The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (760 page)

Most of the time, too, round-faced women are foolish.

Her hair, what colour?

What color is her hair?

Messenger

Brown, madam: and her forehead

Brown, madam: and her forehead
As low as she would wish it.

Is as low as it could be.

CLEOPATRA

There's gold for thee.

Here's some gold for you.

Thou must not take my former sharpness ill:

You must not be too offended by my earlier harshness:

I will employ thee back again; I find thee

I will hire you again; I find you

Most fit for business: go make thee ready;

Very suitable fore business: go make yourself ready;

Our letters are prepared.

My letters have been prepared.

Exit Messenger

CHARMIAN

A proper man.

A good man.

CLEOPATRA

Indeed, he is so: I repent me much

Yes, he is: I very much regret

That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him,

That I caused him so much trouble. Why, I think, through him,

This creature's no such thing.

This woman isn't much of anything.

CHARMIAN

Nothing, madam.

Nothing, madam.

CLEOPATRA

The man hath seen some majesty, and should know.

This man has seen some grace and dignity, and should know.

CHARMIAN

Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend,

Has he seen grace and dignity? By Isis,

And serving you so long!

Of course he would have after serving you for so long!

CLEOPATRA

I have one thing more to ask him yet, good Charmian:

I have one more thing to ask him still, good Charmian:

But 'tis no matter; thou shalt bring him to me

But it's no matter; you will bring him to me

Where I will write. All may be well enough.

Where I will be writing. All may turn out all right.

CHARMIAN

I warrant you, madam.

I am sure it will, madam.

Exeunt

Enter MARK ANTONY and OCTAVIA

MARK ANTONY

Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,--

No, no, Octavia, not only that, --

That were excusable, that, and thousands more

That could be excused, that, and thousands more

Of semblable import,--but he hath waged

Of similar importance, -- but he has fought

New wars 'gainst Pompey; made his will, and read it

New wars against Pompey; made his will, and read it

To public ear:

For the public to hear:

Spoke scantly of me: when perforce he could not

Which hardly mentioned me: when it happened that he could not

But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly

Do anything but pay me terms of honor, cold and weak

He vented them; most narrow measure lent me:

He spoke them; he gave me the least honor he could:

When the best hint was given him, he not took't,

When he was given a hint, he either didn't take it,

Or did it from his teeth.

Or did through his teeth.

OCTAVIA

O my good lord,

Oh, my good husband,

Believe not all; or, if you must believe,

Do not believe it all; or, if you must believe,

Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady,

Do not be upset by all. A more unhappy lady,

If this division chance, ne'er stood between,

If this tears you apart, has never had to stand between,
Praying for both parts:

Praying for both sides:
The good gods me presently,

The good gods towards me soon,

When I shall pray, 'O bless my lord and husband!'

When I will pray, 'Oh bless my honored husband!'

Undo that prayer, by crying out as loud,

Undo that prayer, by crying out as loudly,
'O, bless my brother!' Husband win, win brother,

'Oh, bless my brother!' If the husband wins, or the brother wins

Prays, and destroys the prayer; no midway

The prays destroy the prayers: there is no midway

'Twixt these extremes at all.

Between those extremes at all.

MARK ANTONY

Gentle Octavia,

Gentle Octavia,
Let your best love draw to that point, which seeks

Let your best love take you to that point, which searches

Best to preserve it: if I lose mine honour,

For how best to preserve it: if I lose my honor,

I lose myself: better I were not yours

I lost myself: it would be better if I were not yours

Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested,

Than yours so without branches. But, as you requested,

Yourself shall go between 's: the mean time, lady,

You will go between us: in the mean time, lady,

I'll raise the preparation of a war

I'll begin preparing for war

Shall stain your brother: make your soonest haste;

That will ruin your brother: hurry as best you can;

So your desires are yours.

So you go with what you really want.

OCTAVIA

Thanks to my lord.

Thank you to my husband.

The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak,

The god of power makes me weak, very weak,
Your reconciler! Wars 'twixt you twain would be

Your diplomat! Wars between you two would be

As if the world should cleave, and that slain men

As if the world would split, and killed men

Should solder up the rift.

Would fill up the crack.

MARK ANTONY

When it appears to you where this begins,

When you come to a decision where this began,

Turn your displeasure that way: for our faults

Turn your blame that way: for our faults

Can never be so equal, that your love

Can never be equal enough to allow your love

Can equally move with them. Provide your going;

To equally move between them. Prepare for leaving;

Choose your own company, and command what cost

Choose your own company, and pay the price

Your heart has mind to.

Your heart decides upon.

Exeunt

Enter DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS and EROS, meeting

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

How now, friend Eros!

What's going on, my friend Eros?

EROS

There's strange news come, sir.

There is strange news now, sir.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

What, man?

What?

EROS

Caesar and Lepidus have made wars upon Pompey.

Caesar and Lepidus have fought Pompey.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

This is old: what is the success?

I knew that: what is the result?

EROS

Caesar, having made use of him in the wars 'gainst

Caesar, having made use of him in the wars against

Pompey, presently denied him rivality; would not let

Pompey, soon after would not share with him, would not let

him partake in the glory of the action: and not

him take part in the glory of the action: and not

resting here, accuses him of letters he had formerly

resting here, accused him of betraying him in letters

wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal, seizes him: so

written to Pompey: and put him in prison, so

the poor third is up, till death enlarge his confine.

the poor third is out of the game, until death frees him.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Then, world, thou hast a pair of chaps, no more;

Then, world, you have a pair of gears, no more;

And throw between them all the food thou hast,

And throw between them all the food you have,

They'll grind the one the other. Where's Antony?

And they'll grind each other. Where's Antony?

EROS

He's walking in the garden--thus; and spurns

He's walking in the garden --- like this; and avoids

The rush that lies before him; cries, 'Fool Lepidus!'

The work that is in front of him; yells, 'Fool Lepidus!'

And threats the throat of that his officer

And threatens the throat of the officer

That murder'd Pompey.

That murdered Pompey.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Our great navy's rigg'd.

Our great navy is ready.

EROS

For Italy and Caesar. More, Domitius;

For Italy and Caesar. More, Domitius;
My lord desires you presently: my news

My lord wants to talk to you: my news

I might have told hereafter.

I could have told afterwards.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

'Twill be naught:

It makes no difference:

But let it be. Bring me to Antony.

But leave it alone. Take me to Antony.

EROS

Come, sir.

Exeunt