Antony and Cleopatra (39 page)
Read Antony and Cleopatra Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
4
Pacorus
Orodes’ son
8
The … follow
follow the fleeing Parthians
Spur
ride swiftly
Media
eastern Iran
9
Mesopotamia
present-day Iraq
11
triumphant
triumphal
14
lower place
a subordinate
15
make … act
do too much
18
won … person
been more successful through their officers’ military skill than their own
20
my place
the same rank I hold
22
by th’minute
all the time
25
makes choice of
chooses
26
darkens
eclipses, darkens his fortunes
28
in his offence
through his being offended
29
performance
achievements
30
that … distinction
i.e. good judgment, understanding, without which a soldier can scarcely be distinguished from his sword
36
horse
cavalry
37
jaded
exhausted and reduced to jades (inferior horses)
39
purposeth
intends to go
40
weight
i.e. the spoils of war, military equipment etc.
with’s
with us
1
brothers
brothers-in-law (i.e. Antony and Octavius Caesar)
parted
departed
2
dispatched
settled matters
3
other three
triumvirate
sealing
putting their seals to the agreement
6
green sickness
anemic disease usually suffered by teenage girls and associated with lovesickness; Enobarbus mockingly attributes Lepidus’ hangover to his adulation of his fellow triumvirs
8
fine
puns on the Latin
lepidus
(“fine, elegant”)
12
non-pareil
paragon, matchless one
13
Arabian bird
the phoenix, a mythical bird that was reborn from its own ashes; only one existed at a time
17
figures
figures of speech, rhetorical conceits
18
cast
calculate
22
shards
patches of dung (in which some types of
beetle
live)
25
No further
accompany me no further/you needn’t continue urging your point
27
Use … in’t
treat that part of me which is in Octavia well
28
as … approof
such a wife that my greatest pledge of your worth will be justified by your behavior
pass on
be (legally) determined by
approof
act of proving
30
piece
masterpiece (but also a term for a woman)
31
Betwixt
between
34
mean
means/intermediary
36
in
by
37
said
finished
39
curious
determinedly scrupulous in your inquiry
40
keep
protect
44
elements
weather, climate
47
April’s … on
i.e. she’s weeping; “April showers bring May flowers” was proverbial
49
look … house
think kindly of Antony’s household
53
the … inclines
unable to express her feelings, Octavia’s mind is poised like a feather caught before the turn of the tide
57
cloud
sorrowful raincloud (but Enobarbus introduces the sense of “dark spot on a horse’s face”)
64
rheum
a cold causing streaming eyes
65
confound
destroy, overthrow
wailed
lamented
68
still
continually
69
Outgo
overtake (i.e. I shall think of you constantly)
1
fellow
man/servant
5
Herod of Jewry
i.e. even the famously cruel tyrant
8
how
can I have it
12
dread
revered/feared
21
That’s … good
i.e. for Octavia (or for Cleopatra, who then shifts into a more optimistic vein)
24
gait
bearing
27
station
standing still
28
shows
appears like
29
breather
living creature
31
observance
power of observation
34
in her yet
i.e. that need concern me
46
As … it
i.e. she would not wish it any lower (high foreheads were considered attractive)
49
employ … again
send you back with a message
52
proper
fine/handsome
54
harried
ill-treated
by
according to
55
no such thing
nothing special
58
else defend
forbid that it should be otherwise
63
warrant
assure
1
Nay … that
Antony enters mid-conversation; he is in the process of listing Caesar’s abuses
3
semblable import
similar significance
4
made … ear
a strategy to win support by suggesting that the terms of the will were advantageous to the Roman people
6
scantly
grudgingly
perforce
of necessity
8
vented
expressed
most … me
in the most ungenerous way
9
hint
cue/opportunity (to praise Antony)
10
from his teeth
feignedly, insincerely
13
Stomach
resent
14
chance
should happen
16
presently
immediately
18
Undo
and then undo
23
Let … it
love him best who does most to preserve you and your love
26
branchless
bare, destitute; perhaps alludes to the oak or laurel wreath awarded to a man who won honor in battle
29
stain
deprive of his luster/dishonor
30
So … yours
in order to achieve your wishes/if that’s what you want
34
cleave
break apart
slain … rift
bodies of the dead would fill up the gap
36
it … begins
you realize who started this
appears
becomes apparent
37
our … them
it is impossible that Caesar and I should be equally at fault and you impartially attached to both of us
39
Provide your going
prepare for your departure
40
what
whatever
5
success
outcome/sequel
6
him
i.e. Lepidus
7
presently
instantly
rivality
equality, rights of partnership
8
action
military campaign
resting here
stopping there
up
shut up, imprisoned
10
his own appeal
the authority of his own accusation
11
enlarge his confine
releases him
12
chaps
jaws, chops
no more
i.e. than two
13
throw … other
however much they’re given they’ll grind each other down
15
spurns
kicks
16
rush
reed, grass
17
threats
threatens
that his officer
that officer of his
19
rigged
ready, equipped
20
More
i.e. there is more to tell
Domitius
Enobarbus’ first name
21
presently
immediately
23
naught
unimportant/bad news
1
Contemning
scorning
3
tribunal
dais
6
Caesarion
Cleopatra’s son by Julius Caesar
my father’s
Octavius Caesar was adopted by Julius Caesar, his great-uncle
7
unlawful issue
illegitimate offspring
9
stablishment
confirmed possession
13
common show-place
public arena
exercise
observe public ceremonies/perform public entertainments or sports
17
Cilicia
a region in what is now southern Turkey
Phoenicia
now the coastal area of Lebanon
18
th’habiliments
the dress, clothing
22
Who
i.e. the Roman people
queasy
nauseated, disgusted
23
their … him
withdraw their good opinion of Antony
28
spoiled
destroyed/plundered
rated
allotted
30
unrestored
which I failed to return
32
being
that being so
38
For
as for
45
castaway
cast off, rejected
47
stol’n
come stealthily
48
Like
in a manner appropriate to
50
horse
horses
51
th’way
the roadside
55
populous troops
numerous attendants
56
prevented
forestalled
57
ostentation
ceremonial display
left … unloved
must be demonstrated or it ceases to exist
59
supplying … greeting
providing a more elaborate greeting at every stage
65
withal
with this
66
pardon for
permission to
68
an abstract
the removal (of an impediment)
70
eyes
spies
76
who
and they
79
Cappadocia
part of present-day central Turkey
80
Paphlagonia
in modern northwestern Turkey
Thracian
from Thrace, an area of southeastern Europe including parts of present-day Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey
