The Complete Antony and Cleopatra: An Annotated Edition of the Shakespeare Play
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About this ebook
Like Romeo and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra is an archetypal love story but of more mature lovers. However, the play isnt only that; it is also an epic rife with political machinations. In addition it is a character study, revealing Antony beset by very human emotions and a tragic weakness, and Cleopatra, as a self-deluding, aging siren. Of course Antony pays for his weakness as does Cleopatra. Yet even in death they are united, buried together andlinked by scholars and lovers for all time.
Donald J. Richardson
Although he has long been eligible to retire, Donald J. Richardson continues to (try to) teach English Composition at Phoenix College in Arizona. He defines his life through his teaching, his singing, his volunteering, and his grandchildren.
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The Complete Antony and Cleopatra - Donald J. Richardson
© 2014 by Donald J. Richardson. All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.
Published by AuthorHouse 07/10/2014
ISBN: 978-1-4969-2349-3 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-4969-2351-6 (hc)
ISBN: 978-1-4969-2350-9 (e)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2014911930
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
Table of Contents
About the Book
About the Author
ACT I
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
Works Cited
Other Books by Donald J. Richardson
Dust in the Wind, 2001
Rails to Light, 2005
Song of Fools, 2006
Words of Truth, 2007
The Meditation of My Heart, 2008
The Days of Darkness, 2009
The Dying of the Light, 2010
Between the Darkness and the Light, 2011
The Days of Thy Youth, 2012
Those Who Sit in Darkness¸ 2013
Just a Song at Twilight, 2014
The Complete Hamlet, 2012
The Complete Macbeth, 2013
The Complete Romeo and Juliet, 2013
The Complete King Lear, 2013
The Complete Julius Caesar, 2013
The Complete Merchant of Venice, 2013
The Complete Midsummer Night’s Dream, 2013
The Complete Much Ado About Nothing, 2013
The Complete Twelfth Night, 2014
The Complete Taming of the Shrew, 2014
The Complete Tempest, 2014
The Complete Othello, 2014
The Complete Henry IV, Part One, 2014
For lovers of all ages
About the Book
Like Romeo and Juliet, Antony and Cleopatra is an archetypal love story but of more mature lovers. However, the play isn’t only that; it is also an epic rife with political machinations. In addition it is a character study, revealing Antony beset by very human emotions and a tragic weakness, and Cleopatra, as a self-deluding, aging siren. Of course Antony pays for his weakness as does Cleopatra. Yet even in death they are united, buried together and linked by scholars and lovers for all time.
About the Author
Donald J. Richardson is still trying to teach English Composition at Phoenix College.
Antony and Cleopatra
ACT I
SCENE I. Alexandria. A room in CLEOPATRA’s palace.
Enter DEMETRIUS and PHILO
PHILO
1 Nay, but this dotage of our general’s
Dotage: foolish affection, sometimes associated with old age
(Bevington, 5)
2 O’erflows the measure: those his goodly eyes,
O’erflows the measure: exceeds any appropriate limit
(Bevington, 5); goodly: virtuous, powerful
(Andrews, 4)
3 That o’er the files and musters of the war
Files and musters: orderly formations
(Bevington, 5)
4 Have glow’d like plated Mars, now bend, now turn,
Plated: in armor
(Riverside, 1,395); Mars: the Roman god of war
(Mowat, 6); bend: incline themselves
(Andrews, 4)
5 The office and devotion of their view
Office: service
(Riverside, 1,395); function
(Bevington, 5)
6 Upon a tawny front: his captain’s heart,
Tawny front: dark face
(Riverside, 1,395); Cleopatra "was not of Egyptian descent. (Asimov, 318);
literally, forehead" (Bevington, 5)
7 Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst
8 The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper,
Reneges: "renounces (the g is hard)"; temper: self-restraint
(Riverside, 1,395)
9 And is become the bellows and the fan
10 To cool a gipsy’s lust.
Gipsy: "Egyptian (of which gipsy is a shortened form). (Riverside, 1,395);
(Gypsies were widely believed to have come from Egypt, and to be lustful and cunning.)" (Bevington, 5)
Flourish. Enter ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, her Ladies, the Train, with Eunuchs fanning her
Flourish: "trumpet fanfare announcing the arrival or departure of an important person"; Train: retinue
(Bevington, 5)
11 Look, where they come:
12 Take but good note, and you shall see in him.
13 The triple pillar of the world transform’d
Triple pillar: i.e. one of the three pillars (triumvirs)
(Riverside, 1,395); also to tripartite division of the world into Asia, Africa, and Europe.
