Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

PROCULEIUS

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)Pro.
Words216
Characters1146
Typicality0.47 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA11954.35
BritDrama no.1517
ClusterCluster 13 — Attendant courtiers & citizens

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Caesar I shall. Caesar sends greeting to the Queen of Egypt, And bids thee study on what fair demands Thou meanest to have him grant thee. My name is Proculeius. Be of good cheer: you are fallen into a Princely hand, fear nothing, Make your full reference freely to my Lord, Who is so full of Grace, that it flows over On all that need. Let me report to him Your sweet dependacie, and you shall find A Conqueror that will pray in aid for kindness, Where he for grace is kneeled too. This I'll report (deer Lady) Have comfort, for I know your plighted is pitied Of him that caused it. You see how easily she may be surprised: Guard her till Caesar come. Hold worthy Lady, hold: Do not your self such wrong, who are in this Relieved, but not betrayed. Cleopatra, do not abuse my Master's bounty, by the undoing of your self: Let the World see His Nobleness well acted, which your death Will never let come forth. O temperance Lady. You do extend These thoughts of horror further then you shall Find cause in Caesar. So Dolabella, It shall content me best: Be gentle to her, To Caesar I will speak, what you shall please, If you'll employ me to him.

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.