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

  2 trade engage, deal (with connotations of prostitution) 6 As ... play a woman might as well play (or "have sex") with a eunuch 9 will intention/sexual desire/penis

  come too short the performance is inadequate/he orgasms prematurely/the penis is too small 10 actor stage actor/performer of sexual deeds

  11 angle fishing tackle (literally, the hook at the end of the line) 12 betray deceive, entrap

  13 Tawny-finned with golden-brown fins

  18 your diver i.e. one of Cleopatra's men, who dived underwater to attach the dried fish to Antony's hook 19 salt-fish dried, salted fish (a euphemism for an impotent penis; "salt" plays on the sense of "lustful") 20 fervency eagerness/sexual excitement

  25 tires and mantles headdresses and robes

  26 Philippan the sword he used at the battle of Philippi to defeat Brutus and Cassius 27 Ram ... barren a highly sexualized image of being vigorously penetrated and made pregnant 32 yield report

  34 lipped kissed, touched with their lips

  37 use are accustomed

  38 say ... well i.e. because they are in heaven 42 go to get on with it

  44 tart a favour sour a look

  46 Fury in classical mythology, the Furies were the three goddesses of vengeance, commonly depicted as winged women with snakes for hair 47 formal normal/in the form of

  50 'tis well that's good

  51 Or ... or either ... or

  52 shower of gold may recall Jove's seduction of Danae in the form of a shower of gold 57 honest worthy

  61 allay ... precedence detract from the good news that preceded it 64 monstrous malefactor hideous criminal

  65 Pour ... ear tell me everything (as if the messenger were a peddler with a pack of news) 69 bound married (plays on the sense of "captive"; Cleopatra then shifts the sense to "indebted") 71 turn the Messenger shifts the sense to "sexual act"

  74 pestilence plague

  77 spurn kick

  80 pickle salt pickling solution

  84 proud magnificent

  85 make thy peace atone

  86 boot enrich

  92 keep ... yourself contain yourself

  94 thunderbolt Jove's weapon of punishment

  95 Egypt the country/Cleopatra

  kindly good/natural

  97 mad angry/frenzied, like a rabid dog

  101 A meaner one of lower social rank

  I ... cause it's my own fault I'm so upset

  104 gracious joyful/full of esteem and nobility

  105 host of tongues may glance at the mythological figure of Fame (renown), who was represented as multi-tongued tell ... felt announce themselves as their effects are felt 112 confound destroy

  hold there still stick to your story

  115 So even if

  116 cistern pond/water tank

  117 Narcissus in classical mythology, a young man who was so beautiful he fell in love with his own reflection 121 Take ... you do not be offended because I am reluctant to offend you 123 much unequal most unjust

  124 O ... of! What a pity that Antony's fault makes you into the villain that you're not, by equating you with the bad news you report!

  fault failing/fornication

  knave rogue, villain

  126 merchandise i.e. news

  127 dear expensive/heartfelt

  lie ... 'em may you be unable to sell them, and be ruined

  135 feature appearance

  years age

  136 inclination disposition

  138 him i.e. Antony

  139 painted ... Mars as in a perspective picture in which the image changed depending on the angle of the viewer.

  Gorgon: mythical creature with snakes for hair and a gaze that turned people to stone

  140 Mars Roman god of war Gorgon mythical creature with snakes for hair and a gaze that turned people to stone 140 Mars Roman god of war

  Drum and Trumpet drummer and trumpeter

  3 meet fitting, appropriate

  5 purposes proposals

  7 tie up hang up/curb

  8 tall brave

  9 else otherwise

  11 senators alone sole rulers

  12 factors agents, representatives

  13 Wherefore why

  father Pompey the Great, defeated by Julius Caesar

  want need/lack

  15 ghosted haunted; Julius Caesar was assassinated by conspirators that included Brutus and Cassius; they were then defeated and killed at the battle of Philippi by Antony and Octavius Caesar 17 moved incited

