Antony and Cleopatra (Arden Shakespeare: Third Series) Read online

  78 The ... bear my intentions

  are, or cease stand or fall

  79 th'advice the judgment

  fire ... slime sun that brings fertility to the mudbanks of Egypt's River Nile 82 thou affects you desire

  83 lace the ties of her bodice as she struggles for breath 84 let it be leave it alone

  85 So Antony loves Antony loves in just such a changeable manner/depending on whether or not Antony loves me 86 forbear be patient/control yourself

  87 give true evidence bear witness

  stands will sustain

  92 Belong to Egypt are shed for the Queen of Egypt

  93 dissembling playacting

  95 heat my blood make me angry/passionate

  96 meetly fairly good

  98 target small shield; Cleopatra completes Antony's phrase and makes it into a blustering theatrical oath mends improves (in his act)

  100 Herculean heroic, prodigiously strong; Antony's family claimed descent from the Greek hero Hercules become ... chafe carry off his anger convincingly

  107 oblivion forgetfulness/loss, abandonment

  108 all forgotten forgetful/completely forgotten

  109 But were it not

  idleness foolishness/frivolity/triviality/worthlessness

  110 holds ... subject considers frivolity beneath you/means that you are in control of frivolity 112 sweating labour the language of childbirth, continued with bear

  115 becomings attractive qualities

  116 Eye look, seem

  119 laurel ... feet on his return to Rome, a victorious general wore a laurel wreath, and had flowers and rushes strewn in his path 122 Our ... thee i.e. although separated physically they will still be together since they are joined spiritually 3 competitor associate, partner (plays on the sense of "rival") 5 Is he is

  6 Queen of Ptolemy i.e. Cleopatra; in keeping with Egyptian royal tradition she was married first to her brother Ptolemy XIII and, after he was accidentally drowned, to a younger brother, Ptolemy XIV, whom she was subsequently thought to have poisoned 7 gave audience received messengers

  8 Vouchsafed condescended

  9 abstract epitome, summary

  13 spots of heaven stars; his faults stand out against his virtues as the stars do against the dark 15 purchased acquired otherwise than by inheritance (legal term) 18 tumble have sex

  19 mirth joke

  20 keep ... tippling take turns in drinking toasts

  21 reel stagger drunkenly around

  stand the buffet exchange or endure blows

  23 As though

  composure constitution, disposition

  25 foils disgraces

  when ... lightness since we have to bear an extra burden because of his frivolity (or "promiscuity") 27 vacancy spare time

  voluptuousness sensual pleasures

  28 surfeits digestive disorders resulting from too much food and drink dryness ... bones corrosion of the bones is a symptom of syphilis 29 confound waste

  30 drums summons with a (military) drum

  31 his ... ours i.e. our positions as triumvirs 'tis ... chid deserves reprimand

  32 rate berate, scold

  mature in knowledge old enough to know what's right

  34 to against

  36 biddings commands

  38 How 'tis what the situation is

  40 only have feared have obeyed (Caesar) through fear, not love 41 discontents discontented

  42 Give him claim he is

  44 primal state beginning of the world/first organized government 45 he ... were he who is in power was only deemed desirable until he gained power 46 ebbed declining in fortunes, on his way out

  ne'er ... love no longer powerful/unable to reward his followers 47 Comes deared becomes loved/becomes valued

  lacked absent, missed

  This common body the people

  48 vagabond drifting

  flag water iris/reed, rush

  49 lackeying following like a servant

  52 famous notorious

  53 ear plow

  54 hot inroads violent raids

  55 borders maritime coastal regions

  56 Lack blood turn pale

  flush vigorous, lively/flushed, ruddy (i.e. unafraid)

  58 Taken captured

  strikes ... resisted causes more loss than resisting him in battle 61 wassails revels

