Antony and Cleopatra (34 page)
Read Antony and Cleopatra Online
Authors: William Shakespeare
61
go
walk/have sex/carry a child
Isis
Egyptian goddess of the moon and fertility
63
fifty-fold
fifty times over
64
cuckold
man with an unfaithful wife
65
matter … weight
something of greater importance/(lover with a) bigger penis/the weight of a lover’s body during sex/the weight of a child during pregnancy
67
loose-wived
with an unfaithful wife
68
foul
ugly
knave
fellow
69
uncuckolded
with a faithful wife
keep decorum
behave appropriately/observe what is proper to character and rank
73
they’d … do’t
they would stop at nothing even if it meant making themselves whores
81
A Roman thought
a serious thought, imbued with Roman notions of virtue and honor
85
We
the royal plural
86
field
battlefield
89
time’s state
circumstances at the time
90
jointing their force
uniting their forces
91
better issue
greater success
92
encounter
battle
drave them
drove them (out of Italy)
97
Who … flattered
I will listen to a truth-teller as if he were a flatterer, even if he tells of death
99
Labienus
rebel Roman general who defected to the Parthians after the defeat of Brutus and Cassius at the battle of Philippi
100
stiff
formidable, grave
Parthian
Asiatic people whose army were challenging Roman expansion in the Middle East
101
Extended
seized upon (legal term)
Euphrates
one of the two main rivers of Mesopotamia (Iraq)
103
Lydia
ancient country of Asia Minor
Ionia
ancient region of Anatolia (Turkey)
104
wouldst
wanted, meant to
106
home
directly, bluntly
mince … tongue
do not moderate public opinion
108
Rail … phrase
scold me in the way that Fulvia would
111
quick
lively
still
inactive
our … earing
being told of our misdeeds improves us as plowing (
earing
) does land
114
Sicyon
ancient city situated in the northern Peloponnese, southern Greece
how
what is
117
stays … will
awaits your command
120
What
who
125
Importeth
it concerns
126
Forbear me
leave me alone
128
What … again
we often wish to have again what we’ve thrown away in contempt
130
By revolution low’ring
decreasing over the course of time (as the wheel of fortune turns)
132
could
would willingly
133
enchanting
bewitching, with the power to cast spells
135
idleness
indolence/folly
139
mortal
fatal, deadly
suffer
permit/undergo/experience pain at
142
die
plays on the sense of “orgasm”
145
noise
rumor
146
upon … moment
over a much less important matter (
moment
quibbles on the sense of “orgasm”)
147
mettle
spirit, vitality/sexual vigor
148
celerity
swiftness
149
cunning
perhaps a buried resonance of “cunt/con”
151
part
plays on the sense of “sexual part, vagina”
153
almanacs
calendars containing astrological and meteorological forecasts
154
Jove
supreme Roman god who controlled the rain; the reference may recall Jove’s seduction of Danae when he took the form of a shower of gold
155
Would
I wish
156
piece of work
masterpiece/whore
157
withal
with
158
your travel
i.e. reputation as a traveler (puns on “travail,” i.e. “work/sexual labor”)
166
shows … earth
shows men that the gods are the earth’s tailors (replacing worn-out wives with new ones as tailors make new clothes out of old ones); tailors were proverbially lecherous
therein
in this respect
167
members
plays on the sense of “penises”
169
cut
shock, blow/vagina
case
plays on the sense of “vagina”
170
crowned
plays on the idea of the encircling vagina
consolation
puns on “con” (vagina)
smock
woman’s undergarment, hence woman in her sexual capacity
171
petticoat
woman’s skirt or undergarment, hence woman in her sexual capacity
175
business
plays on the sense of “copulation”
broached
Enobarbus widens the sense of the word from “started” to incorporate the sexual sense of “pricked, penetrated”
177
abode
staying
178
light
frivolous/indecent, lewd
180
expedience
speed/expedition requiring haste
181
leave to part
permission to depart
alone
only
182
touches
motives
184
contriving
working or scheming on Antony’s behalf
185
Petition … home
urge us to come home
Sextus Pompeius
younger son of
Pompey the Great
, the defeated rival of Octavius Caesar’s great-uncle Julius Caesar
186
given … to
challenged, defied
187
slippery
fickle, unreliable
189
throw
bestow
190
Pompey the Great
i.e. the title of Sextus Pompeius’ father
dignities
titles, honors
191
high
great/dignified/proud
192
blood and life
vigor and spirit
stands up For
shows himself to be/claims to be
193
main
greatest, leading
quality
abilities/party, supporters
going on
continuing, being maintained
194
The … danger
may endanger the very frame of the world (or perhaps “… the borders of the Roman empire”)
courser’s
large horse used in battle
195
courser’s … poison
refers to the belief that a horse hair placed in stagnant water would turn into a snake, a phenomenon caused by microscopic fauna attaching themselves to the hair and causing it to move
198
remove
departure
196
Say … hence
tell those who serve me that I wish to depart quickly
2
did … since
have not seen him recently
4
I … you
i.e. do not say I sent you
sad
serious/sorrowful
8
hold
follow, adopt
9
like
same
11
give him way
let him have his own way
cross
thwart, obstruct
13
Tempt
provoke/test
forbear
(you would) desist
16
sullen
serious/melancholy
17
breathing
voice, speech
19
thus long
so long (before I die)
the … it
my constitution won’t survive the strain
22
stand … me
i.e. give me air
24
eye
look in your eye
25
the married woman
i.e. Fulvia
36
false
unfaithful
Riotous madness
unrestrained, wanton folly (on my part)
37
mouth-made
i.e. insincere, not from the heart
38
in swearing
even as they are being sworn
40
colour
pretext
41
sued staying
begged to stay
43
our
my (Cleopatra uses the royal plural as she reminds Antony of his former praises of her)
44
brows bent
arched eyebrows
none our parts
not one of my features (was)
45
a … heaven
a child of heaven/inherently divine
48
How now
exclamation of reproach
49
inches
height/manly strength (with phallic connotations)
50
heart
courage, resolution
Egypt
Cleopatra/the country
54
in use
as (financial) security/in trust (legal term)/for your use (with connotations of sexual employment)
55
civil swords
swords drawn in civil war
56
port
city gate/harbor
57
Equality … faction
having an equal division of power in the state (between Octavius Caesar and Lepidus) produces factional squabbles over small details
58
hated … love
those who were hated, having grown strong, are now loved
60
apace
rapidly
62
Upon … state
under the present government
63
purge
cleanse, purify itself (medical term referring to the use of emetics or laxatives)
64
particular
personal concern
65
safe
make safe
71
garboils
brawls, disturbances
best
best of all (or possibly, referring to Fulvia, “when showed herself to be at her best”)
74
sacred vials
lachrymatory bottles; small vessels placed in Roman graves and thought to have contained mourners’ tears
77
know
learn
78
The … bear
my intentions
are, or cease
stand or fall
79
th’advice
the judgment
fire … slime
sun that brings fertility to the mudbanks of Egypt’s River Nile
82
thou affects
you desire
83
lace
the ties of her bodice as she struggles for breath
84
let it be
leave it alone
