ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA. The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra naturally follows that of Julius Cæsar in date of production: it was entered on the Stationers' Books (for copyright purposes) in 1608, but not then printed: its first publication was in the folio of 1623, under the title of "The Tragedie of Anthonie, and Cleopatra." The historical narrative given in North's translation of Plutarch's Life of Antony is very faithfully reproduced in this dramatic mirror, which pictures two of the most celebrated lovers in the history of the world-exposes the secret personal springs of great State negotiations-shows us that Kings and Queens are but men and women; often controlled, like the meanest of their subjects, by degrading passions, weaknesses, and vices. We have not merely personal but mental photographs of the great Triumvirate in the unemotional Lepidus, the genial voluptuary Antony, and the cautious young Octavius Cæsar,-who afterwards became sole master of the Roman world, and, under the title of Augustus, earned the praise of all good men, and the grateful adulations of Horace, of Ovid, and of Virgil. In Marc Antony had been early distinguished, not only for his military but his civil talents; an orator and a politician, sagacious, skilful, and ambitious, but unscrupulous, sensual, prodigal, and revengeful; ever the comrade of his soldiers, rather than their general a lavish eulogist of Julius Cæsar, but the fatal enemy of Cicero "a masker and a reveller," but a master of the world! his earlier career he had been married to Fulvia, a shrill-tongued scold, bold and ambitious; who, when this her third husband-a wedded wooer of over fifty-fell into the snares of Cleopatra the beautiful Queen of Egypt-a sprightly widow of thirty-eight,-urged Octavius to take up arms against her faithless lord, that the grim monster War might avenge her private wrongs. Cleopatra had been early married to her brother Ptolemy, and on his death at the early age of eleven, she became sole Queen. She was known to have lavished her favours on Pompey (who died 48 B. C.) and on Julius Cæsar, to whom she bore a son named Cæsarion (who afterwards obtained the title of King from the Roman Triumvirs, but was killed by order of Augustus at the age of eighteen, B. C. 30). Cleopatra is depicted as artful and accomplished, wayward, voluptuous, and wicked-but beautiful. Her companionship so degraded her once noble lover Antony (a pleasure-seeker "foraging for death") that their lives now "point a moral" and disgrace a history. In the play she thus foretells her dramatic doom; "Saucy lictors Will catch at us like wantons, and scald rhymers Extemporally will stage us, and present Our Alexandrian revels: Antony Shall be brought drunken forth; and I shall see Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness." For, in the days of Shakespeare, all the female characters of his plays (and this is the main excuse for expunging much of the wit and wisdom he has bequeathed to us) were performed by boys,-who thus served a kind of dramatic apprenticeship to the older actors. Coleridge says:-"Of all Shakespeare's Historical Plays, Antony and Cleopatra is by far the most wonderful . . . whether the play is not, in all exhibitions of a giant power in its strength and vigour of maturity, a formidable rival of Macbeth,' 'Lear,' 'Hamlet,' and 'Othello.' 999 The historical Time occupies about nine years: that is, from about two years after the Battle of Philippi (B. C. 42) to the deaths of Antony and Cleopatra (B. C. 30). The Scenes are laid in various parts of the Roman Empire, but chiefly at Alexandria (in Egypt) and in Rome. The two great battles at Philippi resulted in the defeat of the Republican party, headed by Brutus and Cassius; and threw all power into the hands of the Second Triumvirate, which consisted of Octavius Cæsar, Lepidus, and Marc Antony. After the ruin of Pompey, and even before the dismission of Lepidus, (whose comparative unfitness for his high position was soon discovered by his associates,) Octavius