The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (749 page)

A small mouthful for a ruler: and great Pompey

Would stand and make his eyes grow in my brow;

Would stand and watch me;

There would he anchor his aspect and die

There he would fasten himself and die

With looking on his life.

From looking at his life.

Enter ALEXAS, from OCTAVIUS CAESAR

ALEXAS

Sovereign of Egypt, hail!

Leader of Egypt, greetings!

CLEOPATRA

How much unlike art thou Mark Antony!

You are so different from Mark Antony!

Yet, coming from him, that great medicine hath

Yet, since you have come from him, you

With his tinct gilded thee.

Are blessed with his essence.

How goes it with my brave Mark Antony?

How is my brave Mark Antony doing?

ALEXAS

Last thing he did, dear queen,

The last thing he did, dear queen,

He kiss'd,--the last of many doubled kisses,--

He kissed, -- the last of many repeated kisses, --

This orient pearl. His speech sticks in my heart.

This Asian pearl. His speech sticks in my heart.

CLEOPATRA

Mine ear must pluck it thence.

My ear must pull it from there.

ALEXAS

'Good friend,' quoth he,

'Good friend,' he says,

'Say, the firm Roman to great Egypt sends

'The steady Roman to great Egypt sends

This treasure of an oyster; at whose foot,

This treasure from an oyster; in front of which,

To mend the petty present, I will piece

To make up for that small present, I will surround

Her opulent throne with kingdoms; all the east,

Her wealthy throne with kingdoms; all the east,

Say thou, shall call her mistress.' So he nodded,

Shall call her their ruler.' So he nodded,

And soberly did mount an arm-gaunt steed,

And in a serious manner climbed up on an armored horse,

Who neigh'd so high, that what I would have spoke

Who neighed so loud, that what I would have spoken

Was beastly dumb'd by him.

Was drowned out by him.

CLEOPATRA

What, was he sad or merry?

What, was he sad, or cheerful?

ALEXAS

Like to the time o' the year between the extremes

Like the time of year between the extremes

Of hot and cold, he was nor sad nor merry.

Of hot and cold, he was neither sad or cheerful.

CLEOPATRA

O well-divided disposition! Note him,

Oh, calm and sensible personality! Notice him,

Note him good Charmian, 'tis the man; but note him:

Notice him good Charmian, it is the man; but notice him;

He was not sad, for he would shine on those

He was not sad, because he wanted to inspire those

That make their looks by his; he was not merry,

That take their example from him; he was not cheerful,

Which seem'd to tell them his remembrance lay

Which would seem to tell them his heart lay

In Egypt with his joy; but between both:

In Egypt with his joy; but kept his mood between both:

O heavenly mingle! Be'st thou sad or merry,

Oh wonderful mixture! Whether you are sad or cheerful,

The violence of either thee becomes,

You become either extreme,

So does it no man else. Met'st thou my posts?

No other man does like him. Did you meet my messengers?

ALEXAS

Ay, madam, twenty several messengers:

Yes, madam, twenty different messengers:

Why do you send so thick?

Why do you send so many at once?

CLEOPATRA

Who's born that day

Whoever is born the day

When I forget to send to Antony,

When I forget to write to Antony,

Shall die a beggar. Ink and paper, Charmian.

Shall die a beggar. Bring me ink and paper, Charmian,

Welcome, my good Alexas. Did I, Charmian,

Welcome, my dear Alexas. Did I, Charmian,

Ever love Caesar so?

Ever love that Caesar so much?

CHARMIAN

O that brave Caesar!

Oh, that brave Caesar!

CLEOPATRA

Be choked with such another emphasis!

Be choked if you say something like that again!

Say, the brave Antony.

Say instead, the brave Antony.

CHARMIAN

The valiant Caesar!

The courageous Caesar!

CLEOPATRA

By Isis, I will give thee bloody teeth,

By Isis, I will give you bloody teeth,

If thou with Caesar paragon again

If you compare with Caesar again,

My man of men.

My ultimate man.

CHARMIAN

By your most gracious pardon,

Please kindly forgive me,

I sing but after you.

I am only following you in praises.

CLEOPATRA

My salad days,

My younger days,

When I was green in judgment: cold in blood,

When I was inexperienced in judgement: cold in blood,

To say as I said then! But, come, away;

To say what I said then! But, come on, let's go:

Get me ink and paper:

Fetch me ink and paper:

He shall have every day a several greeting,

I will send him a different greeting each day,

Or I'll unpeople Egypt.

Or I'll make Egypt have no people.

Exeunt

Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS, in warlike manner

POMPEY

If the great gods be just, they shall assist

If the great gods are fair, they will help

The deeds of justest men.

The actions of fair men.

MENECRATES

Know, worthy Pompey,

You should know, worthy Pompey,

That what they do delay, they not deny.

That the things they delay, they don't deny.

POMPEY

Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays

While we are contenders to their throne, it slowly ruins

The thing we sue for.

The thing we are trying to get.

MENECRATES

We, ignorant of ourselves,

We, unaware of ourselves,

Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers

Often ask for things that will harm us, which wise powers

Deny us for our good; so find we profit

Keep away from us for our own good; so we find out we benefit

By losing of our prayers.

By not getting our prayers.

POMPEY

I shall do well:

I will succeed:

The people love me, and the sea is mine;

The people love me, and my navy rules the sea:

My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope

My powers are growing, and my hopeful prediction

Says it will come to the full. Mark Antony

Says they will become full. Mark Antony

In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make

Sits at dinner in Egypt, and will make

No wars without doors: Caesar gets money where

No wars without opportunities: Caesar gets money where

He loses hearts: Lepidus flatters both,

He loses loyalty: Lepidus flatters both,

Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,

And is flattered by both, but he loves neither,

Nor either cares for him.

And neither of them cares for him.

MENAS

Caesar and Lepidus

Caesar and Lepidus
Are in the field: a mighty strength they carry.

Are on the battlefield: they have strong armies.

POMPEY

Where have you this? 'tis false.

Where did you hear this? It's false.

MENAS

From Silvius, sir.

POMPEY

He dreams: I know they are in Rome together,

He is imagining it: I know they are in Rome together,

Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,

Looking for Antony. But all the attractive things about love,

Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip!

Salty Cleopatra, soften your lips!

Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both!

Let witchcraft combine with beauty, and lust with both!

Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,

Tie up the immoral man in a field of feasts,

Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks

Keep his brain confused; gourmet cooks

Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite;

Sharpen his appetite with delicious sauces;

That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour

So that sleeping and eating may reduce his honor

Even till a Lethe'd dulness!

To a forgetful dullness!

Enter VARRIUS

How now, Varrius!

What's going on, Varrius?

VARRIUS

This is most certain that I shall deliver:

I certainly will deliver this news:

Mark Antony is every hour in Rome

Mark Antony is, at any time now,

Expected: since he went from Egypt 'tis

Expected in Rome: since he left Egypt there is

A space for further travel.

A space for even more travel.

POMPEY

I could have given less matter