Antony and Cleopatra, Act 4, Scene 6

Caesar

Go forth, Agrippa, and begin the fight.Our will is Antony be took alive;Make it so known.

Go, Agrippa, and begin the battle. I want Antony taken alive. Make that known.

Agrippa

Caesar, I shall.

Caesar, I will.

Caesar

The time of universal peace is near.Prove this a prosp’rous day, the three-nooked worldShall bear the olive freely.

The time of peace throughout the world is near. If today goes well, all three parts of the world will freely flourish in peace.

Messenger

AntonyIs come into the field.

Antony has entered the battlefield.

Caesar

Go charge AgrippaPlant those that have revolted in the vanThat Antony may seem to spend his furyUpon himself.

Go tell Agrippa to put the men who deserted Antony in the front ranks, so that Antony will seem to turn his fury against his own men.

Enobarbus

Alexas did revolt and went to Jewry onAffairs of Antony; there did dissuadeGreat Herod to incline himself to CaesarAnd leave his master Antony. For this painsCaesar hath hanged him. Canidius and the restThat fell away have entertainment butNo honourable trust. I have done ill,Of which I do accuse myself so sorelyThat I will joy no more.

Alexas deserted after going to Judea on Antony’s business. There he persuaded great Herod to side with Caesar and abandon his master Antony. Caesar hanged him for his efforts. Canidius and the others who deserted have been welcomed, but given no positions of honor or trust. I have done wrong, and I condemn myself so bitterly for it that I will never feel joy again.

Soldier

Enobarbus, AntonyHath after thee sent all thy treasure, withHis bounty overplus. The messengerCame on my guard, and at thy tent is nowUnloading of his mules.

Enobarbus, Antony has sent all your treasure after you, with a generous gift besides. The messenger arrived while I was on guard, and he is now at your tent unloading his mules.

Enobarbus

I give it you.

I give it to you.

Soldier

Mock not, Enobarbus.I tell you true. Best you safed the bringerOut of the host. I must attend mine office,Or would have done’t myself. Your emperorContinues still a Jove.

Don’t joke, Enobarbus. I’m telling you the truth. You had better see the messenger safely out of the army’s camp. I must attend to my duties, or I would have done it myself. Your emperor is still as generous as Jove.

Enobarbus

I am alone the villain of the earth,And feel I am so most. O Antony,Thou mine of bounty, how wouldst thou have paidMy better service, when my turpitudeThou dost so crown with gold! This blows my heart.If swift thought break it not, a swifter meanShall outstrike thought, but thought will do’t, I feel.I fight against thee! No, I will go seekSome ditch wherein to die; the foul’st best fitsMy latter part of life.

I am the one true villain on earth, and no one feels that more deeply than I do. Oh, Antony, you endless source of generosity, how would you have rewarded faithful service, when you heap gold on my disgraceful conduct! This shatters my heart. If these racing thoughts do not break it, a quicker means will strike before they can. But I feel that thought alone will do it. Fight against you? No, I will find some ditch to die in. The filthiest one best suits the last part of my life.