Read Antony and Cleopatra Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
Antony and Cleopatra (37 page)
237
her
of her
238
like
resembling/in the guise of
Cupid
Roman god of love, son of Venus and Mercury; always depicted as a child
239
divers-coloured
multicolored
240
glow
make glow (with amorous excitement)
242
rare
splendid, magnificent
243
gentlewomen … Nereides
female attendants resembling (or “in the guise of”) beautiful sea nymphs
244
tended her i’th’eyes
attended to her every glance
245
made … adornings
made the scene more beautiful with their graceful bows
246
tackle
gear, i.e. ropes and sails
247
Swell
with connotations of penile erection
248
yarely … office
nimbly perform the task
250
wharfs
riverbanks/buildings
253
but for vacancy
except that it would have created a vacuum (something nature proverbially “abhors”)
254
Had
would have
256
Egyptian
potentially ambiguous since the word could be a synonym for “Gypsy,” and both Egyptians and Gypsies were associated with magic and witchcraft
262
Being barbered
having had his hair and beard trimmed and styled
263
ordinary
supper; meal available at a fixed price in a tavern
264
what … only
i.e. he ate nothing except with his eyes
265
wench
loose woman/whore/lower-class woman (creates oxymoron with
Royal
)
266
Caesar
Julius Caesar
lay … bed
abandon his military responsibilities/have sex/abate his erection (through orgasm)
267
cropped
bore fruit; Cleopatra had a son by Caesar, Caesarion
271
That
in such a way that
275
stale
make stale (along with
custom
, plays on the idea of prostitution; a
stale
was a whore)
278
vilest … themselves
foulest things achieve dignity (or “… become truly themselves”)
280
riggish
licentious
283
lottery
prize
1
office
duty, position (as triumvir)
7
Read … report
don’t believe popular accounts of my faults
8
my square
my life in strict order (carpentry metaphor: a square is an implement for measuring right angles)
9
by th’rule
in a direct and orderly manner (maintains carpentry image)
th’rule
the ruler
12
sirrah
sir (used to social inferiors)
13
nor you thither
and that you had never gone there
14
can
know it
15
motion
inner prompting
16
hie you
hurry
21
demon
attendant spirit, guardian angel
that thy
thy
keeps
protects
23
angel
spirit,
demon
24
as
as though
27
no … thee
I shall say no more except to you personally
30
lustre thickens
splendor darkens
33
he
he being
36
art or hap
magical skill or chance
38
better … chance
greater skill fails against his luck
39
speeds
succeeds, wins
41
it
i.e. the odds in my favor
42
inhooped
in cockfights, the birds were confined to a hoop to make them fight
at odds
even against the odds
2
Your generals after
after your generals (rather than accompanying me)
4
e’en
just, only
8
Mount
i.e. Misena (Misenum), where Pompey’s ships are anchored
11
draw … about
require me to go the long way round
2
trade
engage, deal (with connotations of prostitution)
6
As … play
a woman might as well play (or “have sex”) with a eunuch
9
will
intention/sexual desire/penis
come too short
the performance is inadequate/he orgasms prematurely/the penis is too small
10
actor
stage actor/performer of sexual deeds
11
angle
fishing tackle (literally, the hook at the end of the line)
12
betray
deceive, entrap
13
Tawny-finned
with golden-brown fins
18
your diver
i.e. one of Cleopatra’s men, who dived underwater to attach the dried fish to Antony’s hook
19
salt-fish
dried, salted fish (a euphemism for an impotent penis; “salt” plays on the sense of “lustful”)
20
fervency
eagerness/sexual excitement
25
tires and mantles
headdresses and robes
26
Philippan
the sword he used at the battle of Philippi to defeat Brutus and Cassius
27
Ram … barren
a highly sexualized image of being vigorously penetrated and made pregnant
32
yield
report
34
lipped
kissed, touched with their lips
37
use
are accustomed
38
say … well
i.e. because they are in heaven
42
go to
get on with it
44
tart a favour
sour a look
46
Fury
in classical mythology, the Furies were the three goddesses of vengeance, commonly depicted as winged women with
snakes
for hair
47
formal
normal/in the form of
50
’tis well
that’s good
51
Or … or
either … or
52
shower of gold
may recall Jove’s seduction of Danae in the form of a shower of gold
57
honest
worthy
61
allay … precedence
detract from the good news that preceded it
64
monstrous malefactor
hideous criminal
65
Pour … ear
tell me everything (as if the messenger were a peddler with a pack of news)
69
bound
married (plays on the sense of “captive”; Cleopatra then shifts the sense to “indebted”)
71
turn
the Messenger shifts the sense to “sexual act”
74
pestilence
plague
77
spurn
kick
80
pickle
salt pickling solution
84
proud
magnificent
85
make thy peace
atone
86
boot
enrich
92
keep … yourself
contain yourself
94
thunderbolt
Jove’s weapon of punishment
95
Egypt
the country/Cleopatra
kindly
good/natural
97
mad
angry/frenzied, like a rabid dog
101
A meaner
one of lower social rank
I … cause
it’s my own fault I’m so upset
104
gracious
joyful/full of esteem and nobility
105
host of tongues
may glance at the mythological figure of Fame (renown), who was represented as multi-tongued
tell … felt
announce themselves as their effects are felt
112
confound
destroy
hold there still
stick to your story
115
So
even if
116
cistern
pond/water tank
117
Narcissus
in classical mythology, a young man who was so beautiful he fell in love with his own reflection
121
Take … you
do not be offended because I am reluctant to offend you
123
much unequal
most unjust
124
O … of!
What a pity that Antony’s fault makes you into the villain that you’re not, by equating you with the bad news you report!
fault
failing/fornication
knave
rogue, villain
126
merchandise
i.e. news
127
dear
expensive/heartfelt
lie … ’em
may you be unable to sell them, and be ruined
135
feature
appearance
years
age
136
inclination
disposition
138
him
i.e. Antony
139
painted … Mars
as in a perspective picture in which the image changed depending on the angle of the viewer.
Gorgon: mythical creature with snakes for hair and a gaze that turned people to stone
140
Mars Roman god of war
Gorgon
mythical creature with snakes for hair and a gaze that turned people to stone
140
Mars
Roman god of war
Drum and Trumpet
drummer and trumpeter
3
meet
fitting, appropriate
5
purposes
proposals
7
tie up
hang up/curb
8
tall
brave
9
else
otherwise
11
senators alone
sole rulers
12
factors
agents, representatives
13
Wherefore
why
father
Pompey the Great, defeated by Julius Caesar
want
need/lack
15
ghosted
haunted; Julius Caesar was assassinated by conspirators that included Brutus and Cassius; they were then defeated and killed at the battle of Philippi by Antony and Octavius Caesar
17
moved
incited
18
honest
truthful/honorable
19
courtiers
wooers/courtly attendants
20
drench
drown in blood
20
Capitol
Capitoline Hill, site of the senate house where Julius Caesar was killed
21
one … man
i.e. prevent Julius Caesar, a mere mortal, from being crowned and treated like a god
24
scourge
punish
despiteful
malicious, spiteful
27
fear
frighten
