Antony and Cleopatra: Cheating the World’s Great Snare

Monday, March 3, 2008Boris Roubakine Recital Hall, Craigie Hall C105

made possible through the generous support of the Lefebvre Foundation

MONDAY NIGHT SHAKESPEARE with Dr. James Black

PRESENTED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF CALGARY FACULTY OF FINE ARTS AND THE LEFEBVRE FOUNDATION

ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA Kittredge text

Excerpt 1 – Act I, Scene i

PHILO Nay,butthisdotageofourgeneral’s O’erflowsthemeasure.Thosehisgoodlyeyes Thato’erthefilesandmustersofthewar Haveglow’dlikeplatedMars,nowbend,nowturn,5 Theofficeanddevotionoftheirview Uponatawnyfront.Hiscaptain’sheart, Whichinthescufflesofgreatfightshathburst Thebucklesonhisbreast,renegesalltemper Andisbecomethebellowsandthefan Tocoolagypsy’slust.

Flourish. EnterAntony,Cleopatra,her Ladies,theTrain,withEunuchs,fanningher. Lookwheretheycome!10 Takebutgoodnote,andyoushallseeinhim Thetriplepillaroftheworldtransform’d Intoastrumpet’sfool.

Excerpt 2 – Act I, Scene i

ANTONY LetRomeinTibermeltandthewidearch Oftherang’dempirefall!Hereismyspace…

CLEOPATRA Excellentfalsehood!40 WhydidhemarryFulvia,andnotloveher? I’llseemthefoolIamnot.Antony Willbehimself.

Excerpt 3 – Act II, Scene ii

ENOBARBUS190 Iwilltellyou. Thebargeshesatin,likeaburnish’dthrone, Burn’donthewater.Thepoopwasbeatengold; Purplethesails,andsoperfumedthat Thewindswerelovesickwiththem;theoarsweresilver,195 Whichtothetunesoffluteskeptstroke,andmade Thewaterwhichtheybeattoflowfaster, Asamorousoftheirstrokes.Forherownperson, Itbeggar’dalldescription.Shedidlie Inherpavilion,cloth-of-goldoftissue, O’erpicturingthatVenus…200 …Oneachsideher Stoodprettydimpledboys,… Withdivers-colour’dfans,whosewinddidseem Toglowthedelicatecheekswhichtheydidcool,

Hergentlewomen,likeNereides, Somanymermaids,tendedheri’th’eyes, Andmadetheirbendsadornings.

Thesilkentackle210 Swellwiththetouchesofthoseflowersofthands Thatyarelyframetheoffice.Fromthebarge Astrangeinvisibleperfumehitsthesense Oftheadjacentwharfs.

Excerpt 4 – Act II, Scene ii

ENOBARBUS Isawheronce Hopfortypacesthroughthepublicstreet;230 Andhavinglostherbreath,shespoke,andpanted, Thatshedidmakedefectperfection And,breathless,powerbreathforth.

MAECENAS NowAntonymustleaveherutterly.

ENOBARBUS Never!Hewillnot.235 Agecannotwitherhernorcustomstale Herinfinitevariety.Otherwomencloy Theappetitestheyfeed,butshemakeshungry Whereshemostsatisfies;forvilestthings Becomethemselvesinher,thattheholypriests240 Blessherwhensheisriggish.

Excerpt 5 – Act I, Scene iii

ANTONY Letusgo.Come. Ourseparationsoabidesandflies Thatthou,residinghere,goesyetwithme, AndI,hencefleeting,hereremainwiththee.

Excerpt 6 – Act II, Scene v

CLEOPATRA10 Givememineangle!we’lltoth’river.There, Mymusicplayingfaroff,Iwillbetray Tawny-finn’dfishes.Mybendedhookshallpierce Theirslimyjaws;andasIdrawthemup, I’llthinkthemeveryoneanAntony, Andsay,“Ah,ha!y’arecaught!”

CHARMIAN15 ‘Twasmerrywhen Youwager’donyourangling,whenyourdiver Didhangasaltfishonhishook,whichhe Withfervencydrewup.

CLEOPATRA Thattime?Otimes! Ilaugh’dhimoutofpatience;andthatnight20 Ilaugh’dhimintopatience;andnextmorn EretheninthhourIdrunkhimtohisbed, Thenputmytiresandmantlesonhim,whilst IworehisswordPhilippan.

Excerpt 7 – Act II, Scene vii

LEPIDUS Y’havestrangeserpentsthere.

ANTONY Ay,Lepidus

LEPIDUS25 YourserpentofEgyptisbrednowofyourmudbythe operationofyoursun;soisyourcrocodile.

