A side-by-side translation of Act 2, Scene 7 of The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra from the original Shakespeare into modern English.
Original Text |
Translated Text |
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Source: Folger Shakespeare Library | |
Music plays. Enter two or three Servants FIRST SERVANT Here they’ll be, man. Some o’ their SECOND SERVANT Lepidus is high-colored. FIRST SERVANT They have made him drink alms-drink. 5 SECOND SERVANT As they pinch one another by the FIRST SERVANT But it raises the greater war between SECOND SERVANT Why, this it is to have a name in great FIRST SERVANT To be called into a huge sphere, and not | Back at Pompey’s ship, the former enemies are all making merry together. The servants note that Lepidus is wasted, and the others tease him. He’s clearly not as great as the others, and hangs on like a third wheel. |
A sennet sounded. Enter Caesar, Antony, Pompey, ANTONY LEPIDUS You’ve strange serpents there? ANTONY Ay, Lepidus. 25 LEPIDUS Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your ANTONY They are so. POMPEY LEPIDUS I am not so well as I should be, but I’ll ne’er ENOBARBUS, aside Not till you have slept. I fear me LEPIDUS Nay, certainly, I have heard the Ptolemies’ 35 MENAS, aside to Pompey POMPEY, aside to Menas Say in mine ear what is ’t. MENAS (whispers in ’s ear) POMPEY, aside to Menas LEPIDUS What manner o’ thing is your crocodile? ANTONY It is shaped, sir, like itself, and it is as broad as LEPIDUS What color is it of? ANTONY Of it own color too. 50 LEPIDUS ’Tis a strange serpent. ANTONY ’Tis so, and the tears of it are wet. CAESAR, aside to Antony Will this description satisfy ANTONY With the health that Pompey gives him, else he 55 POMPEY, aside to Menas MENAS, aside to Pompey | Antony and Lepidus have a long exchange about life in Egypt, and Lepidus is really interested in Egyptian pyramids, snakes, and crocodiles. Throughout this conversation, Pompey’s man Menas keeps whispering in his ear in an attempt to get him away from the table. |
POMPEY I think th’ art mad! MENAS POMPEY ANTONY These quicksands, Lepidus, MENAS, aside to Pompey POMPEY What sayst thou? 70 MENAS POMPEY How should that be? MENAS But entertain it, POMPEY Hast thou drunk well? MENAS POMPEY Show me which way. MENAS | Pompey finally gets up to hear what the man won’t tell him in his ear. Menas proposes that he cut the boat from the dock, and murder the three drunken triumvirs. This would make Pompey ruler of their shares of the world. |
POMPEY Ah, this thou shouldst have done | Pompey laments on hearing the plan: while he would’ve been glad if Menas had done it without asking, now that Menas has told him, he has to admit the murders would be dishonorable. He tells Menas to go back to drinking, and forget the whole thing. |
MENAS, aside For this | Menas is angry and vows to leave Pompey’s service because the man won’t answer opportunity when it knocks him about the head. |
POMPEY This health to Lepidus! ANTONY, to Servant ENOBARBUS MENAS Enobarbus, welcome. POMPEY Fill till the cup be hid. ENOBARBUS, pointing to the Servant carrying Lepidus MENAS Why? ENOBARBUS He bears 105 MENAS ENOBARBUS Drink thou. Increase the reels. MENAS Come. 110 | Meanwhile, Lepidus has to be carried out from too much drinking. |
POMPEY ANTONY CAESAR I could well forbear ’t. ANTONY Be a child o’ th’ time. CAESAR Possess it, I’ll make answer. ENOBARBUS, to Antony Ha, my brave emperor, POMPEY Let’s ha ’t, good soldier. ANTONY Come, let’s all take hands 125 ENOBARBUS All take hands. Music plays. Enobarbus places them hand in hand. The Song. BOY Come, thou monarch of the vine, ALL Cup us till the world go round, CAESAR POMPEY I’ll try you on the shore. 150 ANTONY And shall, sir. Give ’s your hand. POMPEY ENOBARBUS All but Menas and Enobarbus exit. Menas, I’ll not on shore. 155 MENAS ENOBARBUS Hoo, says ’a! There’s my cap! MENAS Hoo! Noble captain, come. They exit. | The remaining men dance the "Egyptian bacchanals." Hand-holding, singing, and drinking continues late into the night. Eventually, Caesar leaves and Antony stays on Pompey’s boat. Enobarbus stays with Menas. |