PROCULEIUS
So, Dolabella,
So, Dolabella,It shall content me best: be gentle to her.
I would like you to be gentle to her.
To CLEOPATRA
To Caesar I will speak what you shall please,
I will say to Caesar what you want,
If you'll employ me to him.
If you'll send me to him.
CLEOPATRA
Say, I would die.
Say I want to die.
Exeunt PROCULEIUS and Soldiers
DOLABELLA
Most noble empress, you have heard of me?
My noble empress, you have heard of me?
CLEOPATRA
I cannot tell.
I don't know.
DOLABELLA
Assuredly you know me.
You must know me.
CLEOPATRA
No matter, sir, what I have heard or known.
It does not matter, sir, what I have heard or known.
You laugh when boys or women tell their dreams;
You laugh when boys or women tell their dreams;Is't not your trick?
Isn't that your trick?
DOLABELLA
I understand not, madam.
I don't understand, madam.
CLEOPATRA
I dream'd there was an Emperor Antony:
I dreamed there was an Emperor Antony:
O, such another sleep, that I might see
Oh, may I sleep like that again, so I might see
But such another man!
Another man like that!
DOLABELLA
If it might please ye,--
If it pleases you, --
CLEOPATRA
His face was as the heavens; and therein stuck
His face was like the sky; and in there was stuck
A sun and moon, which kept their course,
A sun and moon, which stayed on their path,
and lightedThe little O, the earth.
The little circle, the Earth.
DOLABELLA
Most sovereign creature,--
Honorable ruler,--
CLEOPATRA
His legs bestrid the ocean: his rear'd arm
His legs crossed the ocean: his raised arm
Crested the world: his voice was propertied
Was over the world: his voice was as loud
As all the tuned spheres, and that to friends;
As any planet, and that to friends;
But when he meant to quail and shake the orb,
But when he meant to frighten and shake the sphere,
He was as rattling thunder. For his bounty,
He was like rattling thunder. As for his wealth,
There was no winter in't; an autumn 'twas
There was no winter in it; it was an autumn
That grew the more by reaping: his delights
That grew the more it was harvested: his delights
Were dolphin-like; they show'd his back above
Were like the playing of a dolphin; they showed his back above
The element they lived in: in his livery
The water they lived in: in his clothes
Walk'd crowns and crownets; realms and islands were
Were crowns and jewels; kingdoms and islands were
As plates dropp'd from his pocket.
Like plates dropped from his pocket.
DOLABELLA
Cleopatra!
Cleopara!
CLEOPATRA
Think you there was, or might be, such a man
Do you think there was, or might be, a man
As this I dream'd of?
Like this that I dreamed of?
DOLABELLA
Gentle madam, no.
Gentle lady, no.
CLEOPATRA
You lie, up to the hearing of the gods.
You lie, in the hearing of the gods.
But, if there be, or ever were, one such,
But, if there ever would be, or ever were, on like that
It's past the size of dreaming: nature wants stuff
It's bigger than can be dreamed: nature needs stuff
To vie strange forms with fancy; yet, to imagine
To compete strange forms with imagination; yet, to imagine
And Antony, were nature's piece 'gainst fancy,
And Antony, was nature's argument against imagination,
Condemning shadows quite.
Driving the shadows away.
DOLABELLA
Hear me, good madam.
Listen to me, good madam.
Your loss is as yourself, great; and you bear it
Your loss is like you, important; and you carry it
As answering to the weight: would I might never
According to your own importance: I wish that I might never
O'ertake pursued success, but I do feel,
Go beyond chased success, but I do feel,
By the rebound of yours, a grief that smites
By the tragedy of yours, a grief that hits
My very heart at root.
The very bottom of my heart.
CLEOPATRA
I thank you, sir,
Thank you, sir.Know you what Caesar means to do with me?
Do you know what Caesar means to do to me?
DOLABELLA
I am loath to tell you what I would you knew.
I don't want to tell you what I want you to know.
CLEOPATRA
Nay, pray you, sir,--
No, please, sir,--
DOLABELLA
Though he be honourable,--
Even though he is honorable, --
CLEOPATRA
He'll lead me, then, in triumph?
He will parade me, then, in victory?
DOLABELLA
Madam, he will; I know't.
Lady, he will; I know it.
