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

  9 stablishment confirmed possession

  13 common show-place public arena

  exercise observe public ceremonies/perform public entertainments or sports 17 Cilicia a region in what is now southern Turkey

  Phoenicia now the coastal area of Lebanon

  18 th'habiliments the dress, clothing

  22 Who i.e. the Roman people

  queasy nauseated, disgusted

  23 their ... him withdraw their good opinion of Antony

  28 spoiled destroyed/plundered

  rated allotted

  30 unrestored which I failed to return

  32 being that being so

  38 For as for

  45 castaway cast off, rejected

  47 stol'n come stealthily

  48 Like in a manner appropriate to

  50 horse horses

  51 th'way the roadside

  55 populous troops numerous attendants

  56 prevented forestalled

  57 ostentation ceremonial display

  left ... unloved must be demonstrated or it ceases to exist

  59 supplying ... greeting providing a more elaborate greeting at every stage 65 withal with this

  66 pardon for permission to

  68 an abstract the removal (of an impediment)

  70 eyes spies

  76 who and they

  79 Cappadocia part of present-day central Turkey

  80 Paphlagonia in modern northwestern Turkey

  Thracian from Thrace, an area of southeastern Europe including parts of present-day Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey 81 Pont Pontus, part of modern Turkey

  82 Jewry the Jews in Judaea, present-day Israel/Palestine 83 Comagene part of Syria

  84 Mede and Lycaonia modern Iran and eastern Turkey

  85 sceptres kings

  88 afflict torment, distress

  90 breaking forth breaking out into open conflict

  91 wrong led misled, deceived

  92 negligent danger danger due to our negligence

  93 time state of affairs

  95 determined ... way events predetermined by destiny maintain their course without lamenting them 97 Nothing ... me my dearest

  98 mark reach

  99 his ... us us his agents

  105 large licentious

  106 abominations degrading vices

  turns you off rejects you

  107 potent regiment powerful authority, government

  trull low prostitute

  108 noises it is clamorous, cries out

  111 Be ... patience remain calm, patient

  3 forspoke spoken against

  6 If ... us even if the war had not been declared against me personally 9 serve undertake military action (plays on the sense of "have sex") horse ... together both male and female horses

  10 horse ... lost cavalry would be completely useless

  bear ... horse carry the soldiers and have sex with the stallions 13 puzzle confound, make difficulties for/bewilder, perplex 16 Traduced blamed, censured

  19 Sink Rome let Rome sink

  20 charge responsibility/cost

  21 president ruler

  22 for as/in place of

  27 Tarentum and Brundusium Italian ports, modern Taranto and Brindisi 28 cut cross

  Ionian Sea part of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea between Italy and Greece 29 take in conquer

  Toryne town on Greek coast north of Actium

  30 Celerity speed

  33 becomed suited

  40 Pharsalia a plain in Thessaly, central Greece; site of Julius Caesar's decisive defeat of Pompey the Great 45 muleteers mule-drivers

  46 Ingrossed collected wholesale

  swift impress hasty conscription

  48 yare easily managed

  49 fall befall

  53 absolute consummate

  54 Distract disrupt/confuse/demoralize

  55 footmen foot soldiers, infantry

  unexecuted unused

  57 assurance sure success

  62 overplus surplus

  63 th'head the headland, promontory

  66 descried spotted, seen

  68 impossible impossibly

  69 power army

  72 Thetis sea nymph, mother of the great warrior Achilles; sometimes confused with Tethys, the mother of the Nile 74 rotten planks i.e. ships

  misdoubt doubt, mistrust

  76 Phoenicians a seafaring people from the coastal regions of what is now Lebanon a-ducking getting wet (perhaps with hints of "cringing, bowing") 77 used been accustomed

  80 Hercules legendary Greek hero of immense strength, supposed ancestor of Antony 81 action ... on't enterprise is not founded on his military strength 83 men men/servingmen

  85 horse whole cavalry undivided

  89 Carries shoots forward like an arrow or other missile

  90 yet still

  91 power ... distractions army was deployed in separate detachments (or "... employed such diversionary tactics") 92 Beguiled deceived

