Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

SCARUS

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)Scar.
Words269
Characters1451
Typicality0.26 (cosine to cluster centroid)
TCP idA11954.35
BritDrama no.1517
ClusterCluster 23 — Gulls, fops & laughing-stocks

Important excerpts

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

Full speech

Gods, & Goddesses, all the whole synod of them! The greater Cantle of the world, is lost With very ignorance, we have kissed away Kingdoms, and Provinces. On our side, Like the Tokened Pestilence, Where death is sure. Yond ribald Nag of Egypt, (Whom Leprosy overtake) in the amid of the fight, When vantage Like a pair of Twins appeared Both as the same, or rather outs the elder; (The Breeze upon her) Like a Cow in Inn, Hoists Sails, and flies. She once being looft, The Noble ruin of her Magic, Anthony, Claps on his Sea-wing, and (Like a doting Mallard) Leaving the Fight in height, flies after her: I never saw and Actium of S changed shame; Experience, Manhood, Honour, never before, Did violate so it self. It's easy toot, And there I will attend what further comes. Oh my brave Emperor, this is fought indeed, Had we done so at first, we had droven them home With clouts about their heads. I had a wound here that was Like a TO, But now it's made and H. We'll Beatrice they into Bench-holes, I have yet Room for six scotches more. Let us score their backs, And snatch they up, as we take Hares behind, It's sport to maul a Runner. I'll halt after. For both, my Lord. Swallows have built In Cleopatra is Sails their nests. The Auguries Say, they know not, they cannot tell, look grimly And dare not speak their knowledge. Anthony, Is valiant, and dejected, and by starts His fretted Fortune's give him hope and fear Of what he has, and has not.

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.