The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (744 page)

MARK ANTONY

Let Rome in Tiber melt, and the wide arch

May Rome melt in the summer, and the wide arch

Of the ranged empire fall! Here is my space.

Of the boundaries of the empire fall! Here is my place.

Kingdoms are clay: our dungy earth alike

Kingdoms are just dirt: our common soil

Feeds beast as man: the nobleness of life

Feeds animals the way it does humans: the noble thing in life

Is to do thus; when such a mutual pair

Is to act like this; when such a well-matched pair

Embracing

And such a twain can do't, in which I bind,

And two such people can do it, in which I tie together,

On pain of punishment, the world to weet

Even at the risk of punishment, to the world

We stand up peerless.

We are without compare.

CLEOPATRA

Excellent falsehood!

What a sweet lie!

Why did he marry Fulvia, and not love her?

Why did he marry Fulvia, only to betray her?

I'll seem the fool I am not; Antony

I'll seem more foolish than I am; Antony

Will be himself.

Will be himself.

MARK ANTONY

But stirr'd by Cleopatra.

But inspired by Cleopatra.

Now, for the love of Love and her soft hours,

Now, for the love of Love and her pleasant times,

Let's not confound the time with conference harsh:

Let's not spoil things with serious business:

There's not a minute of our lives should stretch

There isn't a minute of our lives that should go by

Without some pleasure now. What sport tonight?

Without some pleasure now. What fun shall we have tonight?

CLEOPATRA

Hear the ambassadors.

Listen to the ambassadors.

MARK ANTONY

Fie, wrangling queen!

Oh come on, bossy queen!

Whom every thing becomes, to chide, to laugh,

Who has become everything, to scold, to laugh,

To weep; whose every passion fully strives

To cry; whose every emotion tries its best

To make itself, in thee, fair and admired!

To make itself, in you, beautiful and admired!

No messenger, but thine; and all alone

No messenger but you; and all alone

To-night we'll wander through the streets and note

Tonight we'll wander through the streets

The qualities of people. Come, my queen;

And observe the people. Come, my queen;

Last night you did desire it: speak not to us.

Last night you wanted it: do not talk to us.

Exeunt MARK ANTONY and CLEOPATRA with their train

DEMETRIUS

Is Caesar with Antonius prized so slight?

Does Antony value Caesar so little?

PHILO

Sir, sometimes, when he is not Antony,

Sir, sometimes, when he is not being himself,

He comes too short of that great property

He comes up short of the mark

Which still should go with Antony.

That should be expected of him.

DEMETRIUS

I am full sorry

I am very sorry

That he approves the common liar, who

That he confirms the common rumors

Thus speaks of him at Rome: but I will hope

That say such things of him in Rome: but I will hope

Of better deeds to-morrow. Rest you happy!

For better things tomorrow. Have a good evening!

Exeunt

Enter CHARMIAN, IRAS, ALEXAS, and a Soothsayer

CHARMIAN

Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, most any thing Alexas,

Lord Alexas, wonderful Alexas, best of everything Alexas,

almost most absolute Alexas, where's the soothsayer

every amazing thing Alexas, where's the fortuneteller

that you praised so to the queen? O, that I knew

that you praised so much to the queen? Oh, if only I knew

this husband, which, you say, must charge his horns

this husband, who, you say, must decorate his horns

with garlands!

with garlands!

ALEXAS

Soothsayer!

Fortuneteller!

Soothsayer

Your will?

What do you wish?

CHARMIAN

Is this the man? Is't you, sir, that know things?

Is this the man? Is it you, sir, who knows things?

Soothsayer

In nature's infinite book of secrecy

Of nature's unlimited secrets

A little I can read.

I know a few.

ALEXAS

Show him your hand.

Show him your hand.

Enter DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Bring in the banquet quickly; wine enough

Bring in the feast quickly: with enough wine

Cleopatra's health to drink.

to toast Cleopatra.

