notes on preparing essay 2
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snorko
Jul 29, 2008, 2:38:03 PM7/29/08
to snorko
Remember to use the formal academic style for the essay half. Revise
out all “I,” “we,” “you” style from first drafts and journal notes.
Replace all slang with more formal vocabulary. Skip hints, jokes, or
chit-chat. If you don’t make an outline of all the argument before you
begin, you should be able to when you're finished. Don’t simply type
from the beginning of page one to the bottom of page three and turn it
in. Check paragraph and sentence structure—one-sentence paragraphs and
one-word sentences are probably incomplete. Triple check the clarity
of the essay structure—topic+opinion for reasons 1, 2, 3…. Present a
thesis and outline of argument in the introduction. Thoroughly and
systematically explain the argument throughout the body, properly
balancing evaluation of documented sources with personal analysis.
Don’t forget a bonus is available for those who analyze at least one
Congressional bill as one of your sources of information. Restate the
thesis and summarize the argument in the conclusion.
Interviews are not required for this project but can sometimes provide
useful qualitative and quantitative data. When conducting research
with human subjects, however, it’s important to follow ethical
research standards. Here’s a big long list of ethical standards on
research involving human subjects from the American Psychological
Association, the same APA of APA style documentation for in-text
citations and reference page (http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan03/
principles.html and for even more detailed explanation try
http://www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.html).
These ethical standards are all good and right, but if the list looks
complicated, you already know most of it:
a) don’t break any laws or endanger yourself or others;
b) protect people’s privacy when their identity, role, or statement
is private perception, recollection, more or less opinion; use a first
name only, make up a name, or call her something such as, 30-year
resident of the neighborhood who raised here three kids who went to
the local public schools but have since grown up and moved away;
c) be nice and polite; feel free to blame me for having to bother
people, and if anyone would feel more comfortable with a letter
telling people about your research, I can provide a little
introduction on college letterhead;
For the short story half of the essay project, consider Shaw’s play as
an example of storytelling, but don’t forget that you’re working on a
short story rather than a multi-act format with many, many scenes and
characters, including not only a plot but subplots as well. A short
story will probably have a more narrow temporal focus—perhaps all
taking place on one day or a few hours. Using Shaw’s play as an
example, a short story might focus on either an individual scene of
two character's introduction (Act I) or the bittersweet parting (Act
V) but not both, even though the first example might foreshadow the
second, and the second might recall, but not flashback to, the first.
Students probably have plenty of narrative style reading and writing
experience, so less will be said about short story structure than for
the academic essay half. In the short story, informality in narrative
perspective and tone can be acceptable if appropriate and effective to
character and story development; in other words, slang and informal
expression are allowed in the story—if that’s the right way for the
characters in your story to speak or narrate their story. Irony,
symbol, metaphor and allusion are all encouraged in the short story
even though these are counter-recommended for the academic essay.
These are two films, one documentary, one fictional, both directed by
Michael Apted in 1992, both concerning the Pine Ridge area of South
Dakota, both available at the downtown Central LAPL library: Incident
at Oglala (Amazon info: http://www.amazon.ca/Incident-at-Oglala-Robert-Redford/dp/6302541468)
and Thunderheart (Amazon info:
http://www.amazon.ca/Thunderheart-Michael-Apted/dp/0800115821/sr=1-2/qid=1162050095/ref=sr_1_2/701-3892112-1537929?ie=UTF8&s=video).
They may give the interested other ideas on how to explain and argue
formally as compared to fictionalizing historical themes.
To evaluate how Shaw and later Shakespeare incorporate aspects of real
politics into fiction, let’s introduce a couple terms for studying
literature. You’re probably already familiar with the concept of a
metaphor, and most students year after year can repeat very nearly the
same definition: a direct comparison between two unlike things not
using like or as. Metaphors can also be analyzed as having two
components, a vehicle (the comparison) and a tenor (the meaning of the
comparison).
Consider Coriolanus’ metaphors in the lines “He that trusts to you,/
Where he should find you lions, finds you hares;/Where foxes, geese”
Vehicle: the lion
Tenor: represents a proud warrior
Vehicle: the hare
Tenor: meekly fleeing prey
Vehicle: the fox
Tenor: can be read as a sly, quiet, effective resourcefulness
Vehicle: the geese
Tenor: an obvious, loud, even silly flock
The combination of these four metaphors contrasts the personality
Coriolanus considers honorable to that he scorns. The character’s
choice of Æsop’s fables-type character-animals may further suggest he
considers himself in the position of an adult teaching small children
right from wrong.
In this course, we’ll be discussing literary devices or aspects/
techniques of story writing as an interaction of theme approximately =
vehicle+tenor. These terms are probably not as familiar as thesis=topic
+opinion, and while there are similarities to these components of an
essay, there are significant differences as well.
An essay presents a thesis as a thesis statement. There should be a
clear, direct statement of the thesis (topic+opinion) in the
introduction and a brief outline of the reasons to follow. The thesis
should then be supported with fully explained reasons, examples, or
other evidence throughout the body of the argument. The conclusion
should restate the thesis and summarize the argument.
Literature presents themes through the use of literary devices.
Literary devices indirectly convey themes, often in a fashion
comparable to the vehicle+tenor of a metaphor, where vehicle
represents the technique used and tenor the author’s intended meaning.
This may be compared to the topic+opinion of an essay, but it is
important to remember 1) vehicles can be symbolic, and 2) tenors may
appear ironically.
Consider the following metaphor from the beginning of Frankenstein, by
Mary Shelley: “I try in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat
of frost and desolation; it ever presents itself to my imagination as
the region of beauty and delight.”
Here the double vehicles are contrasting conceptions of the North
Pole: one as the home of frozen death, the other a charming
wonderland. The tenor of the struggle between meanings suggests a
theme to the text as a whole: scientific progress presents potentials
for good and bad. Walton is attempting to understand his friends’
warnings, but he is absorbed to fascination with his subject.
Ironically, his logic is unable to overcome his emotional attachment
to his science. Frankenstein will later struggle with this as well.
It may be helpful whether refuting editorials or analyzing literature
to outline ideas. Try the following for studying editorials:
Topic:
Opinion:
Reason 1:
Reason 2:
Reason 3:
For literature, try
Theme: state theme (in this case, of a chapter or scene)
Quote: quote short passage
Vehicle: identify literary devices
Tenor: explain how devices convey author’s intended meaning
The same example above from Frankenstein may be thus represented:
Theme: scientific progress presents potentials for good and bad
Quote: “I try in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat of
frost and desolation; it ever presents itself to my imagination as the
region of beauty and delight.”
Vehicle: dual metaphors on the North Pole—“seat of frost and
desolation” and “region of beauty and delight”
Tenor: friends caution that Walton’s journey is hazardous, and though
he can logically accept the seriousness of the hazards, he is nearly
obsessed with his view of the situation.
out all “I,” “we,” “you” style from first drafts and journal notes.
Replace all slang with more formal vocabulary. Skip hints, jokes, or
chit-chat. If you don’t make an outline of all the argument before you
begin, you should be able to when you're finished. Don’t simply type
from the beginning of page one to the bottom of page three and turn it
in. Check paragraph and sentence structure—one-sentence paragraphs and
one-word sentences are probably incomplete. Triple check the clarity
of the essay structure—topic+opinion for reasons 1, 2, 3…. Present a
thesis and outline of argument in the introduction. Thoroughly and
systematically explain the argument throughout the body, properly
balancing evaluation of documented sources with personal analysis.
Don’t forget a bonus is available for those who analyze at least one
Congressional bill as one of your sources of information. Restate the
thesis and summarize the argument in the conclusion.
Interviews are not required for this project but can sometimes provide
useful qualitative and quantitative data. When conducting research
with human subjects, however, it’s important to follow ethical
research standards. Here’s a big long list of ethical standards on
research involving human subjects from the American Psychological
Association, the same APA of APA style documentation for in-text
citations and reference page (http://www.apa.org/monitor/jan03/
principles.html and for even more detailed explanation try
http://www.apa.org/ethics/code2002.html).
These ethical standards are all good and right, but if the list looks
complicated, you already know most of it:
a) don’t break any laws or endanger yourself or others;
b) protect people’s privacy when their identity, role, or statement
is private perception, recollection, more or less opinion; use a first
name only, make up a name, or call her something such as, 30-year
resident of the neighborhood who raised here three kids who went to
the local public schools but have since grown up and moved away;
c) be nice and polite; feel free to blame me for having to bother
people, and if anyone would feel more comfortable with a letter
telling people about your research, I can provide a little
introduction on college letterhead;
For the short story half of the essay project, consider Shaw’s play as
an example of storytelling, but don’t forget that you’re working on a
short story rather than a multi-act format with many, many scenes and
characters, including not only a plot but subplots as well. A short
story will probably have a more narrow temporal focus—perhaps all
taking place on one day or a few hours. Using Shaw’s play as an
example, a short story might focus on either an individual scene of
two character's introduction (Act I) or the bittersweet parting (Act
V) but not both, even though the first example might foreshadow the
second, and the second might recall, but not flashback to, the first.