Flourish, and shout within, 'Make way there: Octavius Caesar!'
Enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR, GALLUS, PROCULEIUS, MECAENAS, SELEUCUS, and others of his Train
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Which is the Queen of Egypt?
Which is the Queen of Egypt?
DOLABELLA
It is the emperor, madam.
It is the emperor, madam.
CLEOPATRA kneels
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Arise, you shall not kneel:
Get up, you shall not kneel:
I pray you, rise; rise, Egypt.
Please, get up; get up, Egypt.
CLEOPATRA
Sir, the gods
Sir, the godsWill have it thus; my master and my lord
Will have it like this; my master and my lord
I must obey.
I must obey.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Take to you no hard thoughts:
Do not worry about
The record of what injuries you did us,
The record of the harm you did to us,
Though written in our flesh, we shall remember
Even if permanent wounds, we shall remember
As things but done by chance.
Them as pure happenstance.
CLEOPATRA
Sole sir o' the world,
Ruler of the world,
I cannot project mine own cause so well
I cannot argue my own cause well enough
To make it clear; but do confess I have
To make it clear; but do confess I haveBeen laden with like frailties which before
Had to deal with similar weaknesses which before
Have often shamed our sex.
Have often caused shame to women.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Cleopatra, know,
Cleopatra, know,We will extenuate rather than enforce:
We will convince rather than force:
If you apply yourself to our intents,
If you apply yourself to what we want,
Which towards you ar
e most gentle, you shall find
Which are very gentle towards you, you will find
A benefit in this change; but if you seek
A benefit in this change; but if you try
To lay on me a cruelty, by taking
To be cruel to me, by taking
Antony's course, you shall bereave yourself
Antony's path, you will rob yourself
Of my good purposes, and put your children
From the opportunities I will give you, and put your children
To that destruction which I'll guard them from,
To the destruction which I will protect them from,
If thereon you rely. I'll take my leave.
If you trust me to. I'll leave now.
CLEOPATRA
And may, through all the world: 'tis yours; and we,
And may, through all the world, it is yours; and we,
Your scutcheons and your signs of conquest, shall
Your trophies and your signs of conquest, shall
Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.
Be put in whatever place you please. Here, my good lord.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.
You will advice me what I should do for Cleopatra.
CLEOPATRA
This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels,
This is a list of money, precious metal, and jewels,
I am possess'd of: 'tis exactly valued;
I have: it is exact and correct;
Not petty things admitted. Where's Seleucus?
Nothing too minor. Where's Seleucus?
SELEUCUS
Here, madam.
Here, madam.
CLEOPATRA
This is my treasurer: let him speak, my lord,
This is my treasurer: let him speak, sir,Upon his peril, that I have reserved
At his own risk, that I have kept
To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.
Nothing to myself. Tell the truth, Seleucus.
SELEUCUS
Madam,
Madam,I had rather seal my lips, than, to my peril,
I would rather stay silent, then, at my own risk,
Speak that which is not.
Tell a lie.
CLEOPATRA
What have I kept back?
What have I kept back?
SELEUCUS
Enough to purchase what you have made known.
Enough to buy what you have admitted to.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Nay, blush not, Cleopatra; I approve
No, do not blush, Cleopatra; I approve
Your wisdom in the deed.
Your wisdom in doing so.
CLEOPATRA
See, Caesar! O, behold,
See, Caesar! Oh, look,
How pomp is follow'd! mine will now be yours;
How wealth is followed! Mine will now be yours;
The ingratitude of this Seleucus does
The ingratitude of Seleucus is enough toEven make me wild: O slave, of no more trust
Make me wild with anger: Oh slave, no more trustworthy
Than love that's hired! What, goest thou back? thou shalt
Than love that's paid for! What, are you going back, you will
Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes,
Go back, I grant you; but I'll catch your eyes,
Though they had wings: slave, soulless villain, dog!
Even if they had wings: slave, soulless villain, dog!O rarely base!
Oh unusually bad!
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Good queen, let us entreat you.
Good queen, calm down.
