Commentary

Act I

Quotes
Act I
Philo
dotage of our generals overflows the measure
Antonys eyes that glowed like plated Mars now bend upon a tawny front
Cleopatra a gipsy and Antony turned from the triple pillar of the world into a strumpets fool

Word from Rome grates Antonys ears

Let Rome in TIber melt
Een as the oerflowing Nilus presageth famine - By overflowing its banks, the Nile river irrigates
the soil and makes the land fertile
These Egyptian fetters I must break, or lose myself in dotage
Antony: Cleopatra is cunning
Enobarbus: her passions are made of noithing but the finest part of pure love.
Charmian: tempt [Antony] not so too far - foreshadowing Cleopatra going too far with her games
Cleopatra: How this Herculean Roman does becoe the carriage of his chafe - Antony acts out of
his performance of anger.
Caesar: Antony is a man who is the abstract of all faults epitome/embodiment of all faults
Cleopatra: Antony is a demi-Atlas
stage direction: Antony and Caesar enter from different sides of the stage
Antony: posiond hours spent with Cleopatra bound [him] from [his] own knowledge
Antony: Enobarbus is a soldier only. Speak no more
Enobarbus: the truth should be silent, I had almost forgot
Antony: must thank him (Pompey) for his recent favours, while Lepidus and Caesar states must
Pompey presently be sought or else he seeks out us - Caesar will not allow time for Antonys
courteousness.
Enobarbus: Cleopatras image oerpictur[ed] Venus
Enobarbus: [Anotony] married but his occasion here
Antony: The higher the Nilus swells, the more it promises
Antony: If I lose mine honour, I lose myself
Caesar denied [Lepidus] rivality (partnership/equality) till death enlarge his confine give Lepidus
life imprisonment. Note different to Plutarch, leaves out Lepidus treason against Caesar,
suggesting Shakespeares intention of possibly portraying Caesar as a practical and ambitious
commander.
Caesar: Cleopatra is a whore
Antony: for that he dares us tot
Enorbarbus: ships are not well mannd people engrossd by swift impress - got together by
hurried conscription. Throwing away Antonys absolute soldiership

Caesar: Do not exceed the prescript of this scroll - Roman to Egytian views. Keep within
boundary
Scarus: we have kissd away kingdoms and provinces
Scarus: Antony is like a doting mallard never saw an action of such shame. experience,
manhood, honour, neer before did violate so itself
Canidius: Had [Antony] been what he knew, it would have gone well render [their] legions to
Caesar
Enobarbus: Ill yet follow the wounded chance of Antony, though my reason sits in the wind against
me
Antony: Even this repays me (kiss)
Enobarbus: Mine honesty and I begin to square my honour and my self-interest begin to be at
odds with each other.
Loyalty well held to fools does make our faith mere folly - loyalty that stays faithful to fools makes
the faith itself itself become foolish
Caesar: laugh at his challenge
soldier: Tis the god Hercules whom Antony lovd now leaves him
Antony: my fortunes have corrupted honest men. guilty forcing Enobarbus to leave
Enobarbus: I am alone the villain of the earth
Caesar: Antony was his brother, competitor, friend and companion in the front of war
Cleopatra bravest at the last royal, took her own way noble
she looks like sleep, as she would catch another Antony in her strong toil of grace - the powerful
snare of her fascination
No grave upon the earth shall clip in it a pair so famous
Their deaths classed as high events, their funerals a great solemnity