365 Day Project: Day 46

The World Well Lost?

John Dryden (1631–1700).?All for Love.?

[Vol. 18, pp. 53-69 of The Harvard Classics]

The romantic and heedless loves of Antony and Cleopatra figure prominently in history, literature, and drama. Dryden made a fascinating play from the story of Antony, who sacrificed the leadership of Rome, reputation, and life itself for love of the Egyptian queen, who followed him in death. (Mark Antony offers C?sar crown at Rome, Feb. 15, 44 B. C.)

Today’s reading is an excerpt from Act III of John Dryden’s play, All for Love. ?Dryden was a seventeenth-century English poet, playwright, and critic. ?He was a major influence on the development of English literature and is considered one of the most important literary figures of his time.

All for Love was first performed in 1678. The play is a tragedy about the love between Antony and Cleopatra. In Act III, the protagonist, Antony, is faced with a choice: to either stay with his current lover, Cleopatra, or to go back to his former lover, Octavia. Antony chooses Cleopatra, and the two declare their love for each other.

If you are interested in stories of ancient Rome, I highly recommend this play.?The dialogue is fascinating and flows very well between characters.?Maybe I have seen HBO’s Rome too many times, but I could easily imagine the actor playing Antony delivering the lines I read in this play.

The following are a few of the more memorable lines from today’s reading.

Cleopatra to Antony:?

“Come to me, come, my soldier, to my arms!

You’ve been too long away from my embraces;

But, when I have you fast, and all my own,

With broken murmurs, and with amorous sighs,

I’ll say, you were unkind, and punish you,

And mark you red with many an eager kiss.”

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Ventidius about his friend Antony:

“I am waning in his favour, yet I love him;

I love this man, who runs to meet his ruin;

And sure the gods, like me, are fond of him:

His virtues lie so mingled with his crimes,

As would confound their choice to punish one,

And not reward the other.”

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Antony speaks to Ventidius about his enemy, Caesar Augustus:

“Oh, think not on’t, Ventidius!

The boy pursues my ruin, he’ll no peace;

His malice is considerable in advantage.

Oh, he’s the coolest murderer! so staunch,

He kills, and keeps his temper.”

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Best,

Matt

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To learn more about me, as well as my coaching services, please visit my website at?https://www.silverarrowcoaching.com/?or connect with me on LinkedIn.

Resources

Kindle version of The Harvard Classics ($1.99):?https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089K4RP1F/