Students probably have plenty of narrative style reading and writing
experience, so less will be said about short story structure than for
the academic essay half. In the short story, informality in narrative
perspective and tone can be acceptable if appropriate and effective to
character and story development; in other words, slang and informal
expression are allowed in the story—if that’s the right way for the
characters in your story to speak or narrate their story. Irony,
symbol, metaphor and allusion are all encouraged in the short story
even though these are counter-recommended for the academic essay.
These are two films, one documentary, one fictional, both directed by
Michael Apted in 1992, both concerning the Pine Ridge area of South
Dakota, both available at the downtown Central LAPL library: Incident
at Oglala (Amazon info: http://www.amazon.ca/Incident-at-Oglala-Robert-Redford/dp/6302541468)
and Thunderheart (Amazon info:
http://www.amazon.ca/Thunderheart-Michael-Apted/dp/0800115821/sr=1-2/qid=1162050095/ref=sr_1_2/701-3892112-1537929?ie=UTF8&s=video).
They may give the interested other ideas on how to explain and argue
formally as compared to fictionalizing historical themes.
To evaluate how Shaw and later Shakespeare incorporate aspects of real
politics into fiction, let’s introduce a couple terms for studying
literature. You’re probably already familiar with the concept of a
metaphor, and most students year after year can repeat very nearly the
same definition: a direct comparison between two unlike things not
using like or as. Metaphors can also be analyzed as having two
components, a vehicle (the comparison) and a tenor (the meaning of the
comparison).
Consider Coriolanus’ metaphors in the lines “He that trusts to you,/
Where he should find you lions, finds you hares;/Where foxes, geese”
Vehicle: the lion
Tenor: represents a proud warrior
Vehicle: the hare
Tenor: meekly fleeing prey
Vehicle: the fox
Tenor: can be read as a sly, quiet, effective resourcefulness
Vehicle: the geese
Tenor: an obvious, loud, even silly flock
The combination of these four metaphors contrasts the personality
Coriolanus considers honorable to that he scorns. The character’s
choice of Æsop’s fables-type character-animals may further suggest he
considers himself in the position of an adult teaching small children
right from wrong.
In this course, we’ll be discussing literary devices or aspects/
techniques of story writing as an interaction of theme approximately =
vehicle+tenor. These terms are probably not as familiar as thesis=topic
+opinion, and while there are similarities to these components of an
essay, there are significant differences as well.
An essay presents a thesis as a thesis statement. There should be a
clear, direct statement of the thesis (topic+opinion) in the
introduction and a brief outline of the reasons to follow. The thesis
should then be supported with fully explained reasons, examples, or
other evidence throughout the body of the argument. The conclusion
should restate the thesis and summarize the argument.
Literature presents themes through the use of literary devices.
Literary devices indirectly convey themes, often in a fashion
comparable to the vehicle+tenor of a metaphor, where vehicle
represents the technique used and tenor the author’s intended meaning.
This may be compared to the topic+opinion of an essay, but it is
important to remember 1) vehicles can be symbolic, and 2) tenors may
appear ironically.
Consider the following metaphor from the beginning of Frankenstein, by
Mary Shelley: “I try in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat
of frost and desolation; it ever presents itself to my imagination as
the region of beauty and delight.”
Here the double vehicles are contrasting conceptions of the North
Pole: one as the home of frozen death, the other a charming
wonderland. The tenor of the struggle between meanings suggests a
theme to the text as a whole: scientific progress presents potentials
for good and bad. Walton is attempting to understand his friends’
warnings, but he is absorbed to fascination with his subject.
Ironically, his logic is unable to overcome his emotional attachment
to his science. Frankenstein will later struggle with this as well.
It may be helpful whether refuting editorials or analyzing literature
to outline ideas. Try the following for studying editorials:
Topic:
Opinion:
Reason 1:
Reason 2:
Reason 3:
For literature, try
Theme: state theme (in this case, of a chapter or scene)
Quote: quote short passage
Vehicle: identify literary devices
Tenor: explain how devices convey author’s intended meaning
The same example above from Frankenstein may be thus represented:
Theme: scientific progress presents potentials for good and bad
Quote: “I try in vain to be persuaded that the pole is the seat of
frost and desolation; it ever presents itself to my imagination as the
region of beauty and delight.”
Vehicle: dual metaphors on the North Pole—“seat of frost and
desolation” and “region of beauty and delight”
Tenor: friends caution that Walton’s journey is hazardous, and though
he can logically accept the seriousness of the hazards, he is nearly
obsessed with his view of the situation.
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snorko
Jul 30, 2008, 3:14:26 PM7/30/08
to snorko
Ch1, Capitals
As the Founding Fathers found value in studying the positive model of
Republican Rome to build the successful USA, we today can find value
in studying the negative model of Imperial Rome to avoid its failures.
• Rome fell, and many varied arguments have attempted to explain why,
generally focusing on internal and/or external challenges;
• Washington the general and first President, Jefferson the author,
and Franklin the practical politician each studied aspects of the
Roman Republic;
• Republican Rome didn't plan to slide into a failed empire, but it
happened, so we can now check symptoms of imperial hubris for
cathartic benefits.
Ch 2, Legions
Armies on the march and encamped, Alexandrine, US, or Roman, operate
under many similar logistic, bureaucratic, and cultural conditions.
• Logistically, it's difficult to supply the best-equipped and trained
forces anywhere, anytime;
• Politically, it's difficult to organize, finance, and implement
constant expansion, as it requires more and more time, effort, and %
of GNP;
• Culturally, it's difficult to manage the growing split between the
dual demands for working-class enlisted troops (who become more and
more new immigrants and rented foreigners) and professional/management-
class (who tend more and more to be experienced citizens in privatized
para-military service).
Ch 3, Fixers
The shifts in meaning of the Latin word suffragium and today's English
word franchise metaphorically represent the corrupt aspects of
privatization: nepotism, plutocracy, and expensive inefficiency.
• Rome gave and now the US is in danger of giving its great public
institutions away, and giving everything away is impractical—Rome fell
into feudalism and too many of the great US institutions are becoming
aspects of global-corporate economics;
• Contracting out government functions may or may not be patriotic or
efficient, as case by case analysis will conclude, but some functions
are particularly sensitive and privatizing them is particularly
hazardous, for example, [military operations, as discussed in ch 2, as
well as] secret intelligence and defense functions
As the Founding Fathers found value in studying the positive model of
Republican Rome to build the successful USA, we today can find value
in studying the negative model of Imperial Rome to avoid its failures.
• Rome fell, and many varied arguments have attempted to explain why,
generally focusing on internal and/or external challenges;
• Washington the general and first President, Jefferson the author,
and Franklin the practical politician each studied aspects of the
Roman Republic;
• Republican Rome didn't plan to slide into a failed empire, but it
happened, so we can now check symptoms of imperial hubris for
cathartic benefits.
Ch 2, Legions
Armies on the march and encamped, Alexandrine, US, or Roman, operate
under many similar logistic, bureaucratic, and cultural conditions.
• Logistically, it's difficult to supply the best-equipped and trained
forces anywhere, anytime;
• Politically, it's difficult to organize, finance, and implement
constant expansion, as it requires more and more time, effort, and %
of GNP;
• Culturally, it's difficult to manage the growing split between the
dual demands for working-class enlisted troops (who become more and
more new immigrants and rented foreigners) and professional/management-
class (who tend more and more to be experienced citizens in privatized
para-military service).
Ch 3, Fixers
The shifts in meaning of the Latin word suffragium and today's English
word franchise metaphorically represent the corrupt aspects of
privatization: nepotism, plutocracy, and expensive inefficiency.
• Rome gave and now the US is in danger of giving its great public
institutions away, and giving everything away is impractical—Rome fell
into feudalism and too many of the great US institutions are becoming
aspects of global-corporate economics;
• Contracting out government functions may or may not be patriotic or
efficient, as case by case analysis will conclude, but some functions
are particularly sensitive and privatizing them is particularly
hazardous, for example, [military operations, as discussed in ch 2, as
well as] secret intelligence and defense functions
snorko
Aug 5, 2008, 3:18:57 PM8/5/08
to snorko
The following ideas on theme are designed to assist students in
revising the final draft of essay 2 and build from the notes on
preparing essay 2 above. Quotes from Acts I and II of Shaw's Caesar
and Cleopatra, are presented for class practice with examples of
identifying and explaining theme (≈ vehicle + tenor) and practice with
literary metaphors on current events.
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Practice with the sphinx from the quote below from Caesar
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony): sphinx as symbol of
Egypt's established traditions, to Caesar, foreign traditions
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning): sphinx shows how ancient Egypt
successfully accomplished [fill in]/failed because [fill in] and so
ancient Egypt's established traditions deserve respectful
consideration and reflection upon application to personal life/should
be ignored as inapplicable or avoided as counterproductive
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity): As symbols of the USA, the Statue of
Liberty and Emma Lazurus' poem The new colossus engraved on its base
show
Tenor/analysis 1) (for example, following the pattern above) ...how the
USA successfully accomplished [fill in]/failed with [fill in] and so
the USA's established traditions deserve respectful consideration and
reflection upon application to personal life/should be ignored as
inapplicable or avoided as counterproductive
Tenor/analysis 2) (students' choice)
THE MAN. Hail, Sphinx: salutation from Julius Caesar! I have
wandered in many lands, seeking the lost regions from which my
birth into this world exiled me, and the company of creatures
such as I myself. I have found flocks and pastures, men and
cities, but no other Caesar, no air native to me, no man kindred
to me, none who can do my day's deed, and think my night's
thought. In the little world yonder, Sphinx, my place is as high
as yours in this great desert; only I wander, and you sit still;
I conquer, and you endure; I work and wonder, you watch and wait;
I look up and am dazzled, look down and am darkened, look round
and am puzzled, whilst your eyes never turn from looking out--out
of the world--to the lost region--the home from which we have
strayed. Sphinx, you and I, strangers to the race of men, are no
strangers to one another: have I not been conscious of you and of
this place since I was born? Rome is a madman's dream: this is my
Reality. These starry lamps of yours I have seen from afar in
Gaul, in Britain, in Spain, in Thessaly, signalling great secrets
to some eternal sentinel below, whose post I never could find.
