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Act 4, Scene 15
Antony and Cleopatra Translation Act 5, Scene 1
Enter CAESAR, with AGRIPPA, DOLABELLA, MAECENAS, GALLUS, and PROCULEIUS, and his council of war
CAESAR
Go to him, Dolabella, bid him yield.Being so frustrate, tell him, he mocksThe pauses that he makes.
CAESAR
Go to Antony, Dolabella, and tell him to surrender. His delay in doing so makes him look ridiculous.
DOLABELLA
Caesar, I shall.
DOLABELLA
Caesar, I will.
Exit
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Enter DERCETUS, with the sword of ANTONY
CAESAR
Wherefore is that? And what art thou that dar’stAppear thus to us?
CAESAR
What is that? And who are you to dare and appear before me armed?
DERCETUS
I am called Dercetus. Mark Antony I served, who best was worthy Best to be served. Whilst he stood up and spoke, He was my master, and I wore my life To spend upon his haters. If thou please To take me to thee, as I was to him I’ll be to Caesar. If thou pleasest not, I yield thee up my life.
DERCETUS
My name is Dercetus. I served Mark Antony, who was the man most worthy of being served. While he was alive, he was my master, and I used my life to oppose those who hated him. If it pleases you to employ me as Antony did I'll be loyal to you, Caesar. If not, I surrender my life to you.
CAESAR
What is ’t thou say’st?
CAESAR
What do you mean?
DERCETUS
I say, O Caesar, Antony is dead.
DERCETUS
I mean, Caesar, that Antony is dead.
CAESAR
The breaking of so great a thing should make A greater crack. The round world Should have shook lions into civil streets And citizens to their dens. The death of Antony Is not a single doom. In the name lay A moiety of the world.
CAESAR
It should cause a greater disturbance when someone so great dies. The globe should have shaken so much that lions left their dens and entered the city streets and the citizens fled to the lions' dens. His death was not the death of an ordinary man. He controlled half of the world.
DERCETUS
He is dead, Caesar, Not by a public minister of justice, Nor by a hirèd knife, but that self hand Which writ his honor in the acts it did Hath, with the courage which the heart did lend it, Splitted the heart. This is his sword. I robbed his wound of it. Behold it stained With his most noble blood.
DERCETUS
He is dead. He wasn't killed by a public minister of justice or a hired assassin. With a courageous heart, he killed himself with the same hand that he performed many honorable acts. This is his sword. I took it away after it wounded him. See how it's stained with his most noble blood.
CAESAR
Look you, sad friends,The gods rebuke me, but it is tidingsTo wash the eyes of kings.
CAESAR
[Weeping] See, my sad friends, the gods might criticize me for weeping, but this news is enough to make even a king cry.
AGRIPPA
And strange it isThat nature must compel us to lamentOur most persisted deeds.
AGRIPPA
And it is strange that our nature makes us weep for something that we tried hard to achieve.
MAECENAS
His taints and honorsWaged equal with him.
MAECENAS
His flaws and his virtues fought inside him, both with equal power.
AGRIPPA
A rarer spirit neverDid steer humanity, but you gods will give usSome faults to make us men. Caesar is touched.
AGRIPPA
No man was ever governed with such an uncommonly noble spirit. But the gods give us some faults to make us human. Caesar is emotional over the news.
MAECENAS
When such a spacious mirror’s set before him,He needs must see himself.
MAECENAS
When he thinks about such a great man, he sees what he himself could become.
CAESAR
O Antony, I have followed thee to this, but we do launch Diseases in our bodies. I must perforce Have shown to thee such a declining day, Or look on thine. We could not stall together In the whole world. But yet let me lament With tears as sovereign as the blood of hearts That thou, my brother, my competitor In top of all design, my mate in empire, Friend and companion in the front of war, The arm of mine own body, and the heart Where mine his thoughts did kindle —that our stars, Unreconcilable, should divide Our equalness to this. Hear me, good friends—
CAESAR
Oh Antony, I was trying to end your life, but we have to get rid of a disease if it threatens our body. Either I would have had to die, or you would have. The world wasn't big enough for both of us. But I will still weep, with tears as powerful as the blood in my heart, for you, my brother, my greatest competitor, my co-ruler of the empire, my friend and companion on the battlefield, the arm of my own body, and to whom I confided all my thoughts—I weep that our partnership was divided by our irreconcilable fates. Listen to me, good friends—
Enter an EGYPTIAN
But I will tell you at some meeter season. The business of this man looks out of him. We’ll hear him what he says. (to EGYPTIAN) Whence are you?
CAESAR
But I'll tell you what I have to say at a more appropriate time. This man looks like he's here on urgent business. We'll hear what he has to say.
[To the EGYPTIAN] Who sent you?
EGYPTIAN
A poor Egyptian yet, the Queen my mistress, Confined in all she has, her monument, Of thy intents desires instruction, That she preparedly may frame herself To th’ way she’s forced to.
EGYPTIAN
That poor Egyptian, the Queen my mistress. She has locked herself in her tomb—which is now all she has left—and she wants to know what you intend to do, so that she can prepare herself for her fate.
CAESAR
Bid her have good heart. She soon shall know of us, by some of ours, How honorable and how kindly we Determine for her, for Caesar cannot live To be ungentle.
CAESAR
Tell her to take comfort. I will soon send some messengers to tell her how honorable and kind my plans are for her. For it is impossible for me not to be gracious and noble.
EGYPTIAN
So the gods preserve thee!
EGYPTIAN
May the gods bless you.
Exit
CAESAR
Come hither, Proculeius. Go and say We purpose her no shame. Give her what comforts The quality of her passion shall require, Lest, in her greatness, by some mortal stroke She do defeat us, for her life in Rome Would be eternal in our triumph. Go, And with your speediest bring us what she says And how you find of her.
CAESAR
Come here, Proculeius. Go and tell Cleopatra that we have no intention of disrespecting her. Give her whatever comforts she requires, given her current emotional state. Otherwise, her nobility may lead her to kill herself and so prevent me from gaining undying glory by bringing her to Rome as my captive. Go, and then report back with her response quickly and tell me how she appears.
PROCULEIUS
Caesar, I shall.
PROCULEIUS
Caesar, I will.
Exit PROCULEIUS
CAESAR
Gallus, go you along.
CAESAR
Gallus, get going.
Exit GALLUS
Where’s Dolabella,To second Proculeius?
Where's Dolabella? I want him to go with Proculeius.
ALL
Dolabella!
ALL
Dolabella!
CAESAR
Let him alone, for I remember now How he’s employed. He shall in time be ready. Go with me to my tent, where you shall see How hardly I was drawn into this war, How calm and gentle I proceeded still In all my writings. Go with me and see What I can show in this.
CAESAR
Forget it, I just remembered that I sent him on an errand. He'll be ready shortly. Come with me to my tent, and see how I was drawn into this war against my will and how calm and gentle I always was. Come with me and I will prove it.
Exeunt
