The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (756 page)

We have, sir.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

You have done well by water.

You have done well on the water.

MENAS

And you by land.

And you on land.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

I will praise any man that will praise me; though it

I will praise any man who will praise me; though it
cannot be denied what I have done by land.

cannot be denied how well I have done by land.

MENAS

Nor what I have done by water.

Or how well I have done on water.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Yes, something you can deny for your own

Yes, something you can deny for your own
safety: you have been a great thief by sea.

safety: you have been a great thief on the sea.

MENAS

And you by land.

And you on land.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

There I deny my land service. But give me your

I deny my land's service. But give me your

hand, Menas: if our eyes had authority, here they

hand, Menas: if our eyes saw accurately, here they

might take two thieves kissing.

might see two thieves kissing.

MENAS

All men's faces are true, whatsome'er their hands are.

All men's faces are honest, whatever their hands are.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

But there is never a fair woman has a true face.

But no beautiful woman has an honest face.

MENAS

No slander; they steal hearts.

It's no lie; they steal hearts.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

We came hither to fight with you.

We came here to fight with you.

MENAS

For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking.

As for me, I am sorry it has turned into drinking.

Pompey doth this day laugh away his fortune.

Today Pompey laughs away his fortune.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

If he do, sure, he cannot weep't back again.

If he does, surely, he cannot cry it back again.

MENAS

You've said, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony

You've said it, sir. We did not expect to see Mark Antony

here: pray you, is he married to Cleopatra?

here: please tell me, is he married to Cleopatra?

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Caesar's sister is called Octavia.

Caesar's sister is named Octavia.

MENAS

True, sir; she was the wife of Caius Marcellus.

That's true, sir; she was the wife of Caius Marcellus.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

But she is now the wife of Marcus Antonius.

But she is now married to Mark Antony.

MENAS

Pray ye, sir?

Is that really true, sir?

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

'Tis true.

It's true.

MENAS

Then is Caesar and he for ever knit together.

Then he and Caesar are connected forever.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

If I were bound to divine of this unity, I would

If I had to predict what would happen from now, I would

not prophesy so.

not think it will be that way.

MENAS

I think the policy of that purpose made more in the

I think this was more a political thing

marriage than the love of the parties.

than about any affection between the parties.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

I think so too. But you shall find, the band that

I think so too. But, you will see, the knot that

seems to tie their friendship together will be the

seems to tie their friendship closer together will be the
very strangler of their amity: Octavia is of a

very strangler of their friendship: Octavia is of a

holy, cold, and still conversation.

religious, quiet, and still type.

MENAS

Who would not have his wife so?

Who wouldn't want a wife like that?

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Not he that himself is not so; which is Mark Antony.

Not a man that is not like that himself; like Mark Antony.

He will to his Egyptian dish again: then shall the

He will go back to his Egyptian love again: and then the

sighs of Octavia blow the fire up in Caesar; and, as

sadness of Octavia will create anger in Caesar; and, as

I said before, that which is the strength of their

I said before, the very thing that is the strength of their
amity shall prove the immediate author of their

friendship will turn out to be the immediate reason for their

variance. Antony will use his affection where it is:

disagreement. Antony will use his affection where it is:

he married but his occasion here.

he only married an opportunity here.

MENAS

And thus it may be. Come, sir, will you aboard?

And that may very well happen. Sir, will you come aboard?

I have a health for you.

I have a drink for you.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

I shall take it, sir: we have used our throats in Egypt.

I will take it, sir: we have used our throats in Egypt.

MENAS

Come, let's away.

Let's go, then.

Exeunt

Music plays. Enter two or three Servants with a banquet

First Servant

Here they'll be, man. Some o' their plants are

Here they will be, man. Some of their plants are

ill-rooted already: the least wind i' the world

badly rooted already: the smallest wind in the world

will blow them down.

Second Servant

Lepidus is high-coloured.

Lepidus is all red in the face.

First Servant

They have made him drink alms-drink.

They have made him drink strong liquor.

Second Servant

As they pinch one another by the disposition, he

As they pinch each other as a joke, he
cries out 'No more;' reconciles them to his

yells, 'No more;' brings them to agree with his

entreaty, and himself to the drink.

request, and himself to the drink.

First Servant

But it raises the greater war between him and

But it causes a bigger conflict between him and

his discretion.

his good behavior.

Second Servant

Why, this is to have a name in great men's

Why, this is what it's like to be known among great men,

fellowship: I had as lief have a reed that will do

I would be as willing to have a reed that would

me no service as a partisan I could not heave.

not be of any help to me as an ally I could not get rid of.

First Servant

To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen

To be brought into a huge circle, and not to be seen

to move in't, are the holes where eyes should be,

to move in it, are the holes where eyes should be,

which pitifully disaster the cheeks.

which sadly ruin the cheeks.

A sennet sounded. Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MARK ANTONY, LEPIDUS, POMPEY, AGRIPPA, MECAENAS, DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS, MENAS, with other captains

MARK ANTONY

[To OCTAVIUS CAESAR] Thus do they, sir: they take

That is how they do it, sir: they take

the flow o' the Nile

the flow of the Nile

By certain scales i' the pyramid; they know,

By certain comparisons in to the pyramid; they know,

By the height, the lowness, or the mean, if dearth

By the height, the lowness, or the average, if drought

Or foison follow: the higher Nilus swells,

Or flood will follow: the higher the Nile swells,

The more it promises: as it ebbs, the seedsman

The more it promises: as it flows out, the farmer

Upon the slime and ooze scatters his grain,

Scatters his seeds upon the slime,

And shortly comes to harvest.

And soon comes to a harvest.

LEPIDUS

You've strange serpents there.

There are strange snakes there.

MARK ANTONY

Ay, Lepidus.

Yes, Lepidus.

LEPIDUS

Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the

The snake of Egypt comes out of the mud because of the

operation of your sun: so is your crocodile.

movement of the sun: so does the crocodile.

MARK ANTONY

They are so.

That is how it is, yes.

POMPEY

Sit,--and some wine! A health to Lepidus!

Sit, -- and some wine! A toast to Lepidus!

LEPIDUS

I am not so well as I should be, but I'll ne'er out.

I am not feeling as well as I should be, but I'll never quit.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Not till you have slept; I fear me you'll be in till then.

Not until you have slept: I'm afraid you'll keep going until then.

LEPIDUS

Nay, certainly, I have heard the Ptolemies'

No, certainly, I have heard that Ptolemy's

pyramises are very goodly things; without

pyramids are very good things; without
contradiction, I have heard that.

hearing otherwise, I have heard that.

MENAS

[Aside to POMPEY] Pompey, a word.

Pompey, I want to talk to you.

POMPEY

[Aside to MENAS] Say in mine ear:

Whisper in my ear:

what is't?

what is it?

MENAS

[Aside to POMPEY] Forsake thy seat, I do beseech

Get up from your seat, I request

thee, captain,

your company, captain,

And hear me speak a word.

And listen to what I have to say.

POMPEY

[Aside to MENAS] Forbear me till anon.

Leave me alone for a while.

This wine for Lepidus!