And here at last is their sentinel--an image of the constant and
immortal part of my life, silent, full of thoughts, alone in the
silver desert. Sphinx, Sphinx: I have climbed mountains at night
to hear in the distance the stealthy footfall of the winds that
chase your sands in forbidden play--our invisible children, O
Sphinx, laughing in whispers. My way hither was the way of
destiny; for I am he of whose genius you are the symbol: part
brute, part woman, and part God--nothing of man in me at all.
Have I read your riddle, Sphinx?
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
THE GIRL. Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.
CAESAR. Queen of the Gypsies, you mean.
CLEOPATRA. You must not be disrespectful to me, or the Sphinx
will let the Romans eat you. Come up. It is quite cosy here.
...Take care. That's right. Now sit down: you may have
its other paw. (She seats herself comfortably on its left paw.)
It is very powerful and will protect us; but (shivering, and with
plaintive loneliness) it would not take any notice of me or keep
me company. I am glad you have come: I was very lonely. Did you
happen to see a white cat anywhere? ...the sacred white cat: is it not
dreadful? I
brought him here to sacrifice him to the Sphinx; but when we got
a little way from the city a black cat called him, and he jumped
out of my arms and ran away to it. Do you think that the black
cat can have been my great-great-great-grandmother? ...My great-
grandmother's great-grandmother was a black kitten of the sacred white
cat; and the river Nile made her his seventh wife. That is why my hair
is
so wavy. And I always want to be let do as I like, no matter
whether it is the will of the gods or not: that is because my
blood is made with Nile water. ...I am the Queen; and I shall live in
the
palace at Alexandria when I have killed my brother, who drove me
out of it. When I am old enough I shall do just what I like. I
shall be able to poison the slaves and see them wriggle, and
pretend to Ftatateeta that she is going to be put into the fiery
furnace.
...
CLEOPATRA (breaking from him). I will beat somebody. I will beat
him. (She attacks the slave.) There, there, there! (The slave
flies for his life up the corridor and vanishes. She throws the
snake-skin away and jumps on the step of the throne with her arms
waving, crying) I am a real Queen at last--a real, real Queen!
Cleopatra the Queen! (Caesar shakes his head dubiously, the
advantage of the change seeming open to question from the point
of view of the general welfare of Egypt. She turns and looks at
him exultantly. Then she jumps down from the step, runs to him,
and flings her arms round him rapturously, crying) Oh, I love you
for making me a Queen.
CAESAR. But queens love only kings.
CLEOPATRA. I will make all the men I love kings. I will make you
a king. I will have many young kings, with round, strong arms;
and when I am tired of them I will whip them to death...
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
POTHINUS. The King's treasury is poor, Caesar.
CAESAR Pothinus: I want 1,600 talents.
...
POTHINUS (aghast). Forty million sesterces! Impossible. There is
not so much money in the King's treasury.
CAESAR (encouragingly). ONLY sixteen hundred talents, Pothinus.
Why count it in sesterces? A sestertius is only worth a loaf of
bread.
POTHINUS. And a talent is worth a racehorse. I say it is
impossible. We have been at strife here, because the King's
sister Cleopatra falsely claims his throne. The King's taxes have
not been collected for a whole year. ...Is it possible that Caesar, the
conqueror of
the world, has time to occupy himself with such a trifle as our
taxes?
CAESAR. My friend: taxes are the chief business of a conqueror of
the world.
POTHINUS. Then take warning, Caesar. This day, the treasures of
the temples and the gold of the King's treasury will be sent to
the mint to be melted down for our ransom in the sight of the
people. They shall see us sitting under bare walls and drinking
from wooden cups. And their wrath be on your head, Caesar, if you
force us to this sacrilege!
CAESAR. Do not fear, Pothinus: the people know how well wine
tastes in wooden cups.
...
POTHINUS. It is useless to try to bluff us, Rufio. Caesar has
been defeated before and may be defeated again. A few weeks ago
Caesar was flying for his life before Pompey: a few months hence
he may be flying for his life before Cato and Juba of Numidia,
the African King.
...
POTHINUS (desperately). Then I make a last appeal to Caesar's
justice. I shall call a witness to prove that but for us, the
Roman army of occupation, led by the greatest soldier in the
world, would now have Caesar at its mercy. (Calling through the
loggia) Ho, there, Lucius Septimius (Caesar starts, deeply
moved): if my voice can reach you, come forth and testify before
Caesar.
CAESAR (shrinking). No, no.
...
POTHINUS. Bear witness, Lucius Septimius. Caesar came hither in
pursuit of his foe. Did we shelter his foe?
LUCIUS. As Pompey's foot touched the Egyptian shore, his head
fell by the stroke of my sword.
...
POTHINUS. Our first gift to you, as your galley came into the
roadstead, was the head of your rival for the empire of the
world. Bear witness, Lucius Septimius: is it not so?
LUCIUS. It is so. With this hand, that slew Pompey, I placed his
head at the feet of Caesar.
CAESAR. Murderer! So would you have slain Caesar, had Pompey been
victorious at Pharsalia.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
CLEOPATRA. Oh yes, yes. You are very sentimental, Caesar; but you
are clever; and if you do as I tell you, you will soon learn to
govern.
...
CLEOPATRA (kneeling beside him and looking at him with eager
interest, half real, half affected to show how intelligent she
is). You must not talk to me now as if I were a child.
...
CLFOPATRA. Work! What nonsense! You must remember that you are a
King now: I have made you one. Kings don't work.
CAESAR. Oh! Who told you that, little kitten? Eh?
CLEOPATRA. My father was King of Egypt; and he never worked. But
he was a great King, and cut off my sister's head because she
rebelled against him and took the throne from him.
CAESAR. Well; and how did he get his throne back again?
CLEOPATRA (eagerly, her eyes lighting up). I will tell you. A
beautiful young man, with strong round arms, came over the desert
with many horsemen, and slew my sister's husband and gave my
father back his throne. (Wistfully) I was only twelve then. Oh, I
wish he would come again, now that I am a Queen. I would
make him my husband.
CAESAR. It might be managed, perhaps; for it was I who sent that
beautiful young man to help your father.
CLEOPATRA (enraptured). You know him!
CAESAR (nodding). I do.
CLEOPATRA. Has he come with you? (Caesar shakes his head: she is
cruelly disappointed.) Oh, I wish he had, I wish he had. If only
I were a little older; so that he might not think me a mere
kitten, as you do! But perhaps that is because YOU are old. He is
many, MANY years younger than you, is he not?
CAESAR (as if swallowing a pill). He is somewhat younger.
CLEOPATRA. Would he be my husband, do you think, if I asked him?
CAESAR. Very likely.
CLEOPATRA. But I should not like to ask him. Could you not
persuade him to ask me--without knowing that I wanted him to?
CAESAR (touched by her innocence of the beautiful young
man's character). My poor child!
CLEOPATRA. Why do you say that as if you were sorry for me? Does
he love anyone else?
CAESAR. I am afraid so.
CLEOPATRA (tearfully). Then I shall not be his first love.
CAESAR. Not quite the first. He is greatly admired by women.
CLEOPATRA. I wish I could be the first. But if he loves me, I
will make him kill all the rest. Tell me: is he still beautiful?
Do his strong round arms shine in the sun like marble?
CAESAR. He is in excellent condition--considering how much he
eats and drinks.
CLEOPATRA. Oh, you must not say common, earthly things about him;
for I love him. He is a god.
CAESAR. He is a great captain of horsemen, and swifter of foot
than any other Roman.
CLEOPATRA. What is his real name?
CAESAR (puzzled). His REAL name?
CLEOPATRA. Yes. I always call him Horus, because Horus is the
most beautiful of our gods. But I want to know his real name.
CAESAR. His name is Mark Antony.
CLEOPATRA (musically). Mark Antony, Mark Antony, Mark Antony!
What a beautiful name! (She throws her arms round Caesar's neck.)
Oh, how I love you for sending him to help my father! Did you
love my father very much?
CAESAR. No, my child; but your father, as you say, never worked.
I always work. So when he lost his crown he had to promise me
16,000 talents to get it back for him.
CLEOPATRA. Did he ever pay you?
CAESAR. Not in full.
CLEOPATRA. He was quite right: it was too dear. The whole world
is not worth 16,000 talents.