ANTONY Theyareso….

LEPIDUS Whatmannero’thingisyourcrocodile?

ANTONY Itisshap’d,sir,likeitself,anditisasbroadasithath40 breadth.Itisjustsohighasitis,andmoveswithitown organs.Itlivesbythatwhichnourishethit,andtheele- mentsonceoutofit,ittransmigrates.

LEPIDUS Whatcolourisitof?

ANTONY Ofitowncolourtoo.

LEPIDUS45 ‘Tisastrangeserpent.

ANTONY ‘Tisso.Andthetearsofitarewet.

Excerpt 8 – Act III, Scene vi

OCTAVIA Hail,Caesar,andmylord!hail,mostdearCaesar!

CAESAR40 ThateverIshouldcallthecastaway!

OCTAVIA Youhavenotcall’dmeso,norhaveyoucause.

CAESAR Whyhaveyoustol’nuponusthus?Youcomenot LikeCaesar’ssister.ThewifeofAntony Shouldhaveanarmyforanusher,and45 Theneighsofhorsetotellofherapproach Longereshedidappear.[50 ]Butyouarecome Amarket-maidtoRome,andhaveprevented Theostentationofourlove,which,leftunshown, Isoftenleftunlov’d.

OCTAVIA55 Goodmylord, TocomethuswasInotconstrain’d,butdidit Onmyfreewill.Mylord,MarkAntony, Hearingthatyouprepar’dforwar,acquainted Mygrievedearwithal;whereonIbegg’d Hispardonforreturn.

CAESAR60 Whichsoonhegranted, Beinganabstract‘tweenhislustandhim.

OCTAVIA MylordinAthens.

CAESAR65 No,mymostwrongedsister.Cleopatra Hathnoddedhimtoher.Hehathgivenhisempire Uptoawhore,whonowarelevying Theking’so’th’earthforwar.

Excerpt 9 – Act II, Scene xiii

THYREUS HeknowsthatyouembracenotAntony Asyoudidlove,butasyoufear’dhim.

CLEOPATRA O!

60 Heisagod,andknows Whatismostright.Minehonourwasnotyielded, Butconquer’dmerely.

THYREUS65 ShallIsaytoCaesar Whatyourequireofhim?Forhepartlybegs Tobedesiredtogive. …Butitwouldwarmhisspirits70 TohearfrommeyouhadleftAntony Andputyourselfunderhisshroud, Theuniversallandlord.

CLOEPATRA What’syourname?

THYREUS MynameisThyreus.

CLEOPATRA

Mostkindmessenger, SaytogreatCaesarthis;indeputation75 Ikisshisconqu’ringhand.TellhimIamprompt Tolaymycrownat’sfeet,andtheretokneel. Tellhim,fromhisall-obeyingbreathIhear ThedoomofEgypt.

THYREUS Givemegracetolay Mydutyonyourhand.

CLEOPATRA YourCaesar’sfatheroft, Whenhehathmus’doftakingkingdomsin, Bestow’dhislipsonthatunworthyplace Asitrain’dkisses. Enter AntonyandEnobarbus. ANTONY85 Favours,byJovethatthunders!

Excerpt 10 – Act IV, Scene xi

CLEOPATRA Lordoflords! Oinfinitevirtue,com’stthousmilingfrom Theworld’sgreatsnareuncaught?

Excerpt 11 – Act IV, Scene xv

ANTONY Iamdying,Egypt,dying;only Ihereimportunatedeathawhile,until20 Ofmanythousandkissesthepoorlast Ilayuponthylips.

CLEOPATRA Idarenot,dear. Dearmylord,pardon!Idarenot, LestIbetaken.

25 Ifknife,drugs,serpentshave Edge,sting,oroperation,Iamsafe.

Butcome,come,Antony!30 Helpme,mywomen.Wemustdrawtheep. Assist,goodfriends.

ANTONY O,quick,orIamgone.

CLEOPATRA Here’ssportindeed!Howheavyweighsmylord! Ourstrengthisallgoneintoheaviness; Thatmakestheweight.

Yetcomealittle! Wisherswereeverfools.O,come,come,come! They heave AntonyalofttoCleopatra. Andwelcome,welcome!Diewhenthouhastliv’d! Quickenwithkissing.Hadmylipsthatpower, ThuswouldIwearthemout.

ALL40 Aheavysight!

ANTONY Iamdying,Egypt,dying. Givemesomewine,andletmespeakalittle.

