Quotes Flashcards
‘glowed like plated mars’
deification of antony - elevates A. The Roman god of war symbolizes strength, military dominance, and masculinity, emphasizing his reputation as a formidable warrior. The adj conveys a sense of radiance, warmth, and vitality
‘Demi atlas of the Earth’ -
the deification of Antony, realises his burden - duty to Rome. Elevates Antony to a near-mythic status, portraying him as a figure of immense importance and responsibility, central to the balance of the world - role as a leader in the Roman Triumvirate.
deification of antony - elevates A. The Roman god of war symbolizes strength, military dominance, and masculinity, emphasizing his reputation as a formidable warrior. The adj conveys a sense of radiance, warmth, and vitality
‘glowed like plated mars’
the deification of Antony, realises his burden - duty to Rome. Elevates Antony to a near-mythic status, portraying him as a figure of immense importance and responsibility, central to the balance of the world - role as a leader in the Roman Triumvirate.
‘Demi atlas of the Earth’ -
‘O’erpicturing Venus’
Deification of Celopatra’s otherwordly beauty. This hyperbolic language underscores her extraordinary magnetism. Cleopatra’s beauty and allure are not just physical traits but tools of power. her beauty and charm transcend natural bounds
‘Though he is painted one way like a Gorgon, the other way’s a Mars’
Cleopatra juxtaposes these two figures, presenting Antony as a man of dualities. The Mars imagery ties Antony to his Roman identity as a powerful general and a figure of heroism. Gorgon suggests Antony’s capacity for ruin—both his own self-destruction and the harm he brings to others
My salad days, When I was green in judgement, cold in blood’
green symbolizes inexperience and naivety - sexually unsatisfied, lack of strong emotion or passion in youth - Cleopatra did not feel the intensity of desire or love that now defines her relationship with Antony.
‘The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry, Where most she satisfies.’
food imagery - sexual appetite, Her allure is inexhaustible, creating an endless cycle of attraction and desire. Cleopatra satisfies the physical or emotional desires. Cleopatra embodies a love that is consuming and never fully satisfied.
‘for what his eyes ate only’
phrase portrays Antony’s fascination with Cleopatra as a sensory experience dominated by sight. The metaphor suggests an insatiable appetite for Cleopatra’s beauty. deliberate and powerful tool she uses to influence
He will to his Egyptian dish again.’
Cleopatra as an exotic and indulgent delight, highlighting Antony’s sensual and hedonistic attraction to her. Objectifies her and emphasizes the Roman perception of her as a source of pleasure rather than a complex political figure.
‘Spots of heaven, more fiery by night’s blackness’
Antony’s former greatness likened to Stars which symbolize brilliance, guidance, and constancy, sharp contrast between Antony’s past glory and his current perceived moral decline.The imagery suggests that Antony’s current behavior is eclipsing his former virtues.
Deification of Celopatra’s otherwordly beauty. This hyperbolic language underscores her extraordinary magnetism. Cleopatra’s beauty and allure are not just physical traits but tools of power. her beauty and charm transcend natural bounds
‘O’erpicturing Venus’
green symbolizes inexperience and naivety - sexually unsatisfied, lack of strong emotion or passion in youth - Cleopatra did not feel the intensity of desire or love that now defines her relationship with Antony.
My salad days, When I was green in judgement, cold in blood’
Cleopatra juxtaposes these two figures, presenting Antony as a man of dualities. The Mars imagery ties Antony to his Roman identity as a powerful general and a figure of heroism. Gorgon suggests Antony’s capacity for ruin—both his own self-destruction and the harm he brings to others
‘Though he is painted one way like a Gorgon, the other way’s a Mars’
Celestial and metaphoric imagery to emphasize themes of rivalry, destiny, and the tension between Antony and Caesar - “Thickens”: Suggests that Antony’s brilliance becomes obscured or diminished. cosmic imagery underscores the inevitability of Caesar’s dominance and Antony’s waning influence.