CAESAR. That is perhaps true, Cleopatra. Those Egyptians who work
paid as much of it as he could drag from them. The rest is still
due. But as I most likely shall not get it, I must go back to my
work. So you must run away for a little and send my secretary to
me.
CLEOPATRA (coaxing). No: I want to stay and hear you talk about
Mark Antony.
CAESAR. But if I do not get to work, Pothinus and the rest of
them will cut us off from the harbor; and then the way from Rome
will be blocked.
CLEOPATRA. No matter: I don't want you to go back to Rome.
CAESAR. But you want Mark Antony to come from it.
CLEOPATRA (springing up). Oh yes, yes, yes: I forgot. Go quickly
and work, Caesar; and keep the way over the sea open for my Mark
Antony. (She runs out through the loggia, kissing her hand to
Mark Antony across the sea.)
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
THEODOTUS (on the steps, with uplifted arms). Horror unspeakable!
Woe, alas! Help!
RUFIO. What now?
CAESAR (frowning). Who is slain?
THEODOTUS. Slain! Oh, worse than the death of ten thousand men!
Loss irreparable to mankind!
RUFIO. What has happened, man?
THEODOTUS (rushing down the hall between them). The fire has
spread from your ships. The first of the seven wonders of the
world perishes. The library of Alexandria is in flames.
RUFIO. Psha! (Quite relieved, he goes up to the loggia and
watches the preparations of the troops on the beach.)
CAESAR. Is that all?
THEODOTUS (unable to believe his senses). All! Caesar: will you
go down to posterity as a barbarous soldier too ignorant to know
the value of books?
CAESAR. Theodotus: I am an author myself; and I tell you it is
better that the Egyptians should live their lives than dream them
away with the help of books.
THEODOTUS (kneeling, with genuine literary emotion: the passion
of the pedant). Caesar: once in ten generations of men, the world
gains an immortal book.
CAESAR (inflexible). If it did not flatter mankind, the common
executioner would burn it.
THEODOTUS. Without history, death would lay you beside your
meanest soldier.
CAESAR. Death will do that in any case. I ask no better grave.
THEODOTUS. What is burning there is the memory of mankind.
CAESAR. A shameful memory. Let it burn.
THEODOTUS (wildly). Will you destroy the past?
CAESAR. Ay, and build the future with its ruins. (Theodotus, in
despair, strikes himself on the temples with his fists.) But
harken, Theodotus, teacher of kings: you who valued Pompey's head
no more than a shepherd values an onion, and who now kneel to me,
with tears in your old eyes, to plead for a few sheepskins
scrawled with errors. I cannot spare you a man or a bucket of
water just now; but you shall pass freely out of the palace. Now,
away with you to Achillas; and borrow his legions to put out the
fire. (He hurries him to the steps.)
POTHINUS (significantly). You understand, Theodotus: I remain a
prisoner.
THEODOTUS. A prisoner!
CAESAR. Will you stay to talk whilst the memory of mankind is
burning? (Calling through the loggia) Ho there! Pass Theodotus
out. (To Theodotus) Away with you.
THEODOTUS (to Pothinus). I must go to save the library. (He
hurries out.)
...
RUFIO ...Where are those Egyptians? Is this
more clemency? Have you let them go?
CAESAR (chuckling). I have let Theodotus go to save the library.
We must respect literature, Rufio.
RUFIO (raging). Folly on folly's head! I believe if you could
bring back all the dead of Spain, Gaul and Thessaly to life, you
would do it that we might have the trouble of fighting them over
again.
CAESAR. Might not the gods destroy the world if their only
thought were to be at peace next year? (Rufio, out of all
patience, turns away in anger. Caesar suddenly grips his
sleeve, and adds slyly in his ear.) Besides, my friend: every
Egyptian we imprison means imprisoning two Roman soldiers to
guard him. Eh?
RUFIO. Agh! I might have known there was some fox's trick behind
your fine talking. (He gets away from Caesar with an ill-humored
shrug, and goes to the balcony for another look at the
preparations; finally goes out.)
...
CLEOPATRA. They are drying up the harbor with buckets--a
multitude of soldiers--over there (pointing out across the sea to
her left)--they are dipping up the water.
RUFIO (hastening to look). It is true. The Egyptian army!
Crawling over the edge of the west harbor like locusts. (With
sudden anger he strides down to Caesar.) This is your accursed
clemency, Caesar. Theodotus has brought them.
CAESAR (delighted at his own cleverness). I meant him to, Rufio.
They have come to put out the fire. The library will keep them
busy whilst we seize the lighthouse. Eh? (He rushes out buoyantly
through the loggia, followed by Britannus.)
RUFIO (disgustedly). More foxing! Agh! (He rushes off. A shout
from the soldiers announces the appearance of Caesar below).
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
revising the final draft of essay 2 and build from the notes on
preparing essay 2 above. Quotes from Acts I and II of Shaw's Caesar
and Cleopatra, are presented for class practice with examples of
identifying and explaining theme (≈ vehicle + tenor) and practice with
literary metaphors on current events.
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Practice with the sphinx from the quote below from Caesar
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony): sphinx as symbol of
Egypt's established traditions, to Caesar, foreign traditions
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning): sphinx shows how ancient Egypt
successfully accomplished [fill in]/failed because [fill in] and so
ancient Egypt's established traditions deserve respectful
consideration and reflection upon application to personal life/should
be ignored as inapplicable or avoided as counterproductive
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity): As symbols of the USA, the Statue of
Liberty and Emma Lazurus' poem The new colossus engraved on its base
show
Tenor/analysis 1) (for example, following the pattern above) ...how the
USA successfully accomplished [fill in]/failed with [fill in] and so
the USA's established traditions deserve respectful consideration and
reflection upon application to personal life/should be ignored as
inapplicable or avoided as counterproductive
Tenor/analysis 2) (students' choice)
THE MAN. Hail, Sphinx: salutation from Julius Caesar! I have
wandered in many lands, seeking the lost regions from which my
birth into this world exiled me, and the company of creatures
such as I myself. I have found flocks and pastures, men and
cities, but no other Caesar, no air native to me, no man kindred
to me, none who can do my day's deed, and think my night's
thought. In the little world yonder, Sphinx, my place is as high
as yours in this great desert; only I wander, and you sit still;
I conquer, and you endure; I work and wonder, you watch and wait;
I look up and am dazzled, look down and am darkened, look round
and am puzzled, whilst your eyes never turn from looking out--out
of the world--to the lost region--the home from which we have
strayed. Sphinx, you and I, strangers to the race of men, are no
strangers to one another: have I not been conscious of you and of
this place since I was born? Rome is a madman's dream: this is my
Reality. These starry lamps of yours I have seen from afar in
Gaul, in Britain, in Spain, in Thessaly, signalling great secrets
to some eternal sentinel below, whose post I never could find.
And here at last is their sentinel--an image of the constant and
immortal part of my life, silent, full of thoughts, alone in the
silver desert. Sphinx, Sphinx: I have climbed mountains at night
to hear in the distance the stealthy footfall of the winds that
chase your sands in forbidden play--our invisible children, O
Sphinx, laughing in whispers. My way hither was the way of
destiny; for I am he of whose genius you are the symbol: part
brute, part woman, and part God--nothing of man in me at all.
Have I read your riddle, Sphinx?
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
THE GIRL. Cleopatra, Queen of Egypt.
CAESAR. Queen of the Gypsies, you mean.
CLEOPATRA. You must not be disrespectful to me, or the Sphinx
will let the Romans eat you. Come up. It is quite cosy here.
...Take care. That's right. Now sit down: you may have
its other paw. (She seats herself comfortably on its left paw.)
It is very powerful and will protect us; but (shivering, and with
plaintive loneliness) it would not take any notice of me or keep
me company. I am glad you have come: I was very lonely. Did you
happen to see a white cat anywhere? ...the sacred white cat: is it not
dreadful? I
brought him here to sacrifice him to the Sphinx; but when we got
a little way from the city a black cat called him, and he jumped
out of my arms and ran away to it. Do you think that the black
cat can have been my great-great-great-grandmother? ...My great-
grandmother's great-grandmother was a black kitten of the sacred white
cat; and the river Nile made her his seventh wife. That is why my hair
is
so wavy. And I always want to be let do as I like, no matter
whether it is the will of the gods or not: that is because my
blood is made with Nile water. ...I am the Queen; and I shall live in
the
palace at Alexandria when I have killed my brother, who drove me
out of it. When I am old enough I shall do just what I like. I
shall be able to poison the slaves and see them wriggle, and
pretend to Ftatateeta that she is going to be put into the fiery
furnace.
...
CLEOPATRA (breaking from him). I will beat somebody. I will beat
him. (She attacks the slave.) There, there, there! (The slave
flies for his life up the corridor and vanishes. She throws the
snake-skin away and jumps on the step of the throne with her arms
waving, crying) I am a real Queen at last--a real, real Queen!
Cleopatra the Queen! (Caesar shakes his head dubiously, the
advantage of the change seeming open to question from the point
of view of the general welfare of Egypt. She turns and looks at
him exultantly. Then she jumps down from the step, runs to him,
and flings her arms round him rapturously, crying) Oh, I love you
for making me a Queen.
CAESAR. But queens love only kings.
CLEOPATRA. I will make all the men I love kings. I will make you
a king. I will have many young kings, with round, strong arms;
and when I am tired of them I will whip them to death...