CLEOPATRA Noblestofmen,woo’tdie?60 Hastthounocareofme?ShallIabide Inthisdullworld,whichinthyabsenceis Nobetterthanasty?O,see,mywomen, [Antonydies.] Thecrowno’th’earthdothmelt.

Excerpt 12 – Act V, Scene ii

CLEOPATRA Now,Charmian! Showme,mywomen,likeaqueen.Gofetch Mybestattires.IamagainforCydnus, TomeetMarkAntony.

Wherefore’sthisnoise?

EnteraGuardsman.

GUARDSMAN Hereisaruralfellow ThatwillnotbedeniedyourHighness’presence.235 Hebringsyoufigs.

CLEOPATRA Lethimcomein.

EnterGuardsmanandClown[with basket]. ExitGuardsman. HastthoutheprettywormofNilusthere Thatkillsandpainsnot?

CLOWN245 TrulyIhavehim.ButIwouldnotbethepartythat shoulddesireyoutotouchhim,forhisbitingisim- mortal.Thosethatdodieofitdoseldomorneverre- cover.

CLEOPATRA Gettheehence;farewell.

CLOWN Iwishyoualljoyoftheworm.

CLEOPATRA Givememyrobe,putonmycrown.Ihave280 Immortallongingsinme.Nownomore ThejuiceofEgypt’sgrapeshallmoistthislip. Yare,yare,goodIras;quick.MethinksIhear Antonycall.Iseehimrousehimself Topraisemynobleact.Ihearhimmock285 TheluckofCaesar,whichthegodsgivemen Toexcusetheirafterwrath.Husband,Icome! Nowtothatnamemycourageprovemytitle! Iamfireandair;myotherelements Igivetobaserlife.

300 IfshefirstmeetthecurledAntony, He’llmakedemandofher,andspendthatkiss Whichismyheaventohave.Come,thoumortalwretch,

[To an asp, which she applies to her breast.]

Withthysharpteeththisknotintrinsicate Oflifeatonceuntie.Poorvenomousfool,305 Beangry,anddispatch.O,couldstthouspeak, ThatImightheartheecallgreatCaesarass Unpolicied!

310 Assweetbalm,assoftasair,asgentle- OAntony!Nay,Iwilltaketheetoo:

[Applies another asp to her arm.]

WhatshouldIstay-Dies.

CHARMIAN Inthiswildworld?Sofaretheewell. Nowboastthee,death,inthypossessionlies Alassunparallel’d

Excerpt 13 – Act V, Scene ii

CAESAR Onobleweakness! Ifthyhadswallow’dpoison,‘twouldappear Byexternalswelling;butshelookslikesleep,345 AsshewouldcatchanotherAntony Inherstrongtoilofgrace.

DOLABELLA Hereonherbreast Thereisaventofblood,andsomethingblown; Thelikeisonherarm.

1GUARDSMAN Thisisanaspic’strail;andthesefigleaves350 Haveslimeonthem,suchasth’aspicleaves UponthecavesoftheNile.

Antony coin

Augustus coin

Cleopatra coin

Don’t miss these other great Faculty of Fine Arts events!

Tickets in advance

& at the door

$15 Adults

$10 Students/Seniors

tickets 220-7202

information 210-7576

March 13–15, 2008 • 8 pm

University Theatre

University of Calgary

mainstage

dance

Kalyn Swihart and Jordan Trechka in White by W

ojciech Mochniej. Photo by Tony Field

www. nearts.ucalgary.ca

F A C U L T Y O F F I N E A R T S – P R O G R A M O F D A N C E

MONDAY NIGHT SHAKESPEARE 20087:30 pm, Boris Roubakine Recital Hall

Craigie Hall C105Admission: FREE

Richard II: The Man Who Wouldn’t Be KingMonday, January 14 , 2008

Two Noble Kinsmen: A Medieval Knights’ DreamMonday, January 21, 2008

Henry VI: Parts 1,2, and 3 Upsidedownsizing RoyaltyMonday, January 28, 2008

King Henry VIII: No Other HeraldMonday, February 4, 2008

Coriolanus: Doing the State Some ServiceMonday, February 11, 2008

Julius Caesar: Kill Him in the ShellMonday, February 25, 2008

Antony and Cleopatra: Cheating the World’s Great SnareMonday, March 3, 2008

Pericles, Prince of Tyre: Dreaming of Such a ThingMonday, March 10, 2008

Cymbeline: Alphabet Soup and Posthumous LoveMonday, March 17, 2008

The Tempest: Golden StoryMonday, March 31, 2008

The Winter’s Tale 1: Sicilia Monday, April 7, 2008

The Winter’s Tale 2: Bohemia Monday, April 14, 2008