Act III Sc. 1
“Than gain which darkens him * * *”
“Without the which a soldier and his sword
Grants scarce distinction.”
For ‘Grants’ we might read Gains.
Sc. 2
“Ever think, speak, cast, write, sing, number, ho!”
“This is to horse. Adieu, most noble Agrippa.”
“Be the ram to batter.
The fortress of it down; for better might we,” etc.
“Believe it till I weep too.”
Theobald, who is always followed, read wept, but, it seems to me, from not understanding the passage: what is meant is, accept this explanation till you see me weep from pure feeling, which Antony was no more capable of doing than I am.
Sc. 3
“This creature’s no such thing.—No, nothing, madame.”
Sc. 4
“Shall stain your brother.”
The critics give examples of ‘stain’ in the sense of eclipse, throw into the shade.
Sc. 5
“Then would thou hadst a pair of chaps, no more.”
The critics properly read world and hast.
“They’ll grind the one the other.”
It is strange that the one, required both by sense and metre, was first added by Johnson.
Sc. 6
“Being an abstract ’tween his lust and him.”
For ‘abstract,’ which makes no sense, Warburton read obstruct, which has been generally adopted; but as this subst. occurs nowhere else, I prefer to read obstruction.
“Up to a whore; who now are levying.”
As no good sense has been made of ‘who,’ I read they.
“King Malchus of Arabia, the King of Pont.”
It is, however, I think, probable that a proper name has been lost.
“Till we perceived both how you were wrong-led.”
For ‘wrong-led’ Collier’s folio reads well wronged.
“And the high gods
To do you justice make his ministers.”
I would read God.
Sc. 7
“And as the president of my kingdom will I.”
“I have sixty sails, Cæsar none better hath.”
Sc. 8
“Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt.”
For ‘ribaudred’ Steevens and Malone read ribald-rid, and Tyrwhitt hag for ‘nag.’ There is no need of change. ‘Ribaudred’ is vile, obscene; and ‘nag,’ like hackney, etc., was used of unchaste women.
“When vantages, like a pair of twins, appear’d.”
“Hoists sails and flies.—That I beheld myself.”
“’Tis easy to it; and therefore I will attend.”
It should perhaps be ‘’Tis easy way.’
Sc. 9
“Which has no need of you; begone, I pray.”
“By looking back on what I have left behind.”
“Obey it on all cause.—Oh, pardon, pardon!”
Sc. 10
“As is the morn-dew on the myrtle-leaf
To his grand sea.”
I think we should read ‘morning,’ and this for ‘his.’ It is the adjacent Mediterranean that is meant.
“Offers from thine invention.”
The folio reads “From thine invention offers.” See on Temp. iii. 1.
Sc. 11
“To lay his gay comparisons aside.”
Mr. Singer and myself have both conjectured ‘caparisons.’
“Hear it apart.—Here’s none but friends; say boldly.”
Hanmer also added Here.
“Thus then, thou most renowned! Cæsar entreats thee.”
“Farther than he is Cæsar[’s].”
“And put yourself under his shroud, who is
The universal landlord.”
Collier’s folio adds who is.
“Say to great Cæsar this. In disputation
I kiss his conquering hand.”
Warburton’s reading ‘deputation,’ is not to be disputed.
“Dissolve my life! The next Cæsarion smite!”
‘Smite’ is the proper correction for ‘smile’ of the folio. See on Hen. V. ii. 2.