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

Page 474

by William Shakespeare


  In Rome, as well as I mechanic slaves

  In Rome, as well as me, mechanic slaves

  With greasy aprons, rules, and hammers, shall

  With greasy aprons, rulers, and hammers, willUplift us to the view; in their thick breaths,

  Lift us up to be seen; in their thick breaths

  Rank of gross diet, shall be enclouded,

  Smelly with their diet, will be clouded,

  And forced to drink their vapour.

  And forced to drink their mist.

  IRAS

  The gods forbid!

  May the gods forbid!

  CLEOPATRA

  Nay, 'tis most certain, Iras: saucy lictors

  No, it is certain, Iras: sauce women

  Will catch at us, like strumpets; and scald rhymers

  Will torment us, like sluts; and musicians

  Ballad us out o' tune: the quick comedians

  Sing us out of tune: the quick comedians

  Extemporally will stage us, and present

  Will make plays based on us, and present

  Our Alexandrian revels; Antony

  Our parties in Alexandria; Antony

  Shall be brought drunken forth, and I shall see

  Will be brought out drunk, and I will see

  Some squeaking Cleopatra boy my greatness

  Some squeaking boy as Cleopatra, my greatness

  I' the posture of a whore.

  In the position of a whore.

  IRAS

  O the good gods!

  Oh, good gods!

  CLEOPATRA

  Nay, that's certain.

  No, it's certain.

  IRAS

  I'll never see 't; for, I am sure, my nails

  I will never see it; for, I am sure, my nails

  Are stronger than mine eyes.

  Are stronger than my eyes.

  CLEOPATRA

  Why, that's the way

  Why, that's the wayTo fool their preparation, and to conquer

  To spoil their plans, and to overcome

  Their most absurd intents.

  What they want to do.

  Re-enter CHARMIAN

  Now, Charmian!

  Now, Charmian!Show me, my women, like a queen: go fetch

  Show me, my women, like a queen: go fetchMy best attires: I am again for Cydnus,

  My best clothes: I am going to Cydnus

  To meet Mark Antony: sirrah Iras, go.

  To meet Mark Antony: sweet Iras, go.

  Now, noble Charmian, we'll dispatch indeed;

  Now, noble Charmian, we'll find a solution indeed:

  And, when thou hast done this chare, I'll give thee leave

  And, when you have done this chore, I'll give you permission

  To play till doomsday. Bring our crown and all.

  To play until the end of the world. Bring our crown and all.

  Wherefore's this noise?

  What is the meaning of this noise?

  Exit IRAS. A noise within

  Enter a Guardsman

  Guard

  Here is a rural fellow

  Here is a farmer

  That will not be denied your highness presence:

  Who demands to see your highness:

  He brings you figs.

  He brings you figs.

  CLEOPATRA

  Let him come in.

  Let him in.

  Exit Guardsman

  What poor an instrument

  What poor tool

  May do a noble deed! he brings me liberty.

  May do a great thing! He brings me freedom.

  My resolution's placed, and I have nothing

  I am decided, and I no longer have anything

  Of woman in me: now from head to foot

  Womanly in me: now from head to foot

  I am marble-constant; now the fleeting moon

  I am as solid as marble; I am not like the moon

  No planet is of mine.

  Changing.

  Re-enter Guardsman, with Clown bringing in a basket

  Guard

  This is the man.

  This is the man.

  CLEOPATRA

  Avoid, and leave him.

  Go, and leave him.

  Exit Guardsman

  Hast thou the pretty worm of Nilus there,

  Do you have the pretty snake of the Nile there,

  That kills and pains not?

  That kills without causing pain?

  Clown

  Truly, I have him: but I would not be the party

  Yes, I have him: but I would not be the one

  that should desire you to touch him, for his biting

  that wanted you to touch him, for his biting

  is immortal; those that do die of it do seldom or

  will kill; those that die of it rarely or

  never recover.

  never recover.

  CLEOPATRA

  Rememberest thou any that have died on't?

  Do you remember anyone who has died of it?

  Clown

  Very many, men and women too. I heard of one of

  Many, men and women too. I heard about one of them

  them no longer than yesterday: a very honest woman,

  only yesterday: a very honest woman,

  but something given to lie; as a woman should not

  but sometimes a liar; the way a woman should not

  do, but in the way of honesty: how she died of the

  be, but in the way of honesty: how she died from

  biting of it, what pain she felt: truly, she makes

  it's biting, what pain she felt: truly, she makes

  a very good report o' the worm; but he that will

  a very good report of the snake; but he that will

  believe all that they say, shall never be saved by

  believe all they say, will never be saved byhalf that they do: but this is most fallible, the

  half that they do: but this is most unreliable, the

  worm's an odd worm.

  snake's a strange snake.

