Faculty of English

1 January 2024   [Enter] Valentine and Proteus VALENTINE               Cease to persuade, my loving Proteus. Home-keeping youth have ever homely wits. Were’t not affection chains thy tender days To the sweet glances of thy honoured love, I rather would entreat thy company To see the wonders of the world abroad Than, living dully sluggardized at […]

I’ll begin a NEW #SlowShakespeare daily blog in January! As I get properly underway with my work on the new edition for the Arden Fourth Series, I’ll be (slowly) reading and writing about The Two Gentlemen of Verona #2Dudes1Dog – not one of the greatest hits, certainly, but interesting in lots of ways – and […]

CAESAR                      Take up her bed, And bear her women from the monument. She shall be buried by her Antony. No grave upon the earth shall clip in it A pair so famous. High events as these Strike those that make them, and their story is No less in pity than his glory which Brought them […]

DOLABELLA   Here on her breast There is a vent of blood, and something blown. The like is on her arm. FIRST GUARD This is an aspic’s trail, And these fig-leaves have slime upon them such As th’aspic leaves upon the caves of Nile. CAESAR                      Most probable That so she died; for her physician tells me […]

FIRST GUARD            O, Caesar, This Charmian lived but now; she stood and spoke. I found her trimming up the diadem On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood, And on the sudden dropped. CAESAR                                  O, noble weakness! If they had swallowed poison, ’twould appear By external swelling; but she looks like sleep, As she would catch […]

Enter Caesar and all his train, marching ALL      A way there, a way for Caesar! DOLABELLA   [to Caesar] O, sir, you are too sure an augurer. That you did fear is done. CAESAR                      Bravest at the last, She levelled at our purposes, and, being royal, Took her own way. The manner of their deaths? I do […]

FIRST GUARD Approach, ho! All’s not well. Caesar’s beguiled. SECOND GUARD        There’s Dolabella sent from Caesar. Call him. [Exit a Guardsman] FIRST GUARD What work is here, Charmian? Is this well done? CHARMIAN     It is well done, and fitting for a princess Descended of so many royal kings. Ah, soldier! Charmian dies Enter Dolabella DOLABELLA               […]

CHARMIAN                             So, fare thee well. Now boast thee, death, in thy possession lies A lass unparalleled. Downy windows, close, And golden Phoebus, never be beheld Of eyes again so royal. Your crown’s awry. I’ll mend it, and then play—Enter the Guard, rustling in FIRST GUARD             Where’s the Queen? CHARMIAN Speak softly. Wake her not. FIRST […]

CHARMIAN                 O, eastern star! CLEOPATRA               Peace, peace. Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, That sucks the nurse asleep? CHARMIAN O, break! O, break! CLEOPATRA As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle. O Antony! Nay, I will take thee too. [She takes another aspic] What should I stay— [She] dies […]

CHARMIAN    Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain, that I may say The gods themselves do weep. CLEOPATRA              This proves me base. If she first meet the curlèd Antony He’ll make demand of her, and spend that kiss Which is my heaven to have. [She takes an aspic from the basket and puts it to her breast] […]