The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (778 page)

To spoil their plans, and to overcome

Their most absurd intents.

What they want to do.

Re-enter CHARMIAN

Now, Charmian!

Now, Charmian!
Show me, my women, like a queen: go fetch

Show me, my women, like a queen: go fetch
My best attires: I am again for Cydnus,

My best clothes: I am going to Cydnus

To meet Mark Antony: sirrah Iras, go.

To meet Mark Antony: sweet Iras, go.

Now, noble Charmian, we'll dispatch indeed;

Now, noble Charmian, we'll find a solution indeed:

And, when thou hast done this chare, I'll give thee leave

And, when you have done this chore, I'll give you permission

To play till doomsday. Bring our crown and all.

To play until the end of the world. Bring our crown and all.

Wherefore's this noise?

What is the meaning of this noise?

Exit IRAS. A noise within

Enter a Guardsman

Guard

Here is a rural fellow

Here is a farmer

That will not be denied your highness presence:

Who demands to see your highness:

He brings you figs.

He brings you figs.

CLEOPATRA

Let him come in.

Let him in.

Exit Guardsman

What poor an instrument

What poor tool

May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.

May do a great thing! He brings me freedom.

My resolution's placed, and I have nothing

I am decided, and I no longer have anything

Of woman in me: now from head to foot

Womanly in me: now from head to foot

I am marble-constant; now the fleeting moon

I am as solid as marble; I am not like the moon

No planet is of mine.

Changing.

Re-enter Guardsman, with Clown bringing in a basket

Guard

This is the man.

This is the man.

CLEOPATRA

Avoid, and leave him.

Go, and leave him.

Exit Guardsman

Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there,

Do you have the pretty snake of the Nile there,

That kills and pains not?

That kills without causing pain?

Clown

Truly, I have him: but I would not be the party

Yes, I have him: but I would not be the one

that should desire you to touch him, for his biting

that wanted you to touch him, for his biting

is immortal; those that do die of it do seldom or

will kill; those that die of it rarely or

never recover.

never recover.

CLEOPATRA

Rememberest thou any that have died on't?

Do you remember anyone who has died of it?

Clown

Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of

Many, men and women too. I heard about one of them

them no longer than yesterday: a very honest woman,

only yesterday: a very honest woman,

but something given to lie; as a woman should not

but sometimes a liar; the way a woman should not

do, but in the way of honesty: how she died of the

be, but in the way of honesty: how she died from

biting of it, what pain she felt: truly, she makes

it's biting, what pain she felt: truly, she makes

a very good report o' the worm; but he that will

a very good report of the snake; but he that will

believe all that they say, shall never be saved by

believe all they say, will never be saved by
half that they do: but this is most fallible, the

half that they do: but this is most unreliable, the

worm's an odd worm.

snake's a strange snake.

CLEOPATRA

Get thee hence; farewell.

Go away from here, goodbye.

Clown

I wish you all joy of the worm.

Good luck with the snake.

Setting down his basket

CLEOPATRA

Farewell.

Farewell.

Clown

You must think this, look you, that the worm will

You must think this, now, that the snake will

do his kind.

act as snakes do.

CLEOPATRA

Ay, ay; farewell.

Yes, yes; farewell.

Clown

Look you, the worm is not to be trusted but in the

Look, now, the snake should not be trusted but in the

keeping of wise people; for, indeed, there is no

keeping of wise people; for, indeed, there is now
goodness in worm.

goodness in snakes.

CLEOPATRA

Take thou no care; it shall be heeded.

Don't worry, your advice will be listened to.

Clown

Very good. Give it nothing, I pray you, for it is

Very good. Give it nothing to eat, please, for it is

not worth the feeding.

not worth feeding.

CLEOPATRA

Will it eat me?