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
POTHINUS. The King's treasury is poor, Caesar.
CAESAR Pothinus: I want 1,600 talents.
...
POTHINUS (aghast). Forty million sesterces! Impossible. There is
not so much money in the King's treasury.
CAESAR (encouragingly). ONLY sixteen hundred talents, Pothinus.
Why count it in sesterces? A sestertius is only worth a loaf of
bread.
POTHINUS. And a talent is worth a racehorse. I say it is
impossible. We have been at strife here, because the King's
sister Cleopatra falsely claims his throne. The King's taxes have
not been collected for a whole year. ...Is it possible that Caesar, the
conqueror of
the world, has time to occupy himself with such a trifle as our
taxes?
CAESAR. My friend: taxes are the chief business of a conqueror of
the world.
POTHINUS. Then take warning, Caesar. This day, the treasures of
the temples and the gold of the King's treasury will be sent to
the mint to be melted down for our ransom in the sight of the
people. They shall see us sitting under bare walls and drinking
from wooden cups. And their wrath be on your head, Caesar, if you
force us to this sacrilege!
CAESAR. Do not fear, Pothinus: the people know how well wine
tastes in wooden cups.
...
POTHINUS. It is useless to try to bluff us, Rufio. Caesar has
been defeated before and may be defeated again. A few weeks ago
Caesar was flying for his life before Pompey: a few months hence
he may be flying for his life before Cato and Juba of Numidia,
the African King.
...
POTHINUS (desperately). Then I make a last appeal to Caesar's
justice. I shall call a witness to prove that but for us, the
Roman army of occupation, led by the greatest soldier in the
world, would now have Caesar at its mercy. (Calling through the
loggia) Ho, there, Lucius Septimius (Caesar starts, deeply
moved): if my voice can reach you, come forth and testify before
Caesar.
CAESAR (shrinking). No, no.
...
POTHINUS. Bear witness, Lucius Septimius. Caesar came hither in
pursuit of his foe. Did we shelter his foe?
LUCIUS. As Pompey's foot touched the Egyptian shore, his head
fell by the stroke of my sword.
...
POTHINUS. Our first gift to you, as your galley came into the
roadstead, was the head of your rival for the empire of the
world. Bear witness, Lucius Septimius: is it not so?
LUCIUS. It is so. With this hand, that slew Pompey, I placed his
head at the feet of Caesar.
CAESAR. Murderer! So would you have slain Caesar, had Pompey been
victorious at Pharsalia.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
CLEOPATRA. Oh yes, yes. You are very sentimental, Caesar; but you
are clever; and if you do as I tell you, you will soon learn to
govern.
...
CLEOPATRA (kneeling beside him and looking at him with eager
interest, half real, half affected to show how intelligent she
is). You must not talk to me now as if I were a child.
...
CLFOPATRA. Work! What nonsense! You must remember that you are a
King now: I have made you one. Kings don't work.
CAESAR. Oh! Who told you that, little kitten? Eh?
CLEOPATRA. My father was King of Egypt; and he never worked. But
he was a great King, and cut off my sister's head because she
rebelled against him and took the throne from him.
CAESAR. Well; and how did he get his throne back again?
CLEOPATRA (eagerly, her eyes lighting up). I will tell you. A
beautiful young man, with strong round arms, came over the desert
with many horsemen, and slew my sister's husband and gave my
father back his throne. (Wistfully) I was only twelve then. Oh, I
wish he would come again, now that I am a Queen. I would
make him my husband.
CAESAR. It might be managed, perhaps; for it was I who sent that
beautiful young man to help your father.
CLEOPATRA (enraptured). You know him!
CAESAR (nodding). I do.
CLEOPATRA. Has he come with you? (Caesar shakes his head: she is
cruelly disappointed.) Oh, I wish he had, I wish he had. If only
I were a little older; so that he might not think me a mere
kitten, as you do! But perhaps that is because YOU are old. He is
many, MANY years younger than you, is he not?
CAESAR (as if swallowing a pill). He is somewhat younger.
CLEOPATRA. Would he be my husband, do you think, if I asked him?
CAESAR. Very likely.
CLEOPATRA. But I should not like to ask him. Could you not
persuade him to ask me--without knowing that I wanted him to?
CAESAR (touched by her innocence of the beautiful young
man's character). My poor child!
CLEOPATRA. Why do you say that as if you were sorry for me? Does
he love anyone else?
CAESAR. I am afraid so.
CLEOPATRA (tearfully). Then I shall not be his first love.
CAESAR. Not quite the first. He is greatly admired by women.
CLEOPATRA. I wish I could be the first. But if he loves me, I
will make him kill all the rest. Tell me: is he still beautiful?
Do his strong round arms shine in the sun like marble?
CAESAR. He is in excellent condition--considering how much he
eats and drinks.
CLEOPATRA. Oh, you must not say common, earthly things about him;
for I love him. He is a god.
CAESAR. He is a great captain of horsemen, and swifter of foot
than any other Roman.
CLEOPATRA. What is his real name?
CAESAR (puzzled). His REAL name?
CLEOPATRA. Yes. I always call him Horus, because Horus is the
most beautiful of our gods. But I want to know his real name.
CAESAR. His name is Mark Antony.
CLEOPATRA (musically). Mark Antony, Mark Antony, Mark Antony!
What a beautiful name! (She throws her arms round Caesar's neck.)
Oh, how I love you for sending him to help my father! Did you
love my father very much?
CAESAR. No, my child; but your father, as you say, never worked.
I always work. So when he lost his crown he had to promise me
16,000 talents to get it back for him.
CLEOPATRA. Did he ever pay you?
CAESAR. Not in full.
CLEOPATRA. He was quite right: it was too dear. The whole world
is not worth 16,000 talents.
CAESAR. That is perhaps true, Cleopatra. Those Egyptians who work
paid as much of it as he could drag from them. The rest is still
due. But as I most likely shall not get it, I must go back to my
work. So you must run away for a little and send my secretary to
me.
CLEOPATRA (coaxing). No: I want to stay and hear you talk about
Mark Antony.
CAESAR. But if I do not get to work, Pothinus and the rest of
them will cut us off from the harbor; and then the way from Rome
will be blocked.
CLEOPATRA. No matter: I don't want you to go back to Rome.
CAESAR. But you want Mark Antony to come from it.
CLEOPATRA (springing up). Oh yes, yes, yes: I forgot. Go quickly
and work, Caesar; and keep the way over the sea open for my Mark
Antony. (She runs out through the loggia, kissing her hand to
Mark Antony across the sea.)
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
THEODOTUS (on the steps, with uplifted arms). Horror unspeakable!
Woe, alas! Help!
RUFIO. What now?
CAESAR (frowning). Who is slain?
THEODOTUS. Slain! Oh, worse than the death of ten thousand men!
Loss irreparable to mankind!
RUFIO. What has happened, man?
THEODOTUS (rushing down the hall between them). The fire has
spread from your ships. The first of the seven wonders of the
world perishes. The library of Alexandria is in flames.
RUFIO. Psha! (Quite relieved, he goes up to the loggia and
watches the preparations of the troops on the beach.)
CAESAR. Is that all?
THEODOTUS (unable to believe his senses). All! Caesar: will you
go down to posterity as a barbarous soldier too ignorant to know
the value of books?
CAESAR. Theodotus: I am an author myself; and I tell you it is
better that the Egyptians should live their lives than dream them
away with the help of books.
THEODOTUS (kneeling, with genuine literary emotion: the passion
of the pedant). Caesar: once in ten generations of men, the world
gains an immortal book.
CAESAR (inflexible). If it did not flatter mankind, the common
executioner would burn it.
THEODOTUS. Without history, death would lay you beside your
meanest soldier.
CAESAR. Death will do that in any case. I ask no better grave.
THEODOTUS. What is burning there is the memory of mankind.
CAESAR. A shameful memory. Let it burn.
THEODOTUS (wildly). Will you destroy the past?
CAESAR. Ay, and build the future with its ruins. (Theodotus, in
despair, strikes himself on the temples with his fists.) But
harken, Theodotus, teacher of kings: you who valued Pompey's head
no more than a shepherd values an onion, and who now kneel to me,
with tears in your old eyes, to plead for a few sheepskins
scrawled with errors. I cannot spare you a man or a bucket of
water just now; but you shall pass freely out of the palace. Now,
away with you to Achillas; and borrow his legions to put out the
fire. (He hurries him to the steps.)
POTHINUS (significantly). You understand, Theodotus: I remain a
prisoner.
THEODOTUS. A prisoner!
CAESAR. Will you stay to talk whilst the memory of mankind is
burning? (Calling through the loggia) Ho there! Pass Theodotus
out. (To Theodotus) Away with you.
THEODOTUS (to Pothinus). I must go to save the library. (He
hurries out.)
...
RUFIO ...Where are those Egyptians? Is this
more clemency? Have you let them go?
CAESAR (chuckling). I have let Theodotus go to save the library.
We must respect literature, Rufio.
RUFIO (raging). Folly on folly's head! I believe if you could
bring back all the dead of Spain, Gaul and Thessaly to life, you
would do it that we might have the trouble of fighting them over
again.
