36 it … begins you realize who started this
appears becomes apparent
37 our … them it is impossible that Caesar and I should be equally at fault and you impartially attached to both of us
39 Provide your going prepare for your departure
40 what whatever
5 success outcome/sequel
6 him i.e. Lepidus
7 presently instantly
rivality equality, rights of partnership
8 action military campaign
resting here stopping there
up shut up, imprisoned
10 his own appeal the authority of his own accusation
11 enlarge his confine releases him
12 chaps jaws, chops
no more i.e. than two
13 throw … other however much they’re given they’ll grind each other down
15 spurns kicks
16 rush reed, grass
17 threats threatens
that his officer that officer of his
19 rigged ready, equipped
20 More i.e. there is more to tell
Domitius Enobarbus’ first name
21 presently immediately
23 naught unimportant/bad news
1 Contemning scorning
3 tribunal dais
6 Caesarion Cleopatra’s son by Julius Caesar
my father’s Octavius Caesar was adopted by Julius Caesar, his great-uncle
7 unlawful issue illegitimate offspring
9 stablishment confirmed possession
13 common show-place public arena
exercise observe public ceremonies/perform public entertainments or sports
17 Cilicia a region in what is now southern Turkey
Phoenicia now the coastal area of Lebanon
18 th’habiliments the dress, clothing
22 Who i.e. the Roman people
queasy nauseated, disgusted
23 their … him withdraw their good opinion of Antony
28 spoiled destroyed/plundered
rated allotted
30 unrestored which I failed to return
32 being that being so
38 For as for
45 castaway cast off, rejected
47 stol’n come stealthily
48 Like in a manner appropriate to
50 horse horses
51 th’way the roadside
55 populous troops numerous attendants
56 prevented forestalled
57 ostentation ceremonial display
left … unloved must be demonstrated or it ceases to exist
59 supplying … greeting providing a more elaborate greeting at every stage
65 withal with this
66 pardon for permission to
68 an abstract the removal (of an impediment)
70 eyes spies
76 who and they
79 Cappadocia part of present-day central Turkey
80 Paphlagonia in modern northwestern Turkey
Thracian from Thrace, an area of southeastern Europe including parts of present-day Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey
81 Pont Pontus, part of modern Turkey
82 Jewry the Jews in Judaea, present-day Israel/Palestine
83 Comagene part of Syria
84 Mede and Lycaonia modern Iran and eastern Turkey
85 sceptres kings
88 afflict torment, distress
90 breaking forth breaking out into open conflict
91 wrong led misled, deceived
92 negligent danger danger due to our negligence
93 time state of affairs
95 determined … way events predetermined by destiny maintain their course without lamenting them
97 Nothing … me my dearest
98 mark reach
99 his … us us his agents
105 large licentious
106 abominations degrading vices
turns you off rejects you
107 potent regiment powerful authority, government
trull low prostitute
108 noises it is clamorous, cries out
111 Be … patience remain calm, patient
3 forspoke spoken against
6 If … us even if the war had not been declared against me personally
9 serve undertake military action (plays on the sense of “have sex”)
horse … together both male and female horses
10 horse … lost cavalry would be completely useless
bear … horse carry the soldiers and have sex with the stallions
13 puzzle confound, make difficulties for/bewilder, perplex
16 Traduced blamed, censured
19 Sink Rome let Rome sink
20 charge responsibility/cost
21 president ruler
22 for as/in place of
27 Tarentum and Brundusium Italian ports, modern Taranto and Brindisi
28 cut cross
Ionian Sea part of the Mediterranean Sea, south of the Adriatic Sea between Italy and Greece
29 take in conquer
Toryne town on Greek coast north of Actium
30 Celerity speed
33 becomed suited
40 Pharsalia a plain in Thessaly, central Greece; site of Julius Caesar’s decisive defeat of Pompey the Great
45 muleteers mule-drivers
46 Ingrossed collected wholesale
swift impress hasty conscription
48 yare easily managed
49 fall befall
53 absolute consummate
54 Distract disrupt/confuse/demoralize
55 footmen foot soldiers, infantry
unexecuted unused
57 assurance sure success
62 overplus surplus
63 th’head the headland, promontory
66 descried spotted, seen
68 impossible impossibly
69 power army
72 Thetis sea nymph, mother of the great warrior Achilles; sometimes confused with Tethys, the mother of the Nile
74 rotten planks i.e. ships
misdoubt doubt, mistrust
76 Phoenicians a seafaring people from the coastal regions of what is now Lebanon
a-ducking getting wet (perhaps with hints of “cringing, bowing”)
77 used been accustomed
80 Hercules legendary Greek hero of immense strength, supposed ancestor of Antony
81 action … on’t enterprise is not founded on his military strength
