Antony and Cleopatra (45 page)

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bestrid
straddled; reminiscent of the Colossus of Rhodes, the giant statue of the sun god Helios that stood astride the harbor entrance   

reared
raised   

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Crested
crowned; a raised arm brandishing a sword was a common heraldic emblem   

propertied … spheres
had the same qualities as those found in the harmonious spheres (supposedly, the crystalline spheres thought to contain the planets and stars produced heavenly music as they rotated)   

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to friends
when he spoke to friends   

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quail
subdue, terrify   

orb
earth   

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For
as for   

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delights … in
his joys and pleasures lifted him above the everyday world in which he lived as a dolphin’s leaps lift it clear of the water   

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livery
particular uniform of a nobleman’s servants   

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crowns and crownets
kings and princes   

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plates
silver coins   

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size
scope   

wants … fancy
lacks material to make creatures that can compete with those of the imagination   

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yet … quite
but if nature could imagine such an Antony it would be her masterpiece and would completely discredit the creations of imagination   

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As … weight
correspondingly heavily   

Would … root
may I never achieve the success I’ve sought if the grief I see reflected in you doesn’t strike to the bottom of my heart   

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loath
reluctant   

would
wish   

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Take … thoughts
Do not reproach yourself harshly   

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written … flesh
I bear the scars   

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sir
master   

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project
present, set out   

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like frailties
similar moral weaknesses   

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extenuate … enforce
excuse rather than emphasize (faults)   

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apply … intents
comply with my plans   

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lay … cruelty
make me appear cruel   

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bereave
deprive   

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scutcheons
shields bearing coats of arms; the shields of captured enemies were often displayed by the victor   

signs
tokens/military banners   

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for
that concerns   

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brief
inventory, summary   

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Not … admitted
discounting trivial items   

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pomp is followed
those in power are served   

Mine
my servants   

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shift estates
change places   

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hired
paid for   

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Though
even if   

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rarely
exceptionally   

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vouchsafing
condescending   

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Parcel
enumerate one by one/make up, add to   

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lady
suitable for a lady, i.e. insignificant   

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Immoment toys
trifling knickknacks   

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modern
ordinary   

withal
with   

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Livia
Caesar’s wife   

²⁰⁰
unfolded With
exposed by   

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bred
brought up (or “trained”) as a member of my household   

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cinders
glowing coals   

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chance
fortune   

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Forbear
withdraw   

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misthought
misjudged   

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merits
deserts, whether good or bad   

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i’th’roll of conquest
on the official list of booty   

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Bestow
dispose of   

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make prize
haggle   

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Make … prisons
you are confined only by your own thoughts   

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dispose
make arrangements for   

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words me
deceives me with words   

that … myself
in order to prevent me from taking the noble course of action (i.e. suicide)   

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Hie thee again
come back quickly   

²²⁹
spoke
given orders   

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put … haste
do it quickly   

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before
ahead   

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puppet
actor in a pantomime (or triumphal pageant)/dressed-up doll/contemptuous term for a woman   

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Mechanic slaves
coarse workmen   

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rules
measuring rods   

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thick
foul   

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Rank of
reeking due to   

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drink
drink in, breathe   

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Saucy
impudent/lascivious   

lictors
local officials   

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strumpets
prostitutes   

scald
scurvy, contemptible   

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Ballad us
sing ballads about us   

quick
quick-witted   

comedians
actors   

²⁵⁷
Extemporally
in improvised performance   

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Some … greatness
my greatness imitated by a boy with a squeaky voice; on the Shakespearean stage, Cleopatra was herself played by a boy actor   

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Show me
let me appear   

²⁷⁰
attires
clothing/headdress   

Cydnus
the river on which she first met Antony, now the Tarsus Cay, in southern Turkey   

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Sirrah
sir (used to social inferiors, more commonly to men)   

²⁷²
dispatch
make haste/finish matters   

²⁷³
chare
chore   

²⁸⁰
poor an
a poor   

²⁸²
placed
fixed   

²⁸⁴
marble-constant
as firm and unyielding as marble   

fleeting
changeful, inconstant   

Clown
rustic   

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Avoid
withdraw   

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worm
snake   

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immortal
malapropism for “mortal”   

²⁹³
on’t
from it   

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honest
truthful/chaste   

²⁹⁶
lie
tell lies/have sex   

do
plays on the sense of “have sex”   

²⁹⁷
died
plays on the sense of “had an orgasm”   

²⁹⁸
o’th’worm
now with phallic connotations   

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falliable
malapropism for “infallible”   

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do his kind
do what is natural to him (
do
plays on its sexual sense)   

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Take … care
don’t worry   

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eat
bite/consume after death/enjoy sexually   

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dress
clothe/prepare for cooking   

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whoreson
damned, bastard   

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forsooth
indeed   

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Immortal longings
longings for immortality   

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Yare
quickly, nimbly   

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rouse himself
with connotations of penile erection   

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act
deed/theatrical performance (with connotations of “sexual act”)   

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their after wrath
the anger of the gods that was subsequently visited on those who became insolent in their good fortune   

come
with connotations of orgasm   

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title
right   

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fire and air
the more spiritual of the four elements   

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aspic
asp, a small venomous snake   

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stroke
blow/caress/lethal snakebite   

³⁴⁰
leave-taking
a formal goodbye   

³⁴³
This
i.e. Iras’s death   

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curlèd
handsome, with beautifully styled hair   

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spend
expend, bestow (perhaps with connotations of ejaculation)   

³⁴⁶
mortal
deadly   

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intrinsicate
intricate (but with shades of “intrinsic,” i.e. situated within)   

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fool
like
wretch
, a term of endearment   

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Unpolicied
outwitted in political intrigue   

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eastern star
Venus, the morning star, visible in the eastern sky   

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What
why   

³⁶²
Downy windows
i.e. eyelids   

³⁶⁴
Of
by   

awry
crooked, askew   

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mend
adjust   

rustling
making a noise, clattering   

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beguiled
cheated   

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thy … this
your fears have been realized here   

Train
retinue, followers   

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augurer
prophet   

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That
what   

³⁸⁷
levelled
took aim at, guessed   

purposes
intentions   

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simple
harmless/humble   

³⁹⁶
trimming up
neatening   

diadem
crown/jeweled headband worn by eastern monarchs   

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As
as if   

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toil
net, snare   

grace
charm, beauty   

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vent
discharge   

blown
swollen/deposited   

⁴¹²
conclusions infinite
innumerable experiments   

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clip
encompass/embrace   

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high
of great magnitude/noble   

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Strike … them
afflict with sorrow those who brought them about   

their … lamented
the pity that their story provokes is as great as the glory of their conqueror (Caesar)/their story is as tragic as Antony’s glory was great