CAESAR. Might not the gods destroy the world if their only
thought were to be at peace next year? (Rufio, out of all
patience, turns away in anger. Caesar suddenly grips his
sleeve, and adds slyly in his ear.) Besides, my friend: every
Egyptian we imprison means imprisoning two Roman soldiers to
guard him. Eh?
RUFIO. Agh! I might have known there was some fox's trick behind
your fine talking. (He gets away from Caesar with an ill-humored
shrug, and goes to the balcony for another look at the
preparations; finally goes out.)
...
CLEOPATRA. They are drying up the harbor with buckets--a
multitude of soldiers--over there (pointing out across the sea to
her left)--they are dipping up the water.
RUFIO (hastening to look). It is true. The Egyptian army!
Crawling over the edge of the west harbor like locusts. (With
sudden anger he strides down to Caesar.) This is your accursed
clemency, Caesar. Theodotus has brought them.
CAESAR (delighted at his own cleverness). I meant him to, Rufio.
They have come to put out the fire. The library will keep them
busy whilst we seize the lighthouse. Eh? (He rushes out buoyantly
through the loggia, followed by Britannus.)
RUFIO (disgustedly). More foxing! Agh! (He rushes off. A shout
from the soldiers announces the appearance of Caesar below).
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
snorko
Aug 6, 2008, 2:04:43 PM8/6/08
to snorko
These quotes from Acts III, IV, and V of Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra
are organized in the fashion described above.
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
CHARMIAN. That Cleopatra is no longer a child. Shall I tell you
how to grow much older, and much, MUCH wiser in one day?
POTHINUS. I should prefer to grow wiser without growing older.
CHARMIAN. Well, go up to the top of the lighthouse; and get
somebody to take you by the hair and throw you into the sea. (The
ladies laugh.)
CLEOPATRA. She is right, Pothinus: you will come to the shore
with much conceit washed out of you. (The ladies laugh. Cleopatra
rises impatiently.) Begone, all of you. I will speak with
Pothinus alone. Drive them out, Ftatateeta. (They run out
laughing. Ftatateeta shuts the door on them.) What are YOU
waiting for?
FTATATEETA. It is not meet that the Queen remain alone with--
CLEOPATRA (interrupting her). Ftatateeta: must I sacrifice you to
your father's gods to teach you that I am Queen of Egypt, and not
you?
FTATATEETA (indignantly). You are like the rest of them. You want
to be what these Romans call a New Woman. (She goes out, banging
the door.)
CLEOPATRA (sitting down again). Now, Pothinus: why did you bribe
Ftatateeta to bring you hither?
POTHINUS (studying her gravely). Cleopatra: what they tell me is
true. You are changed.
CLEOPATRA. Do you speak with Caesar every day for six months: and
YOU will be changed.
POTHINUS. It is the common talk that you are infatuated with this
old man.
CLEOPATRA. Infatuated? What does that mean? Made foolish, is it
not? Oh no: I wish I were.
POTHINUS. You wish you were made foolish! How so?
CLEOPATRA. When I was foolish, I did what I liked, except when
Ftatateeta beat me; and even then I cheated her and did it by
stealth. Now that Caesar has made me wise, it is no use my liking
or disliking; I do what must be done, and have no time to attend
to myself. That is not happiness; but it is greatness. If Caesar
were gone, I think I could govern the Egyptians; for what Caesar
is to me, I am to the fools around me.
POTHINUS (looking hard at her). Cleopatra: this may be the vanity
of youth.
CLEOPATRA. No, no: it is not that I am so clever, but that the
others are so stupid.
POTHINUS (musingly). Truly, that is the great secret.
...
POTHINUS. You harp on Caesar's departure.
CLEOPATRA. What if I do?
POTHINUS. Does he not love you?
CLEOPATRA. Love me! Pothinus: Caesar loves no one. Who are those
we love? Only those whom we do not hate: all people are strangers
and enemies to us except those we love. But it is not so with
Caesar. He has no hatred in him: he makes friends with everyone
as he does with dogs and children. His kindness to me is a
wonder: neither mother, father, nor nurse have ever taken so much
care for me, or thrown open their thoughts to me so freely.
POTHINUS. Well: is not this love?
CLEOPATRA. What! When he will do as much for the first girl he
meets on his way back to Rome? Ask his slave, Britannus: he has
been just as good to him. Nay, ask his very horse! His kindness
is not for anything in ME: it is in his own nature.
POTHINUS. But how can you be sure that he does not love you as
men love women?
CLEOPATRA. Because I cannot make him jealous. I have tried.
POTHINUS. Hm! Perhaps I should have asked, then, do you love him?
CLEOPATRA. Can one love a god? Besides, I love another Roman: one
whom I saw long before Caesar--no god, but a man--one who can
love and hate--one whom I can hurt and who would hurt me.
POTHINUS. Does Caesar know this?
CLEOPATRA. Yes
POTHINUS. And he is not angry.
CLEOPATRA. He promises to send him to Egypt to please me!
POTHINUS. I do not understand this man?
CLEOPATRA (with superb contempt). YOU understand Caesar! How
could you? (Proudly) I do--by instinct.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
CAESAR. Release him. (They let go his arms.) What has offended
the citizens, Lucius Septimius?
LUCIUS. What did you expect, Caesar? Pothinus was a favorite of
theirs.
CAESAR. What has happened to Pothinus? I set him free, here, not
half an hour ago. Did they not pass him out?
LUCIUS. Ay, through the gallery arch sixty feet above ground,
with three inches of steel in his ribs. He is as dead as Pompey.
We are quits now, as to killing--you and I.
CAESAR. (shocked). Assassinated!--our prisoner, our guest!
(He turns reproachfully on Rufio) Rufio--
RUFIO (emphatically--anticipating the question). Whoever did it
was a wise man and a friend of yours (Cleopatra is qreatly
emboldened); but none of US had a hand in it. So it is no use to
frown at me. (Caesar turns and looks at Cleopatra.)
CLEOPATRA (violently--rising). He was slain by order of the Queen
of Egypt. I am not Julius Caesar the dreamer, who allows every
slave to insult him. Rufio has said I did well: now the others
shall judge me too. (She turns to the others.) This Pothinus
sought to make me conspire with him to betray Caesar to Achillas
and Ptolemy. I refused; and he cursed me and came privily to
Caesar to accuse me of his own treachery. I caught him in the
act; and he insulted me--ME, the Queen! To my face. Caesar would
not revenge me: he spoke him fair and set him free. Was I right
to avenge myself? Speak, Lucius.
LUCIUS. I do not gainsay it. But you will get little thanks from
Caesar for it.
CLEOPATRA. Speak, Apollodorus. Was I wrong?
APOLLODORUS. I have only one word of blame, most beautiful. You
should have called upon me, your knight; and in fair duel I
should have slain the slanderer.
CLEOPATRA (passionately). I will be judged by your very slave,
Caesar. Britannus: speak. Was I wrong?
BRITANNUS. Were treachery, falsehood, and disloyalty left
unpunished, society must become like an arena full of wild
beasts, tearing one another to pieces. Caesar is in the wrong.
CAESAR (with quiet bitterness). And so the verdict is against me,
it seems.
CLEOPATRA (vehemently). Listen to me, Caesar. If one man in all
Alexandria can be found to say that I did wrong, I swear to have
myself crucified on the door of the palace by my own slaves.
CAESAR. If one man in all the world can be found, now or forever,
to know that you did wrong, that man will have either to conquer
the world as I have, or be crucified by it. (The uproar in the
streets again reaches them.) Do you hear? These knockers at your
gate are also believers in vengeance and in stabbing. You have
slain their leader: it is right that they shall slay you. If you
doubt it, ask your four counselors here. And then in the name of
that RIGHT (He emphasizes the word with great scorn.) shall I not
slay them for murdering their Queen, and be slain in my turn by
their countrymen as the invader of their fatherland? Can Rome do
less then than slay these slayers too, to show the world how Rome
avenges her sons and her honor? And so, to the end of history,
murder shall breed murder, always in the name of right and honor
and peace, until the gods are tired of blood and create a race
that can understand. (Fierce uproar. Cleopatra becomes white with
terror.) Hearken, you who must not be insulted. Go near enough to
catch their words: you will find them bitterer than the tongue of
Pothinus. (Loftily wrapping himself up in an impenetrable
dignity.) Let the Queen of Egypt now give her orders for
vengeance, and take her measures for defense; for she has
renounced Caesar. (He turns to go.)
CLEOPATRA (terrified, running to him and falling on her knees).
You will not desert me, Caesar. You will defend the palace.
CAESAR. You have taken the powers of life and death upon you. I
am only a dreamer.
CLEOPATRA. But they will kill me.
CAESAR. And why not?
CLEOPATRA. In pity--
CAESAR. Pity! What! Has it come to this so suddenly, that nothing
can save you now but pity? Did it save Pothinus?
She rises, wringing her hands, and goes back to the bench in
despair. Apollodorus shows his sympathy with her by quietly
posting himself behind the bench. The sky has by this time become
the most vivid purple, and soon begins to change to a glowing
pale orange, against which the colonnade and the great image show
darklier and darklier.
RUFIO. Caesar: enough of preaching. The enemy is at the gate.