  62 Modena city in northern Italy

  64 whom i.e. famine

  65 daintily with fine food/in a refined way

  67 stale urine

  gilded tinged with gold glint of scum

  68 deign not refuse

  69 rudest wildest

  70 sheets covers

  71 browsed fed on

  76 So ... not did not so much as grow thin

  77 pity of a shame for/about

  79 twain two

  80 i'th'field on the battlefield

  85 can be able am capable of mustering

  86 front confront

  90 stirs events/uprisings

  93 bond duty/obligation

  4 mandragora juice of the mandrake, a plant with strong narcotic properties 13 Not ... sing an anachronism: castrated singers were employed in Renaissance courts 15 unseminared castrated, deprived of virility

  freer looser, less restrained

  16 affections desires

  19 in deed in terms of the sexual act (punning on indeed) do perform/have sex

  20 honest chaste

  22 Venus ... Mars the Roman goddess of love and the god of war had a passionate adulterous love affair 27 bravely splendidly

  wot'st thou do you know

  28 demi-Atlas in classical mythology, Atlas carried the world on his shoulders; Cleopatra, ignoring Lepidus, describes Antony bearing responsibility for half the world arm weapon

  arm And burgonet i.e. complete soldier/defender

  29 burgonet light steel infantryman's helmet/helmet with a visor 33 Phoebus Greek and Roman sun god

  black i.e. deeply tanned

  34 Broad-fronted with a broad forehead/with a wide or open face Caesar Julius Caesar, with whom Cleopatra had an affair

  36 morsel beautiful woman/sexual mouthful

  great Pompey Cleopatra was actually supposed to have had an affair with Gneius (or Gnaeus) Pompey, the son of Pompey the Great (though great here may simply be a descriptive "noble" applied to Gneius) 37 make ... brow fix his eyes on my face (but stand and grow are suggestive of penile erection) 38 aspect gaze

  die be consumed with desire/orgasm

  39 his life what he lived for

  42 great med'cine alchemical term for the supposed elixir that turned base metal into gold 43 tinct dye, color/transmuting elixir

  44 brave valiant/splendid

  47 orient lustrous

  49 quoth said

  50 firm constant, resolute

  Egypt the Queen of Egypt

  52 mend make amends for

  piece enrich, augment

  55 arm-gaunt steed slender-limbed horse/horse that is battle-hardened or eager for battle 56 high loud

  57 beastly dumbed drowned out by the horse's noise/rendered inarticulate like the sounds of a beast 60 nor sad nor neither sad nor

  62 'tis the man that's him exactly

  64 make ... his model themselves on him

  68 violence extremity

  69 posts messengers

  70 several separate

  71 so thick such a throng

  72 Who's whoever is

  82 paragon compare

  87 green young, inexperienced

  blood passion/sexual desire

  4 what ... deny delay does not signify denial

  5 Whiles ... for while we're praying to the gods, the thing we ask for is decaying 12 the sea i.e. control of the sea

  13 powers military forces

  crescent growing, like the new moon

  auguring prophetic

  15 dinner often euphemistic for sex

  16 without out of

  18 Of by />
  neither loves loves neither

  21 strength military force

  25 Looking for expecting

  charms spells

  26 Salt lecherous

  waned faded, aging

  29 fuming fuddled with alcohol

  epicurean gourmet

  30 cloyless never-cloying, which will not satiate

  31 That so that

  prorogue delay, postpone

  32 Lethe'd oblivious (Lethe was a river in Hades, the Greek underworld; drinking from it caused complete forgetfulness) 33 This ... deliver what I am about to report is most certain 35 'tis ... for there's been time for

  37 less matter less serious news

  38 ear hearing

  39 donned his helm put on his helmet

  40 his ... twain he's twice as good a soldier as the other two (Octavius Caesar and Lepidus) 41 rear ... opinion elevate our opinion of ourselves

  43 lap vagina

  Egypt's widow Cleopatra was the widow of Ptolemy XIV

  45 hope suppose

  46 well greet together meet on friendly terms

  47 wife that's dead i.e. Fulvia

  trespasses wrongs, injuries

  48 brother i.e. Lucius

  49 moved incited

  53 pregnant obvious

  square quarrel

  54 entertained received

  57 yet not do not yet

  58 It ... hands our lives depend upon our using our greatest strength 5 like himself i.e. in a manner appropriate to his position/according to his natural disposition move angers, provokes

