Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
To do the best we can in our lives.
Come, Menas.
Come along, Menas.
Exeunt
Enter DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS
LEPIDUS
Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,
My dear Enobarbus, it is a worthwhile action,
And shall become you well, to entreat your captain
And will reflect well on you, to convince your captain
To soft and gentle speech.
To speak softly and gently.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
I shall entreat him
I will convince him
To answer like himself: if Caesar move him,
To answer like himself: if Caesar motivates him,
Let Antony look over Caesar's head
Let Mark Antony look over Caesar's headAnd speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,
And speak as loudly as the god of war. By Jupiter,
Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,
If I had Antonius' beard,
I would not shave't to-day.
I would not shave it today.
LEPIDUS
Tis not a time
This is not the time
For private stomaching.
For private feelings.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Every time
Every time Serves for the matter that is then born in't.
Is suitable for what goes on during it.
LEPIDUS
But small to greater matters must give way.
But small issues must be put aside for big deals.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Not if the small come first.
Not if the small ones come first.
LEPIDUS
Your speech is passion:
Your speech is overly emotional:
But, pray you, stir no embers up. Here comes
But please, don't stir up things even more. Here comesThe noble Antony.
The noble Mark Antony.
Enter MARK ANTONY and VENTIDIUS
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
And yonder, Caesar.
And over there, Caesar.
Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, MECAENAS, and AGRIPPA
MARK ANTONY
If we compose well here, to Parthia:
If we do well here, we should go to Parthia:
Hark, Ventidius.
Look, it's Venius.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
I do not know,
I don't know;Mecaenas; ask Agrippa.
Macaenas, ask Agrippa.
LEPIDUS
Noble friends,
My noble friends,That which combined us was most great, and let not
What has brought us together is very important, and let's not
A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,
Respond inadequately. What is wrong,
May it be gently heard: when we debate
May we speak calmly about it: when we debate
Our trivial difference loud, we do commit
Our unimportant differences loudly, we end up
Murder in healing wounds: then, noble partners,
Worsening our healing wounds: then, noble partners,
The rather, for I earnestly beseech,
Instead, please,
Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,
I advice you to be diplomatic,
Nor curstness grow to the matter.
And not add to things with rudeness.
MARK ANTONY
'Tis spoken well.
Well said.
Were we before our armies, and to fight.
If we were in front of our armies, and about to fight.
I should do thus.
I should act like this.
Flourish
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Welcome to Rome.
Welcome to Rome.
MARK ANTONY
Thank you.
Thank you.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Sit.
Sit down.
MARK ANTONY
Sit, sir.
You sit down, sir.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Nay, then.
No, then.
MARK ANTONY
I learn, you take things ill which are not so,
I learn that you are offended by things which aren't offensive,
Or being, concern you not.
Or are not your business.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
I must be laugh'd at,
I must be laughed at,
If, or for nothing or a little, I
If, for nothing or for a little, I
Should say myself offended, and with you
Would say I was offended, and since you
Chiefly i' the world; more laugh'd at, that I should
Are much more laughed at by others, that I ended up
Once name you derogately, when to sound your name
Once insulting you, when speaking your name
It not concern'd me.
Does not concern me.
MARK ANTONY
My being in Egypt, Caesar,
My time in Egypt, Caesar,
What was't to you?
What did it matter to you?
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
No more than my residing here at Rome
No more than my living here at Rome
Might be to you in Egypt: yet, if you there
Might matter to you in Egypt: yet, if you there
Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt
Were on my state business, your being in Egypt
Might be my question.
Might be my problem.
MARK ANTONY
How intend you, practised?
What do you mean by that?
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
You may be pleased to catch at mine intent
You might figure out what I meant
By what did here befal me. Your wife and brother
By what happened to me here. Your wife and brother
Made wars upon me; and their contestation
Fought against me; and their grab for power
Was theme for you, you were the word of war.
Was about you as well, you were the motivation for war.
MARK ANTONY
You do mistake your business; my brother never
You misunderstand; my brother never
Did urge me in his act: I did inquire it;
Encouraged me in his actions: I did ask about it;
And have my learning from some true reports,
And have learned from some true reports,
That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather
That there was fighting against you. Didn't he, instead,
Discredit my authority with yours;
Ignore my authority along with yours;
And make the wars alike against my stomach,
And fought no matter how I felt about it,
Having alike your cause? Of this my letters
Treating us the same? You agreed with me in my letters
Before did satisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,
Before this. If you end an argument,
As matter whole you have not to make it with,
And consider it ended, you cannot open it
It must not be with this.
All over again.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
You praise yourself
You make yourself look good
By laying defects of judgment to me; but
By putting all the bad judgment on me; but
You patch'd up your excuses.
You are nothing but excuses.
MARK ANTONY
Not so, not so;
That's not true;
I know you could not lack, I am certain on't,
I know you could not be without, I am certain of it,
&
nbsp; Very necessity of this thought, that I,
A very necessary thought, that I,
Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,
Your partner in the cause he fought against,
Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars
Would not be able to calmly watch those wars
Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,
That harmed my own peace. As for my wife,
I would you had her spirit in such another:
I wish you had her spirit in someone like her:
The third o' the world is yours; which with a snaffle
You rule over a third of the world; and you may have room
You may pace easy, but not such a wife.
To walk comfortably, but not a wife like that.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Would we had all such wives, that the men might go
If only we all had wives like that, so that men could go
to wars with the women!
to wars and fight alongside the women!
MARK ANTONY
So much uncurbable, her garboils, Caesar
So much I could not hold back, her actions, Caesar
Made out of her impatience, which not wanted
Made out of her impatience, which did not lack
Shrewdness of policy too, I grieving grant
Cleverness in leadership too, I must sadly admit
Did you too much disquiet: for that you must
Caused you too much trouble: for that you can't
But say, I could not help it.
