Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

MENAS

in Antony and Cleopatra — Shakespeare, William

Metadata

PlayAntony and Cleopatra
AuthorShakespeare, William
Year (catalogued)1623
First performance1607
Decade1620s
GenreTragedy
Play typeAdult Professional
CompanyKing's Men
Speech prefix(es)Men. | Menas.
Words340
Characters1730
Typicality0.21 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA11954.35
BritDrama no.1517
ClusterCluster 21 — Old fathers & plain counsel

Important excerpts

No keyword-matching excerpt could be extracted (the cluster label doesn't share vocabulary with this character's speech).

Full speech

Thy Father Pompey would never have made this Treaty. You, and I have known sir. We have Sir. And you by Land. Nor what I have done by water. And you by Land. All men's faces are true, whatsomere their hands are. No slander, they steal hearts. For my partly, I am sorry it is turned to a Drink king. Pompey does this day laugh away his Fortune. you have said Sir, we looked not for Mark And thony here, pray you, is he married to Cleopatra ? True Sir, she was the wife of Caius Marcellus. Pray 'ye sir. Then is Caesar and he, for ever knit together. I think the policy of that purpose, made more I the Marriage, then the love of the parties. Who would not have his wife so? And thus it may be, Come Sir, will you aboard? I have a health for you. Come, let's away. Forsake thy seat I do beseech thee Captain, And hear me speak a word. If for the sake of Merit thou wilt hear me, Rise from thy stool. I have ever held my cap off to thy Fortune's. Wilt thou be Lord of all the world? Wilt thou be Lord of the whole world? That's twice. But entertain it, and though thou think me poor. I am the man will give thee all the world. No Pompey, I have kept me from the cup, Thou art if thou darest be, the earthly Jove: What ere the Ocean pales, or sky inclippes, Is thine, if thou wilt have't. These three World-sharers, these Competitors Are in thy vessel. Let me cut the Cable, And when we are put off, fallen to their throats: All there is thine. For this, I'll never follow Thy pauled Fortune's more, Who seeks and will not take, when once it's offered, Shall never find it more. Enobarbus, welcome. Why? The third partly, then he is drunk: would it were all, that it might go on wheels. Come. Hoa, Noble Captain, come. Pompey, a word.

Plot summary

Plot — Antony and Cleopatra
Antony dallies with Cleopatra in Egypt while the Roman world collapses into faction. His wife and brother make war on Caesar, and Pompey takes advantage of his absence to foment a sea war with the state and avenge his murdered father. At first Antony ignores Caesar’s messages, but his wife’s death draws him back to Rome, where he and Caesar are reconciled; to seal the league, Antony marries Caesar’s sister, Octavia. A soothsayer, who has told the fortunes of members of Cleopatra’s court, warns him that, although he is a better man than Caesar, Caesar will always prove the more successful of the two. Antony, Caesar, and Lepidus meet Pompey with an army, but war is averted. Lepidus gets egregiously drunk at the feast on Pompey’s galley to celebrate the treaty. Pompey refuses his ally Menas’ dishonourable proposal to kill the triumvirate and make him master of the world. Antony’s lieutenant Ventidius defeats the Parthians in battle, but is cautious about taking too much of the credit for himself. Meanwhile, news of Antony’s marriage reaches Cleopatra; she does not take it well. Antony leaves Rome with his new wife, but absence breeds suspicion between him and Caesar. Caesar breaks the truce with Pompey and deposes Lepidus on a pretext. Antony, in turn, sends Octavia home and returns to Egypt, where he creates Cleopatra queen of several dominions. War between east and west follows. Antony perversely chooses to fight by sea, and Cleopatra insists on being present at the battle. They are routed when Cleopatra flees and Antony follows her. Antony’s followers begin to defect to Caesar, but Enobarbus remains loyal. Caesar attempts to divide the lovers by offering Cleopatra security if she will banish or kill Antony. Antony has the messenger whipped for over-familiarity with Cleopatra, and determines to fight to the bitter end. Enobarbus decides finally to go over to Caesar, but leaves behind his treasure; Antony sends it after him, and the guilt-stricken Enobarbus dies. Antony defeats Caesar in a land battle, but loses the next day at sea. Spurned by Antony, Cleopatra takes refuge in her monument and sends him false news of her death. He stabs himself and is pulled up, dying, to join Cleopatra in the monument. Caesar hopes to display Cleopatra in his triumph at Rome, but she frustrates him by smuggling an asp past her guard and committing suicide.