CHARMIAN

Good sir, give me good fortune.

Good sir, tell me a good fortune.

Soothsayer

I make not, but foresee.

I do not make fortunes, just see them.

CHARMIAN

Pray, then, foresee me one.

Please, then, see mine.

Soothsayer

You shall be yet far fairer than you are.

You shall someday be more attractive than you are.

CHARMIAN

He means in flesh.

He means in appearance.

IRAS

No, you shall paint when you are old.

No, you shall wear makeup when you are old.

CHARMIAN

Wrinkles forbid!

May I never get wrinkles!

ALEXAS

Vex not his prescience; be attentive.

Don't annoy his wisdom; pay attention.

CHARMIAN

Hush!

Quiet!

Soothsayer

You shall be more beloving than beloved.

You will love more than you are loved.

CHARMIAN

I had rather heat my liver with drinking.

I would rather poison my liver with drinking.

ALEXAS

Nay, hear him.

No, listen to him.

CHARMIAN

Good now, some excellent fortune! Let me be married

Good, now tell me an excellent fortune! Let me be married

to three kings in a forenoon, and widow them all:

to three kings in a morning, and be the widow of them all:

let me have a child at fifty, to whom Herod of Jewry

let me have a child when I am fifty, to whom Herod of the Jews

may do homage: find me to marry me with Octavius

may honor: find out that I will marry Octavius

Caesar, and companion me with my mistress.

Caesar, and make me as good as my lady.

Soothsayer

You shall outlive the lady whom you serve.

You will live longer than the lady you serve.

CHARMIAN

O excellent! I love long life better than figs.

Oh, excellent! I love living long better than I love figs.

Soothsayer

You have seen and proved a fairer former fortune

You have seen and had a more attractive former fortune

Than that which is to approach.

Than the one that is coming.

CHARMIAN

Then belike my children shall have no names:

Then it seems my children shall have no names:

prithee, how many boys and wenches must I have?

please, how many boys and girls will I have?

Soothsayer

If every of your wishes had a womb.

If every one of your wishes had a womb,

And fertile every wish, a million.

And every wish was fertile, a million.

CHARMIAN

Out, fool! I forgive thee for a witch.

Out, you fool! I think you're a witch.

ALEXAS

You think none but your sheets are privy to your wishes.

You think no one but your bedsheets know your wishes.

CHARMIAN

Nay, come, tell Iras hers.

No, come, tell Iras hers.

ALEXAS

We'll know all our fortunes.

We'll find out all our fortunes.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Mine, and most of our fortunes, to-night, shall

Mine, and most of our fortunes tonight, shall

be--drunk to bed.

be passing out drunk.

IRAS

There's a palm presages chastity, if nothing else.

There's a palm that promises chastity, if nothing else.

CHARMIAN

E'en as the o'erflowing Nilus presageth famine.

The same way the overflowing Nile promises famine.

IRAS

Go, you wild bedfellow, you cannot soothsay.

Go away, you wild roommate, you cannot tell fortunes.

CHARMIAN

Nay, if an oily palm be not a fruitful

No, if an oily palm is not a fruitful

prognostication, I cannot scratch mine ear. Prithee,

sign of the future, I cannot scratch my ear. Please,

tell her but a worky-day fortune.

just tell her an ordinary everyday fortune.

Soothsayer

Your fortunes are alike.

Your fortunes are all the same.

IRAS

But how, but how? give me particulars.

But how, but how? Give me specifics.

Soothsayer

I have said.

I have.

IRAS

Am I not an inch of fortune better than she?

Am I not even a little bit luckier than her?

CHARMIAN

Well, if you were but an inch of fortune better than

Well, if you were only an inch of luck better than

I, where would you choose it?

me, where would you want it?

IRAS

Not in my husband's nose.

Not as part of my husband's nose.

CHARMIAN

Our worser thoughts heavens mend! Alexas,--come,