Say anything other than I could not help it.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
I wrote to you
I wrote to youWhen rioting in Alexandria; you
When there was rioting in Alexandria; you
Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts
Put away my letters, and with insults
Did gibe my missive out of audience.
Disregarded my messenger.
MARK ANTONY
Sir,
SirHe fell upon me ere admitted: then
He came to me without permission: then
Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want
I had just feasted with three kings, and wasn't
Of what I was i' the morning: but next day
Available that morning: but the next day
I told him of myself; which was as much
I told him about it myself; which was basically
As to have ask'd him pardon. Let this fellow
Like apologizing. Let this man
Be nothing of our strife; if we contend,
Not be something to argue over; if we must,
Out of our question wipe him.
We'll push him off the table of things to discuss.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
You have broken
You have brokenThe article of your oath; which you shall never
Your solemn promises; so you will never
Have tongue to charge me with.
Have a right to accuse me of anything.
LEPIDUS
Soft, Caesar!
Calm down, Caesar!
MARK ANTONY
No,
No,Lepidus, let him speak:
Lepidus, let him talk:The honour is sacred which he talks on now,
The honor he is talking about now is sacred,
Supposing that I lack'd it. But, on, Caesar;
Which he thinks I don't have. But, go on, Caesar;
The article of my oath.
The promise you are referring to.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
To lend me arms and aid when I required them;
To lend me weapons and help when I needed them;
The which you both denied.
Which you both denied me.
MARK ANTONY
Neglected, rather;
No, it was just delayed;
And then when poison'd hours had bound me up
And that was when I lost track of time
From mine own knowledge. As nearly as I may,
Before I was aware of it. As much as I can,
I'll play the penitent to you: but mine honesty
I'll make it up to you: but my honesty
Shall not make poor my greatness, nor my power
Will not reduce my greatness, and my power
Work without it. Truth is, that Fulvia,
Won't work without it. The truth is, Fulvia,
To have me out of Egypt, made wars here;
To get me out of Egypt, made wars here;
For which myself, the ignorant motive, do
For which I myself, the unintentional and unaware reason,
So far ask pardon as befits mine honour
As as much forgiveness as is suitable for my honor
To stoop in such a case.
To humble myself in such a situation.
LEPIDUS
'Tis noble spoken.
That is nobly said.
MECAENAS
If it might please you, to enforce no further
If you would be willing, to push no further
The griefs between ye: to forget them quite
The problems between you: to forget them completely
Were to remember that the present need
Would be to remember that the current need
Speaks to atone you.
Is enough to make up for you.
LEPIDUS
Worthily spoken, Mecaenas.
Well and wisely said, Mecaenas.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Or, if you borrow one another's love for the
Or, if you temporarily make peace for
instant, you may, when you hear no more words of
now, you may, when you no longer have to deal with
Pompey, return it again: you shall have time to
Pompey, go back to your fighting: you will have time
wrangle in when you have nothing else to do.
to tussle when you have nothing else to do.
MARK ANTONY
Thou art a soldier only: speak no more.
You are only a soldier: quiet.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
That truth should be silent I had almost forgot.
Oh, sorry, I forgot that truth should be silent.
MARK ANTONY
You wrong this presence; therefore speak no more.
You are wrong in this case; so be quiet.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Go to, then; your considerate stone.
Get out, then; you considerate stone.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
I do not much dislike the matter, but
I do not actually dislike what he says, but
The manner of his speech; for't cannot be
Instead how he says it; for it cannot be
We shall remain in friendship, our conditions
That we shall stay friends, our conditions
So differing in their acts. Yet if I knew
So different in how we act. Yet if I knew
What hoop should hold us stanch, from edge to edge
What connection could keep us together, from every part
O' the world I would pursue it.
Of the world I would chase after it.
AGRIPPA
Give me leave, Caesar,--
Give me permission, Caesar --
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Speak, Agrippa.
Go on, Agrippa.
AGRIPPA
Thou hast a sister by the mother's side,
You have a sister on your mother's side,
Admired Octavia: great Mark Antony
The admired Octavia: great Mark Antony
Is now a widower.
Is now a windowed.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Say not so, Agrippa:
Do not say that, Agrippa:
If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof
If Cleopatra
heard you, your punishment
Were well deserved of rashness.
Would be well-deserved for your foolishness.
MARK ANTONY
I am not married, Caesar: let me hear
I am not married, Caesar: let me hearAgrippa further speak.
Agrippa speak further.
AGRIPPA
To hold you in perpetual amity,
To keep you in constant agreement,
To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts
To make you brothers, and to tie your hearts together
With an unslipping knot, take Antony
With a knot that will not slip, have Antony
Octavia to his wife; whose beauty claims
Marry Octavia; she's beautiful enough
No worse a husband than the best of men;
For the best of men to be her husband;
Whose virtue and whose general graces speak
And her goodness and general gracefulness speak
That which none else can utter. By this marriage,
Well of her. By this marriage,
All little jealousies, which now seem great,
All the little problems, which now seem big,
And all great fears, which now import their dangers,
And all big fears, which come from their dangers,
Would then be nothing: truths would be tales,
Would then be nothing: facts would be stories,
Where now half tales be truths: her love to both
Where now only partial facts are true: her love to both
Would, each to other and all loves to both,
Would, each of them to each other,
Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke;
Come together because of her. Forgive me for speaking;
For 'tis a studied, not a present thought,
For it is something I have thought about, not a sudden idea,
By duty ruminated.
And properly considered.
MARK ANTONY
Will Caesar speak?
Does Caesar have anything to say?
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd
Not until I hear how Antony is affected
With what is spoke already.
By what is spoken already.
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 458