  18 honest truthful/honorable

  19 courtiers wooers/courtly attendants

  20 drench drown in blood

  20 Capitol Capitoline Hill, site of the senate house where Julius Caesar was killed 21 one ... man i.e. prevent Julius Caesar, a mere mortal, from being crowned and treated like a god 24 scourge punish

  despiteful malicious, spiteful

  27 fear frighten

  28 speak encounter, fight

  29 o'er-count outnumber

  31 o'er-count ... house alludes to the confiscation of his father's estate, which Antony bought but failed to pay for o'er-count cheat

  32 cuckoo ... himself the cuckoo does not build its own nest but lays its eggs in another bird's 33 as thou mayst as long as you can

  35 from the present irrelevant

  take respond to

  38 entreated to cajoled into accepting

  weigh consider seriously

  39 embraced if accepted

  40 what ... fortune the future advantages to be gained/the dangerous consequences of fighting a battle 46 part depart

  unhacked edges undamaged sword blades (i.e. without fighting) 47 targes shields

  undinted without dents, unmarked by blows

  53 praise of credit for

  must should, ought to

  58 studied prepared

  63 timelier sooner

  my purpose I intended

  67 counts marks (literally, tally marks from adding up accounts) 68 in ... vassal I shall never become a slave to bad luck 72 composition agreement, truce

  73 sealed between us following signature, affixed with seals by each party 78 take the lot draw lots like the rest of us

  first Or last whether your turn comes first or last

  80 have the fame gain the glory

  81 Grew ... there another image of sex as eating; "grew fat" may have erectile connotations 83 fair sincere/courteous/decent

  84 And ... them Antony's tone may be placatory or sarcastic here 86 Apollodorus a Sicilian friend of Cleopatra; Plutarch tells the tale of his rolling her up in a mattress in order that she might be conducted to Julius Caesar in secret 90 far'st are (from "fare," pronounced "fairst")

  93 toward forthcoming

  96 behaviour conduct in battle

  101 plainness bluntness, plain speaking

  102 nothing ill becomes suits

  103 galley Greek or Roman warship with banks of oars on each side 108 known met before

  121 take arrest

  thieves i.e. hands (or possibly the men embrace after the handshake) 122 true honest

  124 true genuine, i.e. without cosmetics

  130 said spoken the truth

  looked not for did not expect to see

  135 Pray ye, sir? Is that right?

  138 divine predict the outcome

  140 policy ... in politics of that alliance had more to do with 142 band wedding ring/bond, pledge

  144 cold and still calm, reserved, meek/sexually unresponsive 145 conversation demeanor (plays on the sense of "sexual intercourse") 148 Egyptian dish i.e. the delicious Cleopatra (dish plays on the sense of "vagina") 149 blow ... up inflame, enrage (as a pair of bellows fans a fire) 151 author creator, instigator

  variance dispute, contention

  152 use ... is satisfy his sexual appetite where it is already lodged (with Cleopatra in Egypt) occasion opportunity

  155 health toast, drink

  banquet dessert course of sweetmeats, fruit, and wine (though possibly
the main part of the feast) 1 plants seedlings/soles of the feet (i.e. the agreement between them is not well founded/they're unsteady on their feet due to alcohol) 4 high-coloured red in the face

  5 alms-drink normally the remains of liquor given to the poor in charity, but here most likely Lepidus is drinking as a charitable act to further the reconciliation process 6 pinch ... disposition snipe at and irritate each other in accordance with their differing personalities 10 discretion sound judgment

  11 have ... fellowship be one of a group of powerful men 12 as lief rather

  13 partisan long-handled spear

  heave lift

  14 To ... cheeks to occupy an exalted position but be seen to be incapable of filling it is as pitiful as empty eye sockets which ruin the face sphere refers to the belief that planets orbited within transparent concentric spheres that ringed the earth 16 pitifully puns on the sense of "with pits"

  sennet trumpet call signaling a procession

  17 take measure

  18 scales marks

  i'th'pyramid on the obelisk (rather than the conventional Egyptian pyramids) 19 mean middle

  dearth famine

  20 foison plenty, abundance

  22 ooze mud

  26 Your ... crocodile a widespread belief that the influence of the sun on vegetable matter could create certain forms of life; the repetition of the colloquial "your" suggests Lepidus is fairly drunk 31 ne'er out never back out

