Antony and Cleopatra Translation Act 4, Scene 14
Enter ANTONY and EROS
ANTONY
Eros, thou yet behold’st me?
ANTONY
Eros, you still see me?
EROS
Ay, noble lord.
EROS
Yes, my noble lord.
ANTONY
Sometimes we see a cloud that’s dragonish, A vapor sometime like a bear or lion, A towered citadel, a pendant rock, A forkèd mountain, or blue promontory With trees upon ’t that nod unto the world And mock our eyes with air. Thou hast seen these signs. They are black vesper’s pageants.
ANTONY
Sometimes we see a cloud that looks like a dragon, and sometimes a mist that looks like a bear or a lion, like a fortress with towers, an overhanging rock, a mountain with many peaks. Sometimes we see a blue rock with trees on it that shake before our eyes and make mockeries of our sight since they are made only of air. You have seen the signs. They are the apparitions that tell us night and death are coming.
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Ay, my lord.
EROS
Yes, my lord.
ANTONY
That which is now a horse, even with a thoughtThe rack dislimns and makes it indistinctAs water is in water.
ANTONY
We see a shape that now looks like a horse, and even as we think it, the cloud dims and makes the shape indistinct, like one drop in a body of water.
EROS
It does, my lord.
EROS
It does, my lord.
ANTONY
My good knave Eros, now thy captain is Even such a body. Here I am Antony, Yet cannot hold this visible shape, my knave. I made these wars for Egypt, and the Queen, Whose heart I thought I had, for she had mine— Which whilst it was mine had annexed unto ’t A million more, now lost —she, Eros, has Packed cards with Caesar and false-played my glory Unto an enemy’s triumph. Nay, weep not, gentle Eros. There is left us Ourselves to end ourselves.
ANTONY
My good young man Eros, your captain's body behaves in just the same way now. I am myself for now, but I cannot maintain this bodily form, my boy. I went to war for the sake of Egypt and the Queen. I thought I had the Queen's love, for she had mine—and until I loved her, I had the love of a million more people, which I have now lost. But now she has concocted a plot with Caesar, Eros, and betrayed me so that an enemy may defeat me and destroy my glory. No, do not weep, gentle Eros. We still have enough of our own power to put an end to our lives.
Enter MARDIAN
Oh, thy vile lady!She has robbed me of my sword.
Oh, your despicable mistress! She has destroyed all my fortitude.
MARDIAN
No, Antony,My mistress loved thee, and her fortunes mingledWith thine entirely.
MARDIAN
No, Antony, my mistress loved you, and her fate was inseparable from yours.
ANTONY
Hence, saucy eunuch! Peace!She hath betrayed me and shall die the death.
ANTONY
Get out, you shameless eunuch! Be quiet! She has betrayed me and she will die as she deserves.
MARDIAN
Death of one person can be paid but once, And that she has discharged. What thou wouldst do Is done unto thy hand. The last she spake Was “Antony, most noble Antony!” Then in the midst a tearing groan did break The name of Antony. It was divided Between her heart and lips. She rendered life, Thy name so buried in her.
MARDIAN
A person can only die once, and she has done that. What you intended to do, she has done for you. The last words she spoke were, "Antony, most noble Antony!" Then she broke off in the middle of saying your name to let out a heart-rending groan. She spoke half of the word, the other half remained in her heart. And so she died with your name buried inside her.
ANTONY
Dead, then?
ANTONY
She is dead, then?
MARDIAN
Dead.
MARDIAN
Dead.
ANTONY
Unarm, Eros. The long day’s task is done,And we must sleep. [To MARDIAN] That thou depart’st hence safeDoes pay thy labor richly. Go.
ANTONY
[To EROS] Take off my armor, Eros. Our long day's work is finished, and we must sleep.
[To MARDIAN] It's reward enough for your pains that I let you leave here unharmed. Go.
Exit MARDIAN
Off, pluck off! The sevenfold shield of Ajax cannot keep The battery from my heart. O, cleave, my sides! Heart, once be stronger than thy continent. Crack thy frail case!—Apace, Eros, apace. No more a soldier. Bruisèd pieces, go. You have been nobly borne. (to EROS) From me awhile.
ANTONY
Off, take my armor off! [EROS removes his armor] Not even the shield of Ajax, with all its seven layers, can protect my heart from this assault. Oh, if only my sides would burst open! I wish my heart were stronger than the weak body that contains it and crack open. Quickly, Eros, quickly. I am no longer a soldier. Let these damaged pieces of armor be cast aside. I wore them nobly. Eros, leave me alone for a while.
