The Shakespeare Conference: SHK 16.1757 Monday, 17 October 2005
[1] From: David Evett <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Saturday, 15 Oct 2005 15:32:09 -0400
Subj: Re: SHK 16.1745 Friends, Romans, Countrymen
[2] From: Alan Pierpoint <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Sunday, 16 Oct 2005 00:48:36 EDT
Subj: Re: SHK 16.1745 Friends, Romans, Countrymen
[3] From: Joseph Egert <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 17 Oct 2005 00:53:16 +0000
Subj: Re: SHK 16.1707 Friends, Romans, Countrymen
[1]-----------------------------------------------------------------
From: David Evett <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Saturday, 15 Oct 2005 15:32:09 -0400
Subject: 16.1745 Friends, Romans, Countrymen
Comment: Re: SHK 16.1745 Friends, Romans, Countrymen
Text only is not a very good way to come at personalities like Caesar.
On a text-only basis, many of us detest the likes of Donald Trump and
other big-time worldly successes. They have devoted associates, however,
not all moved entirely by fear or greed. Many of us will have seen
performances of the play in which the personal appeal of the actor
playing Caesar made not only Antony's praise but the personal component
of Brutus's reluctance persuasive.
David Evett
[2]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Alan Pierpoint <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Sunday, 16 Oct 2005 00:48:36 EDT
Subject: 16.1745 Friends, Romans, Countrymen
Comment: Re: SHK 16.1745 Friends, Romans, Countrymen
L. Swilley writes, referring to Antony's praise of the "pompous,
grasping" Caesar: "Elsewhere in this play, Antony does not seem to be
someone who is deceived by anyone; how then do we account for this
praising speech which, because it is a soliloquy, must be taken as
honest feeling?" I suppose that we have to account for Antony's
servile admiration of this detestable "Caesar" by historical factors,
extrinsic to the play, of which Shakespeare and his audience were aware,
and of which Antony gives a partial enumeration in his speeches to the
citizens in Act III: military victories, political reforms, ransoms
filling the coffers, outright gifts of grain and land to the people, the
establishment of colonies to absorb thousands of Rome's poor, his
pardoning of many of his enemies, and his greatness as an orator, etc.,
etc. He was, after all, Caesar, even if we don't see much of him in the
play. Shakespeare deliberately downsizes him, in order, I guess, to
raise Brutus, whose principled opposition to Caesar then becomes more
credible, and more interesting.
Alan Pierpoint
[3]-------------------------------------------------------------
From: Joseph Egert <This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.>
Date: Monday, 17 Oct 2005 00:53:16 +0000
Subject: 16.1707 Friends, Romans, Countrymen
Comment: Re: SHK 16.1707 Friends, Romans, Countrymen
Steve Sohmer demurs, "Brutus made a priest after Pharsalus--maybe, but I
can't find that..."
Check the writings of Prof. Ernst Badian. His summary entry on "Iunius
Brutus, Marcus" in the current OXFORD CLASSICAL DICTIONARY states:
"After *Pharsalus he [Brutus] successfully begged Caesar for pardon
and...was made a pontifex and in 47 sent to govern Cisalpine Gaul..."
After Caesar's assassination, Brutus (and Cassius) minted coinage in the
East displaying these pontifical links as propaganda, at times using his
adopted name of Q CAEPIO BRVTVS.
Here are metal links to Shakespeare's tragedy:
http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=92564&AucID=99&Lot=952
(the perpetual dictator)
http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=76027&AucID=80&Lot=1326
(the proud liberator and his implements)
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/imp/brutus/RSC_0011.1txt
http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=68486&AucID=73&Lot=834
(his priestly implements)
http://www.wildwinds.com/coins/sear5/s1431.html
(more of his sacrificial implements)
http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=78314&AucID=84&Lot=287
(the "dium-victors")
http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=92224&AucID=99&Lot=984
(DIVUS and Son)
http://www.coinarchives.com/a/lotviewer.php?LotID=57658&AucID=61&Lot=914
(last "man" standing)
Joe Egert
_______________________________________________________________
S H A K S P E R: The Global Shakespeare Discussion List
Hardy M. Cook, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
The S H A K S P E R Web Site <http://www.shaksper.net>
DISCLAIMER: Although SHAKSPER is a moderated discussion list, the
opinions expressed on it are the sole property of the poster, and the
editor assumes no responsibility for them.