Loaden with irons, wiser than the judge, 8 Who cannot condemn rashness in cold blood? But who is man, that is not angry? My lords, then, under favour, pardon me, "If I speak like a captain and by Shakspeare's 66th Sonnet, where the word captain is used with at least as much harshness as in the text: "And captive good attending captain ill.” Again, in another of his Sonnets: "Like stones of worth they thinly placed are, Dr. Johnson with great probability proposes to read felon instead of flow. Malone. The word captain has been very injudiciously restored. That it cannot be the author's is evident from its spoiling what will otherwise be a metrical line. Nor is his using it elsewhere any proof that he meant to use it here. Ritson. I have not scrupled to insert Dr. Johnson's emendation, felon, for fellow, in the text; but do not perceive how the line can become strictly metrical by the omission of the word-captain, unless, with Sir Thomas Hanmer, we transpose the conjunctionand, and read: 8 The ass more than the lion, and the felon, Steevens. sin's extremest gust;] Gust, for aggravation. Warburton. Gust is here in its common sense; the utmost degree of appetite for sin. Johnson. I believe gust means rashness. The allusion may be to a sudden gust of wind. Steevens. So we say, it was done in a sudden gust of passion. Malone. by mercy, 'tis most just.] By mercy is meant equity. But 9 we must read: 'tis made just. Warburton. Mercy is not put for equity. If such explanation be allowed, what can be difficult? The meaning is, I call mercy herself to witness, that defensive violence is just. Johnson. The meaning, I think, is, Homicide in our own defence, by a merciful and lenient interpretation of the laws, is considered as justifiable. Malone. Dr. Johnson's explanation is the more spirited; but a passage in King John should seem to countenance that of Mr. Malone: "Some sins do bear their privilege on earth, "And so doth yours VOL. XV. Steevens. LI Weigh but the crime with this. 2 Sen. You breathe in vain. Alcib. In vain? his service done At Lacedæmon, and Byzantium, 1 Why, I say, my lords, h' as done fair service, And slain in fight many of your enemies: How full of valour did he bear himself In the last conflict, and made plenteous wounds? Drowns him, and takes his valour prisoner: Alcib. Hard fate! he might have died in war. My lords, if not for any parts in him, (Though his right arm might purchase his own time, And be in debt to none,) yet, more to move you, Take my deserts to his, and join them both: And, for I know, your reverend ages love Security, I'll pawns my victories, all 1 Why, I say,] The personal pronoun was inserted by the editor of the second folio. 2 Malone. with 'em,] The folio-with him. Johnson. The correction was made by the editor of the second folio. Malone. 3 Is a sworn rioter:] A sworn rioter is a man who practises riot, as if he had by an oath made it his duty. Johnson. The expression, a sworn rioter, seems to be similar to that of sworn brothers. See Vol. IX, p. 235, n. 8. Malone. 4 alone-] This word was judiciously supplied by Sir Tho mas Hanmer, to complete the measure. Thus, in All's Well that Ends Well: 66 "Is good Good alone "Steevens. 5---- your reverend ages love Security, I'll pawn &c.] He charges them obliquely with being usurers. Johnson. My honour to you, upon his good returns. 1 Sen. We are for law, he dies; urge it no more, On height of our displeasure: Friend, or brother, He forfeits his own blood, that spills another. Alcib. Must it be so? it must not be. My lords, I do beseech you, know me. 2 Sen. How? Alcib. Call me to your remembrances." 3 Sen. What? Alcib. I cannot think, but your age has forgot me; Do you dare our anger? 1 Sen. 'Tis in few words, but spacious in effect; We banish thee for ever. Alcib. Banish me? Banish your dotage; banish usury, That makes the senate ugly. 1 Sen. If, after two days' shine, Athens contain thee, Attend our weightier judgment. And, not to swell our spirit,9 So afterwards: 6 banish usury, "That makes the senate ugly." Malone. ·remembrances.] is here used as a word of five syllables. In the singular number it occurs as a quadrisyllable only. See Twelfth Night, Act I, sc, "And lasting in her sad remembrance." Steevens. 7 -- I should prove so base,] Base for dishonoured. Warburton. 8 Do you dare our anger? 'Tis in few words, but spacious in effect;] This reading may pass, but perhaps the author wrote: our anger? 'Tis few in words, but spacious in effect. Johnson. 