  6 look ... head treat him as small and insignificant

  7 loud as Mars loudly and aggressively like the god of war Jupiter another name for Jove, supreme Roman god

  9 I ... today i.e. in order to dare Caesar to pluck it insultingly 10 stomaching resentments, being offended or the provocation of such feelings 19 compose settle our differences

  to Parthia we should make for Parthia (the Middle Eastern empire that was a rival to Rome) 20 Hark ... Agrippa Antony and Caesar both continue their private discussions until Lepidus' intervention 23 That which combined the cause that united

  24 leaner ... us lesser enterprise (or "military campaign") divide us What's whatever is

  25 gently mildly, without anger/honorably

  26 commit ... wounds destroy attempts at healing and reconciliation 28 The rather for all the more because

  29 Touch refer to, deal with

  30 Nor ... th'matter don't allow bad temper to aggravate the situation 32 to preparing to

  38 Nay then well since you insist

  40 being even if they were

  42 or ... or either ... or

  44 Chiefly i'th'world of all people/more than anyone else 45 derogately disparagingly

  46 not concerned me was none of my business

  51 practise ... state plot against my position

  52 question business

  53 How intend you what do you mean by

  54 catch at grasp

  56 contestation conflict

  57 theme for you about a subject that concerned you/about you/on your behalf you were ... war the war was in your name/your name was their war-cry 59 urge me cite me as his motive

  inquire make inquiries into

  60 learning information

  reports informants

  61 drew ... you fought on your side

  62 with along with

  63 stomach inclination

  64 Having ... cause I having the same reason as you to oppose his actions 65 patch put together, contrive

  66 As matter whole though you have sufficient material 72 I ... thought I'm sure you must have known

  74 he i.e. Lucius

  75 graceful friendly, favorable

  76 fronted confronted, opposed

  77 I ... another I wish you had a wife like her

  78 snaffle bridle bit, giving gentle control of a horse 79 pace put through its paces, manage

  82 uncurbable uncontrollable (maintains the horse-handling metaphor; a "curb" is part of a horse's bit) garboils disturbances, tumult

  83 not wanted did not lack

  84 policy planning, strategy

  grieving grant regretfully admit

  86 But only

  88 rioting reveling

  90 gibe ... audience jeer my messenger away, out of hearing 92 ere admitted before he had even been announced

  93 newly very recently

  did ... was wasn't at my best

  95 told ... myself explained my condition

  97 nothing no part

  contend quarrel

  98 question debate, argument

  100 article clause, terms

  102 Soft wait a moment/go gently

  105 Supposing implying

  107 required requested

  111 mine own knowledge knowing my own mind

  113 Shall ... it won't detract from my authority, nor shall I exercise that authority without honesty

  116 ignorant motive unwitting cause

  121 griefs grievances

  quite completely

  123 atone reconcile

  126 instant time being

  131 presence assembly

  132 Go to, then! expression of impatient dismissal ("Very well then!") You i.e. I shall be your

  considerate showing consideration/thoughtful, deliberate

  135 conditions characters, dispositions

  137 staunch firm

  141 sister ... side i.e. a half-sister; historically, however, she was Caesar's full, younger sister 145 reproof ... rashness reprimand would be merited by your rash speech 149 amity friendship

  154 Whose ... utter i.e. no one else's words can express the true nature and extent of her virtue/no one else's virtues can match hers 156 jealousies suspicions, misunderstandings

  157 import bring about/signify

  158 Truths ... truths uncomfortable truths would be dismissed instead of malicious half-truths being accepted 159 both i.e. Antony and Caesar

  162 present spontaneous

  165 touched With affected by

  167 power authority

  168 would were to

  171 unto over

  173 so fairly shows seems so agreeable, looks so promising 174 impediment obstacle; echoes the use of the term in the marriage service 175 act of grace pleasing (or "divinely sanctioned") action 181 never ... again may our love never desert us again 185 For ... me Pompey had courteously received Antony's mother when she fled Italy with Fulvia strange extraordinary