83 men men/servingmen
85 horse whole cavalry undivided
89 Carries shoots forward like an arrow or other missile
90 yet still
91 power … distractions army was deployed in separate detachments (or “… employed such diversionary tactics”)
92 Beguiled deceived
97 throws forth delivers
3 whole together, undivided
4 exceed go beyond
5 prescript instruction, command
6 jump venture, hazard
1 yond the further, other
2 eye sight
battle army
Alarum a trumpet call to arms
2 admiral flagship (named Antoniad)
3 sixty other ships of the Egyptian fleet
4 blasted blinded, as though struck by lightning or malign planetary influence
7 thy passion the cause of your outburst
8 cantle portion, section
9 With very ignorance through sheer stupidity
kissed away said goodbye to, but also implying that Antony’s amorous behavior is the cause
12 tokened pestilence final stages of the plague, when red spots (“the Lord’s tokens”) appear
13 Yon yonder, that
ribaudred exact meaning unclear; perhaps “ribald” (licentious, immoral) or “ribald-rid” (ridden by a licentious man) (“ribald” is a variant spelling of “ribaud”)
nag worn-out old horse/whore
14 o’ertake infect
/overcome (leprosy was often confused with venereal disease)
15 vantage advantage
16 Both … same equal on each side
elder stronger, more likely to achieve victory
17 breeze gadfly that bites cattle (plays on the sense of “light wind,” necessary to fill the sails of Cleopatra’s departing ship)
18 flies flees
22 loofed luffed, brought around into the wind/aloof, at a distance
24 Claps … sea-wing hoists his sails
doting mallard lovesick male duck
25 in at its
26 action deed/military campaign
32 knew himself knew himself to be (i.e. courageous, honorable)
34 grossly flagrantly
35 thereabouts considering such a course
goodnight it’s all over
36 Peloponnesus large peninsula in southern Greece
37 to’t to get to it
attend await
39 render surrender, hand over
43 chance fortunes
44 Sits … against is in direct opposition to
3 lated late, overtaken by night
13 that that which
14 mutiny quarrel with one another
15 they them the brown hairs reprove the white
18 Sweep your way make the path easy
19 loathness reluctance
hint opportunity
20 despair spiritual hopelessness that precedes suicide
Let … itself leave me since I have abandoned myself
22 possess you put you in possession
23 little little while
Pray you I pray you, please
24 command the power to order you (to go)/authority over my troops/command over myself
29 Juno chief Roman goddess, wife to Jupiter
32 fie exclamation of disgust or reproach
36 Yes, my lord Antony is lost in thought; unaware of Cleopatra’s presence, he addresses someone he is thinking of
he i.e. Caesar
Philippi the battle at which Antony and Octavius Caesar defeated Cassius and Brutus, key members of the group that had just assassinated Julius Caesar
37 sword … dancer in its scabbard, like a dancer’s sword worn for ornament
39 mad foolish/insane/enraged
ended defeated
alone only
40 Dealt on lieutenantry employed subordinates to do the fighting
41 squares affairs/rules/squadrons
42 stand by be ready to help me; apparently Cleopatra feels faint
45 unqualitied deprived of the qualities that define him, unmanned
46 sustain support
48 declined drooping, bowed
but unless
49 comfort support/well-being
50 reputation personal honor, my good name
51 swerving error, transgression
54 convey … dishonour hide away brooding over everything I have lost through my dishonorable behavior
eyes sight
56 ’Stroyed destroyed
61 strings heartstrings
64 beck nod, silent gesture of command
bidding orders
68 young man i.e. Caesar
treaties entreaties/negotiations
69 palter haggle, negotiate/equivocate, deal evasively or cunningly
shifts of lowness desperate measures (or “tricks”) to which the humiliated are driven
73 sword phallic connotations
affection love/passion/sexual desire
74 on all cause whatever the reason
76 rates equals, is worth
a he (i.e. the schoolmaster)
79 sent our schoolmaster i.e. as ambassador to Caesar
80 full of lead i.e. burdened with grief
81 viands food
4 argument sign, indication
plucked i.e. stripped of power and authority
5 pinion furthest section of a bird’s wing
6 Which who
Ambassador the schoolmaster
10 petty insignificant
ends plans
11 myrtle leaf leaf of the myrtle, an aromatic Mediterranean shrub, sacred to Venus, symbol of love, peace, and honor
12 his grand sea the great ocean that is Antony/the great ocean from which it originated
13 Declare thine office say what you’ve come for
15 Requires requests
not granted if this request is not granted
16 sues formally requests
17 breathe i.e. live
21 circle … Ptolemies crown of the kings of Egypt
22 hazarded … grace dependent upon your favor, staked on your goodwill
25 Of … so will not fail to get a hearing or her wish so long as
26 friend lover
30 Bring escort
bands troops