  CLEOPATRA

  Get thee hence; farewell.

  Go away from here, goodbye.

  Clown

  I wish you all joy of the worm.

  Good luck with the snake.

  Setting down his basket

  CLEOPATRA

  Farewell.

  Farewell.

  Clown

  You must think this, look you, that the worm will

  You must think this, now, that the snake will

  do his kind.

  act as snakes do.

  CLEOPATRA

  Ay, ay; farewell.

  Yes, yes; farewell.

  Clown

  Look you, the worm is not to be trusted but in the

  Look, now, the snake should not be trusted but in the

  keeping of wise people; for, indeed, there is no

  keeping of wise people; for, indeed, there is nowgoodness in worm.

  goodness in snakes.

  CLEOPATRA

  Take thou no care; it shall be heeded.

  Don't worry, your advice will be listened to.

  Clown

  Very good. Give it nothing, I pray you, for it is

  Very good. Give it nothing to eat, please, for it is

  not worth the feeding.

  not worth feeding.

  CLEOPATRA

  Will it eat me?

  Clown

  You must not think I am so simple but I know the

  You must not think I am so silly as to not know that

  devil himself will not eat a woman: I know that a

  devil himself will not eat a woman: I know that awoman is a dish for the gods, if the devil dress her

  woman is a dish for the gods, if the devil does not

  not. But, truly, these same whoreson devils do the

  cook her. But, truly, these same [insult] devils do the

  gods great harm in their women; for
in every ten

  gods much harm with their women; for in every ten

  that they make, the devils mar five.

  that they make, the devils spoil five.

  CLEOPATRA

  Well, get thee gone; farewell.

  Go away now, goodbye.

  Clown

  Yes, forsooth: I wish you joy o' the worm.

  Yes

  Exit

  Re-enter IRAS with a robe, crown, & c

  CLEOPATRA

  Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have

  Give me my robe, put on my crown; I haveImmortal longings in me: now no more

  Longings that will never die in me: now never again

  The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip:

  The juice of Egypt's grape will dampen this lip:

  Yare, yare, good Iras; quick. Methinks I hear

  Lightly, lightly, good Iras; quick. I think I hear

  Antony call; I see him rouse himself

  Antony call; I see him get up

  To praise my noble act; I hear him mock

  To praise my noble act; I hear him mockThe luck of Caesar, which the gods give men

  Caesar's luck, which the gods give menTo excuse their after wrath: husband, I come:

  To excuse their anger afterwards: husband, I come:

  Now to that name my courage prove my title!

  Now may my courage make that title real!

  I am fire and air; my other elements

  I am fire and air; my other elementsI give to baser life. So; have you done?

  I give away to lower life. So; are you done?

  Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.

  Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips.Farewell, kind Charmian; Iras, long farewell.

  Goodbye, kind Charmian; Iras, goodbye.

  Kisses them. IRAS falls and dies

  Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall?

  Do I have the poison in my lips? Did you fall?

  If thou and nature can so gently part,

  If you and nature can so gently separate,

  The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch,

  The stroke of death is like the pinch of a lover,

  Which hurts, and is desired. Dost thou lie still?

  That is hurts, and is wanted. Do you lie still?If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world

  If this is how you die, you tell the world

  It is not worth leave-taking.

  It is not worth saying goodbye.

  CHARMIAN

  Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say,

  Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; so that I can say,

  The gods themselves do weep!

  CLEOPATRA

  This proves me base:

  This would ruin me:

  If she first meet the curled Antony,

  If she is the first to meet the dead Antony,

  He'll make demand of her, and spend that kiss

  He'll demand from her, and spend that kiss

  Which is my heaven to have. Come, thou mortal wretch,

  Which is my heaven to have. Come, you killing beast,

  To an asp, which she applies to her breast

  With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate

  Undo the knot of life with your sharp teeth

  Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool

  At once: poor venomous fool

  Be angry, and dispatch. O, couldst thou speak,

  Be angry, and kill. Oh, if only you could speak,

  That I might hear thee call great Caesar ass

  That I could hear you call the big ass Caesar

  Unpolicied!

  Defeated!

  CHARMIAN

  O eastern star!

  Oh eastern star!

  CLEOPATRA

  Peace, peace!

  Quiet, quiet!

  Dost thou not see my baby at my breast,

  Do you not see my baby at my breast,

  That sucks the nurse asleep?

  That sucks the nurse to her sleep?

  CHARMIAN

  O, break! O, break!

