The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 462
MARK ANTONY
Ay, Lepidus.
Yes, Lepidus.
LEPIDUS
Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the
The snake of Egypt comes out of the mud because of the
operation of your sun: so is your crocodile.
movement of the sun: so does the crocodile.
MARK ANTONY
They are so.
That is how it is, yes.
POMPEY
Sit,--and some wine! A health to Lepidus!
Sit, -- and some wine! A toast to Lepidus!
LEPIDUS
I am not so well as I should be, but I'll ne'er out.
I am not feeling as well as I should be, but I'll never quit.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Not till you have slept; I fear me you'll be in till then.
Not until you have slept: I'm afraid you'll keep going until then.
LEPIDUS
Nay, certainly, I have heard the Ptolemies'
No, certainly, I have heard that Ptolemy's
pyramises are very goodly things; without
pyramids are very good things; withoutcontradiction, I have heard that.
hearing otherwise, I have heard that.
MENAS
[Aside to POMPEY] Pompey, a word.
Pompey, I want to talk to you.
POMPEY
[Aside to MENAS] Say in mine ear:
Whisper in my ear:
what is't?
what is it?
MENAS
[Aside to POMPEY] Forsake thy seat, I do beseech
Get up from your seat, I request
thee, captain,
your company, captain,
And hear me speak a word.
And listen to what I have to say.
POMPEY
[Aside to MENAS] Forbear me till anon.
Leave me alone for a while.
This wine for Lepidus!
This wine is for Lepidus!
LEPIDUS
What manner o' thing is your crocodile?
What is a crocodile, really?
MARK ANTONY
It is shaped, sir, like itself; and it is as broad
It is shaped like itself, sir; and it is as wide
as it hath breadth: it is just so high as it is,
as it has width: it is as tall as it is,
and moves with its own organs: it lives by that
and moves with its limbs: it lives by
which nourisheth it; and the elements once out of
what it eats; and once it is done with something,
it, it transmigrates.
it excretes it.
LEPIDUS
What colour is it of?
What color is it?
MARK ANTONY
Of it own colour too.
It is its own color, too.
LEPIDUS
'Tis a strange serpent.
That is a strange reptile.
MARK ANTONY
'Tis so. And the tears of it are wet.
Yes. And its tears are wet.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Will this description satisfy him?
Will this description be enough for him?
MARK ANTONY
With the health that Pompey gives him, else he is a
After the drink that Pompey gave him, or else he is
very epicure.
very picky.
POMPEY
[Aside to MENAS] Go hang, sir, hang! Tell me of
Go away sir! Telling me aboutthat? away!
that? away!Do as I bid you. Where's this cup I call'd for?
Do as I told you. Where is this cup I called for?
MENAS
[Aside to POMPEY] If for the sake of merit thou
If out of necessity you
wilt hear me,
will listen to me,
Rise from thy stool.
Get out of your chair.
POMPEY
[Aside to MENAS] I think thou'rt mad.
I think you are insane.The matter?
What's going on?
Rises, and walks aside
MENAS
I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes.
I have always been in favor of your good luck.
POMPEY
Thou hast served me with much faith. What's else to say?
You have served me faithfully. What else do you have to say?
Be jolly, lords.
Be jolly, gentlemen.
MARK ANTONY
These quick-sands, Lepidus,
You're standing on quicksand, Lepidus,
Keep off them, for you sink.
Be careful; you're sinking.
MENAS
Wilt thou be lord of all the world?
Do you want to rule the world?
POMPEY
What say'st thou?
What did you say?
MENAS
Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? That's twice.
Do you want to rule the world? That's twice.
POMPEY
How should that be?
How can that be?
MENAS
But entertain it,
Only give it a chance,
And, though thou think me poor, I am the man
And, though you may think I am poor, I am the man
Will give thee all the world.
Who will give you the whole world.
POMPEY
Hast thou drunk well?
Are you drunk?
MENAS
Now, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup.
Now, Pompey, I have stayed away from the wine.
Thou art, if thou darest be, the earthly Jove:
You are, if you dare become, the god of Earth,
Whate'er the ocean pales, or sky inclips,
Whatever is within the ocean's bounds, or under the sky,
Is thine, if thou wilt ha't.
Is yours, if you will have it.
POMPEY
Show me which way.
