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Act 3, Scene 10
Antony and Cleopatra Translation Act 3, Scene 11
Enter ANTONY with attendants
ANTONY
Hark. The land bids me tread no more upon ’t. It is ashamed to bear me. Friends, come hither. I am so lated in the world that I Have lost my way forever. I have a ship Laden with gold. Take that, divide it. Fly And make your peace with Caesar.
ANTONY
See how the earth itself tells me not to walk on it any more. It is ashamed to hold me. Friends, come here. I am so overtaken by night that I have lost my way forever in this world. I have a ship full of gold. Take the gold and divide it amongst yourselves. Abandon me and make peace with Caesar.
ALL
Fly? Not we.
ALL
Abandon you? Not us.
ANTONY
I have fled myself, and have instructed cowards To run and show their shoulders. Friends, begone. I have myself resolved upon a course Which has no need of you. Begone. My treasure’s in the harbor. Take it. Oh, I followed that I blush to look upon! My very hairs do mutiny, for the white Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them For fear and doting. Friends, begone. You shall Have letters from me to some friends that will Sweep your way for you. Pray you, look not sad, Nor make replies of loathness. Take the hint Which my despair proclaims. Let that be left Which leaves itself. To the seaside straightway! I will possess you of that ship and treasure. Leave me, I pray, a little. Pray you now, Nay, do so, for indeed I have lost command. Therefore I pray you. I’ll see you by and by.
ANTONY
I have abandoned myself, and by retreating, I have set an example for other cowards to run away and turn their backs on their enemies. Friends, be gone. I have resolved to follow a course of action that does not require your assistance. Be gone. My treasure is in the harbor. Take it. Oh, I followed the very thing that now makes me ashamed to look at it! Even my hairs rebel. The white hairs condemn the brown ones for being rash, and the brown ones condemn the white for being fearful and too affectionate. Friends, be gone. I'll write letters for you to some friends of mine that will clear your path. Please, do not be sad or say that you don't want to do this. Take your cue from my despair. You should abandon someone who abandons himself. Go the seaside immediately! I'll give you the ship and the treasure. Leave me alone, please, for a little while. I ask you, don't protest, leave me—please. I have lost the right to command you, so I can only ask you. I'll see you shortly.
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Exeunt attendants. ANTONY sits down
Enter CLEOPATRA, led by CHARMIAN, IRAS, and EROS
EROS
Nay, gentle madam, to him, comfort him.
EROS
No, gentle madam, go to him, comfort him.
IRAS
Do, most dear Queen.
IRAS
Do, dearest Queen.
CHARMIAN
Do. Why, what else?
CHARMIAN
Do. Why, what else would you do?
CLEOPATRA
Let me sit down. O Juno!
CLEOPATRA
Let me sit down. Oh Juno!
She sits
ANTONY
[seeing CLEOPATRA] No, no, no, no, no.
ANTONY
[Seeing CLEOPATRA] No, no, no, no, no.
EROS
See you here, sir?
EROS
Do you see this woman here, sir?
ANTONY
Oh, fie, fie, fie!
ANTONY
Oh, shame on you, shame, shame, shame!
CHARMIAN
Madam!
CHARMIAN
Madam!
IRAS
Madam, O good Empress!
IRAS
Madam, Oh good Empress!
EROS
Sir, sir—
EROS
Sir, sir—
ANTONY
[aside] Yes, my lord, yes. He at Philippi kept His sword e’en like a dancer, while I struck The lean and wrinkled Cassius, and ’twas I That the mad Brutus ended. He alone Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had In the brave squares of war, yet now—no matter.
ANTONY
[To himself] Yes, my lord, yes. At Philippi, Caesar used his sword only as a decoration, while I fought thin, wrinkled Casius, and it was I who defeated the insane Brutus. Caesar was the one who had others fight for him, and he had no experience in the proper battle formations but now—well, it doesn't matter.
CLEOPATRA
Ah, stand by.
CLEOPATRA
Ah, stand aside.
EROS
The Queen, my lord, the Queen.
EROS
The Queen, my lord, look at the Queen.
IRAS
Go to him, madam, speak to him.He is unqualitied with very shame.
IRAS
Go to him, Madam, speak to him. He's so ashamed that he has lost all sense of who he is.
CLEOPATRA
Well then, sustain me. Oh!
CLEOPATRA
Well then, support me. Oh!
She rises
EROS
Most noble sir, arise. The Queen approaches.Her head’s declined, and death will seize her butYour comfort makes the rescue.
EROS
Most noble sir, get up. The Queen's approaching. Her head is bowed and she will die unless you save her by comforting her.
ANTONY
I have offended reputation,A most unnoble swerving.
ANTONY
I have betrayed my good name—a most dishonorable departure from the right path.
EROS
Sir, the Queen.
EROS
Sir, the Queen.
ANTONY
Oh, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See How I convey my shame out of thine eyes By looking back what I have left behind ’Stroyed in dishonor.
ANTONY
Oh, what have you led me to do, Queen of Egypt? See how I steal away in shame out of your sight, remembering what I left behind destroyed in dishonor.
CLEOPATRA
O my lord, my lord,Forgive my fearful sails! I little thoughtYou would have followed.
CLEOPATRA
Oh my lord, my lord! Forgive me for sailing away in fear! I didn't think you would follow me!
ANTONY
Egypt, thou knew’st too well My heart was to thy rudder tied by th’ strings, And thou shouldst tow me after. O’er my spirit Thy full supremacy thou knew’st, and that Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods Command me.
ANTONY
Queen of Egypt, you knew all too well that my heart was tied to you and your movements, and that whatever you did, you would draw me after you. You knew that you had full control over my will and that your summons would call me away even from what the gods had ordered me to do.
CLEOPATRA
Oh, my pardon!
CLEOPATRA
Oh, please forgive me!
ANTONY
Now I must To the young man send humble treaties, dodge And palter in the shifts of lowness, who With half the bulk o’ th’ world played as I pleased, Making and marring fortunes. You did know How much you were my conqueror, and that My sword, made weak by my affection, would Obey it on all cause.
ANTONY
Now I must send humble petitions to that young Caesar, make excuses and play tricks like a man of low status—me, who once did as I pleased with half of the world's territory, raising and destroying people's fortunes. You knew how much you had conquered me, and that in battle, since my affection for you made me weak, I would obey you no matter what.
CLEOPATRA
Pardon, pardon!
CLEOPATRA
Forgive me, forgive me!
ANTONY
Fall not a tear, I say. One of them ratesAll that is won and lost. Give me a kiss.
ANTONY
Don't cry one tear, I say. One tear makes up for everything I have won and lost. Give me a kiss.
They kiss
Even this repays me.— We sent our schoolmaster. Is he come back?— Love, I am full of lead.— [calling] Some wine, Within there, and our viands! Fortune knows We scorn her most when most she offers blows.
Even one kiss repays me for what I have lost.
[To an ATTENDANT] We sent away our children's tutor on an errand. Has he come back?
[To CLEOPATRA] My love, my spirits are heavy.
[Calling to servants] You over there, bring us some wine and food! When fortune deals us the heaviest blows, that's when we scorn her the most.
Exeunt