31 Dispatch make haste/get going
32 From … Cleopatra persuade Cleopatra to abandon Antony
33 in our name on my authority (Caesar uses the royal pronoun)
add … offers think up further offers yourself
34 Women … vestal women aren’t strong at the best of times but when in need the purest virgin will break her vows
36 cunning skill
37 Make … pains decide on your own reward for your efforts
38 answer make good, fulfill, observe
40 becomes his flaw behaves in his downfall
41 very action speaks every action means
42 power that moves move he makes
2 Think i.e. reflect on our situation/indulge in melancholy thoughts
3 we I
4 will desire/penis
6 several ranges separate battle-lines
8 affection passion/lust
9 nicked negated/dented, damaged/won (gambling term)/cut off (possible castration connotations)
captainship military leadership
12 course follow
flying fleeing
13 gazing watching in amazement
17 The … up Cleopatra will be well treated if she gives me up to Caesar
25 he … particular as he has the bloom of youth on him, the world should expect some remarkable deed
28 ministers agents, subordinates
31 gay caparisons showy trappings
32 answer me declined fight with me in a similarly diminished fashion
33 Ourselves alone just the two of us
34 high-battled with great armies at his command
35 Unstate his happiness deprive himself of his powerful position and good fortune
staged to th’show put on public display (as if in a gladiatorial contest)
36 sworder gladiator
37 A parcel of of a piece with, reflect
things … alike calamitous external events have a corresponding psychological effect (Antony’s judgment has been impaired by the deterioration in his fortunes)
40 Knowing understanding
measures a “measure” is a vessel of a fixed capacity and sets up the image of power as a cup that can be full or empty
full at the height of his power
41 Answer respond to
45 blown withered
47 honesty sense of honor, integrity
square be in conflict
49 faith fidelity
52 i’th’story in the narrative/history book
he … i’th’story he who remains loyal to his lord in defeat overcomes the ill fortune that overthrew his master and so deserves fame and recognition
54 apart in private
55 None but friends all are friends here
56 haply perhaps/probably
58 Or … us or else he doesn’t need us (his situation being so desperate)
59 for as for
60 Whose … Caesar’s i.e. any friend of Antony is a friend of ours, so we are Caesar’s friends
63 Not … Caesar do not worry about your situation insofar as you know you’r
e dealing with Caesar (a deliberately ambiguous statement: being Caesar may imply mercy or the power to punish)
65 right royal very generous
70 constrainèd forced, compelled
73 right true
74 merely only/completely
78 quit abandon
80 require request
81 desired asked
85 his … landlord the protection of him who is the lord of the whole world (shroud plays ominously on the sense of “sheet in which to wrap a corpse”)
90 in deputation as my representative/in your role as deputy
93 all-obeying breath voice that is obeyed by all
94 doom fate/sentence
Egypt Cleopatra/the country
97 If … it i.e. if one is courageous enough to exercise wisdom, no ill fortune can affect matters
100 father by adoption only; in fact Julius Caesar was his great-uncle
101 mused … in thought about conquering kingdoms
103 As as if
104 Favours? i.e. referring to Thidias’ being allowed to kiss Cleopatra’s hand (sexual connotations)
105 fellow (lowly) man/servant
107 fullest most powerful
110 kite whore/scavenging bird of prey (addressed to Cleopatra)
112 muss game in which small objects are thrown to be scrambled for
114 jack knave, common fellow
115 whelp cub
118 tributaries those who pay tribute
120 saucy familiar
121 Since she was who used to be
122 cringe contract, distort (in pain)
128 blasted blighted, withered
130 Forborne done without
getting begetting, conceiving
a lawful race legitimate descendants
132 feeders parasites/dependents who eat at another’s table
134 boggler waverer, equivocator/one ready to use her bogle boe, i.e. vagina
136 seel close up (literally, sew up as the eyes of a young hawk were for training purposes)
139 confusion overthrow, destruction
142 trencher wooden platter
fragment scrap, leftover
143 Gneius Pompey son of Pompey the Great and lover of Cleopatra
hotter more lustful
144 vulgar fame common gossip
145 Luxuriously lecherously
picked out collected/passed
146 temperance restraint of sexual appetite
150 “God quit you!” expression of thanks from one of lower rank
quit requite, reward
151 seal token, pledge
152 plighter one who pledges
high noble
153 hill of Basan near the Sea of Galilee and described in Psalms 22:12 as frequented by “many bulls”
outroar bellow more angrily than, be more bull-like than
outroar … herd men with unfaithful wives were popularly supposed to grow horns
154 savage cause cause for beastly behavior