| 36, 37. that great medicine, etc.: --Alluding, perhaps, to the philosopher's stone, which, by its touch, was said to convert base metal into gold. The alchemists called the matter, whatever it was, by which they performed transmutation a medicine. So Chapman in his Shadow of Night, 1594: "O then, thou great elixir of all treasures." And on this passage he has the following note: "The philosopher's stone, or philosophica medicina, is called the great elixir." Walker thinks that medicine here means physician, and so the word was sometimes used. |
ACT SECOND.
Scene I.
| 4, 5. Whiles we are suitors, etc.: --Whiles for while; often used so by Shakespeare. The passage means, while we are praying, the thing for which we pray is losing its value. | |
| 26, 27. prorogue his honour . . . dullness: --"Delay his sense of honour from exerting itself till he is become habitually sluggish." Till means to, according to an ancient usage. | |
| 30, 31. since he went . . . travel: --Since he left Egypt time enough has elapsed for a longer journey. |
Scene II.
| 8. I would not shave't: --I would meet him without even such a show of respect. | |
| 78. told him of myself: --Warburton, followed by others, explains this as meaning, "I told him the condition I was in when he had his last audience." Hudson's explanation (Harvard ed.) is, "I told him this of my own accord; or volunteered this information about myself." | |
| 85, 86. The honour, etc.: --Mason explains that the force of now does not fall with talks, but with is sacred; "the point of honour, which he talks on, is sacred with me now, however negligent, or untrue to my oath, I may have been then." He accordingly excuses his fault, asks pardon, and tenders reparation. | |
| 92-94. mine honesty, etc.: --My power or greatness shall not work in disregard of my honesty. | |
| 112 et seq. Cæsar means, I do not think the man wrong, but too free of his interposition; for it cannot be we shall remain in friendship; yet if it were possible, I would endeavour it." |
-176-
Questia, a part of Gale, Cengage Learning. www.questia.com
Publication information:
Book title: Antony and Cleopatra.
Contributors: William Shakespeare - Author.
Publisher: University Society.
Place of publication: New York.
Publication year: 1901.
Page number: 176.
This material is protected by copyright and, with the exception of fair use, may not be further copied, distributed or transmitted in any form or by any means.
One moment ...
- Georgia
- Arial
- Times New Roman
- Verdana
- Courier/monospaced
Reset