CLEOPATRA
O Caesar, what a wounding shame is this,
Oh Caesar, what a painful shame this is,
That thou, vouchsafing here to visit me,
That you, coming here to visit me,
Doing the honour of thy lordliness
Doing the honor of your greatness
To one so meek, that mine own servant should
To one so humble, that my own servant would
Parcel the sum of my disgraces by
Add on to my disgrace by
Addition of his envy! Say, good Caesar,
Adding on his envy! Say, good Caesar,
That I some lady trifles have reserved,
That I have reserved some minor lady things,
Immoment toys, things of such dignity
Little toys, with such dignity
As we greet modern friends withal; and say,
That we use to greet modern friends; and say,
Some nobler token I have kept apart
Some better items I have kept apart
For Livia and Octavia, to induce
For Livia and Octavia, to encourage
Their mediation; must I be unfolded
Their friendship; must I be revealed
With one that I have bred? The gods! it smites me
By one of my servants? The gods! It hits me
Beneath the fall I have.
Lower than I have already sunk.
To SELEUCUS
Prithee, go hence;
Please, go away;
Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits
Or I will show the remaining coals of my spirits
Through the ashes of my chance: wert thou a man,
Through the ashes of my destiny: if you were a real man,
Thou wouldst have mercy on me.
You would have mercy on me.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Forbear, Seleucus.
Hold back, Seleucus.
Exit SELEUCUS
CLEOPATRA
Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misthought
Let it be known that we, the greatest, are thought wrongly
For things that others do; and, when we fall,
For things that others do; and, when we fall,We answer others' merits in our name,
We are held responsible for things others did,
Are therefore to be pitied.
And should therefore be pitied.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Cleopatra,
Cleopatra,Not what you have reserved, nor what acknowledged,
None of what you have reserved, or what you have admitted to,
Put we i' the roll of conquest: still be't yours,
Will we make a part of our booty: it is still yours,
Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe,
Do what you like with it; and believe
Caesar's no merchant, to make prize with you
Caesar is no merchant, to make a prize of you
Of things that merchants sold. Therefore be cheer'd;
With things that merchants sell. Therefore, cheer up;
Make not your thoughts your prisons: no, dear queen;
Do not turn your thoughts into your prisons: now, dear queen;
For we intend so to dispose you as
For we intend to treat you the way
Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep:
You yourself want to be treated. Eat, and sleep:
Our care and pity is so much upon you,
Our care and pity is so much upon you,That we remain your friend; and so, adieu.
That we are still your friend; and so, goodbye.
CLEOPATRA
My master, and my lord!
My master, and my lord!
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Not so. Adieu.
Oh, no, not like that. Farewell.
Flourish. Exeunt OCTAVIUS CAESAR and his train
CLEOPATRA
He words me, girls, he words me, that I should not
He persuades me, girls, her persuades me, that I should not
Be noble to myself: but, hark thee, Charmian.
Do what I want: but, listen, Charmian.
Whispers to CHARMIAN
IRAS
Finish, good lady; the bright day is done,
Finish, good lady; the bright day is done,And we are for the dark.
And we are now in the dark.
CLEOPATRA
Hie thee again:
Go now again:
I have spoke already, and it is provided;
I have spoken it already, and it has been taken care of;
Go put it to the haste.
Go make it happen quickly.
CHARMIAN
Madam, I will.
Madam, I will.
Re-enter DOLABELLA
DOLABELLA
Where is the queen?
Where's the queen?
CHARMIAN
Behold, sir.
See, sir.
Exit
CLEOPATRA
Dolabella!
DOLABELLA
Madam, as thereto sworn by your command,
Madam, as you made me promise to tell,
Which my love makes religion to obey,
Which my love commands me to obey,I tell you this: Caesar through Syria
I tell you this: Caesar intends to travel
Intends his journey; and within three days
Through Syria; and within three days
You with your children will he send before:
You and your children will be sent in front of him:
Make your best use of this: I have perform'd
Do your best with this information: I have done
Your pleasure and my promise.
What you wanted and what I promised.
CLEOPATRA
Dolabella,
Dolabella,I shall remain your debtor.
I will be in your debt.
DOLABELLA
I your servant,
I will stay your servant,
Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Caesar.
Farewell, good queen; I must serve Caesar.
CLEOPATRA
Farewell, and thanks.
Farewell, and thanks.
Exit DOLABELLA
Now, Iras, what think'st thou?
Now, Iras, what do you think?
Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown
You, an Egyptian puppet, will be shown
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) Page 473