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

  62 intents intentions

  63 frame herself ready herself, adapt herself

  66 by ... ours through my representatives

  68 lean incline, be disposed

  69 ungentle unkind/discourteous/ignoble

  72 purpose intend

  73 quality ... passion nature of her grief

  75 her ... triumph her presence at my triumphal procession would make it famous forever 77 with your speediest as fast as you can

  78 of her her to be

  86 hardly reluctantly

  87 still always

  88 writings i.e. to Antony

  1 desolation despair/loneliness/ruin

  2 better life more virtuous, unworldly

  3 knave servant

  5 that thing i.e. suicide

  6 shackles ... change prevents the effects of chance and changes of mortality 7 palates tastes

  dung the dungy earth

  8 beggar's ... Caesar's i.e. sustainer of all men

  10 study on consider

  fair liberal/just

  11 Thou mean'st you would wish

  16 I ... trusting I'm not concerned whether you deceive me since I have no interest in trust/I do not like being deceived since I know how little value there is in trust 26 Make ... reference refer your entire situation

  27 grace virtue/mercy

  29 sweet dependency willing submissiveness

  30 pray in aid crave your assistance (legal phrase)

  33 vassal slave/servant and dependent

  send ... got recognize his great achievement and authority

  35 doctrine lesson

  40 surprised ambushed and captured

  47 Relieved rescued

  54 let come forth allow to be demonstrated

  59 meat food

  60 idle ... necessary even if I must engage in idle chatter (in order to stay awake) 61 mortal house her body/royal line of the Ptolemies

  63 pinioned with clipped wings

  66 varletry rabble

  67 censuring disapproving, judgmental

  70 Blow ... abhorring lay their eggs in my body, making me repulsive as they hatch out 71 pyramids i.e. four syllables with stress on second make ... gibbet let me hang from the pyramids (again, seemingly thought of as an obelisk) 73 extend exaggerate

  78 For as for

  90 trick custom, habit

  96 stuck were set

  98 little little people (most editors emend unnecessarily to "little O," small circle) 100 bestrid straddled; reminiscent of the Colossus of Rhodes, the giant statue of the sun god Helios that stood astride the harbor entrance reared raised

  101 Crested crowned; a raised arm brandishing a sword was a common heraldic emblem propertied ... spheres had the same qualities as those found in the harmonious spheres (supposedly, the crystalline spheres thought to contain the planets and stars produced heavenly music as they rotated) 102 to friends when he spoke to friends

  103 quail subdue, terrify

  orb earth

  104 For as for

  106 delights ... in his joys and pleasures lifted him above the everyday world in which he lived as a dolphin's leaps lift it clear of the water 108 livery particular uniform of a nobleman's servants

  109 crowns and crownets kings and princes

  110 plates silver coins

  117 size scope

  wants ... fancy lacks material to make creatures that can compete with those of the imagination 118 yet ... quite but if nature could imagine such an Antony it would be her masterpiece and would completely discredit the creations of imagination 123 As ... weight correspondingly heavily

  Would ... root may I never achieve the success I've sought if the grief I see reflected in you doesn't strike to the bottom of my heart 129 loath reluctant

  would wish

  142 Take ... thoughts Do not reproach yourself harshly

  144 written ... flesh I bear the scars

  146 sir master

  147 project present, set out

  149 like frailties similar moral weaknesses

  152 extenuate ... enforce excuse rather than emphasize (faults) 153 apply ... intents comply with my plans

  156 lay ... cruelty make me appear cruel

  157 bereave deprive

  162 scutcheons shields bearing coats of arms; the shields of captured enemies were often displayed by the victor signs tokens/military banners

  164 for that concerns

  165 brief inventory, summary

  167 Not ... admitted discounting trivial items

  180 pomp is followed those in power are served

  Mine my servants

  181 shift estates change places

  184 hired paid for

  186 Though even if

  187 rarely exceptionally

  190 vouchsafing condescending

  193 Parcel enumerate one by one/make up, add to

  195 lady suitable for a lady, i.e. insignificant 196 Immoment toys trifling knickknacks

