Shakespeare is a writer who becomes more interesting with re-reading. There is always more to find in terms of detail, content, technical skill; it's endless. In fact, what Enobarbus says about Cleopatra, about her having "infinite variety", is even more appropriate for the writer who gave him the line. And the section that leads up to that moment, the famous description of Cleopatra on the Cydnus River, which begins, "The barge she sat in...", has a less well-known, but equally wonderful description of Antony's reaction when she finally arrives and makes the first moves toward "purs[ing] up his heart". Behold and see:

Upon her landing, Antony sent to her,

Invited her to supper: she replied,

It should be better he became her guest;

Which she entreated: our courteous Antony,

Whom ne'er the word of 'No' woman heard speak,

Being barber'd ten times o'er, goes to the feast,

And for his ordinary pays his heart

For what his eyes eat only.

The character of Enobarbus continues to hold my interest. On Saturday, I discussed how he can no longer proceed after deserting Antony to join Octavius Caesar. In 4.6, there are a couple of brutal moments of recognition regarding how side-changers are treated. First, Octavius tells a messenger to instruct his second-in-command Agrippa to:

Plant those that have revolted in the van,

That Antony may seem to spend his fury

Upon himself.

In other words, Antony's soldiers would have to do battle initially against former friends - another example of Octavius' cool ruthlessness. Then Enobarbus recounts what he has heard of the fates of others in his position, and then reveals his remorse in a most powerful wording:

Alexas did revolt; and went to Jewry on

Affairs of Antony; there did persuade

Great Herod to incline himself to Caesar,

And leave his master Antony; for this pains

Caesar hath hang'd him. Canidius and the rest

That fell away have entertainment, but

No honourable trust. I have done ill;

Of which I do accuse myself so sorely,

That I will joy no more.

It's a particularly melancholy fate for a character who wasn't afraid to make jokes at a meeting of the triumvirate. He understands, only when both are gone, that his loyalty was his life force.

Further to yesterday's comments about Enobarbus, the sophisticated and cynical follower of Antony: He has some of the most memorable lines in the play. For example, when Antony and Octavius are reaching a tenuous agreement to form an alliance with which to confront Sextus Pompey, Enobarbus gives them some humorous yet truthful advice. He says that they can continue their disagreements (and return to their true natures) after they have dealt with the immediate threats, and once they have more leisure. Antony, in a tricky spot, then takes out some of his tension on him, to which Enobarbus' replies are highly amusing:

ENOBARBUS

Or, if you borrow one another's love for the

instant, you may, when you hear no more words of

Pompey, return it again: you shall have time to

wrangle in when you have nothing else to do.

ANTONY

Thou art a soldier only: speak no more.

ENOBARBUS

That truth should be silent I had almost forgot.

ANTONY

You wrong this presence; therefore speak no more.

ENOBARBUS

Go to, then; your considerate stone.

His statement on telling the truth always makes me think of one made by another chorus-type character, the Fool in King Lear, when he says, "Truth's a dog must to kennel." Both characters show that humour is often used to camouflage its real purpose.

One of the masterful touches that Shakespeare applied to Antony and Cleopatra is the character of Enobarbus, who barely gets a mention in Plutarch. In this play, he acts almost like a chorus at certain times, keeping a cynical eye on the proceedings of the title characters - but at other points, he acts as a trusted aide to each of them. Shakespeare also uses his running commentary to keep us at a distance, which is appropriate for people of their fame. But like Enobarbus, we eventually get pulled in, and feel a strong emotional connection to them - no matter how poorly we see them behave. In Enobarbus' case, he is a cynic on the outside only, and a sentimentalist within. This, he finds out too late: When he deserts Antony's side - very understandably in a way, because Antony seems to lose his reason - the decision ultimately breaks his heart and ends his life. Here are his last words as he lies down in a ditch to die:

O sovereign mistress of true melancholy,

The poisonous damp of night disponge upon me,

That life, a very rebel to my will,

May hang no longer on me: throw my heart

Against the flint and hardness of my fault:

Which, being dried with grief, will break to powder,

And finish all foul thoughts. O Antony,

Nobler than my revolt is infamous,

Forgive me in thine own particular:

But let the world rank me in register

A master-leaver and a fugitive:

O Antony! O Antony!

More on Enobarbus tomorrow.