The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (753 page)

Everything will be done according to the rules. Goodnight, dear lady.

Good night, sir.

Goodnight, sir.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

Good night.

Goodnight.

Exeunt OCTAVIUS CAESAR and OCTAVIA

Enter Soothsayer

MARK ANTONY

Now, sirrah; you do wish yourself in Egypt?

Now, man; you wish you were in Egypt?

Soothsayer

Would I had never come from thence, nor you Thither!

If only I had never come here from there, nor you from there!

MARK ANTONY

If you can, your reason?

If you can tell me, what is your reason?

Soothsayer

I see it inMy motion, have it not in my tongue: but yet

My mind, not yet able to say it: but still

Hie you to Egypt again.

Hurry back to Egypt again.

MARK ANTONY

Say to me,

Tell me,

Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Caesar's or mine?

Whose station in life will rise higher, Caesar's or mine?

Soothsayer

Caesar's.

Caesar's.
Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side:

Therefore, Antony, do not stay by his side:

Thy demon, that's thy spirit which keeps thee, is

Your demon, that's your spirit which keeps you, is

Noble, courageous high, unmatchable,

Noble, brave, without match,

Where Caesar's is not; but, near him, thy angel

Where Caesar's is not; but, near him, your angel

Becomes a fear, as being o'erpower'd: therefore

Becomes a fear of being overpowered: therefore

Make space enough between you.

Keep a good distance between you.

MARK ANTONY

Speak this no more.

Say no more about this.

Soothsayer

To none but thee; no more, but when to thee.

No one but you; no more, except when to you.

If thou dost play with him at any game,

If you play with him at any game,

Thou art sure to lose; and, of that natural luck,

You are sure to lose; and, when it comes to natural luck,

He beats thee 'gainst the odds: thy lustre thickens,

He beats you against the odds: your luster thickens,

When he shines by: I say again, thy spirit

When he shines by: I say again, you spirit

Is all afraid to govern thee near him;

Is all afraid to rule you near him;
But, he away, 'tis noble.

But, when he is away, it is noble.

MARK ANTONY

Get thee gone:

Go now:

Say to Ventidius I would speak with him:

Tell Ventidius I want to talk to him.

Exit Soothsayer

He shall to Parthia. Be it art or hap,

He will go to Parthia. Whether it is on purpose or by chance,

He hath spoken true: the very dice obey him;

He has spoken the truth: the dice themselves obey him;

And in our sports my better cunning faints

And in our sports my cleverness fails

Under his chance: if we draw lots, he speeds;

Under his luck: if we draw lots, he gets the better one;

His cocks do win the battle still of mine,

His fighting roosters win against mine,

When it is all to nought; and his quails ever

Even when it is not important; and his quails always

Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt:

Beat mine. I will go to Egypt:

And though I make this marriage for my peace,

And though I make this marriage for the sake of peace,

I' the east my pleasure lies.

My pleasure lies in the east.

Enter VENTIDIUS

O, come, Ventidius,

Come with me, Ventidius,

You must to Parthia: your commission's ready;

You must go to Parthia: your assignment's ready:

Follow me, and receive't.

Follow me, and receive it.

Exeunt

Enter LEPIDUS, MECAENAS, and AGRIPPA

LEPIDUS

Trouble yourselves no further: pray you, hasten

Do not trouble yourselves any further: please, hurry

Your generals after.

Your generals off to fight.

AGRIPPA

Sir, Mark Antony

Sir, Mark Antony
Will e'en but kiss Octavia, and we'll follow.

Could even just kiss Octavia, and we'll follow.

LEPIDUS

Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress,

Till I see you in your soldier's clothes,

Which will become you both, farewell.

Which will suit you both well, farewell.

MECAENAS

We shall,

We will,
As I conceive the journey, be at the Mount

As I plan the journey, I will be at the mountain

Before you, Lepidus.

LEPIDUS

Your way is shorter;

Your way is quicker;
My purposes do draw me much about:

My errands will make me have to wander a lot:

You'll win two days upon me.

You'll beat me by two days.

MECAENAS AGRIPPA

Sir, good success!

Good luck, sir!

LEPIDUS

Farewell.

Farewell.

Exeunt

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS

CLEOPATRA

Give me some music; music, moody food

Give me some music; music is that moody food

Of us that trade in love.

Of we that are in love.

Attendants

The music, ho!

Bring the music!

Enter MARDIAN

CLEOPATRA

Let it alone; let's to billiards: come, Charmian.

Leave it alone; let's play billiards: come, Charmian.

CHARMIAN

My arm is sore; best play with Mardian.

My arm is sore; you should play with Mardian.

CLEOPATRA

As well a woman with an eunuch play'd

A woman can play with a eunuch

As with a woman. Come, you'll play with me, sir?

As well as with another woman. Come, you'll play with me, sir?

MARDIAN

As well as I can, madam.

As well as I can, lady.

CLEOPATRA

And when good will is show'd, though't come

And when good will is shown, even if it isn't

too short,

enough,

The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now:

The actor may ask forgiveness. I won't do that now:

Give me mine angle; we'll to the river: there,

Get me my fishing gear; we'll go to the river: there,

My music playing far off, I will betray

My music playing far away, I will trick
Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce

the fishes; my bent hook will pierce

Their slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,

Their slimy jaws; and as I pull them up,

I'll think them every one an Antony,

I'll think of each of them as an Antony,

And say 'Ah, ha! you're caught.'

And say 'Ah ha! You're caught.'

CHARMIAN

'Twas merry when

It was hilarious when

You wager'd on your angling; when your diver

You bet on your fishing skills; when your diver

Did hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he

Hung a salted dead fish on his hook, which he

With fervency drew up.

Worked very hard to pull up.

CLEOPATRA

That time,--O times!--

That time, --oh, those times! --

I laugh'd him out of patience; and that night

I laughed him until he was impatient with me; and that night

I laugh'd him into patience; and next morn,

And I laughed him into patience again; and the next morning

Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed;

Before nine o'clock, I got him drunk to his bed;

Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst

Then put my clothes and crown on him, while

I wore his sword Philippan.

I wore his sword, named Philippan.

Enter a Messenger

O, from Italy

Oh, from Italy

Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,

Bring the good news to my ears

That long time have been barren.

That for a long time have been like a desert.

Messenger

Madam, madam,--

CLEOPATRA

Antonius dead!--If thou say so, villain,

Oh no, Antony is dead! -- If you say so, villain,

Thou kill'st thy mistress: but well and free,

You kill your lady: but well and free,

If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here

If you free him like that, here is some gold, and here

My bluest veins to kiss; a hand that kings

My royal veins to kiss; a hand that kings

Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing.

Have trembled to kiss.

Messenger

First, madam, he is well.

First, madam, he is doing well.

CLEOPATRA

Why, there's more gold.

Why, here's more gold.

But, sirrah, mark, we use

But man, pay attention, we often

To say the dead are well: bring it to that,