Antony and Cleopatra, Act 1, Scene 3

Cleopatra

Where is he?

Where is he?

Charmian

I did not see him since.

I haven't seen him since then.

Cleopatra

See where he is, who’s with him, what he does.I did not send you. If you find him sad,Say I am dancing; if in mirth, reportThat I am sudden sick. Quick, and return.

Find out where he is, who's with him, and what he's doing. Don't let him know I sent you. If you find him sad, say I'm dancing. If he's cheerful, tell him I've suddenly fallen ill. Hurry, and come back.

Charmian

Madam, methinks, if you did love him dearly,You do not hold the method to enforceThe like from him.

Madam, I think that if you truly love him, you're not going about getting his love in return the right way.

Cleopatra

What should I do I do not?

What should I do that I'm not doing?

Charmian

In each thing give him way; cross him in nothing.

Let him have his way in everything. Don't oppose him in anything.

Cleopatra

Thou teachest like a fool: the way to lose him.

That's a fool's advice. It's the way to lose him.

Charmian

Tempt him not so too far; I wish, forbear.In time we hate that which we often fear.But here comes Antony.

Don't push him too far like this. Please, stop. In time we come to hate what we so often fear. But here comes Antony.

Cleopatra

I am sick and sullen.

I'm sick and miserable.

Antony

I am sorry to give breathing to my purpose—

I'm sorry to have to tell you what I intend—

Cleopatra

Help me away, dear Charmian! I shall fall.It cannot be thus long; the sides of natureWill not sustain it.

Help me away, dear Charmian! I'm going to fall. This can't go on much longer. No human body can stand it.

Antony

Now, my dearest queen—

Now, my dearest queen—

Cleopatra

Pray you, stand farther from me.

Please, stand farther away from me.

Antony

What’s the matter?

What’s the matter?

Cleopatra

I know by that same eye there’s some good news.What, says the married woman you may go?Would she had never given you leave to come!Let her not say ’tis I that keep you here.I have no power upon you; hers you are.

I can tell from that look in your eye that there’s good news. What, does your wife say you may go? I wish she’d never given you permission to come! Don’t let her say I’m keeping you here. I have no power over you. You belong to her.

Antony

The gods best know—

The gods know best—

Cleopatra

O, never was there queenSo mightily betrayed! Yet at the firstI saw the treasons planted.

Oh, no queen has ever been so completely betrayed! Yet I saw the seeds of betrayal from the very beginning.

Antony

Cleopatra—

Cleopatra—

Cleopatra

Why should I think you can be mine and true,Though you in swearing shake the throned gods,Who have been false to Fulvia? Riotous madness,To be entangled with those mouth-made vowsWhich break themselves in swearing!

Why should I think you can belong to me and be faithful, even if your oaths shake the gods on their thrones, when you’ve been unfaithful to Fulvia? What wild madness to get caught up in empty promises that break the moment they’re spoken!

Antony

Most sweet queen—

My sweetest queen—

Cleopatra

Nay, pray you seek no colour for your going,But bid farewell and go. When you sued staying,Then was the time for words. No going then,Eternity was in our lips and eyes,Bliss in our brows’ bent; none our parts so poorBut was a race of heaven. They are so still,Or thou, the greatest soldier of the world,Art turned the greatest liar.

No, please don’t look for excuses to leave. Just say goodbye and go. When you begged to stay, that was the time for words. There was no talk of leaving then. Eternity lived in our lips and eyes, and joy in the curve of our brows. No part of us was so humble that it didn’t show a trace of heaven. That’s still true, or you, the world’s greatest soldier, have become its greatest liar.

Antony

How now, lady!

What’s this, my lady!

Cleopatra

I would I had thy inches, thou shouldst knowThere were a heart in Egypt.

I wish I were as tall as you. Then you’d learn that someone in Egypt has courage.

Antony

Hear me, queen:The strong necessity of time commandsOur services awhile, but my full heartRemains in use with you. Our ItalyShines o’er with civil swords; Sextus PompeiusMakes his approaches to the port of Rome;Equality of two domestic powersBreed scrupulous faction; the hated, grown to strength,Are newly grown to love; the condemned Pompey,Rich in his father’s honour, creeps apaceInto the hearts of such as have not thrivedUpon the present state, whose numbers threaten;And quietness, grown sick of rest, would purgeBy any desperate change. My more particular,And that which most with you should safe my going,Is Fulvia’s death.