‘Thy lustre thickens/When he shines by’
Kingdoms are Clay, our dungy earth’
This imagery emphasizes the impermanence of political power and human achievements. Antony’s dismissal of kingdoms aligns him with the Egyptian worldview, where pleasure, love, and emotional fulfillment take precedence. Antony’s sentiment reflects an Epicurean rejection of materialism in favor of sensual and emotional fulfillment. Antony elevates his relationship with Cleopatra, framing it as more meaningful and enduring than the pursuits of earthly power. The play’s global dimensions and vast scale demonstrate the magnitude of Antony’s risk and subsequent fall
‘Let Rome in Tiber melt’
duty diminished and Rome dissolved - Antony’s complete infatuation with Cleopatra. hyperbolic imagery demonstrates how his Roman identity consumed by his passion for her. Antony’s dismissal of Rome symbolizes his prioritization of personal pleasure over roman duty, a choice that defines his tragic arc. conveys dissolution and impermanence, reinforcing the idea that Antony is abandoning the rigid structure of Rome for the fluid and sensual world of Egypt.
Act 3 Scene 13: ‘when my good starts that were my former guides/has empty left their orbs and shot their fires/into th’abysm of hell’
stars symbolize Antony’s former virtue which once guided him in life. The reference to celestial bodies emphasizes the grandeur of his past greatness, Current state as one of complete moral and personal failure, equating it with a fall into hell, collapse of his political and military power - Antony’s self-awareness of his tragic arc.
Eclipsed moon symbolizes Antony’s decline as preordained by fate. The moon, often associated with instability, mirrors Antony’s inner turmoil between Rome and Egypt, duty and desire.
‘our terrene moon is now eclipsed/and it portends alone the fall of Antony’
uncontrollable and consuming nature of Cleopatra’s allure, Enobarbus’ description is laced with admiration. Cleopatra’s influence transcends the human realm and reaches into the natural world.
‘winds were lovesick with them’
‘burned on the water’
“burned” suggests intense heat and passion - consuming sensuality. Cleopatra’s beauty is both beautiful and destructive, like fire on water. elements as enslaved to her - beauty, and allure are so immense that they transcend the ordinary,
Act 2 Scene 5 - ‘Melt Egypt into Nile and kindly creatures/ Turn all to serpents’
apocalyptic, hyperbolic image - convey devastation, desperation- dissolution of her kingdom. emotional response to Antony’s betrayal is not only destructive but also venomous and all-consuming. Despite her anger, Cleopatra’s is unable to escape her love for Antony
losing his grip on both his political power and his sense of self.This line conveys a sense of helplessness and resignation. Antony is not actively choosing to relinquish power, but rather it is slipping away. his identity as a Roman leader is being eroded
Act 3 Scene 13: ‘authority melts from me’
tension between duty and desire,, natural imagery - hedonistic lifestyle - loss of roman identity, weeds - distraction of desire and pleasure, Antony’s loss of self-control.
Act 1 Scene 2 - ‘forth weeds/when our quick minds lie still’
Cleopatra’s magnificence is so overwhelming that it creates an unnatural break in the world around her. presence commands the awe and adoration transcends natural boundaries. elements as enslaved to her, even nature entrapped by her
‘made a gap in nature’
Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale/Her infinite variety’
This idea elevates her above the mortality, where physical beauty inevitably fades with time. unique and incomparable appeal - unique and incomparable appeal. symbol of eternal allure and power, both physically and emotionally. caesura emphasise finality/ truth
drab undesirable to new, sexually appealing, sensual Cleopatra.
old smock brings forth a new petticoat
moment of intimacy - a potent symbol of Antony’s martial prowess and his identity as a Roman soldier. His love for Cleopatra is eroding his masculinity,
I wore his sword Phillipa
image of bravery acting like a predator, consuming reason and rationality. tension between Roman ideals of reason and Egyptian ideals of passion and indulgence. courage or bravery is not tempered by rational thought, it becomes reckless and self-destructive.
‘When valour preys on reason/it easts the sword it fights with’
to express Lepidus’s reliance on those around him for support and survival. This imagery portrays Lepidus as powerless and dependent, highlighting his lack of true agency or authority within the triumvirate - imbalance of power
Act 3 Scene 2: ‘They are his shards and he their beetle’
incredibly soft, light, and delicate, symbolizing Octavia’s fragility and innocence in the world of power politics. grace and purity, aligning with Octavia’s dignified and loyal nature, especially in contrast to the chaos and manipulation that define the other characters.overwhelming political and personal pressures that Octavia faces
Act 3 Scene 2: ‘the swansdown feather/than stands upon swell at the full of tide’
Act 3 Scene 10: ‘doting mallard/leaving the fight in height, flies after her’
foolish infatuation with Cleopatra - lack of rationality, animal imagery - naturally driven by desire, by passion rather than reason. prioritization of personal desire over duty and responsibility.
