Enter Caesar with his army, marching CAESAR Taurus! TAURUS My lord? CAESAR Strike not by land. Keep whole. Provoke not battle Till we have done at sea. [He gives him a scroll] Do not exceed The prescript of this scroll. Our fortune lies Upon this jump. Exeunt (3.8.1-5) The contrast with the previous scene […]
Continue ReadingUpdate 3: we are women’s men, and on the back foot too (3.7.67-81) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
SOLDIER By Hercules, I think I am i’th’ right. CANIDIUS Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows Not in the power on’t. So our leader’s led, And we are women’s men. SOLDIER You keep by land The legions and the horse whole, do you not? CANIDIUS Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius, Publicola, and Caelius are […]
Continue ReadingUpdate 2: fighting by sea, it’s really not the Roman way (3.7.60-66) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
Enter a Soldier ANTONY How now, worthy soldier? SOLDIER O, noble Emperor, do not fight by sea. Trust not to rotten planks. Do you misdoubt This sword and these my wounds? Let th’Egyptians And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we Have used to conquer standing on the earth, And fighting foot to foot. ANTONY Well, well; […]
Continue ReadingUpdate 1: Caesar’s nearby, but no matter: it’ll still be a naval battle (3.7.53-60) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
Enter a Messenger ANTONY Thy business? MESSENGER The news is true, my lord. He is descried. Caesar has taken Toryne. ANTONY Can he be there in person? ’Tis impossible; Strange that his power should be. Canidius, Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land, And our twelve thousand horse. We’ll to our ship. Away, my […]
Continue ReadingAntony and Cleopatra: we’re going to burn our spare boats! (3.7.49-53) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
CLEOPATRA I have sixty sails, Caesar none better. ANTONY Our overplus of shipping will we burn, And with the rest full-manned, from th’head of Actium Beat th’approaching Caesar. But if we fail, We then can do’t at land. (3.7.49-53) And now Cleopatra weighs in, Antony’s folie de grandeur becoming a kind of folie à […]
Continue ReadingAntony *fingers in ears* I WANT TO FIGHT AT SEA! (3.7.41-8) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
(ENOBARBUS Most worthy sir, you therein throw away The absolute soldiership you have by land; Distract your army, which doth most consist Of war-marked footmen; leave unexecuted Your own renowned knowledge; quite forgo The way which promises assurance, and Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard From firm security. ANTONY I’ll fight at sea. […]
Continue ReadingAntony: I want to fight at sea! Enobarbus/Canidius: you’re MAD (3.7.30-40) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ENOBARBUS So hath my lord dared him to single fight. CANIDIUS Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia, Where Caesar fought with Pompey. But these offers Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off, And so should you. ENOBARBUS Your ships are not well manned, Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people Engrossed by […]
Continue ReadingCaesar’s making all the running, so, we’ll fight him at sea, yes? (3.7.19-29) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
Enter Antony and Canidius ENOBARBUS Nay, I have done. Here comes the Emperor. ANTONY Is it not strange, Canidius, That from Tarentum and Brundisium He could so quickly cut the Ionian Sea And take in Toryne?—You have heard on’t, sweet? CLEOPATRA Celerity is never more admired Than by the negligent. ANTONY A good rebuke, Which […]
Continue ReadingCleopatra: shut up I’m going to the war don’t try and stop me (3.7.10-19) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
ENOBARBUS Your presence needs must puzzle Antony, Take from his heart, take from his brain, from’s time What should not then be spared. He is already Traduced for levity, and ’tis said in Rome That Photinus, an eunuch, and your maids Manage this war. CLEOPATRA Sink Rome, and their tongues rot That speak against us! […]
Continue ReadingEnobarbus: you’d distract Antony, you silly mare (3.7.1-9) #BurningBarge #SlowShakespeare
Enter Cleopatra and Enobarbus CLEOPATRA I will be even with thee, doubt it not. ENOBARBUS But why, why, why? CLEOPATRA Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars, And sayst it is not fit. ENOBARBUS Well, is it, is it? CLEOPATRA Is’t not denounced against us? Why should not we Be there in person? ENOBARBUS […]
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