QUOTES FROM THE BARD

PLAY: Antony and Cleopatra
ACT/SCENE: 2.5
SPEAKER: Cleopatra
CONTEXT:
CLEOPATRA
That time—Oh, times!—
I laughed him out of patience, and that night
I laughed him into patience. And next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed,
Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst
I wore his sword Philippan.
Oh, from Italy!
Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
That long time have been barren.
MESSENGER
Madam, madam—
CLEOPATRA
Antonio’s dead! If thou say so, villain,
Thou kill’st thy mistress. But well and free,
If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here
My bluest veins to kiss —a hand that kings
Have lipped, and trembled kissing.
MESSENGER
First, madam, he is well.
CLEOPATRA
Why, there’s more gold. But, sirrah, mark, we use
To say the dead are well. Bring it to that,
The gold I give thee will I melt and pour
Down thy ill-uttering throat.

DUTCH:
Stort gij uw vruchtb’re tijding in mijn ooren,
Sinds lange dorstig, dor !

MORE:
Tires=Clothes
Philippan=The sword used by Antony to defeat Brutus and Cassius at Philippi (see “Julius Caesar”)
Yield=Grant
Villain=Of low social status, here also trouble-maker
Compleat:
To tire=Optooijen, de kap zetten
Yield=Overgeeven, toegeeven, geeven
Villain=Een staafachtige dienaar; Fielt, schelm, snoode boef

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