(Bevington, 5)
14 Into a strumpet’s fool: behold and see.
Fool: dupe, plaything
(Riverside, 1,395)
CLEOPATRA
15 If it be love indeed, tell me how much.
MARK ANTONY
16 There’s beggary in the love that can be reckon’d.
There’s … reckon’d: i.e., love that can be quantified is paltry; ours is infinite
(Bevington, 5); beggary: poverty or niggardliness (penny-pinching
(Andrews, 6)
CLEOPATRA
17 I’ll set a bourn how far to be beloved.
Cleopatra: a perfectly good Greek name meaning ‘glory of her father’
(Asimov, 319); bourn: limit
(Riverside, 1,395)
MARK ANTONY
18 Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.
Then … earth: i.e., only in some new universe could you find a limit to my love
(Bevington, 5); find out: discover
(Andrews, 6)
Enter an Attendant
ATTENDANT
19 News, my good lord, from Rome.
MARK ANTONY
20 Grates me: the sum.
Grates: it irritates
; the sum: give me the gist
(Riverside, 1,395)
CLEOPATRA
21 Nay, hear them, Antony:
Them: i.e. the news
(Riverside, 1,396)
22 Fulvia perchance is angry; or, who knows
Fulvia: Antony’s wife
(Riverside, 1,396)
23 If the scarce-bearded Caesar have not sent
Scarce-bearded: Octavius Caesar was twenty-three at this time (40 B.C.), Antony about twenty years older
(Riverside, 1,396)
24 His powerful mandate to you, "Do this, or this;
Mandate: order
(Andrews, 7)
25 Take in that kingdom, and enfranchise that;
Take in: conquer
; enfranchise: set free
(Bevington, 6)
26 Perform ’t, or else we damn thee."
We: i.e., I (the royal ‘we’)
(Mowat, 8); damn: condemn to death
(Bevington, 6)
MARK ANTONY
27 How, my love!
How: i.e., what’s that you say?
(Bevington, 6)
CLEOPATRA
28 Perchance! nay, and most like:
Perchance: (Cleopatra reconsiders what she has said in l. 23.)
; like: likely
(Bevington, 6)
29 You must not stay here longer, your dismission
Dismission: order to depart
(Riverside, 1,396)
30 Is come from Caesar; therefore hear it, Antony.
31 Where’s Fulvia’s process? Caesar’s I would say? both?
Process: summons
(Riverside, 1,396)
32 Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt’s queen,
33 Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine
34 Is Caesar’s homager: else so thy cheek pays shame
Is Caesar’s homager: does homage to Caesar
(Riverside, 1,396); homage: vassal, one who does homage
; else so: or else
; thy cheek pays shame: i.e., you blush guiltily
(Bevington, 6)
35 When shrill-tongu’d Fulvia scolds. The messengers!
Shrill-tongu’d: both (a) strident, and (b) high-pitched
(Andrews, 8)
MARK ANTONY
36 Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch
Tiber: the river flowing rthrough Rome
; wide arch: The arch was Rome’s principal contribution to the development of architecture; here Antony imagines the Empire as an extended expanse beneath a vast Roman arch
(Andrews, 8)
37 Of the rang’d empire fall! Here is my space.
Rang’d: ordered (?) or far-flung (?)
(Riverside, 1,396); possibly, extended
(Bevington, 6)
38 Kingdoms are clay: our dungy earth alike
Dungy: composed of dung
(Bevington, 6); alike … man: feeds the beasts as readily as it feeds man
(Andrews, 8)
39 Feeds beast as man: the nobleness of life
The nobleness of life: what gives life nobility
(Andrews, 8)
40 Is to do thus; when such a mutual pair
Thus: (May indicate an embrace; or Antony may refer more generally to their way of life.)
(Bevington, 6); mutual: i.e. equal in passion
(Riverside, 1,396)
Embracing
41 And such a twain can do’t, in which I bind,
Twain: twosome
(Andrews, 8); bind: obligate
(Bevington, 6)
42 On pain of punishment, the world to weet
Pain: penalty
(Bevington, 6); weet: know
(Riverside, 1,396)
43 We stand up peerless.
CLEOPATRA
44 Excellent falsehood!
Excellent … himself: "Here Cleopatra speaks about, rather than to, Antony; probably she either addresses this speech to one of her subordinates or pretends to do so. Here Excellent means ‘all-excelling’." (Andrews, 8)
45 Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?
