Early Modern Drama · Character Archetypes

THIDIAS

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)Thid.
Words184
Characters986
Typicality0.46 (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 go. Caesar, I shall. Hear it apart. So haply are they Friends to Anthony. So. Thus then thou most renowned, Caesar intreats, Not to consider in what case thou standest Further then he is Caesars. He knows that you embrace not Anthony As you did love, but as you feared him. The scarre's upon your Honour, therefore he Does pity, as constrained blemishes, Not as deserved. Shall I say to Caesar, What you require of him: for he partly begs To be desired to give. It much would please him, That of his Fortune's you should make a staff To lean upon. But it would warm his spirits To hear from me you had left Anthony, And put your self under his shroud, the universal Land lord. My name is Thidias. It's your Noblest course: Wisdom and Fortune combatting together, If that the former dare but what it can, No chance may shake it. Give me grace to lay My duty on your hand. One that but performs The bidding of the fullest man, and worthiest To have command obeyed. Mark Anthony.

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.