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The Complete Antony and Cleopatra: An Annotated Edition of the Shakespeare Play
The Complete Antony and Cleopatra: An Annotated Edition of the Shakespeare Play
The Complete Antony and Cleopatra: An Annotated Edition of the Shakespeare Play
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The Complete Antony and Cleopatra: An Annotated Edition of the Shakespeare Play

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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.

LanguageEnglish
PublisherAuthorHouse
Release dateJul 15, 2014
ISBN9781496923509
The Complete Antony and Cleopatra: An Annotated Edition of the Shakespeare Play
Author

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

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