Antony and Cleopatra (41 page)
Read Antony and Cleopatra Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
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
meerèd 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
constrainèd
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 angrily 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
enfranchèd 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