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The Wednesday Readers just started a close read on Shakespeare's Antony and Cleopatra, so we will read Plutarch's essay on Antony, "The Life of Marcus Antonius." We will see how obvious it is that Shakespeare read this essay!

These sessions will be like a book club: Read the section at home (see details for today, below), then come to discuss.

The essay is in VOLUME 2 of Plutarch, The Lives (or the Parallel Lives) (or the Lives of the Ancient Greeks and Romans).

It is possible to find the edition by Sir Thomas North, which is the edition Shakespeare read, but use any one you like.

You can read it online if you prefer: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/674/674-h/674-h.htm#chap60

It's quite long, so we will read it in four sections. Each section will be posted here.

Session 1 • The Shape of the Man
Consider: What kind of man is this, really?

Start: “Antonius his grandfather was a famous orator…”
End: Just after Antony firmly establishes himself under Julius Caesar

In this section we'll see:

  • Family background and youth
  • Dissolute early life (debt, swagger, appetite)
  • First signs of brilliance
  • Alignment with Caesar

This section is all about capacity vs. lack of discipline.
Plutarch is already telling us: this man could have been great.

Facilitated by Robin Williams and Jenny Kirby.

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