Chapter CX: Act II: SCENE 2. Page 299

CAL. When beggars die, there are no comets seen;
The heavens themselves blaze forth the death of princes.

This might have been suggested by what Suetonius has related of the blazing star which appeared for seven days together, during the celebration of games instituted by Augustus in honour of Julius. The common people believed that this comet indicated his reception among the gods; and not only his statues were accordingly ornamented with its figure, but medals were struck on which it was represented. One of these, struck by Augustus, is here exhibited.

Pliny relates that a comet appeared before the death of Claudius, lib. ii. c. 25; and Geffrey of Monmouth speaks of one that preceded the death of Aurelius Ambrosius; but the comets would have appeared though the men had not died, and the men would not have lived longer had the comets never been seen.

SCENE 2. Page 300.

SER. Plucking the entrails of an offering forth
They could not find a heart within the beast.

CÆS. The gods do this in shame of cowardice:
Cæsar should be a beast without a heart,
If he should stay at home to day, for fear.

Dr. Johnson remarks on this occasion, that "the ancients did not place courage in the heart." He had forgotten his classics strangely.

"Nunc animis opus, Ænea, nunc _pectore firmo_."

_Æn._ vi. 261.

"... Juvenes, _fortissima_ frustra
_Pectora_----."

_Æn._ ii. 263.

"... Teucrûm minantur _inertia corda_."

_Æn._ ix. 55.

"... excute, dicens,
_Corde_ metum----"

Ovid. _Metam._ lib. iii. 689.

"_Corda pavent_ comitum, mihi mens interrita mansit."

Ovid. _Metam._ lib. xv. 514.

"_Cor pavet_ admonitu temeratæ sanguine noctis."

Ovid. _Epist._ xiv. 16.

"Nescio quæ _pavidum_ frigora _pectus_ habent."

Ovid. _Epist._ xix. 192.

ACT III.

SCENE 1. Page 329.

ANT. ... for mine eyes,
Seeing those beads of sorrow stand in thine,
Began to water.

We have a similar expression in _The tempest_, Act V. Scene 1, where Prospero says,

"Holy Gonzalo, honourable man,
Mine eyes even sociable to the shew of thine,
Fall fellowly drops."

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA.