Antony and Cleopatra

William Shakespeare, Janet Suzman, Janet Suzman

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781849436205
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: British Drama
• Index: Literature

Desire and duty collide in Shakespeare's captivating tragedy of politics, passion and power. Two charismatic leaders, Mark Antony of Rome and Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, are caught in an all encompassing love that threatens the Empire. Rome will do all it can to pull them apart. Or it will destroy them both. This classic Shakespeare tale is edited by Dame Janet Suzman, making this an authoritative edition. As she says in her new book Not Hamlet: Meditations on the Frail Position of Women in Drama which studies the role of and for women in Shakespeare's canon, Suzman knows this play better than anyone else in the world, having played Cleopatra twice and having now directed the play twice.

PART ONE

ACT ONE

I.i

Egypt – Cleopatra’s palace at Alexandria. Music.

The golden mask of Cleopatra, crowned as Isis. Enter DOLABELLA and PHILO, above.

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 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.

Lights reveal below.

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.

Revealed: CLEOPATRA as Isis, CHARMIAN and IRAS in attendance to receive her Isis garments.

MARDIAN and ALEXAS for the Queen, SOOTHSAYER and EROS for Antony.

As CLEOPATRA removes the mask of Isis, enter ANTONY, dancing.

CLEOPATRA:

If it be love indeed, tell me how much.

ANTONY:

There’s beggary in the love that can be reckoned.

CLEOPATRA:

I’ll set a bourne how far to be beloved.

ANTONY:

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

DOLABELLA:

News my good lord, from Rome.

ANTONY:

Grates me! The sum.

CLEOPATRA:

Nay hear them, Antony.

Fulvia perchance is angry; or who knows 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. You must not stay here longer. Your dismission Is come from Caesar. As I am Egypt’s Queen, Thou blushest, Antony, and that blood of thine Is Caesar’s homager; else so thy cheek pays shame When shrill-tongued Fulvia scolds. The messenger!

ANTONY:

Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space. Kingdoms are clay. Our dungy earth alike Feeds beast as man. The nobleness of life Is to do thus – 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.

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. 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 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 DOLABELLA, above.) Speak not to us!

Exit ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, followed by ALEXAS and EROS.

CHARMIAN, IRAS and SOOTHSAYER remain.

DOLABELLA:

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.

DOLABELLA:

Now he approves the common liar, who Thus speaks of him in Rome; but I will...