  97 throws forth delivers

  3 whole together, undivided

  4 exceed go beyond

  5 prescript instruction, command

  6 jump venture, hazard

  1 yond the further, other

  2 eye sight

  battle army

  Alarum a trumpet call to arms

  2 admiral flagship (named Antoniad) 3 sixty other ships of the Egyptian fleet

  4 blasted blinded, as though struck by lightning or malign planetary influence 7 thy passion the cause of your outburst

  8 cantle portion, section

  9 With very ignorance through sheer stupidity

  kissed away said goodbye to, but also implying that Antony's amorous behavior is the cause 12 tokened pestilence final stages of the plague, when red spots ("the Lord's tokens") appear 13 Yon yonder, that

  ribaudred exact meaning unclear; perhaps "ribald" (licentious, immoral) or "ribald-rid" (ridden by a licentious man) ("ribald" is a variant spelling of "ribaud") nag worn-out old horse/whore

  14 o'ertake infect/overcome (leprosy was often confused with venereal disease) 15 vantage advantage

  16 Both ... same equal on each side

  elder stronger, more likely to achieve victory

  17 breeze gadfly that bites cattle (plays on the sense of "light wind," necessary to fill the sails of Cleopatra's departing ship) 18 flies flees

  22 loofed luffed, brought around into the wind/aloof, at a distance 24 Claps ... seawing hoists his sails

  doting mallard lovesick male duck

  25 in at its

  26 action deed/military campaign

  32 knew himself knew himself to be (i.e. courageous, honorable) 34 grossly flagrantly

  35 thereabouts considering such a course

  goodnight it's all over

  36 Peloponnesus large peninsula in southern Greece

  37 to't to get to it

  attend await

  39 render surrender, hand over

  43 chance fortunes

  44 Sits ... against is in direct opposition to

  3 lated late, overtaken by night

  13 that that which

  14 mutiny quarrel with one another

  15 they them the brown hairs reprove the white

  18 Sweep your way make the path easy

  19 loathness reluctance

  hint opportunity

  20 despair spiritual hopelessness that precedes suicide Let ... itself leave me since I have abandoned myself

  22 possess you put you in possession

  23 little little while

  Pray you I pray you, please

  24 command the power to order you (to go)/authority over my troops/command over myself 29 Juno chief Roman goddess, wife to Jupiter

  32 fie exclamation of disgust or reproach

  36 Yes, my lord Antony is lost in thought; unaware of Cleopatra's presence, he addresses someone he is thinking of he i.e. Caesar

  Philippi the battle at which Antony and Octa
vius Caesar defeated Cassius and Brutus, key members of the group that had just assassinated Julius Caesar 37 sword ... dancer in its scabbard, like a dancer's sword worn for ornament 39 mad foolish/insane/enraged

  ended defeated

  alone only

  40 Dealt on lieutenantry employed subordinates to do the fighting 41 squares affairs/rules/squadrons

  42 stand by be ready to help me; apparently Cleopatra feels faint 45 unqualitied deprived of the qualities that define him, unmanned 46 sustain support

  48 declined drooping, bowed

  but unless

  49 comfort support/well-being

  50 reputation personal honor, my good name

  51 swerving error, transgression

  54 convey ... dishonour hide away brooding over everything I have lost through my dishonorable behavior eyes sight

  56 'Stroyed destroyed

  61 strings heartstrings

  64 beck nod, silent gesture of command

  bidding orders

  68 young man i.e. Caesar

  treaties entreaties/negotiations

  69 palter haggle, negotiate/equivocate, deal evasively or cunningly shifts of lowness desperate measures (or "tricks") to which the humiliated are driven 73 sword phallic connotations

  affection love/passion/sexual desire

  74 on all cause whatever the reason

  76 rates equals, is worth

  a he (i.e. the schoolmaster)

  79 sent our schoolmaster i.e. as ambassador to Caesar 80 full of lead i.e. burdened with grief

