Pictorial Shakespeare, 1880-1890 - eTheses Repository - University ...

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of the preparations for the battle of Actium. Instead, the
play moved to "The Promontory of Actium, near Antony's Camp"
(;n anted by Perkins). Enobarbus ana Scarus discussed the
disastrous flight of Cleopatra's ship, some sixteen lines
were cut, and Canidius was dispensed v/ith altogether. After
the exit of Enobarbus and Scarus, the scene changed to smother
part of the "open country". Oreear met Antony's ambassador,
.-/ho was not the schoolmaster but Uros, md dispatched Thidias
to Cleopatra. The third scene (III.11 and III.13) was set in
Cleo7iatra*s palace - Barker's interior again - and included
Antony's inquiry as to .vhetaer the anbassatfor he.d returned
and, by transposition of the intervening ill.12, Eros* arriv 1.
cnolnrbus and Cleopatra spoke t.ie fir. t twelve lines of III.13
("vvhat shall we do, Enobarbus?") while Antony and Eros conferred.
This arrangement corresponded with that by Calvert,
although he had made more cuts within the scenes, omitting,
for example, Antony's i/neech to Thidirs , fter the whipping
(111.13.134-152). Calvart h:..d retained the substance of the
preparations for Actium in 11,1, but had alco altered the
identity of the cnibc'c >cfior from Antony. In thir: alteration
Eros is allowed to oay:
I was of late as petty to his ends
AG is the '.lorn dew on the myrtle leaf
TO ills fT'-Mld GOO.
(III.12.7-9)
In his mouth this was the mannerism of a courtier - Eros
; .ic.ny annenrruices earlier in the ">ls'y would, have sugj. onted
tii: t he vv-s a person of aoine import once in Alexandrir. In
Shakespeare's text the' s?cho- x lan.ster's insignificance is
;;-enuine - he has never been seen until now - and hir; evocation
of the reduction in Antony's circumstances Iv.'.s considerable
force and beauty. Mrs Lcn£try cut little fro::: tliio sequence
of scenes, alt..,oa/;li che did not or it Antony to speculate
about Cleopatra's "hot'.or nours" (III.13.118ff.) Archer
complained that she delivered "It'c r-y birti.v .-y" v.ithout
conviction and v/ithout ei'iect, v.hon she siioj-lo nave t.'kon tne
; tage and rushed into Antony's arms. 2he scene ended ith
.,n>barbus, left alone on the st;-ge, resolving to leive ME