Show me how.
MENAS
These three world-sharers, these competitors,
These three rulers, these competitors,
Are in thy vessel: let me cut the cable;
Are in your ship: let me cut the rope;
And, when we are put off, fall to their throats:
And, when we are floating away, kill them:
All there is thine.
All of theirs will be yours.
POMPEY
Ah, this thou shouldst have done,
Ah, you should have done it,
And not have spoke on't! In me 'tis villany;
And not talked about it! In me it would be evil;
In thee't had been good service. Thou must know,
In you it would have been a good service. You must know,
'Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour;
It is not my profit that leads my honor;
Mine honour, it. Repent that e'er thy tongue
But the other way around. Regret that you everHath so betray'd thine act: being done unknown,
Betrayed yourself by speaking: if you had gone ahead
I should have found it afterwards well done;
I would have afterwards found it well done;
But must condemn it now. Desist, and drink.
But must forbid you now. Stop, and drink.
MENAS
[Aside] For this,
Because of this,
I'll never follow thy pall'd fortunes more.
I'll never follow you again.
Who seeks, and will not take when once 'tis offer'd,
Someone who searches, and will not take once it is offered,
Shall never find it more.
Shall never find it again.
POMPEY
This health to Lepidus!
This toast to Lepidus!
MARK ANTONY
Bear him ashore. I'll pledge it for
him, Pompey.
Carry him ashore. I'll toast it for him, Pompey.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Here's to thee, Menas!
Here's to you, Menas !
MENAS
Enobarbus, welcome!
Welcome, Domitius Enobarbus!
POMPEY
Fill till the cup be hid.
Fill it until the cup brims over.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
There's a strong fellow, Menas.
That's a strong fellow over there, Menas.
Pointing to the Attendant who carries off LEPIDUS
MENAS
Why?
Why?
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
A' bears the third part of the world, man; see'st not?
He carries a third of the world, man; don't you get it?
MENAS
The third part, then, is drunk: would it were all,
A third of it, then, is drunk: if only it all were,
That it might go on wheels!
So that it could go on wheels!
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Drink thou; increase the reels.
You drink; increase the reeling.
MENAS
Come.
Come.
POMPEY
This is not yet an Alexandrian feast.
This is not yet a feast like in Alexandria.
MARK ANTONY
It ripens towards it. Strike the vessels, ho?
It comes near it. Hit the cups, yes?
Here is to Caesar!
Cheers for Caesar!
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
I could well forbear't.
I could go without it.
It's monstrous labour, when I wash my brain,
It's a lot of work, when I wash my brain,
And it grows fouler.
And it gets nastier.
MARK ANTONY
Be a child o' the time.
Enjoy the present moment.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Possess it, I'll make answer:
Own it, I'll answer:
But I had rather fast from all four days
But I would rather go without food for four daysThan drink so much in one.
Than drink so much in just one.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Ha, my brave emperor!
Ha, my brave emperor!
To MARK ANTONY
Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals,
Shall we now dance the Egyptian dances
And celebrate our drink?
POMPEY
Let's ha't, good soldier.
Let's have it, good soldier.
MARK ANTONY
Come, let's all take hands,
Come on, let's all take hands,
Till that the conquering wine hath steep'd our sense
Until that powerful wine has bathed our senses
In soft and delicate Lethe.
In the river of forgetfulness.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
All take hands.
Everyone join hands.
Make battery to our ears with the loud music:
Assault our ears with the loud music:
The while I'll place you: then the boy shall sing;
And I'll put you together: then the boy will sing;
The holding every man shall bear as loud
And every man shall sing aloud as loudly
As his strong sides can volley.
As his strong body can manage.
Music plays. DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS places them hand in hand
THE SONG.Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Come, you king of the grape vine,
Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne!
Fat Bacchus with pink eyes!
In thy fats our cares be drown'd,
In your fats our worries are drowned,
With thy grapes our hairs be crown'd:
With your grapes our heads are crowned:
Cup us, till the world go round,
May we drink until the world goes round
Cup us, till the world go round!
May we drink until the world goes round!