  33 in in your cups, drunk/indoors

  34 the Ptolemies the Ptolemaic dynasty, rulers of Egypt pyramises pyramids; Lepidus is slurring drunkenly

  39 Forsake leave

  41 Forbear ... anon wait until a little later

  45 the ... transmigrates once it dies, its soul passes into another body; Antony refers to a Pythagorean theory 48 it its

  50 tears crocodiles supposedly cried before eating their victims 53 else or else

  epicure glutton, since nothing can satisfy him/unbeliever, a follower of Epicurus, who rejected the theory of life after death 56 merit my past services to you/my worth

  58 The matter? What's this all about?

  59 held ... off deferred respectfully

  60 faith loyalty

  62 quicksands the drunken Lepidus is unsteady on his feet 68 entertain consider

  74 pales encompasses

  inclips clasps, embraces

  77 competitors partners/rivals

  78 cable rope or chain attached to the anchor

  79 put off adrift/away from the shore

  82 on't of it

  84 'Tis ... it I always put my honor before my personal profit 86 betrayed revealed

  88 Desist leave off

  89 palled weakened

  91 more again

  93 pledge i.e. drink the toast

  96 hid i.e. brimful

  99 A he

  101 on wheels i.e. fast/dizzily (the "world goes on wheels" was a proverbial phrase) 102 reels revels/staggering motions

  105 Strike the vessels clink or fill the cups/pierce the wine casks (precise meaning unclear) 107 forbear't abstain from it (drink)

  108 monstrous huge/unnatural

  109 fouler more dirty (despite washing)

  110 Be ... o'th'time live for the moment

  111 'Possess ... answer my answer is "control it" (rather than be its subject) 112 fast from all abstain from all food (for)

  114 brave splendid

  115 Bacchanals dances in honor of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine 116 celebrate consecrate with religious ceremony

  120 Lethe the river of forgetfulness in Hades

  122 battery to an assault on

  123 The while in the meanwhile

  124 holding refrain

  125 volley produce repeated noise (perhaps "like firearms or artillery") 127 Plumpy plump

  Bacchus the Roman god of wine

  pink half-closed/reddened from drink

  eyne eyes

  129 fats vats

  130 Cup us fill our cups

  132 brother brother-in-law (i.e. Antony)

  133 off to come ashore

  135 burnt our cheeks i.e. they're flushed from drinking 137 disguise dance/transformative powers of drink

  138 Anticked made grotesque clowns

  140 try you test your capacity for drink

  143 what so what

  147 What! i.e. strike up, let's hear them

  148 Neptune Roman god of the sea

  150 a he

  triumph the ceremonial procession undertaken by victorious generals, in which captives and the bodies of high-ranking enemies were displayed; a Roman practice 1 darting Parthia the Parthians were famed for their mounted archers whose tactics included shooting arrows behind them 2 Marcus Crassus member of the first triumvirate with Pompey and Julius Caesar; he was defeated by the Parthians and his head taken to their king, Orodes, who filled its mouth with molten gold as a punishment for greed 4 Pacorus Orodes' son

  8 The ... follow follow the fleeing Parthians

  Spur ride swiftly

  Media eastern Iran

  9 Mesopotamia present-day Iraq

  11 triumphant triumphal

  14 lower place a subordinate

  15 make ... act do too much

  18 won ... person been more successful through their officers' military skill than their own 20 my place the same rank I hold

  22 by th'minute all the time

  25 makes choice of chooses

  26 darkens eclipses, darkens his fortunes

  28 in his offence through his being offended

  29 performance achievements

  30 that ... distinction i.e. good judgment, understanding, without which a soldier can scarcely be distinguished from his sword 36 horse cavalry

  37 jaded exhausted and reduced to jades (inferior horses) 39 purposeth intends to go

  40 weight i.e. the spoils of war, military equipment etc.

  with's with us

  1 brothers brothers-in-law (i.e. Antony and Octavius Caesar) parted departed

  2 dispatched settled matters

  3 other three triumvirate

  sealing putting their seals to the agreement

  6 green sickness anemic disease usually suffered by teenage girls and associated with lovesickness; Enobarbus mockingly attributes Lepidus' hangover to his adulation of his fellow triumvirs 8 fine puns on the Latin lepidus ("fine, elegant") 12 non-pareil paragon, matchless one

