Chapter CXXVII: Act III: SC. 1. "Than gain which darkens him * * *"

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"Without the which a soldier and his sword
Grants scarce distinction."

For 'Grants' we might read _Gains_.

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SC. 2. "_Ever_ think, speak, cast, write, sing, number, ho!"

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"This is to horse. Adieu, _most_ noble Agrippa."

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"Be the ram to batter.
The fortress of it _down_; for better might we," etc.

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"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.

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SC. 3. "This creature's no such thing.--_No_, nothing, madame."

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SC. 4. "Shall stain your brother."

The critics give examples of 'stain' in the sense of eclipse, throw into the shade.

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SC. 5. "Then would thou hadst a pair of chaps, no more."

The critics properly read _world_ and _hast_.

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"They'll grind _the one_ the other."

It is strange that _the one_, required both by sense and metre, was first added by Johnson.

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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_.

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"Up to a whore; who now are levying."

As no good sense has been made of 'who,' I read _they_.

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"King Malchus of Arabia, _the_ King of Pont."

It is, however, I think, probable that a proper name has been lost.

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"Till we perceived both how you were wrong-led."

For 'wrong-led' Collier's folio reads well _wronged_.

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"And the high gods
To do you justice make his ministers."

I would read _God_.

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SC. 7. "And as the president of my kingdom will _I_."

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"I have sixty sails, Cæsar none better _hath_."

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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.

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"When vantages, like a pair of twins, appear'd."

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"Hoists sails and flies.--That I beheld _myself_."

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"'Tis easy to it; and therefore I will attend."

It should perhaps be ''Tis easy _way_.'

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SC. 9. "Which has no need of you; begone, _I pray_."

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"By looking back _on_ what I have left behind."

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"Obey it on all cause.--_Oh_, pardon, pardon!"

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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.

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"Offers from thine invention."

The folio reads "From thine invention offers." See on Temp. iii. 1.

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SC. 11. "To lay his gay comparisons aside."

Mr. Singer and myself have both conjectured '_ca_parisons.'

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"Hear it apart.--_Here's_ none but friends; say boldly."

Hanmer also added _Here_.

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"Thus then, thou most renowned! Cæsar entreats _thee_."

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"Farther than he is Cæsar['s]."

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"And put yourself under his shroud, _who is_
The universal landlord."

Collier's folio adds _who is_.

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"Say to great Cæsar this. In disputation
I kiss his conquering hand."

Warburton's reading '_de_putation,' is not to be disputed.

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"Dissolve my life! The next Cæsarion smite!"

'Smite' is the proper correction for 'smile' of the folio. See on Hen. V. ii. 2.