  81 viands food

  4 argument sign, indication

  plucked i.e. stripped of power and authority

  5 pinion furthest section of a bird's wing

  6 Which who

  Ambassador the schoolmaster

  10 petty insignificant

  ends plans

  11 myrtle leaf leaf of the myrtle, an aromatic Mediterranean shrub, sacred to Venus, symbol of love, peace, and honor 12 his grand sea the great ocean that is Antony/the great ocean from which it originated 13 Declare thine office say what you've come for

  15 Requires requests

  not granted if this request is not granted

  16 sues formally requests

  17 breathe i.e. live

  21 circle ... Ptolemies crown of the kings of Egypt

  22 hazarded ... grace dependent upon your favor, staked on your goodwill 25 Of ... so will not fail to get a hearing or her wish so long as 26 friend lover

  30 Bring escort

  bands troops

  31 Dispatch make haste/get going

  32 From ... Cleopatra persuade Cleopatra to abandon Antony 33 in our name on my authority (Caesar uses the royal pronoun) add ... offers think up further offers yourself

  34 Women ... vestal women aren't strong at the best of times but when in need the purest virgin will break her vows 36 cunning skill

  37 Make ... pains decide on your own reward for your efforts 38 answer make good, fulfill, observe

  40 becomes his flaw behaves in his downfall

  41 very action speaks every action means

  42 power that moves move he makes

  2 Think i.e. reflect on our situation/indulge in melancholy thoughts 3 we I

  4 will desire/penis

  6 several ranges separate battle-lines

  8 affection passion/lust

  9 nicked negated/dented, damaged/won (gambling term)/cut off (possible castration connotations) captainship military leadership

  11 meered question entire cause

  12 course follow

  flying fleeing

  13 gazing watching in amazement

  17 The ... up Cleopatra will be well treated if she gives me up to Caesar 25 he ... particular as he has the bloom of youth on him, the world should expect some remarkable deed 28 ministers agents, subordinates

  31 gay caparisons showy trappings

  32 answer me declined fight with me in a similarly diminished fashion 33 Ourselves alone just the two of us

  34 high-battled with great armies at his command

  35 Unstate his happiness deprive himself of his powerful position and good fortune staged to th'show put on public display (as if in a gladiatorial contest) 36 sworder gladiator

  37 A parcel of of a piece with, reflect

  things ... alike calamitous external events have a corresponding psychological effect (Antony's judgment has been impaired by the deterioration in his fortunes) 40 Knowing understanding

  measures a "measure" is a vessel of a fixed capacity and sets up the image of power as a cup that can be full or empty full at the height of his power

  41 Answer respond to

  45 blown withered

  47 honesty sense of honor, integrity

  square be in conflict

  49 faith fidelity

  52 i'th'story in the narrative/history book

  he ... i'th'story he who remains loyal to his lord in defeat overcomes the ill fortune that overthrew his master and so deserves fame and recognition 54 apart in private

  55 None but friends all are friends here

  56 haply perhaps/probably

  58 Or ... us or else he doesn't need us (his situation being so desperate) 59 for as for

  60 Whose ... Caesar's i.e. any friend of Antony is a friend of ours, so we are Caesar's friends 63 Not ... Caesar do not worry about your situation insofar as you know you're dealing with Caesar (a deliberately ambiguous statement: being Caesar may imply mercy or the power to punish) 65 right royal very generous

  70 constrained forced, compelled

  73 right true

  74 merely only/completely

  78 quit abandon

  80 require request

  81 desired asked

  85 his ... landlord the protection of him who is the lord of the whole world (shroud plays ominously on the sense of "sheet in which to wrap a corpse") 90 in deputation as my representative/in your role as deputy 93 all-obeying breath voice that is obeyed by all

  94 doom fate/sentence

  Egypt Cleopatra/the country

  97 If ... it i.e. if one is courageous enough to exercise wisdom, no ill fortune can affect matters 100 father by adoption only; in fact Julius Caesar was his great-uncle 101 mused ... in thought about conquering kingdoms

  103 As as if

  104 Favours? i.e. referring to Thidias' being allowed to kiss Cleopatra's hand (sexual connotations) 105 fellow (lowly) man/servant

