Pompey speaks with the confidence of a man who believes in his own righteous cause — but his righteous confidence is always slightly fragile. He invokes the gods, his father's honor, his popular support. Watch for how quickly he has to revise his certainties.
If the great gods be just, they shall assist
The deeds of justest men.
If the great gods be just, they shall assist The deeds of justest men.
If the great gods be just, they shall assist The deeds of justest men.
if the great gods be just, they shall assist the deeds of justest men.
Menecrates is the philosophical comfort — he responds to Pompey's impatience with reflections on divine timing. His role is to steady Pompey when strategy falters.
Know, worthy Pompey,
That what they do delay they not deny.
Know, worthy Pompey, That what they do delay they not deny.
Know, worthy Pompey, That what they do delay they not deny.
know, worthy pompey, that what they do delay they not deny.
Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays
The thing we sue for.
Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays The thing we sue for.
Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays The thing we sue for.
whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays the thing we sue for.
We, ignorant of ourselves,
Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good; so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.
We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers Deny us for our good; so find we profit By losing of our prayers.
We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers Deny us for our good; so find we profit By losing of our prayers.
we, ignorant of ourselves, beg often our own harms, which the wise powers deny us for our good; so find we profit by losing of our prayers.
I shall do well.
The people love me, and the sea is mine;
My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to th’ full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where
He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flattered; but he neither loves
Nor either cares for him.
I shall do well. The people love me, and the sea is mine; My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope Says it will come to th’ full. Mark Antony In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both, Of both is flattered; but he...
I shall do well. The people love me, and the sea is mine; My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope Says it will come to th’ full. Mark Antony In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both, Of both is flattered; but he...
i shall do well. the people love me, and the sea is mine; my powers are crescent, and my auguring hope says it will come to th’ full. mark antony in e
Menas is Pompey's sharpest lieutenant — pragmatic, skeptical, and more willing to act than his master. He sees things clearly and says them plainly. Watch for how his practical intelligence will eventually lead him to a moral crisis Pompey can't share.
Caesar and Lepidus
Are in the field. A mighty strength they carry.
Caesar and Lepidus Are in the field. A mighty strength they carry.
Caesar and Lepidus Are in the field. A mighty strength they carry.
caesar and lepidus are in the field. a mighty strength they carry.
Where have you this? ’Tis false.
Where have you this? ’Tis false.
Where have you this? ’Tis false.
where have you this? ’tis false.
Sextus Pompey's power rests almost entirely on his father's name. Pompey the Great was one of Rome's most celebrated generals — he'd conquered the East, dealt with pirates, was Julius Caesar's rival and ally by turns. His murder (ordered by the Egyptian king, at Caesar's instigation) was one of the defining outrages of the late Republic. Sextus Pompey is the son of a legend. He commands real forces — particularly naval power — but his authority derives partly from inherited grievance. This is why he keeps invoking his father: 'the ingratitude Rome cast on my noble father.' He is fighting a war of honor as much as a war of strategy. And Shakespeare captures the problem exactly: a man fighting for his father's honor may be more committed but less flexible than a man fighting for his own.
From Silvius, sir.
From Silvius, sir.
From Silvius, sir.
from silvius, sir.
He dreams. I know they are in Rome together,
Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip!
Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both;
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts;
Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean cooks
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour
Even till a Lethe’d dullness—
He dreams. I know they are in Rome together, Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love, Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip! Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both; Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts; Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean cooks Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appeti...
He dreams. I know they are in Rome together, Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love, Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip! Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both; Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts; Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean cooks Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appeti...
he dreams. i know they are in rome together, looking for antony. but all the charms of love, salt cleopatra, soften thy waned lip! let witchcraft join
This is most certain that I shall deliver:
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
Expected. Since he went from Egypt ’tis
A space for farther travel.
This is most certain that I shall deliver: Mark Antony is every hour in Rome Expected. Since he went from Egypt ’tis A space for farther travel.
This is most certain that I shall deliver: Mark Antony is every hour in Rome Expected. Since he went from Egypt ’tis A space for farther travel.
this is most certain that i shall deliver: mark antony is every hour in rome expected. since he went from egypt ’tis a space for farther travel.
I could have given less matter
A better ear.—Menas, I did not think
This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm
For such a petty war. His soldiership
Is twice the other twain. But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt’s widow pluck
The ne’er lust-wearied Antony.
I could have given less matter A better ear.—Menas, I did not think This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm For such a petty war. His soldiership Is twice the other twain. But let us rear The higher our opinion, that our stirring Can from the lap of Egypt’s widow pluck The ne’er lust-weari...
I could have given less matter A better ear.—Menas, I did not think This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm For such a petty war. His soldiership Is twice the other twain. But let us rear The higher our opinion, that our stirring Can from the lap of Egypt’s widow pluck The ne’er lust-weari...
i could have given less matter a better ear.—menas, i did not think this amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm for such a petty war. his soldie
I cannot hope
Caesar and Antony shall well greet together.
His wife that’s dead did trespasses to Caesar;
His brother warred upon him, although I think,
Not moved by Antony.
I cannot hope Caesar and Antony shall well greet together. His wife that’s dead did trespasses to Caesar; His brother warred upon him, although I think, Not moved by Antony.
I cannot hope Caesar and Antony shall well greet together. His wife that’s dead did trespasses to Caesar; His brother warred upon him, although I think, Not moved by Antony.
i cannot hope caesar and antony shall well greet together. his wife that’s dead did trespasses to caesar; his brother warred upon him, although i thin
I know not, Menas,
How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
Were’t not that we stand up against them all,
’Twere pregnant they should square between themselves,
For they have entertained cause enough
To draw their swords. But how the fear of us
May cement their divisions, and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be’t as our gods will have’t! It only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
I know not, Menas, How lesser enmities may give way to greater. Were’t not that we stand up against them all, ’Twere pregnant they should square between themselves, For they have entertained cause enough To draw their swords. But how the fear of us May cement their divisions, and bind up The petty d...
I know not, Menas, How lesser enmities may give way to greater. Were’t not that we stand up against them all, ’Twere pregnant they should square between themselves, For they have entertained cause enough To draw their swords. But how the fear of us May cement their divisions, and bind up The petty d...
i know not, menas, how lesser enmities may give way to greater. were’t not that we stand up against them all, ’twere pregnant they should square betwe
The Reckoning
The scene is a strategic update delivered from the enemy's point of view — and it shows Shakespeare's structural brilliance. We've seen Antony decide to leave Egypt; now we see his enemy counting on him staying. When the news arrives that Antony is coming, Pompey has to think fast. He keeps his confidence, but his prayer for Cleopatra to hold Antony back has already failed. The audience is ahead of Pompey, which gives every line a slight edge of dark comedy.
If this happened today…
A startup founder is pitching investors on why his main competitor won't be a problem: 'their CEO is completely distracted, he's basically checked out, we've got at least another year.' Then someone walks in mid-pitch with news: the CEO just announced he's cutting his sabbatical short and coming back. The founder keeps his poker face, recalibrates, and says: 'well, that changes our competitive timeline, but we still have a strong position.' He's rattled but won't show it.