The character of Enobarbus continues to hold my interest. On Saturday, I discussed how he can no longer proceed after deserting Antony to join Octavius Caesar. In 4.6, there are a couple of brutal moments of recognition regarding how side-changers are treated. First, Octavius tells a messenger to instruct his second-in-command Agrippa to:

Plant those that have revolted in the van,

That Antony may seem to spend his fury

Upon himself.

In other words, Antony's soldiers would have to do battle initially against former friends - another example of Octavius' cool ruthlessness. Then Enobarbus recounts what he has heard of the fates of others in his position, and then reveals his remorse in a most powerful wording:

Alexas did revolt; and went to Jewry on

Affairs of Antony; there did persuade

Great Herod to incline himself to Caesar,

And leave his master Antony; for this pains

Caesar hath hang'd him. Canidius and the rest

That fell away have entertainment, but

No honourable trust. I have done ill;

Of which I do accuse myself so sorely,

That I will joy no more.

It's a particularly melancholy fate for a character who wasn't afraid to make jokes at a meeting of the triumvirate. He understands, only when both are gone, that his loyalty was his life force.