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

59. Enob. He needs as many, etc.] Malone: I suspect that this speech belongs to Cleopatra, not to Enobarbus. Printers usually keep the names of the persons, who appear in each scene, ready composed; in consequence of which, speeches are often attributed to those to whom they do not belong. Is it probable that Enobarbus should presume to interfere here? The whole dialogue naturally proceeds between Cleopatra and Thyreus, till Enobarbus thinks it necessary to attend to his own interest, and says what he speaks when he goes out. The plural number (us), which suits Cleopatra, who throughout the play assumes that royal style, strengthens

my conjecture. The words, ‘our master,’ it may be said, are inconsistent with this supposition; but I apprehend, Cleopatra might have thus described Antony, with sufficient propriety. They are afterwards explained: ‘Whose he is, we are.’ Antony was the master of her fate.—Steevens: Enobarbus, who is the buffoon of the play, has already presumed to interfere between the jarring Triumvirs, and might therefore have been equally flippant on the occasion before us. For this reason, as well as others, I conceive the speech in question to have been rightly appropriated in the old copy. What a diminution of Shakspeare's praise would it be, if four lines that exactly suit the mouth of Enobarbus, could come with equal propriety from the lips of Cleopatra!