William Shakespeare, Critical Commentary of The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra
Horace Howard Furness, Ed.

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strike the Vessells Johnson: Try whether the casks sound as empty.— Steevens: This means no more than ‘chink the vessels one against the other, as a mark of our unanimity in drinking,’ as we now say chink glasses.—Holt White: Vessels probably mean kettle-drums, which were beaten when the health of a person of eminence was drank; immediately after we have, ‘make battery to our ears with the loud musick.’ They are called kettles in Hamlet: ‘Give me the cups; And let the kettle to the trumpet speak.’—Boswell: In Fletcher's Monsieur Thomas, we meet with a passage which leaves no doubt, as Weber has observed, that to strike the vessels means to tap them: ‘Home, Launce, and strike a fresh piece of wine.’— V, x.—Dyce (Gloss.) reiterates Boswell's assertion that Weber had rightly explained the meaning of ‘strike’ in this line, and adds an example of its use ‘with the same signification in a well-known modern poem: “L' Avare, not using half his store, Still grumbles that he has no more; Strikes not the present tun, for fear The vintage should be bad next year.” ’—Prior's Alma, C. iii. The Cowden-Clarkes while granting that ‘strike’ at times means to tap, do not believe that it has this meaning here, because ‘Antony would hardly bid them broach more wine where Pompey is the entertainer; and, moreover, at this stage of the entertainment there would be no question of any one giving such an order.’ They, therefore, adopt Steevens's interpretation. [If Shakespeare had meant that the revellers should merely clink the glasses, as in Iago's song: ‘Let me the cannikin clink,’ I doubt that he would have used so strong a word as ‘strike.’ As regards courtesy, Anthony was almost invited by Pompey to call for more wine by his complaint that they had not yet reached the height of an Alexandrian feast.—Ed.]