  197 modern ordinary

  withal with

  199 Livia Caesar's wife

  200 unfolded With exposed by

  201 bred brought up (or "trained") as a member of my household 203 cinders glowing coals

  204 chance fortune

  206 Forbear withdraw

  207 misthought misjudged

  209 merits deserts, whether good or bad

  213 i'th'roll of conquest on the official list of booty 214 Bestow dispose of

  215 make prize haggle

  217 Make ... prisons you are confined only by your own thoughts 218 dispose make arrangements for

  224 words me deceives me with words

  that ... myself in order to prevent me from taking the noble course of action (i.e. suicide) 228 Hie thee again come back quickly

  229 spoke given orders

  230 put ... haste do it quickly

  239 before ahead

  247 puppet actor in a pantomime (or triumphal pageant)/dressed-up doll/contemptuous term for a woman 248 Mechanic slaves coarse workmen

  249 rules measuring rods

  250 thick foul

  251 Rank of reeking due to

  252 drink drink in, breathe

  254 Saucy impudent/lascivious

  lictors local officials

  255 strumpets prostitutes

  scald scurvy, contemptible

  256 Ballad us sing ballads about us

  quick quick-witted

  comedians actors

  257 Extemporally in improvised performance

  260 Some ... greatness my greatness imitated by a boy with a squeaky voice; on the Shakespearean stage, Cleopatra was herself played by a boy actor 269 Show me let me appear

  270 attires clothing/headdress

  Cydnus the river on which she first met Antony, now the Tarsus Cay, in southern Turkey 271 Sirrah sir (used to social inferiors, more commonly to men) 272 dispatch make haste/finish matters

  273 chare chore

  280 poor an a poor

  282 placed fixed

  284 marble-constant as firm and unyielding as marble

  fleeting changeful, inconstant

  Clown rustic

  287 Avoid withdraw

  288 worm snake

  291 immortal malapropism for "mortal"

  293 on't from it

  295 honest truthful/chaste

  296 lie tell lies/have sex

  do plays on the sense of "have sex"

  297 died plays on the sense of "had an orgasm"

  298 o'th'worm now with phallic connotations

  300 falliable malapropism for "infallible"

  305 do his kind do what is natural to him (do plays on its sexual sense) 311 Take ... care don't worry

  314 eat bite/consume after death/enjoy sexually

  317 dress clothe/prepare for cooking

  318 whoreson damned, bastard

  321 forsooth indeed

  323 Immortal longings longings for immortality

  325 Yare quickly, nimbly

 
; 326 rouse himself with connotations of penile erection

  327 act deed/theatrical performance (with connotations of "sexual act") 329 their after wrath the anger of the gods that was subsequently visited on those who became insolent in their good fortune come with connotations of orgasm

  330 title right

  331 fire and air the more spiritual of the four elements 335 aspic asp, a small venomous snake

  337 stroke blow/caress/lethal snakebite

  340 leave-taking a formal goodbye

  343 This i.e. Iras's death

  344 curled handsome, with beautifully styled hair

  345 spend expend, bestow (perhaps with connotations of ejaculation) 346 mortal deadly

  347 intrinsicate intricate (but with shades of "intrinsic," i.e. situated within) 348 fool like wretch, a term of endearment 351 Unpolicied outwitted in political intrigue

  352 eastern star Venus, the morning star, visible in the eastern sky 359 What why

  362 Downy windows i.e. eyelids

  364 Of by

  awry crooked, askew

  365 mend adjust

  rustling making a noise, clattering

  371 beguiled cheated

  379 thy ... this your fears have been realized here

  Train retinue, followers

  384 augurer prophet

  385 That what

  387 levelled took aim at, guessed

  purposes intentions

  391 simple harmless/humble

  396 trimming up neatening

  diadem crown/jeweled headband worn by eastern monarchs

  402 As as if

  403 toil net, snare

  grace charm, beauty

  405 vent discharge

  blown swollen/deposited

  412 conclusions infinite innumerable experiments

  416 clip encompass/embrace

  417 high of great magnitude/noble

  418 Strike ... them afflict with sorrow those who brought them about their ... lamented the pity that their story provokes is as great as the glory of their conqueror (Caesar)/their story is as tragic as Antony's glory was great