9 And, not to swell our spirit,] I believe, means, not to put ourselves into any tumour of rage, take our definitive resolution. So, in King Henry VIII, Act III, sc. i: "The hearts of princes kiss obedience, "So much they love it; but, to stubborn spirits, They swell and grow as terrible as storms." Steevens. He shall be executed presently. [Exeunt Senators. Alcib. Now the gods keep you old enough; that you may live Only in bone, that none may look on you! I am worse than mad: I have kept back their foes, 1 -ha! banishment?] Thus the second folio. Its ever-blundering predecessor omits the interjection, ha! and consequently spoils the metre. The same exclamation occurs in Romeo and Juliet: 2 "Ha! banishment? be merciful, say-death and lay for hearts. Steevens. 'Tis honour, with most lands to be at odds;] But surely even in a soldier's sense of honour, there is very little in being at odds with all about him; which shows rather a quarrelsome disposition than a valiant one. Besides, this was not Alcibiades's case. He was only fallen out with the Athenians. A phrase in the foregoing line will direct us to the right reading. I will lay, says he, for hearts; which is a metaphor taken from card-play, and signifies to game deep and boldly. It is plain then the figure was continued in the following line, which should be read thus: 'Tis honour with most hands to be at odds; i. e. to fight upon odds, or at disadvantage; as he must do against the united strength of Athens; and this, by soldiers, is accounted honourable. Shakspeare uses the same metaphor on the same occasion, in Coriolanus: "He lurch'd all swords." Warburton. I think hands is very properly substituted for lands. In the foregoing line, for, lay for hearts, I would read, play for hearts. Johnson. I do not conceive that to lay for hearts is a metaphor taken from card-play, or that lay should be changed into play. We should now say, to lay out for hearts, i. e. the affections of the people; but lay is used singly, as it is here, by Jonson, in The Devil is an Ass, [Mr. Whalley's edition] Vol. IV, p. 33: "Lay for some pretty principality." Tyrwhitt. SCENE VI. A magnificent Room in Timon's House. Musick. Tables set out: Servants attending. Enter divers Lords, at several Doors. 3 1 Lord. The good time of day to you, sir. 2 Lord. I also wish it to you. I think, this honourable lord did but try us this other day. 1 Lord. Upon that were my thoughts tiring, when A kindred expression occurs in Marlowe's Lust's Dominion, 1657: "He takes up Spanish hearts on trust, to pay them "When he shall finger Castile's crown." Malone. 'Tis honour, with most lands to be at odds;] I think, with Dr. Johnson, that lands cannot be right. To assert that it is honourable to fight with the greatest part of the world, is very wild. I believe therefore our author meant that Alcibiades in his spleen against the Senate, from whom alone he has received an injury, should say: 'Tis honour with most lords to be at odds. Malone. I adhere to the old reading. It is surely more honourable to wrangle for a score of kingdoms, (as Miranda expresses it) than to enter into quarrels with lords, or any other private adversaries. Steevens. The objection to the old reading still in my apprehension remains. It is not difficult for him who is so inclined, to quarrel with a lord; (or with any other person;) but not so easy to be at odds with his land. Neither does the observation just made, prove that it is honourable to quarrel, or to be at odds, with most of the lands or kingdoms of the earth, which must, I conceive, be proved, before the old reading can be supported. Malone. By most lands, perhaps our author means greatest lands. So, in King Henry VI, P. I, Act IV, sc. i: "But always resolute in most extremes." i. e. in greatest. Alcibiades, therefore, may be willing to regard a contest with a great and extensive territory, like that of Athens, as a circumstance honourable to himself. Steevens. 3 Enter divers Lords,] In the modern editions these are called Senators; but it is clear from what is said concerning the banishment of Alcibiades, that this must be wrong. I have therefore substituted Lords. The old copy has "Enter divers friends." Malone. 4 Upon that were my thoughts tiring,] A hawk, I think, is said to tire, when she amuses herself with pecking a pheasant's wing, or any thing that puts her in mind of prey. To tire upon a thing, is therefore, to be idly employed upon it. Johnson. I believe Dr. Johnson is mistaken. Tiring means here, I think, |