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
What would you more? Pompey, good night. Good brother,
What more can you want? Pompey, good night. Good brother,
Let me request you off: our graver business
Let me request that you come with me, our more serious business
Frowns at this levity. Gentle lords, let's part;
Frowns at this playing around. Gentlemen, let's separate;
You see we have burnt our cheeks: strong Enobarb
You see we have gone all flushed: strong Enobarb
Is weaker than the wine; and mine own tongue
Is weaker than wine; and my own talking
Splits what it speaks: the wild disguise hath almost
Is slurred: the wild disguise has almost
Antick'd us all. What needs more words? Good night.
made fools of us all. Need I say more? Good night.
Good Antony, your hand.
Antony, give me your hand.
POMPEY
I'll try you on the shore.
I'll meet you on the shore.
MARK ANTONY
And shall, sir; give's your hand.
I will, sir; give me your hand.
POMPEY
O Antony,
Oh, Antony,
You have my father's house,--But, what? we are friends.
You have my father's house, -- But what of it? We are friends.
Come, down into the boat.
Now let's go down into the boat.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Take heed you fall not.
Be careful that you don't fall.
Exeunt all but DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS and MENAS
Menas, I'll not on shore.
Menas, I don't want to go on shore.
MENAS
No, to my cabin.
No, let's go to my cabin.
These drums! these trumpets, flutes! what!
These drums! these trumpets, these flutes!Let Neptune hear we bid a loud farewell
Let the god of the sea hear that we make a loud goodbye
To these great fellows: sound and be hang'd, sound out!
To these great men: sound and then be quiet, sound out!
Sound a flourish, with drums
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
Ho! says a' There's my cap.
Hey, I say, there's my cap.
MENAS
Ho! Noble captain, come.
Hey! Noble captain, come with me.
Exeunt
Enter VENTIDIUS as it were in triumph, with SILIUS, and other Romans, Officers, and Soldiers; the dead body of PACORUS borne before him
VENTIDIUS
Now, darting Parthia, art thou struck; and now
Now, quickly moving Parthia, you are hit; and now
Pleased fortune does of Marcus Crassus' death
Kind fortune has allowed me to avenge
Make me revenger. Bear the king's son's body
Marcus Crassus' death. Carry the prince's body
Before our army. Thy Pacorus, Orodes,
In front of our army. Your Pacorus, Orodes,
Pays this for Marcus Crassus.
Pays for the death of Marcus Crassus.
SILIUS
Noble Ventidius,
Noble Ventidius,Whilst yet with Parthian blood thy sword is warm,
While your sword is still warm with Parthian blood,
The fugitive Parthians follow; spur through Media,
The refugee Parthians follow; hurrying through Media,
Mesopotamia, and the shelters whither
Mesopotamia, and the shelters from where
The routed fly: so thy grand captain Antony
The defeated escape: so your great leader Antony
Shall set thee on triumphant chariots and
Will put you on chariots of v
ictory and
Put garlands on thy head.
Put garlands on you head.
VENTIDIUS
O Silius, Silius,
O Silius, Silius,I have done enough; a lower place, note well,
I have done enough; a lower position, observe,
May make too great an act: for learn this, Silius;
May make an act too big: for learn this, Silius;
Better to leave undone, than by our deed
It is better to leave undone, than by our action
Acquire too high a fame when him we serve's away.
Become too famous when the one we serve is away.
Caesar and Antony have ever won
Caesar and Antony have always won
More in their officer than person: Sossius,
More in their officers than by themselves: Sossius,
One of my place in Syria, his lieutenant,
Whom I knew in Syria, his lieutenant,
For quick accumulation of renown,
Because of his quick getting of fame,
Which he achieved by the minute, lost his favour.
Which he managed by the minute, lost his good opinion.
Who does i' the wars more than his captain can
The man who in the wars does more than his captain can
Becomes his captain's captain: and ambition,
Becomes his captain's captain: and ambition,
The soldier's virtue, rather makes choice of loss,
The soldier's virtue, instead turns out to be more of a loss
Than gain which darkens him.
Than a gain.
I could do more to do Antonius good,
I could do more to do Mark Antony good,
But 'twould offend him; and in his offence
But it would offend him; and in his offense
Should my performance perish.
I would come to ruin.
SILIUS
Thou hast, Ventidius, that
You have, Ventidius, that
Without the which a soldier, and his sword,
Without having a soldier, and his sword,Grants scarce distinction. Thou wilt write to Antony!