And not: if he did not
(Bevington, 6)
46 I’ll seem the fool I am not; Antony
The fool … not: i.e. so gullible as to believe him
(Riverside, 1,396); seem: be made to look like
(Andrews, 8)
47 Will be himself.
Be himself: i.e., (1) be the Roman Antony (2) be the fool he is (3) be the deceiver he always is
(Bevington, 7)
MARK ANTONY
48 But stirr’d by Cleopatra.
Stirr’d: inspired
(Riverside, 1,396); (1) prompted to noble deeds (2) moved to folly
(Bevington, 7)
49 Now, for the love of Love and her soft hours,
Love: Venus, the Roman goddess of love
; hours: with wordplay on the Hours, Venus’ handmaids in mythology
(Mowat, 10)
50 Let’s not confound the time with conference harsh:
Confound: destroy, i.e. waste
(Riverside, 1,396); conference harsh: discordant conversation
(Andrews, 9)
51 There’s not a minute of our lives should stretch
Should: that should
; stretch: suggests that time can be stretched or extended
(Bevington, 7)
52 Without some pleasure now. What sport tonight?
CLEOPATRA
53 Hear the ambassadors.
Ambassadors: i.e., messengers
(Mowat, 10)
MARK ANTONY
54 Fie, wrangling queen!
Wrangling: quarrelling, disagreeable
(Andrews, 10)
55 Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,
56 To weep; whose every passion fully strives
Passion: emotion, mood
(Riverside, 1,396); fully: absolutely and successfully
(Everett, 5)
57 To make itself, in thee, fair and admired!
58 No messenger, but thine; and all alone
59 To-night we’ll wander through the streets and note
60 The qualities of people. Come, my queen;
Qualities: characteristics
(Riverside, 1,396)
61 Last night you did desire it: speak not to us.
Exeunt MARK ANTONY and CLEOPATRA with their train
DEMETRIUS
62 Is Caesar with Antonius prized so slight?
With: by
(Riverside, 1,396); prized: valued
(Bevington, 7); slight: poorly, contemptuously
(Mowat, 10)
PHILO
63 Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,
64 He comes too short of that great property
Property: distinctive quality
(Riverside, 1,396)
65 Which still should go with Antony.
Still: always
(Riverside, 1,396)
DEMETRIUS
66 I am full sorry
Full: very
(Mowat, 10)
67 That he approves the common liar, who
Approves: confirms
; the common liar: i.e. general gossip, usually untrue
(Riverside, 1,396)
68 Thus speaks of him at Rome: but I will hope
69 Of better deeds to-morrow. Rest you happy!
Of: i.e., for
; Rest you happy: i.e., good-bye
(Mowat, 10); sleep well; may you remain healthy
(Andrews, 10)
Exeunt
SCENE II. The same. Another room.
Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a Soothsayer
CHARMIAN
1 Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most any thing Alexas,
Lord Alexas: one of Antony’s officers
(Andrews, 10)
2 almost most absolute Alexas, where’s the soothsayer
Absolute: perfect
(Riverside, 1,396)
3 that you praised so to the queen? O, that I knew
4 this husband, which, you say, must change his horns
Change: "i.e. dress us. Most editors prefer Warburton’s charge, ‘load.’ In either case the betrayed husband is to have his cuckold’s horns decked with flowers, like those of a sacrificial beast happily unaware of his fate." (Riverside, 1,396)
5 with garlands!
Garlands: bridegroom’s chaplet, and sign of happy prosperity
(Everett, 6)
ALEXAS
6 Soothsayer!
SOOTHSAYER
7 Your will?
Your will: i.e., what do you wish
(Mowat, 12)
CHARMIAN
8 Is this the man? Is’t you, sir, that know things?
Know things: know truths that are hidden to most mortals
(Andrews, 12)
SOOTHSAYER
9 In nature’s infinite book of secrecy
10 A little I can read.
ALEXAS
11 Show him your hand.
Enter DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
12 Bring in the banket quickly; wine enough
Banket: banquet, i.e. light repast of wine, fruit, etc.
(Riverside, 1,396)
13 Cleopatra’s health to drink.
CHARMIAN
14 Good sir, give me good fortune.
SOOTHSAYER
15 I make not, but foresee.
I make not: The Soothsayer is indicating that he doesn’t make or ‘give’ fortunes … he only foresees events.
