By external swelling: but she looks like sleep,
As she would catch another Antony

In her strong toil of grace.

Dol. Here, on her breast, There is a vent of blood, and something blown : The like is on her arm.

1 Guard. This is an aspick's trail: and these fig-
leaves

Have slime upon them, such as the aspick leaves
Upon the caves of Nile.

Cæs.

Most probable,
That so she died; for her physician tells me,
She hath pursu'd conclusions infinite

Of easy ways to die.-Take up her bed;
And bear her women from the monument:-
She shall be buried by her Antony :
No grave upon the earth shall clip' in it
A pair so famous. High events as these
Strike those that make them: and their story is
No less in pity, than his glory, which
Brought them to be lamented. Our army shall,
In solemn show, attend this funeral ;

And then to Rome.-Come, Dolabella, see
High order in this great solemnity.

8

[Exeunt.3

something blown:] The flesh is somewhat puffed or swoln.

9 She hath pursu'd conclusions infinite-] To pursue conclusions,

is to try experiments.

1

2

shall clip-] i. e. infold.

their story is

No less in pity, than his glory, &c.] i. e. the narrative of such events demands not less compassion for the sufferers, than glory on the part of him who brought on their sufferings.

3

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. JOHNSON.