The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated)
Page 474
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;