Antony’s decision to “contend” suggests that he will fight not only to preserve his life but to preserve his dignity and honor. This conveys Antony’s stubbornness and his desire to control
Act 3 Scene 13: ‘I’ll make Death love me, for I will contend/Even with his pestilent scythe’
line conveys his desperation and determination to push through his challenges, a physical act of resolve or determination, emotional volatility, pride, and an intense desire to maintain control of his fate.
Act 3 Scene 13: ‘I’ll set my teeth/and send to darkness all that stop me’
Act 3 Scene 11: ‘My very hairs do mutiny, for white/ Reprove the brown for rashness’
Antony feels that even his very physical being is in rebellion against him, emphasizing his deep internal conflict. Antony feels that even his very physical being is rebelling against him, emphasizing his deep internal conflict. white symbolises wisdom, age, and rationality, while brown represents youthful impulse, rashness, and passion. growing regret and recognition that his impulsive actions have led him into a perilous situation.
Act 3 Scene 2:‘Betwixt us as the cement of our love/To keep it builded be the ram to batter’
The word “cement” also hints at the fragility of the bond between them. Cement can break if not carefully maintained, implying that their love is not indestructible.
The world is metaphorically split apart by the violence and rivalry between the two men, leading to chaos and destruction. destructive nature of the war between Antony and Caesar. apocalyptic image
Act 3 Scene 4:‘The world should cleave, and the slain men /should solder up the rift’
apparent unity is illusory - ultimately fragile - underlying tension between them. inevitability demise doomed by their incompatible desires and ambitions. Foreshadowing violence
Act 2 Scene 6: ‘ But you shall find the band that seems to tie their friendship together will be the very strangler of their amity’
mental shift that aligns Antony with the values and responsibilities of Rome. moment of self-awareness - instantaneous and perhaps jarring realization
Act 1 Scene 2: ‘A roman thought hath struck him’
Antony’s failure to recognize his strategic errors. Antony’s obsession with Cleopatra and the indulgent lifestyle in Egypt has caused him to neglect his duties as a leader of Rome. the tension between personal desires and political responsibilities - detsructive impact of ignorance
Act 3 Scene 7: ‘The greater cantle of the world is lost with very ignorance’
Antony has relinquished his control over the Roman Empire in favour of his relationship with Cleopatra. Cleopatra in a degrading and dismissive way - Antony’s relationship with Cleopatra becomes a symbol of indulgence and lack of control, making him seem unfit to lead.
Act 3 Scene 6: ‘he hath given his empire/up to a whore’
Act 3 Scene 13: ‘To lay my crown at’s feet, and there to knee;’
Antony acknowledges that he has been emotionally driven by and decision-making has been guided by his feelings for her, rather than by political or rational considerations. acknowledging that Cleopatra’s power over him extends beyond politics and strategy; it is deeply personal and emotional.
Act 3 Scene 13: ‘thou art so leaky/That we must leave thee to thy sinking’
metaphor suggests that Antony’s authority and ability to govern have been compromised, with his weaknesses exposed. Antony’s leadership is unsustainable because he is distracted by his personal relationships and emotional turmoil. Enobarbus’ statement shows his disillusionment with Antony, whom he once admired as a great leader.
role reversal where Antony, once a powerful Roman general, is now being controlled by Cleopatra, loss of Antony’s autonomy, The line highlights Antony’s emasculation, as he is now in a position of weakness and subservience.
Act 3 scene 7: ‘so our leader’s led/And we are women’s men’
implying that Antony has abandoned his responsibilities, his identity, and his core values. He is estranged from his former self, unable to reconcile the man he was with the defeated and humiliated figure he has become.
Act 3 Scene 11: ‘I have fled myself’
love for Cleopatra, has become the dominant force in his life, overriding his professional responsibilities as a soldier and a leader, loss of masculinity, rationality, roman identity. increase in power of Shakespeare’s female characters necessitates a parallel decrease in power, or emasculation, of male characters
Act 3 Scene 12: ‘My sword, made weak by my affection, would obey it on all-cause’
Personify fortune injured or damaged - military career and political position are in serious jeopardy. his suggests Enobarbus is caught in a battle between his reason and his loyalty to his friend and leader.
