EROS O, sir, pardon me! ANTONY When I did make thee free, swor’st thou not then To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once, Or thy precedent services are all But accidents unpurposed. Draw, and come. EROS Turn from me then that noble countenance Wherein the worship of the whole world lies. […]
Continue ReadingEros, do you want to see me humiliated? now’s the time to be so brave (4.15.71-80) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ANTONY Eros, Wouldst thou be windowed in great Rome and see Thy master thus with pleached arms, bending down His corrigible neck, his face subdued To penetrative shame, whilst the wheeled seat Of fortunate Caesar, drawn before him, branded His baseness that ensued? EROS I would not see’t. ANTONY Come then; for with a wound […]
Continue ReadingAntony: Eros, you promised! Eros, aghast: I CAN’T! (4.15.62-71) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ANTONY Thou art sworn, Eros, That when the exigent should come, which now Is come indeed—when I should see behind me Th’inevitable prosecution of Disgrace and horror—that on my command Thou then wouldst kill me. Do’t. The time is come. Thou strik’st not me; ’tis Caesar thou defeat’st. Put colour in thy cheek. EROS The […]
Continue ReadingAntony: Cleopatra’s shown me the way, how to die unconquered (4.15.55-62) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
CW: discussion of suicide Enter Eros EROS What would my lord? ANTONY Since Cleopatra died I have lived in such dishonour that the gods Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword Quartered the world, and o’er green Neptune’s back With ships made cities, condemn myself to lack The courage of a woman; less noble […]
Continue ReadingCleopatra, forgive me! we’ll be reunited in paradise! (4.15.44-54) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ANTONY I will o’ertake thee, Cleopatra, and Weep for my pardon. So it must be, for now All length is torture. Since the torch is out, Lie down, and stray no farther. Now all labour Mars what it does; yea, very force entangles Itself with strength. Seal, then, and all is done. Eros!—I come, my queen.—Eros!—Stay […]
Continue ReadingUnarm me, Eros. And then leave me. Burst now, heart… (4.15.34-43) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ANTONY Dead, then? MARDIAN Dead. ANTONY Unarm, Eros. The long day’s task is done, And we must sleep. [To Mardian] That thou depart’st hence safe Does pay thy labour richly. Go. Exit Mardian Off, pluck off. The seven-fold shield of Ajax cannot keep […]
Continue ReadingMardian to Antony: Cleopatra’s dead, died with your name on her lips (4.15.22-34) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
Enter Mardian ANTONY O thy vile lady, She has robbed me of my sword! MARDIAN No, Antony, My mistress loved thee, and her fortunes mingled With thine entirely. ANTONY Hence, saucy eunuch, peace! She hath betrayed me, and shall die the death. MARDIAN Death of one person can be paid but once, And that she […]
Continue ReadingIt’s over; Cleopatra’s utterly betrayed me. But we’re still the masters of our fate… (4.15.15-22) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ANTONY I made these wars for Egypt, and the Queen— Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine, Which whilst it was mine had annexed unto’t A million more, now lost—she, Eros, has Packed cards with Caesar, and false-played my glory Unto an enemy’s triumph. Nay, weep not, gentle Eros. There is left […]
Continue ReadingEros, my lad: I can’t hold it together any more… (4.15.9-14) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ANTONY That which is now a horse even with a thought The rack dislimns, and makes it indistinct As water is in water. EROS It does, my lord. ANTONY My good knave Eros, now thy captain is Even such a body. Here I am Antony, Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave. (4.15.9-14) […]
Continue ReadingAntony and Eros, talking about clouds… (4.15.1-8) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
Enter Antony and Eros ANTONY Eros, thou yet behold’st me? EROS Ay, noble lord. ANTONY Sometime we see a cloud that’s dragonish, A vapour sometime like a bear or lion, A towered citadel, a pendent rock, A forkèd mountain, or blue promontory With trees upon’t that nod unto the world And mock our eyes with […]
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