and Antony were enabled to divide the Roman dominions. Italy was left in common; Octavius Cæsar was to rule over Spain, while to Marc Antony were assigned the East and Africa. On his way to the East, he cited Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt, to appear before him, and he soon fell under the enchantment of her bewitching beauty. The Scene discloses a Room in Queen Cleopatra's Palace at Alexandria. Two Officers, Demetrius and Philo, subordinates to Marc Antony, are in conversation. Phi. Nay, but this 'dotage of our general's 'O'erflows the measure: his goodly eyes 'now turn Upon a 'tawny front. Look where they come. Flourish. Enter Antony and Cleopatra, with their train. The doting Queen addresses her fascinated admirer : Cleo. If it be 'love indeed, tell me how 'much? Ant. There's 'beggary in the love that can be 'reckoned. Cleo. I'll set a bourn' how 'far to be beloved. Ant. Then must thou needs find out 'new heaven, new 'Fulvia, perchance, is 'angry; or, who knows If the scarce-bearded Cæsar have not sent Call-in the messengers.-As I am Egypt's Queen, Of the ranged' empire fall! Here is 'my space! a Holding the third part, as one of the Triumvirs. b Limit, boundary. c Offends, annoys. d Briefly: the result only. e Subdue, include. fO. R. damn. g Yielder of homage. h Fulvia is said to have overruled her three husbands. i Arranged, well governed. Ant. 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 to-night? Cleo. 'Hear the ambassadors. Ant. Fie, wrangling Queen! To-night we 'll wander though the 'streets, and note 'Last night you did 'desire it.-Speak not to us. [To Mess [Ex. Ant. ad Cleo. The Antony and Cleopatra withdraw. Charmian and Iras, the Queen's waiting-women-with Alexas her gentleman-usher-remain. volatile Charmian says: Char. '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 who is to be my husband! Alex. Soothsayer! Sooth. Your will? [The Soothsayer advances. Char. ... Is this the man?-Is 't you, sir, that know things? Sooth. In nature's infinite book of secrecy Alex. A 'little I can read. Show him your hand. Char. Good sir, give me 'good fortune. Sooth. I 'make not, but foresee. Char. Pray then, foresee me 'one. During the palmistry, the cynical Enobarbus enters as a looker-on. Sooth. . . . You 'shall be yet far 'fairer than you 'are. Char. He means, in flesh. Iras. No; you shall 'paint when you are old. Char. Wrinkles forbid ! Sooth. . . . You shall be more 'beloving than belov'd. Char. Good now, some 'excellent fortune! Let me be married to 'three Kings in a forenoon, and widow them all! Sooth. . . . You shall 'outlive the lady whom you serve. a Except, unless. b For the sake of the Queen of love ranks. é An old proverb. c Consume. d Varied Sooth. .. You have seen, and proved, a fairer 'former fortune Than that which is to 'approach. Char. Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch.— Nay, come, tell Iras 'hers. We'll 'all know our for tunes. Enobarbus jocularly says: Eno. Mine, and most of our drunk to bed.-Hush! fortunes, to-night, shall beHere comes Antony. All obsequiously withdraw, as Marc Antony approaches in conversation with the Messenger: Mess. Fulvia thy wife first came into the field. Ant. Against my brother Lucius? Well, what 'worst? Mess. Labienus- This is stiff' news-hath with his Parthian force Ant. Antony, thou wouldst say,- Mess. O, my lord! d Ant. Speak to me 'home, mince not the 'general tongue : Name Cleopatra as she is called in 'Rome; Rail thou in 'Fulvia's phrase; and taunt 'my faults With such full licence, as both 'truth and 'malice Have power to utter. O, 'then we bring forth weeds When our quick 'minds' lie still: ... Farewell awhile. Mess. At your noble pleasure. Ant. From Sicyon, ho, the news! Speak there! Antony calls for another Messenger: [Exit Messenger. The man from Sicyon!--is there such an one? Att. He stays upon your will. Ant. Let him appear. These strong 'Egyptian fetters I must 'break, Her length of sickness, with what else more serious a Proceed. e Fertile. b Harsh, disagreeable. c Seized on. d Directly to the point. fO. R. windes. |