Antony And Cleopatra

William Shakespeare

• Editore: HarperPerennial Classics
• Anno: 2014
• ISBN:
  9781443443258
• Argomento: Littérature
• Categoria: Théâtre shakespearien

The loyalties of Antony and Cleopatra are tested with tragic outcomes as the soldier of Rome and the queen of Egypt struggle against the power and authority of the emerging Roman Empire. During a mission to Egypt, Antony falls immediately and irrevocably in love with its queen, the beautiful Cleopatra. As Cleopatra returns his favour, their fates and that of Egypt are sealed forever.

Known as "The Bard of Avon, " William Shakespeare is arguably the greatest English-language writer known. Enormously popular during his life, Shakespeare's works continue to resonate more than three centuries after his death, as has his influence on theatre and literature. Shakespeare's innovative use of character, language, and experimentation with romance as tragedy served as a foundation for later playwrights and dramatists, and some of his most famous lines of dialogue have become part of everyday speech.

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ACT THREE

SCENE I. A Plain in Syria.

Enter VENTIDIUS, as it were in triumph, with SILIUS and other Romans, Officers and Soldiers; the dead body of PACORUS borne before him.

VENTIDIUS Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck, and now

Pleas’d fortune does of Marcus Crassus’ death

Make me revenger. Bear the King’s son’s body

Before our army. Thy Pacorus, Orodes,

[5]

Pays this for Marcus Crassus.

SILIUS Noble Ventidius,

Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm

The fugitive Parthians follow; spur through Media,

Mesopotamia, and the shelters whither

[10]

The routed fly. So thy grand captain, Antony,

Shall set thee on triumphant chariots and

Put garlands on thy head.

VENTIDIUS O Silius, Silius,

I have done enough. A lower place, note well,

May make too great an act; for learn this, Silius:

Better to leave undone than by our deed

[15]

Acquire too high a fame when him we serve’s away.

Caesar and Antony have ever won

More in their officer, than person. Sossius,

[20]

One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,

For quick accumulation of renown,

Which he achiev’d by th’ minute, lost his favour.

Who does i’ th’ wars more than his captain can

Becomes his captain’s captain; and ambition,

The soldier’s virtue, rather makes choice of loss

Than gain which darkens him.

[25]

I could do more to do Antonius good,

But ’twould offend him; and in his offence

Should my performance perish.

SILIUS Thou hast, Ventidius, that

Without the which a soldier and his sword

Grants scarce distinction. Thou wilt write to Antony?

[30]

VENTIDIUS I’ll humbly signify what in his name,

That magical word of war, we have effected;

How, with his banners, and his well-paid ranks,

The ne’er-yet-beaten horse of Parthia

We have jaded out o’ th’ field.

SILIUS Where is he now?

[35]

VENTIDIUS He purposeth to Athens; whither, with what haste

The weight we must convey with’s will permit,

We shall appear before him. – On, there; pass along. [Exeunt.

SCENE II. Rome. Caesar’s house.

Enter AGRIPPA at one door, ENOBARBUS at another.

AGRIPPA What, are the brothers parted?

ENOBARBUS They have dispatch’d with Pompey; he is gone;

The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps

To part from Rome; Caesar is sad; and Lepidus,

Since Pompey’s feast, as Menas says, is troubled

[5]

With the green sickness.

AGRIPPA ’Tis a noble Lepidus.

ENOBARBUS A very fine one. O, how he loves Caesar!

AGRIPPA Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony!

ENOBARBUS Caesar? Why he’s the Jupiter of men.

[10]

AGRIPPA What’s Antony? The god of Jupiter.

ENOBARBUS Spake you of Caesar? How! the nonpareil!

AGRIPPA O, Antony! O thou Arabian bird!

ENOBARBUS Would you praise Caesar, say ‘Caesar’ – go no further.

AGRIPPA Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises.

[15]

ENOBARBUS But he loves Caesar best. Yet he loves Antony.

Hoo! hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets, cannot

Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number – hoo! --

His love to Antony. But as for Caesar,

Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder.

[20]

AGRIPPA Both he loves

ENOBARBUS They are his shards, and he their beetle. [Trumpets within] So – This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa.

AGRIPPA Good fortune, worthy soldier, and farewell.

Enter CAESAR, ANTONY, LEPIDUS, and OCTAVIA.

ANTONY No further, sir.

CAESAR You take from me a great part of myself;

[25]

Use me well in’t. Sister, prove such a wife

As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest band

Shall pass on thy approof. Most noble Antony,

Let not the piece of virtue which is set

Betwixt us as the cement of our love

[30]

To keep it builded be the ram to batter

The fortress of it; for better might we

Have lov’d without this mean, if on both parts

This be not cherish’d.

ANTONY Make me not offended

In your distrust.

CAESAR I have said.

ANTONY You shall not find,

[35]

Though you be therein curious, the least cause

For what you seem to fear. So the gods keep you,

And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends!

We will here part.

CAESAR Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well.

[40]

The elements be kind to thee and make

Thy spirits all of comfort! Fare thee well.

OCTAVIA My noble brother!

ANTONY The April’s in her eyes. It is love’s spring,

And these the showers to bring it on. Be cheerful.

OCTAVIA Sir, look well to my husband’s house; and --

[45]

CAESAR What,

Octavia?

OCTAVIA I’ll tell you in your ear.

ANTONY Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can

Her heart inform her tongue – the swan’s down feather,

That stands upon the swell at the full of tide,

[50]

And neither way inclines.

ENOBARBUS [Aside to Agrippa] Will Caesar weep?

AGRIPPA [Aside to Enobarbus] He has a cloud in’s fac...