The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (762 page)

It is certain. Sister, welcome, please,

Be ever known to patience: my dear'st sister!

Be patient and happy, my dearest sister!

Exeunt

Enter CLEOPATRA and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

CLEOPATRA

I will be even with thee, doubt it not.

I will stay with you, do not doubt it.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

But why, why, why?

But why, why, why?

CLEOPATRA

Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,
You have spoken against my being in these wars,

And say'st it is not fit.

And say it's not appropriate.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Well, is it, is it?

Well, is it, is it?

CLEOPATRA

If not denounced against us, why should not we

If you are not against us, why should we not

Be there in person?

Be there in person?

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;

Your presence distracts Antony;

Take from his heart, take from his brain, from his time,

Takes from his heart, takes from his brain, from his time,
What should not then be spared. He is already

Which he doesn't have to spare. He is already
Traduced for levity; and 'tis said in Rome

Thought to be silly and foolish; and it is said in Rome

That Photinus an eunuch and your maids

That Photinus, a eunuch, and your maids

Manage this war.

Manage this war.

CLEOPATRA

Sink Rome, and their tongues rot

Sink Rome, and may their tongues rot

That speak against us! A charge we bear i' the war,

That speak against us! We have a purpose in the war,

And, as the president of my kingdom, will

And, as the ruler of my kingdom, I will

Appear there for a man. Speak not against it:

Appear there instead of a man. Do not speak against it:

I will not stay behind.

I will not stay behind.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Nay, I have done.

No, I'm done.

Here comes the emperor.

Enter MARK ANTONY and CANIDIUS

MARK ANTONY

Is it not strange, Canidius,

Isn't it strange, Canidius,
That from Tarentum and Brundusium

That from Tarentum and Brundusium
He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea,

He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea,
And take in Toryne? You have heard on't, sweet?

And take in Toryne? Have you heard about it, sweet?

CLEOPATRA

Celerity is never more admired

Cleverness is never more admired

Than by the negligent.

Than by the irresponsible.

MARK ANTONY

A good rebuke,

A good criticism,

Which might have well becomed the best of men,

Which might have been good for even the best of men,

To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we

To correct laziness. Canidius, we

Will fight with him by sea.

Will fight with him by sea.

CLEOPATRA

By sea! what else?

By sea! What else?

CANIDIUS

Why will my lord do so?

Why do that?

MARK ANTONY

For that he dares us to't.

Because he dares us to it.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

So hath my lord dared him to single fight.

In the same way my lord has dared him to single combat.

CANIDIUS

Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia.

Yes, and to fight this battle at Pharsalia,

Where Caesar fought with Pompey: but these offers,

Where Caesar fought with Pompey: but these offers,
Which serve not for his vantage, be shakes off;

Which do not serve his advantage, get shaken off;

And so should you.

And you should do the same.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Your ships are not well mann'd;

Your ships are not well manned;

Your mariners are muleters, reapers, people

Your sailors are amateurs,

Ingross'd by swift impress; in Caesar's fleet

Not good fighters; in Caesar's fleet

Are those that often have 'gainst Pompey fought:

Are those that have often fought against Pompey:

Their ships are yare; yours, heavy: no disgrace

Their ships are light and fast; yours, heavy: no disgrace

Shall fall you for refusing him at sea,

Will come to you for refusing at sea,

Being prepared for land.

Being prepared for land.

MARK ANTONY

By sea, by sea.

By sea, by sea.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Most worthy sir, you therein throw away

Good sir, by doing that you throw away

The absolute soldiership you have by land;

The absolute rule you have by land;

Distract your army, which doth most consist

Distract your army, which mostly consists

Of war-mark'd footmen; leave unexecuted

Of experienced infantry; leave unused

Your own renowned knowledge; quite forego

Your own famous and admired knowledge; give up

The way which promises assurance; and

The way that promises success; and

Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard,

Give yourself up completely to blind luck,

From firm security.

Instead of security.

MARK ANTONY

I'll fight at sea.

I'll fight at sea.

CLEOPATRA

I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.

I have sixty ships, Caesar does not have any better.

MARK ANTONY

Our overplus of shipping will we burn;

We will burn our extra cargo;

And, with the rest full-mann'd, from the head of Actium

And, with the rest fully manned, from the head of Actium

Beat the approaching Caesar. But if we fail,

We will defeat the approaching Caesar. But if we fail,

We then can do't at land.

We can then do it on land.

Enter a Messenger

Thy business?

Your business?

Messenger

The news is true, my lord; he is descried;

The news is true, my lord; he is victorious;

Caesar has taken Toryne.

Caesar has taken Toryne.

MARK ANTONY

Can he be there in person? 'tis impossible;

Can he be there in person? It's impossible;

Strange that power should be. Canidius,

How strange that power is. Canidius,

Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,

Our nineteen legions you will hold by land,

And our twelve thousand horse. We'll to our ship:

And our twelve thousand horses. We'll go to our ship:

Away, my Thetis!

Now let's go, my Thetis!

Enter a Soldier

How now, worthy soldier?

What's going on, worthy soldier?

Soldier

O noble emperor, do not fight by sea;

Oh noble emperor, do not fight by sea;
Trust not to rotten planks: do you misdoubt

Do not trust rotten planks: do you doubt

This sword and these my wounds? Let the Egyptians

My sword and my wounds' experience? Let the Egyptians

And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we

And the Phoenicians go swimming; we

Have used to conquer, standing on the earth,

Are used to conquering while standing on the ground,

And fighting foot to foot.

And fighting foot to foot.

MARK ANTONY

Well, well: away!

Well, well; away!

Exeunt MARK ANTONY, QUEEN CLEOPATRA, and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Soldier

By Hercules, I think I am i' the right.

By Hercules, I think I am right.

CANIDIUS

Soldier, thou art: but his whole action grows

Soldier, you are: but he is no longer

Not in the power on't: so our leader's led,

Motivated by logic: our leader is led,

And we are women's men.

And we are women's men.

Soldier

You keep by land

You will keep on land

The legions and the horse whole, do you not?

The legions and the cavalry, yes?

CANIDIUS

Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,

Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
Publicola, and Caelius, are for sea:

Publicola, and Caelius, are in favor of sea:
But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar's

But we will stay on land. This speed of Caesar's

Carries beyond belief.

Is unbelievable.

Soldier

While he was yet in Rome,

While he was still in Rome,

His power went out in such distractions as

His power distracted and tricked

Beguiled all spies.

All the spies.

CANIDIUS

Who's his lieutenant, hear you?

Who is his lieutenant, do you know?

Soldier

They say, one Taurus.

They say he's named Taurus.

CANIDIUS

Well I know the man.

I know the man well.

Enter a Messenger

Messenger

The emperor calls Canidius.

The emperor calls Canidius.

CANIDIUS

With news the time's with labour, and throes forth,

With news the time is about work,

Each minute, some.

Every minute, some more.

Exeunt