CAESAR (turning on him and giving way to his wrath). Ay; and what
has held him baffled at the gate all these months? Was it my
folly, as you deem it, or your wisdom? In this Egyptian Red Sea
of blood, whose hand has held all your heads above the waves?
(Turning on Cleopatra) And yet, When Caesar says to such an one,
"Friend, go free," you, clinging for your little life to my
sword, dare steal out and stab him in the back? And you, soldiers
and gentlemen, and honest servants as you forget that you are,
applaud this assassination, and say "Caesar is in the wrong." By
the gods, I am tempted to open my hand and let you all sink into
the flood.
CLEOPATRA (with a ray of cunning hope). But, Caesar, if you do,
you will perish yourself.
Caesar's eyes blaze.
RUFIO (greatly alarmed). Now, by great Jove, you filthy little
Egyptian rat, that is the very word to make him walk out alone
into the city and leave us here to be cut to pieces.
(Desperately, to Caesar) Will you desert us because we are a
parcel of fools? I mean no harm by killing: I do it as a dog
kills a cat, by instinct. We are all dogs at your heels; but we
have served you faithfully.
CAESAR (relenting). Alas, Rufio, my son, my son: as dogs we are
like to perish now in the streets.
APOLLODORUS (at his post behind Cleopatra's seat). Caesar, what
you say has an Olympian ring in it: it must be right; for it is
fine art. But I am still on the side of Cleopatra. If we must
die, she shall not want the devotion of a man's heart nor the
strength of a man's arm.
CLEOPATRA (sobbing). But I don't want to die.
CAESAR (sadly). Oh, ignoble, ignoble!
LUCIUS (coming forward between Caesar and Cleopatra). Hearken to
me, Caesar. It may be ignoble; but I also mean to live as long as
I can.
CAESAR. Well, my friend, you are likely to outlive Caesar. Is it
any magic of mine, think you, that has kept your army and this
whole city at bay for so long? Yesterday, what quarrel had they
with me that they should risk their lives against me? But to-day
we have flung them down their hero, murdered; and now every man
of them is set upon clearing out this nest of assassins--for such
we are and no more. Take courage then; and sharpen your sword.
Pompey's head has fallen; and Caesar's head is ripe.
APOLLODORUS. Does Caesar despair?
CAESAR (with infinite pride). He who has never hoped can never
despair. Caesar, in good or bad fortune, looks his fate in the
face.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
CAESAR (seeing Apollodorus in the Egyptian corner and calling to
him). Apollodorus: I leave the art of Egypt in your charge.
Remember: Rome loves art and will encourage it ungrudgingly.
APOLLODORUS. I understand, Caesar. Rome will produce no art
itself; but it will buy up and take away whatever the other
nations produce.
CAESAR. What! Rome produces no art! Is peace not an art? Is war
not an art? Is government not an art? Is civilization not an art?
All these we give you in exchange for a few ornaments. You will
have the best of the bargain. (Turning to Rufio) And now, what
else have I to do before I embark? (Trying to recollect) There is
something I cannot remember: what CAN it be? Well, well: it must
remain undone: we must not waste this favorable wind. Farewell,
Rufio.
RUFIO. Caesar: I am loath to let you go to Rome without your
shield. There are too many daggers there.
CAESAR. It matters not: I shall finish my life's work on my way
back; and then I shall have lived long enough. Besides: I have
always disliked the idea of dying: I had rather be killed.
Farewell.
...
CAESAR. Bid me farewell.
CLEOPATRA. I will not.
CAESAR (coaxing). I will send you a beautiful present from Rome.
CLEOPATRA (proudly). Beauty from Rome to Egypt indeed! What can
Rome give ME that Egypt cannot give me?
APOLLODORUS. That is true, Caesar. If the present is to be really
beautiful, I shall have to buy it for you in Alexandria.
CAESAR. You are forgetting the treasures for which Rome is most
famous, my friend. You cannot buy THEM in Alexandria.
APOLLODORUS. What are they, Caesar?
CAESAR. Her sons. Come, Cleopatra: forgive me and bid me
farewell; and I will send you a man, Roman from head to heel and
Roman of the noblest; not old and ripe for the knife; not lean in
the arms and cold in the heart; not hiding a bald head under his
conqueror's laurels; not stooped with the weight of the world on
his shoulders; but brisk and fresh, strong and young, hoping in
the morning, fighting in the day, and reveling in the evening.
Will you take such an one in exchange for Caesar?
CLEOPATRA (palpitating). His name, his name?
CAESAR. Shall it be Mark Antony? (She throws herself in his
arms.)
RUFIO. You are a bad hand at a bargain, mistress, if you will
swap Caesar for Antony.
CAESAR. So now you are satisfied.
CLEOPATRA. You will not forget.
CAESAR. I will not forget. Farewell: I do not think we shall meet
again. Farewell. (He kisses her on the forehead. She is much
affected and begins to sniff. He embarks.)
THE ROMAN SOLDIERS (as he sets his foot on the gangway). Hail,
Caesar; and farewell!
He reaches the ship and returns Rufio's wave of the hand.
APOLLODORUS (to Cleopatra). No tears, dearest Queen: they stab
your servant to the heart. He will return some day.
CLEOPATRA. I hope not. But I can't help crying, all the same.
(She waves her handkerchief to Caesar; and the ship begins to
move.)
are organized in the fashion described above.
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
how to grow much older, and much, MUCH wiser in one day?
POTHINUS. I should prefer to grow wiser without growing older.
CHARMIAN. Well, go up to the top of the lighthouse; and get
somebody to take you by the hair and throw you into the sea. (The
ladies laugh.)
CLEOPATRA. She is right, Pothinus: you will come to the shore
with much conceit washed out of you. (The ladies laugh. Cleopatra
rises impatiently.) Begone, all of you. I will speak with
Pothinus alone. Drive them out, Ftatateeta. (They run out
laughing. Ftatateeta shuts the door on them.) What are YOU
waiting for?
FTATATEETA. It is not meet that the Queen remain alone with--
CLEOPATRA (interrupting her). Ftatateeta: must I sacrifice you to
your father's gods to teach you that I am Queen of Egypt, and not
you?
FTATATEETA (indignantly). You are like the rest of them. You want
to be what these Romans call a New Woman. (She goes out, banging
the door.)
CLEOPATRA (sitting down again). Now, Pothinus: why did you bribe
Ftatateeta to bring you hither?
POTHINUS (studying her gravely). Cleopatra: what they tell me is
true. You are changed.
CLEOPATRA. Do you speak with Caesar every day for six months: and
YOU will be changed.
POTHINUS. It is the common talk that you are infatuated with this
old man.
CLEOPATRA. Infatuated? What does that mean? Made foolish, is it
not? Oh no: I wish I were.
POTHINUS. You wish you were made foolish! How so?
CLEOPATRA. When I was foolish, I did what I liked, except when
Ftatateeta beat me; and even then I cheated her and did it by
stealth. Now that Caesar has made me wise, it is no use my liking
or disliking; I do what must be done, and have no time to attend
to myself. That is not happiness; but it is greatness. If Caesar
were gone, I think I could govern the Egyptians; for what Caesar
is to me, I am to the fools around me.
POTHINUS (looking hard at her). Cleopatra: this may be the vanity
of youth.
CLEOPATRA. No, no: it is not that I am so clever, but that the
others are so stupid.
POTHINUS (musingly). Truly, that is the great secret.
...
POTHINUS. You harp on Caesar's departure.
CLEOPATRA. What if I do?
POTHINUS. Does he not love you?
CLEOPATRA. Love me! Pothinus: Caesar loves no one. Who are those
we love? Only those whom we do not hate: all people are strangers
and enemies to us except those we love. But it is not so with
Caesar. He has no hatred in him: he makes friends with everyone
as he does with dogs and children. His kindness to me is a
wonder: neither mother, father, nor nurse have ever taken so much
care for me, or thrown open their thoughts to me so freely.
POTHINUS. Well: is not this love?
CLEOPATRA. What! When he will do as much for the first girl he
meets on his way back to Rome? Ask his slave, Britannus: he has
been just as good to him. Nay, ask his very horse! His kindness
is not for anything in ME: it is in his own nature.
POTHINUS. But how can you be sure that he does not love you as
men love women?
CLEOPATRA. Because I cannot make him jealous. I have tried.
POTHINUS. Hm! Perhaps I should have asked, then, do you love him?
CLEOPATRA. Can one love a god? Besides, I love another Roman: one
whom I saw long before Caesar--no god, but a man--one who can
love and hate--one whom I can hurt and who would hurt me.
POTHINUS. Does Caesar know this?
CLEOPATRA. Yes
POTHINUS. And he is not angry.
CLEOPATRA. He promises to send him to Egypt to please me!
POTHINUS. I do not understand this man?
CLEOPATRA (with superb contempt). YOU understand Caesar! How
could you? (Proudly) I do--by instinct.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
the citizens, Lucius Septimius?
LUCIUS. What did you expect, Caesar? Pothinus was a favorite of
theirs.
CAESAR. What has happened to Pothinus? I set him free, here, not
half an hour ago. Did they not pass him out?
LUCIUS. Ay, through the gallery arch sixty feet above ground,
with three inches of steel in his ribs. He is as dead as Pompey.
We are quits now, as to killing--you and I.