Exit EROS
I will o’ertake thee, Cleopatra, and Weep for my pardon. So it must be, for now All length is torture. Since the torch is out, Lie down and stray no farther. Now all labor Mars what it does. Yea, very force entangles Itself with strength. Seal then, and all is done.— Eros! —I come, my Queen. —Eros!— Stay for me. Where souls do couch on flowers, we’ll hand in hand, And with our sprightly port make the ghosts gaze. Dido and her Aeneas shall want troops, And all the haunt be ours. —Come, Eros, Eros!
[Calling] Eros!
Enter EROS
EROS
What would my lord?
EROS
What do you want, my lord?
ANTONY
Since Cleopatra died I have lived in such dishonor that the gods Detest my baseness. I, that with my sword Quartered the world, and o’er green Neptune’s back With ships made cities, condemn myself to lack The courage of a woman —less noble mind Than she which by her death our Caesar tells “I am conqueror of myself.” Thou art sworn, Eros, That when the exigent should come which now Is come indeed, when I should see behind me Th’ inevitable prosecution of Disgrace and horror, that on my command, Thou then wouldst kill me . Do ’t. The time is come. Thou strik’st not me, ’tis Caesar thou defeat’st. Put color in thy cheek.
ANTONY
Since Cleopatra died, my life has had such dishonor that even the gods hate how disgraceful I am. I, who divided the world into quarters and sailed across the green sea with so many ships that they appeared to make a city on the waves—I disgrace myself by having less courage than a woman. I have a less noble mind than she, who tells Caesar with her death, "I am conqueror of myself." You have sworn, Eros, that when it became necessary, as it is now, when I could see inevitable disgrace and horror looming, that you would kill me on my command. Do it. The time has come. It isn't me you strike, it's Caesar you're defeating. Pull yourself together.
EROS
The gods withhold me!Shall I do that which all the Parthian darts,Though enemy, lost aim and could not?
EROS
May the gods prevent me! All of the Parthians' arrows missed their target and could not kill you, how could I kill you instead?
ANTONY
Eros, Wouldst thou be windowed in great Rome and see Thy master thus with pleached arms, bending down His corrigible neck, his face subdued To penetrative shame, whilst the wheeled seat Of fortunate Caesar, drawn before him, branded His baseness that ensued?
ANTONY
Eros, would you rather look down from a window in the great city of Rome and see your master displayed like this, with his arms tied, bending his neck in submission, his face subdued by penetrating shame, while lucky Caesar's chariot was drawn before him, indicating to everyone that the man who walked behind was disgraced?
EROS
I would not see ’t.
EROS
I couldn't look at it.
ANTONY
Come, then, for with a wound I must be cured.Draw that thy honest sword, which thou hast wornMost useful for thy country.
ANTONY
Come, then, for you can only help me by wounding me. Draw your faithful sword, which you have used to do good service for your country.
EROS
O sir, pardon me!
EROS
Oh sir, pardon me!
ANTONY
When I did make thee free, swor’st thou not then To do this when I bade thee? Do it at once, Or thy precedent services are all But accidents unpurposed. Draw and come.
ANTONY
When I freed you from servitude, didn't you swear to me then that you would do this when I told you to? Do it immediately, or all your previous service to me was nothing but an accident, not something you intended to do. Draw your sword and come.
EROS
Turn from me then that noble countenanceWherein the worship of the whole world lies.
EROS
Turn away from me, then, that noble face that the whole world used to worship.
ANTONY
Lo thee!
ANTONY
Here you are!
He turns away
EROS
My sword is drawn.
EROS
My sword is drawn.
ANTONY
Then let it do at onceThe thing why thou hast drawn it.
ANTONY
Then do it at once, the thing you drew it in order to do.
EROS
My dear master,My captain, and my emperor, let me say,Before I strike this bloody stroke, farewell.
EROS
My dear master, my captain, and my emperor, before I strike this deadly stroke, let me say goodbye to you.
ANTONY
’Tis said, man, and farewell.
ANTONY
You've said it, man, goodbye.
EROS
Farewell, great chief. Shall I strike now?
EROS
Goodbye, great captain. Shall I strike now?
ANTONY
Now, Eros.
ANTONY
Now, Eros.
EROS
Why, there then!
EROS
Why, then there it is!
Stabs himself
Thus I do escape the sorrowOf Antony’s death.
He dies
ANTONY
Thrice nobler than myself, Thou teachest me, O valiant Eros, what I should and thou couldst not. My Queen and Eros Have by their brave instruction got upon me A nobleness in record. But I will be A bridegroom in my death, and run into ’t As to a lover’s bed. Come then, and Eros, Thy master dies thy scholar. To do thus I learned of thee.