Act 3 Scene 10: ‘The wounded chance of Antony, though my reason/Sits in the wind against me.’
he fishes, drinks, and wastes … is not more manlike /Than Cleopatra,’
Caesar views antony as corrupted by the Egyptian lifestyle and views Antony as a betrayal of Roman values and duties. a metaphor for indulgence in pleasure and, hedonistic lifestyle, Antony has lost his Roman masculinity and identity. Become effeminate or weak, abandoning the virtues that once defined him as a Roman leader.
‘ Leave thy lascivious wassails’
directive , order = frustration, means indulgent in or driven by lust, sexual desire, or immoral pleasures. (sense of moral condemnation), drunk revels as wasteful and beneath the dignity of a Roman leader - caesar sees himself as morally superior, holding onto Roman virtues of restraint and responsibility
‘throw between them all the food thou hast, they’ll grind the one the other’
The grinding imagery metaphorically represents the conflict between Antony and Caesar that will inevitably lead to destruction, regardless of external efforts to appease them. The “food” represents attempts at reconciliation or shared resources, symbolizing efforts to maintain peace or unity.
Sowerby:
Antony is rendered subjectless by the greater magnetism of the strange power of Cleopatra’s attractiveness
Kilcour
‘All Caesar has is a political conscience’
Wilders
the magnetism of Cleopatra is shown to be disastrous politically
Quint
to love one another in spite of public opinion and political consequence
Davis:
Indulgence is an Egyptian vice…maturity is a Roman value
Smith
throughout the play, Antony vacillates between an Egyptian and a Roman sense of self
Holland
The conflict of Rome and Egypt mirrors the conflicts within the two main characters “who become at war with themselves”
we’ll spill the blood, that has today escaped
- brutal and relentless nature of war. It suggests Antony’s adoption of Roman values of vengeance and his determination to eliminate
- Antony’s rising spirit - Antony believes has control over the battle, assuming he will complete his victory
- Dramatic Irony - The audience understands the inevitability of the negative fate and tragic demise as a tragic hero
‘O infinite virtue.. thou smiling from/The worlds great snare’
- Hyperbolic Apostrophe - Cleopatra exalts Antony’s strength and nobility
- However, the dramatic irony is that this moment of triumph is fleeting—his ultimate fate is one of downfall.
- treacherous nature of political and military struggles.
‘O soverign mistress of true melancholy/ The poisnous damp of nigh disponge me’
- Sovereign mistress - moon (symbolising a sense of madness)
- Imbalance of black bile: extreme sadness - depth of desire
- suffocating, deadly atmosphere, metaphorical suffocation from guilt
- image of darkness - manifestation of guilt
Triple-turned whore
- betrayal - implies fickleness or inconstancy, reinforcing his belief that Cleopatra is faithless.
- brutal reduction of Cleopatra’s identity, reducing her from a queen and lover to a figure of deception and sexual disloyalty symbolises Ant’s wrath and temper
‘Fortune and Antony part here;
- Personified Roman goddess Fortuna, who governs luck and fate - Antony acknowledges that his fate is sealed and that he no longer has control over his destiny.
- he use of his own name in the third person creates a sense of detachment
- Fortune’s departure suggests a shift from active agency to passive resignation.
‘my heart/Makes only wars on thee. Bid them all fly’
- this is not a political or military struggle but an emotional one—his deepest conflict is now love turned to rage.
- The phrase makes war evokes the idea of internal conflict; Antony has been torn throughout the play between his duty as a soldier and his passion for Cleopatra
‘The witch shall die/To the young roman boy she hath sold me’
- Cleopatra a witch, framing her as deceitful and manipulative.
- Octavius Caesar, emphasizing the age and perceived inferiority of Antony’s rival. The phrase is dismissive, portraying Caesar as an unworthy successor to Rome’s power.
‘Yet cannot hold his visible shape, my knave’
- suggests an inevitable collapse—Antony realizes that he can no longer maintain his former strength or identity.
- emphasizing the contrast between his once-mighty form and his current, weakened state - cannot reconcile his identity
- his loss of control over his fate.