  Oh, break! Oh, break!

  CLEOPATRA

  As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle,--

  As sweet as ointment, as soft as air, as gentle,--

  O Antony!--Nay, I will take thee too.

  O Antony! -- No, I will take you too.

  Applying another asp to her arm

  What should I stay--

  Dies

  CHARMIAN

  In this vile world? So, fare thee well.

  In this ugly world? So, goodbye.

  Now boast thee, death, in thy possession lies

  Now you may brag, death, for you have

  A lass unparallel'd. Downy windows, close;

  A woman like no other. Eyelids, close;

  And golden Phoebus never be beheld

  And may never be seen again

  Of eyes again so royal! Your crown's awry;

  Eyes so royal! Your crown is crooked;

  I'll mend it, and then play.

  I'll fix it, and then play.

  Enter the Guard, rushing in

  First Guard

  Where is the queen?

  Where is the queen?

  CHARMIAN

  Speak softly, wake her not.

  Speak softly, don't wake her.

  First Guard

  Caesar hath sent--

  Caesar has sent--

  CHARMIAN

  Too slow a messenger.

  A messenger that is too slow.

  Applies an asp

  O, come apace, dispatch! I partly feel thee.

  Oh, come quickly, death! I can feel part of you.

  First Guard

  Approach, ho! All's not well: Caesar's beguiled.

  Come, hey! Things are not good: Caesar's been tricked.

  Second Guard

  There's Dolabella sent from Caesar; call him.

  Here is Dolabella sent by Caesar; call him.

  First Guard

  What work is here! Charmian, is this well done?

  What work is here? Charmian, has this been done?

  CHARMIAN

  It is well done, and fitting for a princess

  It is well done, and suitable for a princess

  Descended of so many royal kings.

  Descended from so many royal kings.

  Ah, soldier!

  Dies

  Re-enter DOLABELLA

  DOLABELLA

  How goes it here?

  How are things here?

  Second Guard

  All dead.

  All dead.

  DOLABELLA

  Caesar, thy thoughts

  Caesar, your thoughts

  Touch their effects in this: thyself art coming

  Touch your effects in this: you yourself have come

  To see perform'd the dreaded act which thou

  To see happen that terrible act which you

  So sought'st to hinder.

  Tried so hard to prevent.

  Within 'A way there, a way for Caesar!'

  Re-enter OCTAVIUS CAESAR and all his train marching

  DOLABELLA

  O sir, you are too sure an augurer;

  Oh, sir, you are too good a fortuneteller

  That you did fear is done.

  What you feared would happen is done.

  OCTAVIUS CAESAR

  Bravest at the last,

  Bravest at the end,She levell'd at our purposes, and, being royal,

  She fought against our purposes, and, being royal,

  Took her own way. The manner of their deaths?

  Took her own way. How did they die?

  I do not see them bleed.

  DOLABELLA

  Who was last with them?

  Who was the last person with them?

  First Guard

  A simple countryman, that brought her figs:

  A simple peasant, that brought her figs:This
was his basket.

  This was his basket.

  OCTAVIUS CAESAR

  Poison'd, then.

  Poisoned, then.

  First Guard

  O Caesar,

  Oh Caesar,This Charmian lived but now; she stood and spake:

  Charmian lived until a moment ago; she stood and spoke:

  I found her trimming up the diadem

  I found her fixing the crown

  On her dead mistress; tremblingly she stood

  On her dead lady; she stood shaking

  And on the sudden dropp'd.

  And suddenly dropped.

  OCTAVIUS CAESAR

  O noble weakness!

  Oh noble weakness!If they had swallow'd poison, 'twould appear

  If they had swallowed poison, it would appear

  By external swelling: but she looks like sleep,

  By swelling on the outside: but she looks like she's asleep,

  As she would catch another Antony

  As if she could catch another Antony

  In her strong toil of grace.

  By her strong grace.

  DOLABELLA

  Here, on her breast,

  Here, on her breast,There is a vent of blood and something blown:

  There is a trial of blood and something punctured:

  The like is on her arm.

  There is something similar on her arm.

  First Guard

  This is an aspic's trail: and these fig-leaves

  This is an asp's trail: and these fig leaves

  Have slime upon them, such as the aspic leaves

  Have slime on them, the way the asp leaves trails

  Upon the caves of Nile.

  On the caves of the Nile.

  OCTAVIUS CAESAR

  Most probable

  It is likely

  That so she died; for her physician tells me

  That she died that way; for her doctor tells me

  She hath pursued conclusions infinite

  She has researched many ways

  Of easy ways to die. Take up her bed;

 

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