Listen to me, queen. The urgent demands of the times require my service for a while, but my whole heart remains devoted to you. Our Italy flashes with the swords of civil war. Sextus Pompeius is approaching Rome’s port. Two equally strong powers within the country are breeding anxious rivalries. Those once hated have grown powerful and are now loved. The condemned Pompey, rich in his father’s honorable reputation, is quickly winning the hearts of those who haven’t prospered under the present government. Their numbers are a threat. Peace itself, sick of standing still, seeks relief in any desperate change. My more personal reason, and the one that should most reassure you about my leaving, is Fulvia’s death.

Cleopatra

Though age from folly could not give me freedom,It does from childishness. Can Fulvia die?

Even if age hasn’t freed me from foolishness, it has freed me from childishness. Can Fulvia die?

Antony

She’s dead, my queen.Look here, and at thy sovereign leisure readThe garboils she awaked; at the last, best,See when and where she died.

She’s dead, my queen. Look here, and read at your royal leisure about the troubles she stirred up. At the end, most importantly, see when and where she died.

Cleopatra

O most false love!Where be the sacred vials thou shouldst fillWith sorrowful water? Now I see, I see,In Fulvia’s death how mine received shall be.

Oh, what a faithless lover! Where are the sacred bottles you should be filling with tears of sorrow? Now I see, I see from Fulvia’s death how you’ll receive the news of mine.

Antony

Quarrel no more, but be prepared to knowThe purposes I bear; which are, or cease,As you shall give th’ advice. By the fireThat quickens Nilus’ slime, I go from henceThy soldier, servant, making peace or warAs thou affects.

Stop quarreling and be ready to hear my plans. They’ll go forward or be dropped according to your advice. By the sun’s fire that brings life to the Nile’s mud, I leave here as your soldier and servant, making peace or war as you wish.

Cleopatra

Cut my lace, Charmian, come!But let it be; I am quickly ill and well,So Antony loves.

Cut the laces of my dress, Charmian, hurry! But leave them alone. I can quickly turn sick or well, as long as Antony loves me.

Antony

My precious queen, forbear,And give true evidence to his love, which standsAn honourable trial.

My precious queen, stop this, and give an honest account of my love. It is being put to an honorable test.

Cleopatra

So Fulvia told me.I prithee, turn aside and weep for her,Then bid adieu to me, and say the tearsBelong to Egypt. Good now, play one sceneOf excellent dissembling, and let it lookLike perfect honour.

That’s what Fulvia told me. Please, turn away and weep for her, then say goodbye to me and claim those tears are for Egypt. Come now, act out one scene of superb deception, and make it look like perfect honor.

Antony

You’ll heat my blood. No more.

You’ll make me angry. Enough.

Cleopatra

You can do better yet, but this is meetly.

You can do better still, but that’s fairly good.

Antony

Now, by my sword—

Now, by my sword—

Cleopatra

And target. Still he mends.But this is not the best. Look, prithee, Charmian,How this Herculean Roman does becomeThe carriage of his chafe.

And shield. He keeps improving. But that’s not his best. Please, Charmian, look how well this Roman Hercules wears his anger.

Antony

I’ll leave you, lady.

I’ll leave you, my lady.

Cleopatra

Courteous lord, one word.Sir, you and I must part, but that’s not it;Sir, you and I have loved, but there’s not it;That you know well. Something it is I would—O, my oblivion is a very Antony,And I am all forgotten.

My courteous lord, one word. Sir, you and I must part, but that’s not it. Sir, you and I have loved, but that’s not it either. You know that well. There’s something I want to—oh, my memory is just like Antony: it abandons me, and I’m completely forgotten.

Antony

But that your royaltyHolds idleness your subject, I should take youFor idleness itself.

If you weren’t a queen, with foolishness as your subject, I’d take you for foolishness itself.

Cleopatra

’Tis sweating labourTo bear such idleness so near the heartAs Cleopatra this. But, sir, forgive me,Since my becomings kill me when they do notEye well to you. Your honour calls you hence;Therefore be deaf to my unpitied folly,And all the gods go with you! Upon your swordSit laurel victory, and smooth successBe strewed before your feet!

It’s exhausting work for Cleopatra to carry such foolishness so close to her heart. But forgive me, sir, since the charms I try to show are the death of me when they don’t please you. Your honor calls you away. So shut your ears to my foolishness, which gets no pity, and may all the gods go with you! May victory crown your sword with laurel, and may easy success lie scattered at your feet!

Antony

Let us go. Come.Our separation so abides and fliesThat thou, residing here, goes yet with me,And I, hence fleeting, here remain with thee.Away!

Let’s go. Come. Our parting keeps us both here and takes us both away: you stay here, yet go with me, and I leave, yet remain here with you. Let’s go!