Antony and Cleopatra Translation Act 3, Scene 10
CANIDIUS marcheth with his land army one way over the stage, and TAURUS, the lieutenant of CAESAR, the other way. After their going in is heard the noise of a sea fight
Alarum. Enter ENOBARBUS
ENOBARBUS
Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no longer. Th’ Antoniad , the Egyptian admiral, With all their sixty, fly and turn the rudder. To see ’t mine eyes are blasted.
ENOBARBUS
Lost, lost, all is lost! I can't watch it any longer. The Antoniad, the Egyptian flagship, along with the sixty other ships, have turned around and fled the battle. It destroys my eyes to see it.
Enter SCARUS
SCARUS
Gods and goddesses,All the whole synod of them!
SCARUS
By the whole assembly of the gods and goddesses!
ENOBARBUS
What’s thy passion?
ENOBARBUS
What is troubling you?
SCARUS
The greater cantle of the world is lostWith very ignorance. We have kissed awayKingdoms and provinces.
SCARUS
The largest portion of the world is lost due to extreme ignorance. We have lost our kingdoms and provinces.
ENOBARBUS
How appears the fight?
ENOBARBUS
How is the battle going?
SCARUS
On our side like the tokened pestilence, Where death is sure. Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt— Whom leprosy o’ertake!—i’ th’ midst o’ th’ fight, When vantage like a pair of twins appeared Both as the same, or rather ours the elder, The breeze upon her, like a cow in June, Hoists sails and flies.
SCARUS
On our side, it's as if we've been struck with the plague, which means that death is sure to come. That lustful old Egyptian horse—may leprosy strike her down!—in the very midst of the fight, when the advantage appeared to be even, or rather greater on our side, acted like a cow in June driven by a slight wind, and hoisted sail and fled the battle.
ENOBARBUS
That I beheld.Mine eyes did sicken at the sight and could notEndure a further view.
ENOBARBUS
I saw that. It made me sick to watch it happen, and I couldn't bear to watch it any longer.
SCARUS
She once being loofed, The noble ruin of her magic, Antony, Claps on his sea-wing and, like a doting mallard Leaving the fight in height, flies after her. I never saw an action of such shame. Experience, manhood, honor, ne’er before Did violate so itself.
SCARUS
Once she had prepared her ships to leave, Antony—that noble man who has been destroyed by her magic—hoisted his sails as well and, like an overfond duck, left the battle at its very height and flew after her. I had never seen such shameful behavior. Never before has any man betrayed his better knowledge, his manhood, and his honor so severely.
ENOBARBUS
Alack, alack!
ENOBARBUS
Alas, alas!
Enter CANIDIUS
CANIDIUS
Our fortune on the sea is out of breath And sinks most lamentably. Had our general Been what he knew himself, it had gone well. Oh, he has given example for our flight Most grossly by his own!
CANIDIUS
We have lost our advantage at sea, and our prospects for success are decreasing depressingly quickly. If our general had been true to himself, the battle would have gone well for us. Oh, he has set an example for us to abandon him, as he so disgustingly abandoned us!
ENOBARBUS
Ay, are you thereabouts? Why then, good night indeed.
ENOBARBUS
Ah, are you thinking that too? Well, then, it really is over now.
CANIDIUS
Toward Peloponnesus are they fled.
CANIDIUS
They fled toward Peloponnesus.
SCARUS
’Tis easy to ’t, and there I will attendWhat further comes.
SCARUS
It's easy to get there, and I'll wait there to see what comes next.
He exits
CANIDIUS
To Caesar will I renderMy legions and my horse. Six kings alreadyShow me the way of yielding.
CANIDIUS
I will offer my legions and my horses to Caesar's service. Six kings have already set an example by similarly yielding to Caesar.
He exits
ENOBARBUS
I’ll yet followThe wounded chance of Antony, though my reasonSits in the wind against me.
ENOBARBUS
I'll stick with Antony and his diminished chances for now, even though I'm acting against my better judgment.
He exits