Unwilling I agreed; alas, too soon. A league from Epidamnum had we sail'd, : DUKE. Nay, forward, old man, do not break off For we may pity, though not pardon thee. ÆGE. O, had the gods done so, I had not now Worthily term'd them merciless to us! For, ere the ships could meet by twice five leagues, We were encounter'd by a mighty rock; Which being violently borne upon,5 Our helpful ship was splitted in the midst, So that, in this unjust divorce of us, Fortune had left to both of us alike What to delight in, what to sorrow for. Her part, poor soul! seeming as burdened With lesser weight, but not with lesser woe, Was carried with more speed before the wind; And in our sight they three were taken up By fishermen of Corinth, as we thought. At length, another ship had seiz'd on us; And, knowing whom it was their hap to save, Gave helpful welcome to their shipwreck'd guests; And would have reft the fishers of their prey, Had not their bark been very slow of sail, And therefore homeward did they bend their course. Thus have you heard me sever'd from my bliss ; -borne upon,] The original copy reads-borne up. The additional syllable was supplied by the editor of the second folio. MALONE. • Gave helpful welcome-] Old copy-healthful welcome. Corrected by the editor of the second folio. So in King Henry IV. P. I: " And gave the tongue a helpful welcome." MALONE. DUKE. And, for the sake of them thou sorrowest for, Do me the favour to dilate at full What hath befall'n of them, and thee, till now." 1 8 7-and thee, till now, The first copy erroneously readsand they. The correction was made in the second folio. MALONE. **My youngest boy, and yet my eldest care,] Shakspeare has here been guilty of a little forgetfulness. Ægeon had said, page 352, that the youngest son was that which his wife had taken care of: 1 " My wife, more careful for the latter-born, He himself did the same by the other; and then each, fixing their eyes on whom their care was fixed, fastened themselves at either end of the mast. M. MASON. 9 - for his case was like,] The original copy has-so his. The emendation was made by the editor of the second folio. MALONE. 1 Roaming clean through the bounds of Asia,] In the northern parts of England this word is still used instead of quite, fully, per Fectly, completely. So, in Coriolanus: 66 This is clean kam." Again, in Julius Cæsar: "Clean from the purpose of the things themselves." The reader will likewise find it in the 77th Psalm. STEEVENS. Or that, or any place that harbours men. DUKE. Hapless Ægeon, whom the fates have mark'd To bear the extremity of dire mishap! 9/1 Therefore, merchant, I'll limit thee this day, off GAOL. I will, my lord. 39. help] Mr. Pope and some other modern editors read-To seek thy life, &c. But the jingle has much of Shakspeare's manner. MALONE. To seek thy life, can hardly be the true reading, for, in ancient language, it signifies a base endeavour to take life away. Thus, Antonio says of Shylock, " He seeks my life." I believe, therefore, the word-help, was accidentally repeated by the compositor, and that our author wrote, 3 To seek thy help by beneficial means. STEEVENS. 4 if not,] Old copy-no. Corrected in the second folio. MALONE. ÆGE. Hopeless, and helpless, doth Ægeon wend, But to procrastinate his lifeless end. [Exeunt. SCENE II. A publick Place, Enter ANTIPHOLUS and DROMIO of Syracuse, and a Merchant. MER. Therefore, give out, you are of Epidamnum, Lest that your goods too soon be confiscate. This very day, a Syracusan merchant Is apprehended for arrival here; And, not being able to buy out his life, According to the statute of the town, Dies ere the weary sun set in the west.5 There is your money that I had to keep. ANT. S. Go bear it to the Centaur, where we host, And stay there, Dromio, till I come to thee. Within this hour it will be dinner-time : Till that, I'll view the manners of the town, *wend,] i. e. go. An obsolete word. So, in A Mid'summer's-Night's Dream: "And back to Athens shall the lovers wend." 5 66 STEEVENS. ere the weary sun set in the west.] So, in King John: the feeble and day-wearied sun." Again, in King Richard III: "The weary sun hath made a golden set." STEEVENS. |