  187 remembrance memory/reputation

  188 At ... him immediately after which I must nevertheless challenge him 190 Of by

  presently immediately

  193 Mount Misena Misenum, a port in southern Italy

  197 fame rumor/report

  198 Would ... together! Antony either wishes he had discussed matters with Caesar or Pompey sooner, or that he had gone to battle sooner 199 ere before

  dispatch we let's speedily settle

  202 my sister's view see my sister

  206 Not not even

  208 Half the heart i.e. intimate friend

  212 digested settled

  stayed well by't kept at it, stuck it out well

  213 day ... countenance upset day by sleeping through it 214 light bright/merry/dissolute

  216 but only

  217 by to

  218 monstrous matter strange, exotic foods

  220 triumphant magnificent

  square just

  222 pursed pocketed (sexual connotations; "purse" is a term for the vagina) 223 river of Cydnus now the Tarsus Cay; not in Egypt but Cilicia, a region in what is now southern Turkey 224 reporter ... her made up a good story about her

  227 burnished shining, as if made of metal

  228 Burned gleamed as though it were in flames

  poop highest deck at the stern or back of a ship

  233 strokes beats of the oars/caresses/blows (eroticized violence) 235 cloth-of-gold of tis
sue rich cloth, woven with gold thread 236 O'er-picturing ... nature more beautiful than a painted image of Venus in which (the artist's) imagination has surpassed nature 237 her of her

  238 like resembling/in the guise of

  Cupid Roman god of love, son of Venus and Mercury; always depicted as a child 239 divers-coloured multicolored

  240 glow make glow (with amorous excitement)

  242 rare splendid, magnificent

  243 gentlewomen ... Nereides female attendants resembling (or "in the guise of") beautiful sea nymphs 244 tended her i'th'eyes attended to her every glance 245 made ... adornings made the scene more beautiful with their graceful bows 246 tackle gear, i.e. ropes and sails

  247 Swell with connotations of penile erection

  248 yarely ... office nimbly perform the task

  250 wharfs riverbanks/buildings

  253 but for vacancy except that it would have created a vacuum (something nature proverbially "abhors") 254 Had would have

  256 Egyptian potentially ambiguous since the word could be a synonym for "Gypsy," and both Egyptians and Gypsies were associated with magic and witchcraft 262 Being barbered having had his hair and beard trimmed and styled 263 ordinary supper; meal available at a fixed price in a tavern 264 what ... only i.e. he ate nothing except with his eyes 265 wench loose woman/whore/lower-class woman (creates oxymoron with Royal) 266 Caesar Julius Caesar

  lay ... bed abandon his military responsibilities/have sex/abate his erection (through orgasm) 267 cropped bore fruit; Cleopatra had a son by Caesar, Caesarion 271 That in such a way that

  275 stale make stale (along with custom, plays on the idea of prostitution; a stale was a whore) 278 vilest ... themselves foulest things achieve dignity (or "... become truly themselves") 280 riggish licentious

  283 lottery prize

  1 office duty, position (as triumvir)

  7 Read ... report don't believe popular accounts of my faults 8 my square my life in strict order (carpentry metaphor: a square is an implement for measuring right angles) 9 by th'rule in a direct and orderly manner (maintains carpentry image) th'rule the ruler

  12 sirrah sir (used to social inferiors)

  13 nor you thither and that you had never gone there

  14 can know it

  15 motion inner prompting

  16 hie you hurry

  21 demon attendant spirit, guardian angel

  that thy thy

  keeps protects

  23 angel spirit, demon

  24 as as though

  27 no ... thee I shall say no more except to you personally 30 lustre thickens splendor darkens

  33 he he being

  36 art or hap magical skill or chance

  38 better ... chance greater skill fails against his luck 39 speeds succeeds, wins

  41 it i.e. the odds in my favor

  42 inhooped in cockfights, the birds were confined to a hoop to make them fight at odds even against the odds

  2 Your generals after after your generals (rather than accompanying me) 4 e'en just, only

  8 Mount i.e. Misena (Misenum), where Pompey's ships are anchored 11 draw ... about require me to go the long way round