Antony and Cleopatra: Fully annotated, with an Introduction by Burton Raffel (The Annotated Shakespeare) - Softcover

Shakespeare, William

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0300124732 ISBN 13: 9780300124736

Verlag: YALE UNIV PR, 2007

Inhaltsangabe

The Annotated Shakespeare series enables today’s readers to understand and enjoy the plays of the world’s greatest dramatist. Comprehensive on-page annotations assist with vocabulary, pronunciation, prosody, and alternative readings of phrases and lines in these handsome and affordable paperback editions.
 

In no other play has Shakespeare created two such equally titanic personages as Rome’s great soldier and statesman Mark Antony and the Egyptian Queen Cleopatra. The story of their irresistible attraction, their jealous quarrels and betrayals, and the effects on friends and subjects of their ruinous choices is a tale leading irretrievably to despair and defeat. Their suicides, however, strike us as a kind of triumph. Shakespeare stood at the height of his powers when he penned this great tragedy, one of the last he produced.

 

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Burton Raffel is Distinguished Professor of Arts and Humanities Emeritus and professor of English emeritus, University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Among his many edited and translated publications are Poems and Prose from the Old English, Cligès, Lancelot, Perceval, Erec and Enide, and Yvain, all published by Yale University Press. Harold Bloom, Sterling Professor of the Humanities at Yale University, is the author of many books, including his new volume Fallen Angels, published by Yale University Press (see page 14).

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Antony and Cleopatra

By William Shakespeare

Yale University Press

Copyright © 2007 Burton Raffel
All right reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-300-12473-6

Contents

About This Book................................................ixIntroduction...................................................xviiSome Essentials of the Shakespearean Stage.....................xxxvAntony and Cleopatra...........................................1An Essay by Harold Bloom.......................................201Further Reading................................................207Finding List...................................................213

Chapter One

Act I

SCENE 1

Alexandria, a room in Cleopatra's palace

ENTER DEMETRIUS AND PHILO

Philo Nay, but this dotage of our general's O'erflows the measure. Those his goodly eyes That o'er the files and musters of the war Have glowed like plated Mars, now bend, now turn The office and devotion of their view 5 Upon a tawny front. His captain's heart, Which in the scuffles of great fights hath burst The buckles on his breast, reneges all temper, And is become the bellows and the fan To cool a gypsy's lust.

FLOURISH

ENTER ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, WITH HER ATTENDANTS AND WITH EUNUCHS FANNING HER

10 Look where they come. Take but good note, and you shall see in him The triple pillar of the world transformed Into a strumpet's fool. Behold and see.

Cleopatra If it be love indeed, tell me how much.

15 Antony There's beggary in the love that can be reckoned.

Cleopatra I'll set a bourn how far to be beloved.

Antony Then must thou needs find out new heaven, new earth.

ENTER ATTENDANT

Attendant News, my good lord, from Rome.

Antony Grates me. The sum.

Cleopatra Nay, hear them, Antony: Fulvia perchance is angry. Or who knows 20 If the scarce-bearded Caesar have not sent His powerful mandate to you, "Do this, or this, Take in that kingdom, and enfranchise that, Perform 't, or else we damn thee." Antony How, my love?

Cleopatra Perchance? Nay, and most like. 25 You must not stay here longer, your dismission Is come from Caesar, therefore hear it, Antony. Where's Fulvia's process? Caesar's, I would say? Both? Call in the messengers. As I am Egypt's queen, Thou blushest, Antony; and that blood of thine 30 Is Caesar's homager. Else so thy cheek pays shame When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds. The messengers!

Antony Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch Of the rangd empire fall! Here is my space. 35 Kingdoms are clay. Our dungy earth alike Feeds beast as man. The nobleness of life Is to do thus. (embraces her) When such a mutual pair And such a twain can do't, in which I bind (On pain of punishment) the world to weet We stand up peerless.

40 Cleopatra Excellent falsehood. Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her? I'll seem the fool I am not. Antony Will be himself.

Antony But stirred by Cleopatra. Now, for the love of Love, and her soft hours, Let's not confound the time with conference harsh. 45 There's not a minute of our lives should stretch Without some pleasure now. What sport tonight?

Cleopatra Hear the ambassadors.

Antony Fie, wrangling queen! Whom everything becomes, to chide, to laugh, To weep, whose every passion fully strives 50 To make itself, in thee, fair and admired! No messenger, but thine, and all alone Tonight we'll wander through the streets and note The qualities of people. Come, my queen. Last night you did desire it. (to Messengers) Speak not to us. 55

EXEUNT ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA AND ATTENDANTS

Demetrius Is Caesar with Antonius prized so slight?

Philo Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony, He comes too short of that great property Which still should go with Antony.

60 Demetrius I am full sorry That he approves the common liar, who Thus speaks of him at Rome. But I will hope Of better deeds tomorrow. Rest you happy!

EXEUNT

SCENE 2

Alexandria, Cleopatra's palace, another room

ENTER CHARMIAN, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, IRAS, ALEXAS, AND SOOTHSAYER

Charmian Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most anything Alexas, almost most absolute Alexas, where's the soothsayer that you praised so to the Queen? O that I knew this husband, which, you say, must charge his horns with garlands!

Alexas Soothsayer. 5

Soothsayer Your will?

Charmian Is this the man? Is't you, sir, that know things?

Soothsayer In nature's infinite book of secrecy A little I can read.

Alexas Show him your hand.

Enobarbus Bring in the banquet quickly; wine enough 10 Cleopatra's health to drink.

Charmian Good sir, give me good fortune.

Soothsayer I make not, but foresee.

Charmian Pray then, foresee me one.

Soothsayer You shall be yet far fairer than you are.

Charmian He means in flesh.

Iras No, you shall paint when you are old.

Charmian Wrinkles forbid!

Alexas Vex not his prescience, be attentive.

20 Charmian Hush!

Soothsayer You shall be more beloving than beloved.

Charmian I had rather heat my liver with drinking.

Alexas Nay, hear him.

Charmian Good now, some excellent fortune! Let me be 25 married to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all. Let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry may do homage. Find me to marry me with Octavius Caesar, and companion me with my mistress.

Soothsayer You shall outlive the lady whom you serve.

30 Charmian O excellent! I love long life better than figs.

Soothsayer You have seen and proved a fairer former fortune Than that which is to approach.

Charmian Then belike my children shall have no names. Prithee, how many boys and wenches must I have?

35 Soothsayer If every of your wishes had a womb, And fertile every wish, a million.

Charmian Out fool! I forgive thee for a witch.

Alexas You think none but your sheets are privy to your wishes.

Charmian Nay, come, tell Iras hers. 40

Alexas We'll know all our fortunes.

Enobarbus Mine, and most of our fortunes tonight, shall be - drunk to bed.

Iras There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing else. 45

Charmian E'en as the o'erflowing Nilus presageth famine.

Iras (to Charmian) Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot soothsay.

Charmian Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear. Prithee, tell her but a worky-day fortune. 50

...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: YALE UNIV PR
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2007
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 0300124732
• ISBN 13: 9780300124736
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 256
• Herausgeber: Raffel Burton
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: Nicht verfügbar
• Verantwortliche Person: Nicht verfügbar