. In Macbeth, He cannot buckle his distemper'd cause, Within the belt of rule. But I know not how to apply the word in this sense to unity. I read. If there be rule in purity itself, Or, If there be rule in verity itself. Such alterations would not offend the reader, who saw the state of the old editions, in which, for instance, a few lines lower, the Almighty Sun is called the Almighty Fenne. Yet the words may at last mean, If there be certainty in unity, if it be a rule that one is one.

Note return to page 734 2Bi-fold authority! &lblank;] This is the reading of the quarto. The folio gives us, By foul authority! &lblank; There is madness in that disquisition in which a man reasons at once for and against himself upon authority which he knows not to be valid. The quarto is right.

Note return to page 735 3&lblank; where reason can revolt Without perdition, and loss assume all reason Without revolt. &lblank;] A miserable expression of a quaint thought, That to be unreasonable in love is reasonable; and to be reasonable, unreasonable. Perdition and loss are both used in the very same sense, and that an odd one, to signify unreasonableness. Warburton. The words loss and perdition are used in their common sense, but they mean the loss or perdition of reason.

Note return to page 736 4&lblank; knot five-finger-tied,] A knot tied by giving her hand to Diomede.

Note return to page 737 5O'er-eaten faith, &lblank;] Vows which she has already swallowed once over. We still say of a faithless man, that he has eaten his words.

Note return to page 738 6May worthy Troilus &lblank;] Can Troilus really feel on this occasion half of what he utters? A question suitable to the calm Ulysses.

Note return to page 739 7For us to count &lblank;] This is so oddly confused in the folio, that I transcribe it as a specimen of incorrectness, &lblank; Do not count it holy, To hurt by being just; it were as lawful For we would count give much to as violent thefts, And rob in the behalf of charity.

Note return to page 740 8It is the purpose &lblank;] The mad Prophetess speaks here with all the coolness and judgment of a skilful casuist. The essence of a lawful vow, is a lawful purpose, and the vow of which the end is wrong must not be regarded as cogent.

Note return to page 741 9&lblank; dear man] Valuable man. The modern editions read, &lblank; brave man. The repetition of the word is in our authour's manner.

Note return to page 742 1Which better fits a lion, &lblank;] The traditions and stories of the darker ages abounded with examples of the lion's generosity. Upon the supposition that these acts of clemency were true, Troilus reasons not improperly, that to spare against reason, by mere instinct of pity, became rather a generous beast than a wise man.

Note return to page 743 2When many times the captive Grecians fall,] This reading supposes Hector insulting over his captives, which is not Troilus's meaning: who is here speaking of Hector's actions in the field. Without doubt Shakespeare wrote, When many times the caitiff Grecians fall, i. e. dastardly Grecians; a character natural for the speaker to give them, and justified by his account of them. Warburton. I see no hint of insult in the present reading.

Note return to page 744 3&lblank; with recourse of tears;] i. e. tears that continue to course one ano her down the face. Warburton.

Note return to page 745 4Hence, brothel, lacquey! &lblank;] In this, and the repetition of it, towards the close of the play, Troilus is made absurdly to call Pandarus—bawdy-house; for brothel signifies nothing else that I know of; but he meant to call him an attendant on a bawdy-house, a messenger of obscene errands: a sense which I have retriev'd only by clapping an hyphen betwixt the two words. Theobald. I have retained the note, but believe the emendation wholly unnecessary. For brothel the folio reads brother, erroneously for broker, as it stands at the end of the play where the lines are repeated. Of brother the following editors made brothel.

Note return to page 746 5O' th' other side, the policy of those crafty swearing rascals, &c.] But in what sense are Nestor and Ulysses accus'd of being swearing rascals? What, or to whom, did they swear? I am positive, that sneering is the true reading. They had collogued with Ajax, and trim'd him up with insincere praises, only in order to have stir'd Achilles's emulation. In this, they were the true sneerers; betraying the first, to gain their ends on the latter by that artifice. Theobald.

Note return to page 747 6to proclaim barbarism,] To set up the authority of ignorance to declare that they will be governed by policy no longer.

Note return to page 748 7&lblank; bastard Margarelon] The introducing a bastard son of Priam, under the name of Margarelon, is one of the circumstances taken from the story book of The three Destructions of Troy. Theobald.

Note return to page 749 8&lblank; the dreadful Sagittary Appals our numbers: &lblank;] “Beyonde the Royalme of Amasonne came an auncyent Kynge, wyse and dyscreete, named Epystrophus, and brought a M. Knyghtes, and a mervayllouse Beste that was called Sagittarye, that behynde the myddes was an horse, and to fore, a Man: This Beste was heery lyke an horse, and had his Eyen rede as a Cole, and shotte well with a bowe: This Beste made the Grekes sire aferde, and slewe many of them with his Bowe.” The three Destructions of Troy, printed by Caxton. Mr. Theobald.

Note return to page 750 9&lblank; on Galathe his horse,] From the same book is taken this name given to Hector's horse. Mr. Theobald.

Note return to page 751 1&lblank; the strawy Greeks, &lblank;] In the folio it is, &lblank; the straying Greeks.

Note return to page 752 2&lblank; you cogging Greeks, &lblank;] This epithem has no particular propriety in this place, but the authour had heard of Cræcia Mendax.

Note return to page 753 3I'll frush it, &lblank;] The word frush I never found elsewhere, nor understand it. Hanmer explains it, to break or bruise.

Note return to page 754 4Ev'n with the vail &lblank;] The vail is, I think, the sinking of the sun; not veil or cover.

Note return to page 755 5Strike fellows, strike, &lblank;] This particular of Achilles overpowering Hector by numbers and without armour, is taken from the old story-book. Oxford Editor.

Note return to page 756 2This line is in the quarto given to Troilus.

Note return to page 757 3So the quarto. The folio has Brother.

Note return to page 758 4Loved, quarto; desired, folio.

Note return to page 759 5Some galled goose of Winchester &lblank;] The public stews were anciently under the jurisdiction of the bishop of Winchester. Pope. The lues venerea was called a Winchester goose. Dr. Gray.

Note return to page 760 6&lblank; sweat,] Quarto; swear, folio.

Note return to page 761 THIS play is more correctly written than most of Shakespeare's compositions, but it is not one of those in which either the extent of his views or elevation of his fancy is fully displayed. As the story abounded with materials, he has exerted little invention; but he has diversified his characters with great variety, and preserved them with great exactness. His vicious characters sometimes disgust, but cannot corrupt, for both Cressida and Pandarus are detested and contemned. The comick characters seem to have been the favourites of the writer, they are of the superficial kind, and exhibit more of manners than nature, but they are copiously filled and powerfully impressed. Shakespeare has in his story followed for the greater part the old book of Caxton, which was then very popular; but the character of Thersites, of which it makes no mention, is a proof that this play was written after Chapman had published his version of Homer.

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