CAESAR. (shocked). Assassinated!--our prisoner, our guest!
(He turns reproachfully on Rufio) Rufio--
RUFIO (emphatically--anticipating the question). Whoever did it
was a wise man and a friend of yours (Cleopatra is qreatly
emboldened); but none of US had a hand in it. So it is no use to
frown at me. (Caesar turns and looks at Cleopatra.)
CLEOPATRA (violently--rising). He was slain by order of the Queen
of Egypt. I am not Julius Caesar the dreamer, who allows every
slave to insult him. Rufio has said I did well: now the others
shall judge me too. (She turns to the others.) This Pothinus
sought to make me conspire with him to betray Caesar to Achillas
and Ptolemy. I refused; and he cursed me and came privily to
Caesar to accuse me of his own treachery. I caught him in the
act; and he insulted me--ME, the Queen! To my face. Caesar would
not revenge me: he spoke him fair and set him free. Was I right
to avenge myself? Speak, Lucius.
LUCIUS. I do not gainsay it. But you will get little thanks from
Caesar for it.
CLEOPATRA. Speak, Apollodorus. Was I wrong?
APOLLODORUS. I have only one word of blame, most beautiful. You
should have called upon me, your knight; and in fair duel I
should have slain the slanderer.
CLEOPATRA (passionately). I will be judged by your very slave,
Caesar. Britannus: speak. Was I wrong?
BRITANNUS. Were treachery, falsehood, and disloyalty left
unpunished, society must become like an arena full of wild
beasts, tearing one another to pieces. Caesar is in the wrong.
CAESAR (with quiet bitterness). And so the verdict is against me,
it seems.
CLEOPATRA (vehemently). Listen to me, Caesar. If one man in all
Alexandria can be found to say that I did wrong, I swear to have
myself crucified on the door of the palace by my own slaves.
CAESAR. If one man in all the world can be found, now or forever,
to know that you did wrong, that man will have either to conquer
the world as I have, or be crucified by it. (The uproar in the
streets again reaches them.) Do you hear? These knockers at your
gate are also believers in vengeance and in stabbing. You have
slain their leader: it is right that they shall slay you. If you
doubt it, ask your four counselors here. And then in the name of
that RIGHT (He emphasizes the word with great scorn.) shall I not
slay them for murdering their Queen, and be slain in my turn by
their countrymen as the invader of their fatherland? Can Rome do
less then than slay these slayers too, to show the world how Rome
avenges her sons and her honor? And so, to the end of history,
murder shall breed murder, always in the name of right and honor
and peace, until the gods are tired of blood and create a race
that can understand. (Fierce uproar. Cleopatra becomes white with
terror.) Hearken, you who must not be insulted. Go near enough to
catch their words: you will find them bitterer than the tongue of
Pothinus. (Loftily wrapping himself up in an impenetrable
dignity.) Let the Queen of Egypt now give her orders for
vengeance, and take her measures for defense; for she has
renounced Caesar. (He turns to go.)
CLEOPATRA (terrified, running to him and falling on her knees).
You will not desert me, Caesar. You will defend the palace.
CAESAR. You have taken the powers of life and death upon you. I
am only a dreamer.
CLEOPATRA. But they will kill me.
CAESAR. And why not?
CLEOPATRA. In pity--
CAESAR. Pity! What! Has it come to this so suddenly, that nothing
can save you now but pity? Did it save Pothinus?
She rises, wringing her hands, and goes back to the bench in
despair. Apollodorus shows his sympathy with her by quietly
posting himself behind the bench. The sky has by this time become
the most vivid purple, and soon begins to change to a glowing
pale orange, against which the colonnade and the great image show
darklier and darklier.
RUFIO. Caesar: enough of preaching. The enemy is at the gate.
CAESAR (turning on him and giving way to his wrath). Ay; and what
has held him baffled at the gate all these months? Was it my
folly, as you deem it, or your wisdom? In this Egyptian Red Sea
of blood, whose hand has held all your heads above the waves?
(Turning on Cleopatra) And yet, When Caesar says to such an one,
"Friend, go free," you, clinging for your little life to my
sword, dare steal out and stab him in the back? And you, soldiers
and gentlemen, and honest servants as you forget that you are,
applaud this assassination, and say "Caesar is in the wrong." By
the gods, I am tempted to open my hand and let you all sink into
the flood.
CLEOPATRA (with a ray of cunning hope). But, Caesar, if you do,
you will perish yourself.
Caesar's eyes blaze.
RUFIO (greatly alarmed). Now, by great Jove, you filthy little
Egyptian rat, that is the very word to make him walk out alone
into the city and leave us here to be cut to pieces.
(Desperately, to Caesar) Will you desert us because we are a
parcel of fools? I mean no harm by killing: I do it as a dog
kills a cat, by instinct. We are all dogs at your heels; but we
have served you faithfully.
CAESAR (relenting). Alas, Rufio, my son, my son: as dogs we are
like to perish now in the streets.
APOLLODORUS (at his post behind Cleopatra's seat). Caesar, what
you say has an Olympian ring in it: it must be right; for it is
fine art. But I am still on the side of Cleopatra. If we must
die, she shall not want the devotion of a man's heart nor the
strength of a man's arm.
CLEOPATRA (sobbing). But I don't want to die.
CAESAR (sadly). Oh, ignoble, ignoble!
LUCIUS (coming forward between Caesar and Cleopatra). Hearken to
me, Caesar. It may be ignoble; but I also mean to live as long as
I can.
CAESAR. Well, my friend, you are likely to outlive Caesar. Is it
any magic of mine, think you, that has kept your army and this
whole city at bay for so long? Yesterday, what quarrel had they
with me that they should risk their lives against me? But to-day
we have flung them down their hero, murdered; and now every man
of them is set upon clearing out this nest of assassins--for such
we are and no more. Take courage then; and sharpen your sword.
Pompey's head has fallen; and Caesar's head is ripe.
APOLLODORUS. Does Caesar despair?
CAESAR (with infinite pride). He who has never hoped can never
despair. Caesar, in good or bad fortune, looks his fate in the
face.
----- ----- ----- ----- ----- -----
Theme ≈ vehicle + tenor
Vehicle (the literary element or device; e. g., character's name,
symbol/metaphor used; mystery/suspense/irony):
+
Tenor (author's intended meaning):
Comparison to today's world (specifically, to view of self, military,
corruption, view of rest of the world, borders, or systemic/
bureaucratic complexity):
him). Apollodorus: I leave the art of Egypt in your charge.
Remember: Rome loves art and will encourage it ungrudgingly.
APOLLODORUS. I understand, Caesar. Rome will produce no art
itself; but it will buy up and take away whatever the other
nations produce.
CAESAR. What! Rome produces no art! Is peace not an art? Is war
not an art? Is government not an art? Is civilization not an art?
All these we give you in exchange for a few ornaments. You will
have the best of the bargain. (Turning to Rufio) And now, what
else have I to do before I embark? (Trying to recollect) There is
something I cannot remember: what CAN it be? Well, well: it must
remain undone: we must not waste this favorable wind. Farewell,
Rufio.
RUFIO. Caesar: I am loath to let you go to Rome without your
shield. There are too many daggers there.
CAESAR. It matters not: I shall finish my life's work on my way
back; and then I shall have lived long enough. Besides: I have
always disliked the idea of dying: I had rather be killed.
Farewell.
...
CAESAR. Bid me farewell.
CLEOPATRA. I will not.
CAESAR (coaxing). I will send you a beautiful present from Rome.
CLEOPATRA (proudly). Beauty from Rome to Egypt indeed! What can
Rome give ME that Egypt cannot give me?
APOLLODORUS. That is true, Caesar. If the present is to be really
beautiful, I shall have to buy it for you in Alexandria.
CAESAR. You are forgetting the treasures for which Rome is most
famous, my friend. You cannot buy THEM in Alexandria.
APOLLODORUS. What are they, Caesar?
CAESAR. Her sons. Come, Cleopatra: forgive me and bid me
farewell; and I will send you a man, Roman from head to heel and
Roman of the noblest; not old and ripe for the knife; not lean in
the arms and cold in the heart; not hiding a bald head under his
conqueror's laurels; not stooped with the weight of the world on
his shoulders; but brisk and fresh, strong and young, hoping in
the morning, fighting in the day, and reveling in the evening.
Will you take such an one in exchange for Caesar?
CLEOPATRA (palpitating). His name, his name?
CAESAR. Shall it be Mark Antony? (She throws herself in his
arms.)
RUFIO. You are a bad hand at a bargain, mistress, if you will
swap Caesar for Antony.
CAESAR. So now you are satisfied.
CLEOPATRA. You will not forget.
CAESAR. I will not forget. Farewell: I do not think we shall meet
again. Farewell. (He kisses her on the forehead. She is much
affected and begins to sniff. He embarks.)
THE ROMAN SOLDIERS (as he sets his foot on the gangway). Hail,
Caesar; and farewell!
He reaches the ship and returns Rufio's wave of the hand.
APOLLODORUS (to Cleopatra). No tears, dearest Queen: they stab
your servant to the heart. He will return some day.
CLEOPATRA. I hope not. But I can't help crying, all the same.
(She waves her handkerchief to Caesar; and the ship begins to
move.)
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