  13 Arabian bird the phoenix, a mythical bird that was reborn from its own ashes; only one existed at a time 17 figures figures of speech, rhetorical conceits

  18 cast calculate

  22 shards patches of dung (in which some types of beetle live) 25 No further accompany me no further/you needn't continue urging your point 27 Use ... in't treat that part of me which is in Octavia well 28 as ... approof such a wife that my greatest pledge of your worth will be justified by your behavior pass on be (legally) determined by

  approof act of proving

  30 piece masterpiece (but also a term for a woman)

  31 Betwixt between

  34 mean means/intermediary

  36 in by

  37 said finished

  39 curious determinedly scrupulous in your inquiry

  40 keep protect

  44 elements weather, climate

  47 April's ... on i.e. she's weeping; "April showers bring May flowers" was proverbial 49 look ... house think kindly of Antony's household

  53 the ... inclines unable to express her feelings, Octavia's mind is poised like a feather caught before the turn of the tide 57 cloud sorrowful raincloud (but Enobarbus introduces the sense of "dark spot on a horse's face") 64 rheum a cold causing streaming eyes

  65 confound destroy, overthrow

  wailed lamented

  68 still continually

  69 Outgo overtake (i.e. I shall think of you constantly)

  1 fellow man/servant

  5 Herod of Jewry i.e. even the famously cruel tyrant 8 how can I have it

  12 d
read revered/feared

  21 That's ... good i.e. for Octavia (or for Cleopatra, who then shifts into a more optimistic vein) 24 gait bearing

  27 station standing still

  28 shows appears like

  29 breather living creature

  31 observance power of observation

  34 in her yet i.e. that need concern me

  46 As ... it i.e. she would not wish it any lower (high foreheads were considered attractive) 49 employ ... again send you back with a message

  52 proper fine/handsome

  54 harried ill-treated

  by according to

  55 no such thing nothing special

  58 else defend forbid that it should be otherwise

  63 warrant assure

  1 Nay ... that Antony enters mid-conversation; he is in the process of listing Caesar's abuses 3 semblable import similar significance

  4 made ... ear a strategy to win support by suggesting that the terms of the will were advantageous to the Roman people 6 scantly grudgingly

  perforce of necessity

  8 vented expressed

  most ... me in the most ungenerous way

  9 hint cue/opportunity (to praise Antony)

  10 from his teeth feignedly, insincerely

  13 Stomach resent

  14 chance should happen

  16 presently immediately

  18 Undo and then undo

  23 Let ... it love him best who does most to preserve you and your love 26 branchless bare, destitute; perhaps alludes to the oak or laurel wreath awarded to a man who won honor in battle 28 preparation ... war army

  29 stain deprive of his luster/dishonor

  30 So ... yours in order to achieve your wishes/if that's what you want 34 cleave break apart

  slain ... rift bodies of the dead would fill up the gap

  36 it ... begins you realize who started this

  appears becomes apparent

  37 our ... them it is impossible that Caesar and I should be equally at fault and you impartially attached to both of us 39 Provide your going prepare for your departure

  40 what whatever

  5 success outcome/sequel

  6 him i.e. Lepidus

  7 presently instantly

  rivality equality, rights of partnership

  8 action military campaign

  resting here stopping there

  up shut up, imprisoned

  10 his own appeal the authority of his own accusation

  11 enlarge his confine releases him

  12 chaps jaws, chops

  no more i.e. than two

  13 throw ... other however much they're given they'll grind each other down 15 spurns kicks

  16 rush reed, grass

  17 threats threatens

  that his officer that officer of his

  19 rigged ready, equipped

  20 More i.e. there is more to tell

  Domitius Enobarbus' first name

  21 presently immediately

  23 naught unimportant/bad news

  1 Contemning scorning

  3 tribunal dais

  6 Caesarion Cleopatra's son by Julius Caesar

  my father's Octavius Caesar was adopted by Julius Caesar, his great-uncle 7 unlawful issue illegitimate offspring