(Andrews, 12)
CHARMIAN
16 Pray, then, foresee me one.
SOOTHSAYER
17 You shall be yet far fairer than you are.
Fairer: more likely to succeed
(Mowat, 12); more beautiful
(Andrews, 12)
CHARMIAN
18 He means in flesh.
In flesh: "Fair in flesh = plump (Riverside, 1,396);
i.e., by putting on weight" (Bevington, 8)
IRAS
19 No, you shall paint when you are old.
No: No, he means that
(Andrews, 12); paint: i.e., use makeup
(Bevington, 8)
CHARMIAN
20 Wrinkles forbid!
ALEXAS
21 Vex not his prescience; be attentive.
His prescience: "a mock title patterned after such honorifics as his worship, his reverence" (Riverside, 1,396)
CHARMIAN
22 Hush!
SOOTHSAYER
23 You shall be more beloving than beloved.
CHARMIAN
24 I had rather heat my liver with drinking.
With drinking: i.e. rather than with loving. The liver was regarded as the seat of sexual passion.
(Riverside, 1,396)
ALEXAS
25 Nay, hear him.
CHARMIAN
26 Good now, some excellent fortune! Let me be married
Good now: come on, now
(Bevington, 8)
27 to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all:
Forenoon: morning
(Mowat, 12)
28 let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry
Herod: i.e. even Herod, who had ordered the Slaughter of the Innocents and whom the miracle plays had established as the type of the raging tyrant
(Riverside, 1,396)
29 may do homage: find me to marry me with Octavius
Find me: i.e., discover by looking at my hand
; to marry me with: i.e., that I will marry
(Mowat, 12)
30 Caesar, and companion me with my mistress.
Companion … mistress: i.e., become the fellow or equal of Queen Cleopatra
(Mowat, 12)
SOOTHSAYER
31 You shall outlive the lady whom you serve.
CHARMIAN
32 O excellent! I love long life better than figs.
Better than figs: (probably a proverbial expression; with genital suggestion)
(Bevington, 9); a cure for the onset of wrinkles
(Mowat, 14)
SOOTHSAYER
33 You have seen and prov’d a fairer former fortune
Prov’d: experienced
(Riverside, 1,396)
34 Than that which is to approach.
CHARMIAN
35 Then belike my children shall have no names:
Belike: probably
(Bevington, 9); have no names: be illegitimate
(Riverside, 1,396)
36 prithee, how many boys and wenches must I have?
Wenches: girls
(Riverside, 1,397)
SOOTHSAYER
37 If every of your wishes had a womb,
Every: i.e., every one
(Mowat, 14)
38 And fertile every wish, a million.
Fertile every wish: i.e., if every wish were fertile
(Mowat, 14)
CHARMIAN
39 Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch.
Out: an expression of indignation or reproach
; I … witch: I exonerate you from the charge of witchcraft, i.e. I don’t think much of your performance as a soothsayer
(Riverside, 1,397)
ALEXAS
40 You think none but your sheets are privy to your wishes.
Privy to: in on the secret of
(Bevington, 9)
CHARMIAN
41 Nay, come, tell Iras hers.
ALEXAS
42 We’ll know all our fortunes.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
43 Mine, and most of our fortunes, to-night, shall
44 be—drunk to bed.
IRAS
45 There’s a palm presages chastity, if nothing else.
Presages: that foretells, is a sign of
(Andrews, 14)
CHARMIAN
46 E’en as the o’erflowing Nilus presageth famine.
E’en … famine: (Charmian speaks ironically; the overflowing Nile presaged abundance)
(Bevington, 9); presageth: presages, portends
(Mowat, 14)
IRAS
47 Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot soothsay.
Wild: wanton
(Bevington, 9)
CHARMIAN
48 Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful
Oily palm: moist palm (considered a sign of licentiousness)
; fruitful prognostication: presage of fertility
(Riverside, 1,397)
49 prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear. Prithee,
50 tell her but a worky-day fortune.
Worky-day: ordinary, commonplace
(Riverside, 1,397)
SOOTHSAYER
51 Your fortunes are alike.
IRAS
52 But how, but how? give me particulars.
SOOTHSAYER
53 I have said.
I have said: I have no more to say
(Bevington, 10)
IRAS
54 Am I not an inch of fortune better than she?
Inch … nose: (with suggestion that Iras would prefer her husband to be sexually well-endowed)
(Bevington, 10)
CHARMIAN
55 Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better than
56 I, where would you choose it?
IRAS
57 Not in my husband’s nose.
CHARMIAN
58 Our worser thoughts heavens mend! Alexas—come,
Our … mend: (Charmian pretends to be shocked: may heaven improve our dirty minds!)
(Bevington, 10); worser: i.e., worse, indecent
(Mowat, 14)
59 his fortune, his fortune! O, let him marry a woman
60 that cannot go, sweet Isis, I beseech thee! and let
Cannot go: (1) is lame (2) cannot make love satisfactorily, or cannot bear children
; Isis: Egyptian goddess usually identified with fertility and the moon
(Bevington, 10)
61 her die