ANTONY
You are three times nobler than I am. Oh brave Eros, you teach me how to do the thing that I should do and that you couldn't do. In this brave deed that they've taught me, my Queen and Eros have gained a noble reputation ahead of me, recorded in the history books. But I will embrace death as willingly as a bridegroom embraces his bride, and seek it as eagerly as a lover's bed. Come then. Eros, I was once your master but now I am your student. I learned how to do this from you.
He falls on his sword
How! Not dead? Not dead?The guard, ho! Oh, dispatch me!
Enter DERCETUS and others of a GUARD
FIRST GUARD
What’s the noise?
FIRST GUARD
What's all this noise?
ANTONY
I have done my work ill, friends. Oh, make an endOf what I have begun!
ANTONY
I've done my work badly, my friends. Oh, finish what I started!
SECOND GUARD
The star is fall’n.
SECOND GUARD
The greatest man has fallen.
FIRST GUARD
And time is at his period.
FIRST GUARD
And time comes to a halt.
ALL
Alas, and woe!
ALL
Alas, the sorrow!
ANTONY
Let him that loves me strike me dead.
ANTONY
If anyone loves me, let him kill me.
FIRST GUARD
Not I.
FIRST GUARD
Not I.
SECOND GUARD
Nor I.
SECOND GUARD
Nor I.
THIRD GUARD
Nor anyone.
THIRD GUARD
Nor anyone.
Exeunt GUARD
DERCETUS
Thy death and fortunes bid thy followers fly.
DERCETUS
Your death and your fallen fortunes show your followers that they ought to leave you.
He takes up ANTONY’s sword
This sword but shown to Caesar, with this tidings,Shall enter me with him.
If I just show this sword to Caesar and tell him this news, I'll gain favor with him.
Enter DIOMEDES
DIOMEDES
Where’s Antony?
DIOMEDES
Where's Antony?
DERCETUS
There, Diomed, there.
DERCETUS
There, Diomed, there.
DIOMEDES
Lives he? Wilt thou not answer, man?
DIOMEDES
Is he alive? Won't you answer, man?
Exit DERCETUS
ANTONY
Art thou there, Diomed? Draw thy sword and give meSufficing strokes for death.
ANTONY
Are you there, Diomed? Draw your sword and strike me hard enough to kill me.
DIOMEDES
Most absolute lord,My mistress Cleopatra sent me to thee.
DIOMEDES
Greatest lord, my mistress Cleopatra sent me to you.
ANTONY
When did she send thee?
ANTONY
When did she send you?
DIOMEDES
Now, my lord.
DIOMEDES
Just now, my lord.
ANTONY
Where is she?
ANTONY
Where is she?
DIOMEDES
Locked in her monument. She had a prophesying fear Of what hath come to pass. For when she saw— Which never shall be found—you did suspect She had disposed with Caesar, and that your rage Would not be purged, she sent you word she was dead. But fearing since how it might work, hath sent Me to proclaim the truth, and I am come, I dread, too late.
DIOMEDES
Locked in her tomb. She was afraid of what she foresaw might happen. For when she saw that you suspected her of plotting with Caesar—something you will never find to be true—and that your rage could not be overcome, she sent you a message that she was dead. But then she became afraid of what effect the news might have on you, and she sent me to tell you the truth. Now I'm afraid that I've arrived too late.
ANTONY
Too late, good Diomed. Call my guard, I prithee.
ANTONY
Too late, good Diomed. Call my guard, please.
DIOMEDES
What ho, the Emperor’s guard! The guard, what ho!Come, your lord calls!
DIOMEDES
Hey there, the Emperor's guard! The guard, hey there! Come, your lord is calling you!
Enter four or five of the GUARD of Antony
ANTONY
Bear me, good friends, where Cleopatra bides.’Tis the last service that I shall command you.
ANTONY
Good friends, carry me to where Cleopatra is. This is the last service that I will command you to carry out.
FIRST GUARD
Woe, woe are we, sir, you may not live to wearAll your true followers out.
FIRST GUARD
We are sorrowful, sorrowful, sir, that you will not live longer than your followers.
ALL
Most heavy day!
ALL
Most sorrowful day!
ANTONY
Nay, good my fellows, do not please sharp fate To grace it with your sorrows. Bid that welcome Which comes to punish us, and we punish it, Seeming to bear it lightly. Take me up. I have led you oft; carry me now, good friends, And have my thanks for all.
ANTONY
No, my good friends, do not give cruel fate the satisfaction of seeing your sorrows. If we welcome something that was intended to punish us, we punish it in return by seeming not to mind it. Pick me up. I have often led you; carry me now, good friends. I thank you for everything.
Exeunt, bearing ANTONY and the body of EROS
