Passages from this character's speech that contain the most distinguishing words for Cluster 20 (ithimore, nat, invisible, notary, glycerie, humfrey…). Matches are highlighted.
send, we much endure. MAdam, all drugs with pain and torment kill That kill with speed. No easy way to death Is wrought but by a slow and lingering course, Where Nature's strength is by degrees subdued, And yielding so decays insensibly. No art at all can make a drug that's quick And gentle too. No poison but the Asp Of all
too. No poison but the Asp Of all the mortal brood of Libyaes Snakes Kills with a sudden, and yet easy death As if brought forth to contradict our skill By envious Nature, who disdains frail man Should hope to find her secrets wholly out. None but that Serpent, Madam, can effect Plutarch. What you desire; of which I here have
Full speech
I have enough in readiness; or else 'Twould be too late to think on't now, the Queen Is upon entrance. The change, Seleucus Is not so sudden as you speak; this storm Has been expected long; the two great Lords Of all the Roman world, Antonius And Caesar have in heart been enemies These many years; and every man has wondered IT has been withheld so long, considering How much complaining has been daily made By them, their friends, and factions against each other Whose cause is justest let the Gods determine. The thing that troubles me, Seleucus is I hear it spoken in the Court, the Queen Her self in person will associate Antonius to the war. Let us inquire The certainty; I fain would be resolved. rue, hat reason will excuse thee for inquiring. Exeunt. It moved directly upward, And did not vanish till it seemed to reach The firmament. That Comet, father, over the Grecian Sea. In Room and other parts of Italy Sudden and strangely kindled fires have done Exceeding waste; and we are certified That now Sicilian Aetna nourishes Dio. More horrid flames then usually it does, And farther casts his scorching entrails forth, Blasting the fields and burning up the corn. What hast thou God By all thy conquest Room, by all the blood Which thy ambition through the world has shed, But raised a power, which now thou canst not rule, Nourished a Lion to devour thy self? Well may it succeed. Egypt will flourish if Antonius conquer. What's that Mardio? This is more strange Then all the rest: this is our own Seleucus. Yes, and our friends, if they be vanquished, Keep out our friends, Seleucus, if their presence May pluck a war, and ruin on our heads. What is it father? our looks, I see, are full of ruth and woe. What heaven is pleased to send, we much endure. MAdam, all drugs with pain and torment kill That kill with speed. No easy way to death Is wrought but by a slow and lingering course, Where Nature's strength is by degrees subdued, And yielding so decays insensibly. No art at all can make a drug that's quick And gentle too. No poison but the Asp Of all the mortal brood of Libyaes Snakes Kills with a sudden, and yet easy death As if brought forth to contradict our skill By envious Nature, who disdains frail man Should hope to find her secrets wholly out. None but that Serpent, Madam, can effect Plutarch. What you desire; of which I here have brought. Yes Madam; but too painful And violent. I cannot tell, nor can I guess her meaning. 'Tis the same order that Antonius When last he feasted here, so much admired; And said amongst all the curiosities Plutarch. That he had seen, the placing of those lights. Did not the least affect him.
Plot summary
Plot — Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt
PLOT Though he has a wife in Rome, Antonius is devoted to Cleopatra. Provocatively, he bestows on her three eastern Provinces which were under Roman rule. News arrives from Rome that all but one of his rivals have been eclipsed; the remaining politician, Caesar, is too proud to share power and has engrossed the others' confiscated estates to himself rather than dividing them with Antonius. Antonius abandons hedonism to prepare for war, and Cleopatra forces him to allow her to accompany him. Portents appear in Egypt and Rome, including a comet. During the decisive battle, Cleopatra flees and Antonius follows her, leaving his navy to be massacred; his soldiers transfer their allegiance to Caesar. Antonius goes to live in misanthropic seclusion, madly taking on the name and identity of Timon of Athens. Cleopatra offers Caesar gold to keep herself and her dynasty on the Egyptian throne. Caesar wants the gold, but also wants to display her at his triumph; but, knowing that she will never allow herself to be humiliated, he decides on a ruse. Meanwhile, Cleopatra investigates suicide methods, only to be told that there is no chemical poison which is both fast-acting and painless: her only option is the bite of an asp. She tests the claim on two condemned prisoners, administering the asp to one; when it does indeed appear to be a tranquil death, the other man is spared. Antonius is brought back to his senses by the news of his army's defection, and prepares to return to Cleopatra. While she is expecting his arrival, Thyreus brings her a message from Caesar, who claims to be in love with her. She is minded to accept and give Caesar one of her towns, but Antonius' friends suspect a plot and Thyreus is imprisoned. She accuses Antonius of unreasonable jealousy and threatens suicide, so Thyreus is released and sent back to Caesar with her acceptance of his terms. Cleopatra realizes that she has played false on both sides: her arrangement with Caesar will cost her Antonius' love, but conversely she cannot trust Caesar. While Antonius goes into battle, she retires to her tomb. After Antonius is routed, she sends him false news of her death, and he reacts suicidally. Learning the truth too late, he has himself taken to the tomb so that he can die in Cleopatra's arms. She realizes Caesar's insincerity and resolves to kill herself with the asp. Caesar brings medical specialists, but they are too late to save her life. Caesar honours Antonius and Cleopatra in death, and…