‘we see a vapour sometime like a bear or lion’
idk
‘she robbed me of my sword’
- his sense of powerlessness, cleopatra has weakened him,
- Phallic imagery - emasculation, reduced stature - lost his Roman identity
- lost control of his fate
‘The name of Antony;it was divided/between her heart and lips’
- evocative, beautiful yet false depictions of Cleo’s death
‘The long day’s task is done/and we must’
- The long day metaphorically represents welcome death’s - day and night imagery: darkness and death
- weary of the world , nihilism
- depth and certainty of their love
- sleep - comfort, restorative
‘off, pluck off’
- symbolic of Antony shedding of Roman identity - love is the most important
‘The sevenfold shield of Ajax cannot keep/ The battery from my heart’
- military image: violent - reinforcing the theme of attack and destruction.
- broken heart, loss
- classical allusion: impenetrable, making him nearly invincible in battle.
‘O, cleave , my sides!/My heart, once stronger than they continent’
- mighty, hyperbolic images: divided self - loss of stoic roman self
- violent imagery highlights the sheer intensity of his emotions
- metaphor suggests that his emotions are so overwhelming that his physical body (his continent) can no longer contain them.
- implicit contrast between emotional strength and physical strength, showing Antony’s tragic realization that his legendary military power is meaningless in the face of personal anguish.
‘No more a soldier’
- Caesura - the complete erasure of his former self.
-Antony was celebrated as one of Rome’s greatest military leaders. His prowess in battle defined him, making this declaration especially tragic. - emphatic statement of grief + Nihilism, finality, pursing his love
- visually vulnerable
‘Lie down and stray no farther’
- Light - life, hope, burning beacon of cleo, suggests surrender, both in the sense of resting (as in sleep or death) and in submitting to fate.
‘Where souls do couch of flowers … Dido and her Aeneas shall want troops’
- romantic lang, depth of his love and strength of his resolve, envisaging his afterlife - find peace in death
- idyllic, delicate, spring image
- potent - classical allusion: famous underworld lovers - elevation in death to beauty
- Antony finds solace in the idea that he and Cleopatra will live on as legendary lovers - immortalising their love
‘My sword … quatered the world, and o’er green Neptune’s back’
- Sword - phallic imagery - evokes masculinity, dominance,
- militaristic imagery: former grandeur, conqueror - trimuvirate, expansive power
- The contrast between his past conquests and his present impotence underscores his tragic decline.
But was a race of heaven’
- This line implies that every part of their love was divine, as if their passion was ordained by the gods. Shakespeare often uses celestial imagery for love, and Cleopatra here aligns their relationship with the heavens, elevating it beyond mortal relationships.
- Cleopatra romanticises their relationship, suggesting it was once perfect and heavenly. However, the scene itself is filled with tension, as Antony prepares to leave for Rome, creating a contrast between past bliss and present uncertainty
we had much more monstrous matter feast
monstrous - vast, excessive,
feast - This suggests indulgence, pleasure, and consumption - food imagery symbolic of the indulgence and hedonistic lifestyle of Egypt.
“Becomes the bellows and the fan to cool a gipsy’s lust.”
- “Gipsy” – This was a common derogatory term in Shakespeare’s time, often used to describe Egyptians as exotic or deceitful. Here, it reflects Roman prejudice, portraying Cleopatra as manipulative and morally corrupt.
- “Lust” – Philo reduces Antony and Cleopatra’s relationship to mere physical desire, ignoring any deeper emotional or political aspects.
- “Bellows” and “Fan” – These opposing images symbolize Antony’s helplessness; he is both igniting and soothing Cleopatra’s desires, rather than controlling his own fate.
Your speech is passion, but pray you stir/No embers up’
- Suggests Antony’s emotional nature, contrasting with Octavius’s cold, political pragmatism.
- A fire metaphor implying that past disputes between the Triumvirs are unresolved and could easily reignite
- delicate balance of power within the Triumvirate.
Act 1 Scene 2: ‘enchanting Queen’
- Cleopatra’s mesmerizing beauty and charisma, suggesting that she has the ability to captivate Antony’s attention completely.
- otherworldly, as though she possesses a supernatural ability to control those around her - jacobean suspicion of witches (james 1) suspicion of powerful women
- reflects Cleopatra’s political position as the ruler of Egypt, also reinforces her authority and majestic presence
‘Our graver business/ Frowns at this levity’
- emphasizing that the matters of state and governance, which demand careful and serious attention, are being overshadowed by Antony’s personal life and indulgence
- personifies Caesar’s political responsibilities, suggesting that the state itself is displeased with this neglect.