  107 fullest most powerful

  110 kite whore/scavenging bird of prey (addressed to Cleopatra) 112 muss game in which small objects are thrown to be scrambled for 114 jack knave, common fellow

  115 whelp cub

  118 tributaries those who pay tribute

  120 saucy familiar

  121 Since she was who used to be

  122 cringe contract, distort (in pain)

  128 blasted blighted, withered

  130 Forborne done without

  getting begetting, conceiving

  a lawful race legitimate descendants

  132 feeders parasites/dependents who eat at another's table 134 boggler waverer, equivocator/one ready to use her bogle boe, i.e. vagina 136 seel close up (literally, sew up as the eyes of a young hawk were for training purposes) 139 confusion overthrow, destruction

  142 trencher wooden platter

  fragment scrap, leftover

  143 Gneius Pompey son of Pompey the Great and lover of Cleopatra hotter more lustful

  144 vulgar fame common gossip

  145 Luxuriously lecherously

  picked out collected/passed

  146 temperance restraint of sexual appetite

  150 "God quit you!" expression of thanks from one of lower rank quit requite, reward

  151 seal token, pledge

  152 plighter one who pledges

  high noble

  153 hill of Basan near the Sea of Galilee and described in Psalms 22:12 as frequented by "many bulls"

  outroar bellow more angr
ily than, be more bull-like than

  outroar ... herd men with unfaithful wives were popularly supposed to grow horns 154 savage cause cause for beastly behavior

  155 civilly politely

  156 haltered neck neck with a noose around it

  157 yare brisk, nimble

  159 begged a did he beg

  163 follow ... triumph serve Caesar now that he's triumphant/follow in Caesar's triumphal procession 165 hand ... lady i.e. offered for you to kiss fever thee put you into a feverish sweat

  167 thy entertainment how you were received

  look make sure

  173 orbs orbits/rotating transparent spheres in which stars and planets were thought to be contained 174 th'abysm the abyss

  176 enfranched bondman freed bond slave (he had deserted Antony for Caesar) 178 quit requite, repay

  181 terrene moon earthly moon (i.e. Cleopatra, associated with the moon goddess Isis) 182 portends alone foretells only (eclipses were regarded as bad omens) 183 stay his time wait until he's finished

  184 mingle eyes exchange glances

  185 ties his points does up Caesar's points (laces with metal tags, used for fastening clothes) 191 in my neck on my head/down my throat

  determines comes to an end, melts

  192 Caesarion Cleopatra's son by Julius Caesar

  195 discandying melting

  pelleted consisting of pellets, hail

  197 buried ... prey i.e. eaten them

  199 sets down encamps

  200 oppose his fate do battle with his destiny

  202 fleet is afloat

  sea-like like the sea itself/seaworthy and shipshape

  205 in blood bloodstained from battle/in full vigor/sexually aroused 206 chronicle place in history

  209 treble-sinewed, hearted, breathed three times myself in muscle, heart, and breath 210 maliciously fiercely

  211 nice extravagant, pampered/lascivious

  men ... jests I allowed captives to be redeemed for trifles

  214 gaudy luxurious

  215 sad melancholy/somber, grave

  216 mock ... bell stay up late, make a night of it (perhaps with suggestion of scorning the death bell) 218 held it poor marked it in a poor fashion

  224 sap in't yet still life left

  225 contend ... scythe compete with death, killing as many as he does with the plague (contend plays on the sense of "engage in amorous conflict, embrace") 227 outstare defy, stare down

  furious full of fierce passion/frenzied, raging

  229 estridge ostrich/goshawk

  231 heart courage

  1 as as if

  4 ruffian villain/swaggering bully/protector or confederate of prostitutes 9 breath breathing space

  10 Make boot take advantage

  distraction madness

  12 best heads chief commanders

  14 files ranks

  15 but late only recently

  16 fetch him in capture him

  17 store plenty of supplies

  18 waste extravagance

  1 Domitius the only time that Antony uses Enobarbus' first name 4 of better fortune more fortunate than you

  7 or ... Or either ... or

  8 bathe ... again a metaphor drawn from the belief that bathing in warm blood could cure one of debilitating diseases 9 Woo't wilt, i.e. will you