Clown

You must not think I am so simple but I know the

You must not think I am so silly as to not know that

devil himself will not eat a woman: I know that a

devil himself will not eat a woman: I know that a
woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her

woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil does not

not. But, truly, these same whoreson devils do the

cook her. But, truly, these same [insult] devils do the

gods great harm in their women; for in every ten

gods much harm with their women; for in every ten

that they make, the devils mar five.

that they make, the devils spoil five.

CLEOPATRA

Well, get thee gone; farewell.

Go away now, goodbye.

Clown

Yes, forsooth: I wish you joy o' the worm.

Yes

Exit

Re-enter IRAS with a robe, crown, & c

CLEOPATRA

Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have

Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have
Immortal longings in me: now no more

Longings that will never die in me: now never again

The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip:

The juice of Egypt's grape will dampen this lip:

Yare, yare, good Iras; quick. Methinks I hear

Lightly, lightly, good Iras; quick. I think I hear

Antony call; I see him rouse himself

Antony call; I see him get up

To praise my noble act; I hear him mock

To praise my noble act; I hear him mock
The luck of Caesar, which the gods give men

Caesar's luck, which the gods give men
To excuse their after wrath: husband, I come:

To excuse their anger afterwards: husband, I come:

Now to that name my courage prove my title!

Now may my courage make that title real!

I am fire and air; my other elements

I am fire and air; my other elements
I give to baser life. So; have you done?

I give away to lower life. So; are you done?

Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.

Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.
Farewell, kind Charmian; Iras, long farewell.

Goodbye, kind Charmian; Iras, goodbye.

Kisses them. IRAS falls and dies

Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall?

Do I have the poison in my lips? Did you fall?

If thou and nature can so gently part,

If you and nature can so gently separate,

The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch,

The stroke of death is like the pinch of a lover,

Which hurts, and is desired. Dost thou lie still?

That is hurts, and is wanted. Do you lie still?
If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world

If this is how you die, you tell the world

It is not worth leave-taking.

It is not worth saying goodbye.

CHARMIAN

Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say,

Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; so that I can say,

The gods themselves do weep!

CLEOPATRA

This proves me base:

This would ruin me:

If she first meet the curled Antony,

If she is the first to meet the dead Antony,

He'll make demand of her, and spend that kiss

He'll demand from her, and spend that kiss

Which is my heaven to have. Come, thou mortal wretch,

Which is my heaven to have. Come, you killing beast,

To an asp, which she applies to her breast

With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate

Undo the knot of life with your sharp teeth

Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool

At once: poor venomous fool

Be angry, and dispatch. O, couldst thou speak,

Be angry, and kill. Oh, if only you could speak,

That I might hear thee call great Caesar ass

That I could hear you call the big ass Caesar

Unpolicied!

Defeated!

CHARMIAN

O eastern star!

Oh eastern star!

CLEOPATRA

Peace, peace!

Quiet, quiet!

Dost thou not see my baby at my breast,

Do you not see my baby at my breast,

That sucks the nurse asleep?

That sucks the nurse to her sleep?

CHARMIAN

O, break! O, break!

Oh, break! Oh, break!

CLEOPATRA

As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle,--

As sweet as ointment, as soft as air, as gentle,--

O Antony!--Nay, I will take thee too.

O Antony! -- No, I will take you too.

Applying another asp to her arm

What should I stay--

Dies

CHARMIAN

In this vile world? So, fare thee well.

In this ugly world? So, goodbye.

Now boast thee, death, in thy possession lies

Now you may brag, death, for you have

A lass unparallel'd. Downy windows, close;

A woman like no other. Eyelids, close;

And golden Phoebus never be beheld

And may never be seen again

Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry;

Eyes so royal! Your crown is crooked;

I'll mend it, and then play.

I'll fix it, and then play.

Enter the Guard, rushing in

First Guard

Where is the queen?

Where is the queen?

CHARMIAN

Speak softly, wake her not.

Speak softly, don't wake her.

First Guard

Caesar hath sent--

Caesar has sent--

CHARMIAN

Too slow a messenger.

A messenger that is too slow.