Antonius en Cleopatra: Bedrijf 3, scène 10

Enobarbus

Naught, naught, all naught! I can behold no longer.Th’ Antoniad, the Egyptian admiral,With all their sixty, fly and turn the rudder.To see ’t mine eyes are blasted.

Ruined, ruined, all ruined! I can't watch any longer. The Antoniad, the Egyptian flagship, has turned and fled with all sixty of their ships. The sight has scorched my eyes.

Scarus

Gods and goddesses,All the whole synod of them!

Gods and goddesses, the whole assembly of them!

Enobarbus

What’s thy passion?

What's making you so upset?

Scarus

The greater cantle of the world is lostWith very ignorance. We have kissed awayKingdoms and provinces.

The greater part of the world is lost through sheer stupidity. We have kissed away kingdoms and provinces.

Enobarbus

How appears the fight?

How is the battle looking?

Scarus

On our side, like the tokened pestilence,Where death is sure. Yon ribaudred nag of Egypt,Whom leprosy o’ertake, i’ th’ midst o’ th’ fight,When vantage like a pair of twins appeared,Both as the same—or, rather, ours the elder—The breeze upon her, like a cow in June,Hoists sails and flies.

For our side, like the plague once its fatal spots appear: death is certain. That filthy Egyptian mare—may she catch leprosy!—right in the middle of the fight, when our chances looked like twins, equally matched—or rather, ours was the stronger—hoists her sails and runs, like a cow in June fleeing a biting fly.

Enobarbus

That I beheld.Mine eyes did sicken at the sight and could notEndure a further view.

I saw that. The sight made my eyes sick, and I couldn't bear to watch any more.

Scarus

She once being loofed,The noble ruin of her magic, Antony,Claps on his sea-wing and, like a doting mallard,Leaving the fight in height, flies after her.I never saw an action of such shame.Experience, manhood, honour, ne’er beforeDid violate so itself.

Once she turned away, Antony, the noble man her magic has ruined, spreads his sails like wings. Like a lovesick duck, he abandons the battle at its height and flies after her. I've never seen such a shameful act. Never before have experience, manliness, and honor betrayed themselves like this.

Enobarbus

Alack, alack!

Oh, what a disaster!

Canidius

Our fortune on the sea is out of breathAnd sinks most lamentably. Had our generalBeen what he knew himself, it had gone well.O, he has given example for our flightMost grossly by his own!

Our hopes at sea have run out of breath and are sinking miserably. If our general had lived up to the man he knew himself to be, things would have gone well. By running away himself, he has given us a disgraceful example to follow!

Enobarbus

Ay, are you thereabouts?Why, then, good night indeed.

So, is that how you see it too? Well then, it really is all over.

Canidius

Toward Peloponnesus are they fled.

They have fled toward Peloponnesus.

Scarus

’Tis easy to’t, and there I will attendWhat further comes.

It's easy to get there, and I'll wait there to see what happens next.

Canidius

To Caesar will I renderMy legions and my horse. Six kings alreadyShow me the way of yielding.

I'll surrender my legions and my cavalry to Caesar. Six kings have already shown me the way by surrendering.

Enobarbus

I’ll yet followThe wounded chance of Antony, though my reasonSits in the wind against me.

I'll still follow Antony's battered fortunes, though my reason blows like a wind against my course.