Enter a company of Soldiers FIRST SOLDIER Brother, good night. Tomorrow is the day. SECOND SOLDIER It will determine one way. Fare you well. Heard you of nothing strange about the streets? FIRST SOLDIER Nothing. What news? SECOND SOLDIER Belike ’tis but a rumour. Good night to you. FIRST SOLDIER Well, sir, good night. They […]
Continue ReadingEnobarbus: get a grip! Antony: it’s OK everyone, I fully intend to win (4.2.33-45) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ENOBARBUS What mean you, sir, To give them this discomfort? Look, they weep, And I, an ass, am onion-eyed. For shame, Transform us not to women. ANTONY Ho, ho, ho, Now the witch take me if I meant it thus! Grace grow where those drops fall. My hearty friends, You take me in too dolorous […]
Continue ReadingAntony begging his weeping servants not to leave him (4.2.20-33) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ANTONY Well, my good fellows, wait on me tonight. Scant not my cups, and make as much of me As when mine empire was your fellow too, And suffered my command. CLEOPATRA [aside to Enobarbus] What does he mean? ENOBARBUS [aside to Cleopatra] To make his followers weep. ANTONY Tend me tonight. Maybe it is the period […]
Continue ReadingAntony, sentimental, thanking his servants (4.2.8-19) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ANTONY Come on! Call forth my household servants. Let’s tonight Enter three or four Servitors Be bounteous at our meal. Give me thy hand. Thou hast been rightly honest; so hast thou, Thou, and thou, and thou; you have served me well, And kings have been your fellows. CLEOPATRA [to Enobarbus] What means this? ENOBARBUS [to […]
Continue ReadingAntony: if I die tomorrow, I’m going down fighting (4.2.1-8) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
Enter Antony, Cleopatra, Enobarbus, Charmian, Iras, with others ANTONY He will not fight with me, Domitius? ENOBARBUS No. ANTONY Why should he not? ENOBARBUS He thinks, being twenty times of better fortune, He is twenty men to one. ANTONY Tomorrow, soldier, By sea and land I’ll fight. Or I will live Or bathe my dying […]
Continue ReadingCaesar: it’s all over for Antony – poor him! (4.1.10-16) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
CAESAR Let our best heads Know that tomorrow the last of many battles We mean to fight. Within our files there are, Of those that served Mark Antony but late, Enough to fetch him in. See it done, And feast the army. We have store to do’t, And they have earned the waste. Poor Antony! […]
Continue ReadingAntony’s finished; time to press home Caesar’s advantage (4.1.6-10) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
MAECENAS Caesar must think, When one so great begins to rage, he’s hunted Even to falling. Give him no breath, but now Make boot of his distraction. Never anger Made good guard for itself. (4.1.6-10) The loyal Maecenas picks up from Caesar with economy and efficiency; the sense is that Caesar runs not just […]
Continue ReadingA challenge, from Antony? don’t make Caesar laugh! (4.1.1-6) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
Enter Caesar with Agrippa, Maecenas, and his army, Caesar reading a letter CAESAR He calls me boy, and chides as he had power To beat me out of Egypt. My messenger He hath whipped with rods, dares me to personal combat, Caesar to Antony. Let the old ruffian know I have many other ways […]
Continue ReadingEnobarbus: that’s it, Antony’s lost the plot (3.13.196-202) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ENOBARBUS Now he’ll outstare the lightning. To be furious Is to be frighted out of fear, and in that mood The dove will peck the estridge; and I see still A diminution in our captain’s brain Restores his heart. When valour preys on reason, It eats the sword it fights with. I will seek Some […]
Continue ReadingIt’s Cleopatra’s BIRTHDAY! time for a party after all! (3.13.186-195) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
CLEOPATRA It is my birthday. I had thought to’ve held it poor, but since my lord Is Antony again, I will be Cleopatra. ANTONY We will yet do well. CLEOPATRA Call all his noble captains to my lord! ANTONY Do so. We’ll speak to them, and tonight I’ll force The wine peep through their scars. […]
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