-ongoing tension between public duty and private pleasure, which is a central conflict throughout the play
‘To lay my crown at’s feet, and there to knee;’
- idea of submitting to Caesar by physically lowering herself in an act of humility
- A crown symbolizes a ruler’s power, and placing it on the ground shows the willingness to give up her authority
- The verb “to knee” emphasizes the physicality of submission
- It could be seen as a calculated move, as she navigates the power dynamics with Caesar to preserve her life
‘Take from his heart, take from his brain
- The heart represents emotion, passion, and desire - Enobarbus suggests that Antony is being ruled by his emotions, particularly love - diminishing his intellectual capacity.
- inability to reconcile his Roman duty and his relationship with Cleopatra.
- passion has rendered him vulnerable and ineffective.
Act 3 Scene 12: ‘My heart was to thy rudder tied by th’ strings’,
- The rudder is a powerful symbol of direction and control, evokes a sense of being manipulated, yet also willing to be controlled by his love for her - hows his emotional dependency on he
Antony only, that would make his will/Lord of his reason’
- Antony’s emotions have become the dominant force in his life, controlling and overriding his reason
-In the Roman world, leaders are expected to prioritize the good of the state over personal desires. Antony’s failure to do so—choosing Cleopatra over Rome—casts him as a flawed leader.
Triple pillar of the world transformed to a strumpets fool
- Antony’s role as one of the three rulers of the Roman world in the Triumvirate - Antony was a central and commanding figure.
- Cleopatra of being promiscuous and morally corrupt. The word “fool” here emphasizes Antony’s loss of judgment, implying that he has become foolish in his devotion to her
- the tragic downfall of Antony - underscores the destructive impact of Antony’s love for Cleopatra
Beds i’th’East are soft
- symbolizes decadence and comfort, —a place of sensuality, pleasure, and excess. This stands in opposition to the Roman values of discipline, masculinity, and military duty.
- Antony’s torn identity between Roman honor and Egyptian pleasure.
It wounds thine honour that I speak it now - was borne so like a solider
- Caesar implies that Antony’s current behaviour is disgraceful compared to his past glory, reinforcing the idea that Antony is no longer the great general he once was.
- foreshadows how Antony’s inability to reconcile love and duty will ultimately lead to his military and political downfall.
‘The soldier’s virtue, rather makes choice of loss/than gain which darkens him.
- ambition in Rome can be dangerous, as too much success may lead to suspicion or political downfall.
- imagery of light and dark: reflects Antony’s own fate—he too will be “darkened” by his excessive passions, leading to his downfall.
- hints at the political fragility of Rome, ruthless world of politics
Arabian bird
- The Arabian bird is a clear allusion to the Phoenix - Phoenix represents greatness, it also symbolises self-destruction
- ## undercurrent of irony or mockery—Antony is being treated as a figure of legend, but his choices make his position fragile
she creeps … a body rather than a life’
- Octavia - ‘she creeps’ - dehumanising - passive, reserved, and lacks the commanding presence of Cleopatra.
- reduces her to her physical form, suggesting she lacks spirit, personality, or independence.
- merely a political pawn
‘A more unhappy lady/if this division chance, ne’er stood between/ praying for both parts’
- emotional weight - She is caught between two opposing forces
- role as the mediator traps her in a position of powerlessness, unable to reconcile their differences and torn by the loyalty she owes to each.
- political and personal rift between Antony and Caesar
- Octavia’s lament foreshadows the irreparable rupture between Antony and Caesar.
make me, most weak, most weak,/ your reconcile!
- emotional fragility and sense of powerlessness.
- Octavia’s self-sacrificial nature, emphasizing her role as the dutiful wife, trying to maintain peace even at the cost of her emotional well-being.
- Octavia’s weakness and vulnerability sharply contrast with Cleopatra’s powerful and commanding presence.
If we should serve with horse and mares
- His romantic and personal entanglements with Cleopatra seem to be clouding his judgment and affecting his ability to effectively lead his troops in a unified way.
- animal imagery - overrun by primal instincts
- Enobarbus’ growing disillusionment with Antony’s decisions
‘Experience, manhood, honour, ne’er before/Did violate so itself (Act3 Scene 10)
- experience, manhood, and honour—are all qualities highly prized in Roman society, especially in a military context.
- Antony’s military expertise and the accumulated wisdom he should have as a seasoned leader.
- Manhood signifies Antony’s courage, strength, and integrity, fundamental traits of a Roman soldier.
- Scarus’ line also signals the disillusionment and loss of respect among Antony’s followers.
