Monologue

Ventidius Monologue from John Dryden

From John Dryden by All for Love

male · anguished · 57 sec

How sorrow shakes him! So, now the tempest tears him up by the roots, And on the ground extends the noble ruin. Lie there, thou shadow of an emperor; The place thou pressest on thy mother earth Is all thy empire now: now it contains thee; Some few days hence, and then 'twill be too large, When thou'rt contracted in thy narrow urn, Shrunk to a few ashes; then Octavia , Octavia then will have thee all her own, And bear thee in her widowed hand to Caesar; Caesar will weep, the crocodile will weep, To see his rival of the universe Lie still and peaceful there. I'll think no more on't.

Rehearse Ventidius's monologue

Run it out loud with a spotlight that follows your voice, line by line, until it's off the page. Free to start, no credit card.