The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (751 page)

You rule over a third of the world; and you may have room

You may pace easy, but not such a wife.

To walk comfortably, but not a wife like that.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Would we had all such wives, that the men might go

If only we all had wives like that, so that men could go

to wars with the women!

to wars and fight alongside the women!

MARK ANTONY

So much uncurbable, her garboils, Caesar

So much I could not hold back, her actions, Caesar

Made out of her impatience, which not wanted

Made out of her impatience, which did not lack

Shrewdness of policy too, I grieving grant

Cleverness in leadership too, I must sadly admit

Did you too much disquiet: for that you must

Caused you too much trouble: for that you can't

But say, I could not help it.

Say anything other than I could not help it.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

I wrote to you

I wrote to you
When rioting in Alexandria; you

When there was rioting in Alexandria; you

Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts

Put away my letters, and with insults

Did gibe my missive out of audience.

Disregarded my messenger.

MARK ANTONY

Sir,

Sir
He fell upon me ere admitted: then

He came to me without permission: then

Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want

I had just feasted with three kings, and wasn't

Of what I was i' the morning: but next day

Available that morning: but the next day

I told him of myself; which was as much

I told him about it myself; which was basically

As to have ask'd him pardon. Let this fellow

Like apologizing. Let this man

Be nothing of our strife; if we contend,

Not be something to argue over; if we must,

Out of our question wipe him.

We'll push him off the table of things to discuss.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

You have broken

You have broken
The article of your oath; which you shall never

Your solemn promises; so you will never

Have tongue to charge me with.

Have a right to accuse me of anything.

LEPIDUS

Soft, Caesar!

Calm down, Caesar!

MARK ANTONY

No,

No,
Lepidus, let him speak:

Lepidus, let him talk:
The honour is sacred which he talks on now,

The honor he is talking about now is sacred,

Supposing that I lack'd it. But, on, Caesar;

Which he thinks I don't have. But, go on, Caesar;

The article of my oath.

The promise you are referring to.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

To lend me arms and aid when I required them;

To lend me weapons and help when I needed them;

The which you both denied.

Which you both denied me.

MARK ANTONY

Neglected, rather;

No, it was just delayed;

And then when poison'd hours had bound me up

And that was when I lost track of time

From mine own knowledge. As nearly as I may,

Before I was aware of it. As much as I can,

I'll play the penitent to you: but mine honesty

I'll make it up to you: but my honesty

Shall not make poor my greatness, nor my power

Will not reduce my greatness, and my power

Work without it. Truth is, that Fulvia,

Won't work without it. The truth is, Fulvia,

To have me out of Egypt, made wars here;

To get me out of Egypt, made wars here;

For which myself, the ignorant motive, do

For which I myself, the unintentional and unaware reason,

So far ask pardon as befits mine honour

As as much forgiveness as is suitable for my honor

To stoop in such a case.

To humble myself in such a situation.

LEPIDUS

'Tis noble spoken.

That is nobly said.

MECAENAS

If it might please you, to enforce no further

If you would be willing, to push no further

The griefs between ye: to forget them quite

The problems between you: to forget them completely

Were to remember that the present need

Would be to remember that the current need

Speaks to atone you.

Is enough to make up for you.

LEPIDUS

Worthily spoken, Mecaenas.

Well and wisely said, Mecaenas.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Or, if you borrow one another's love for the

Or, if you temporarily make peace for

instant, you may, when you hear no more words of

now, you may, when you no longer have to deal with

Pompey, return it again: you shall have time to

Pompey, go back to your fighting: you will have time

wrangle in when you have nothing else to do.

to tussle when you have nothing else to do.

MARK ANTONY

Thou art a soldier only: speak no more.

You are only a soldier: quiet.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

That truth should be silent I had almost forgot.

Oh, sorry, I forgot that truth should be silent.

MARK ANTONY

You wrong this presence; therefore speak no more.

You are wrong in this case; so be quiet.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS

Go to, then; your considerate stone.

Get out, then; you considerate stone.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

I do not much dislike the matter, but

I do not actually dislike what he says, but

The manner of his speech; for't cannot be

Instead how he says it; for it cannot be

We shall remain in friendship, our conditions

That we shall stay friends, our conditions

So differing in their acts. Yet if I knew

So different in how we act. Yet if I knew

What hoop should hold us stanch, from edge to edge

What connection could keep us together, from every part

O' the world I would pursue it.

Of the world I would chase after it.

AGRIPPA

Give me leave, Caesar,--

Give me permission, Caesar --

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

Speak, Agrippa.

Go on, Agrippa.

AGRIPPA

Thou hast a sister by the mother's side,

You have a sister on your mother's side,

Admired Octavia: great Mark Antony

The admired Octavia: great Mark Antony

Is now a widower.

Is now a windowed.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

Say not so, Agrippa:

Do not say that, Agrippa:

If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof

If Cleopatra heard you, your punishment

Were well deserved of rashness.

Would be well-deserved for your foolishness.

MARK ANTONY

I am not married, Caesar: let me hear

I am not married, Caesar: let me hear
Agrippa further speak.

Agrippa speak further.

AGRIPPA

To hold you in perpetual amity,

To keep you in constant agreement,

To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts

To make you brothers, and to tie your hearts together

With an unslipping knot, take Antony

With a knot that will not slip, have Antony

Octavia to his wife; whose beauty claims

Marry Octavia; she's beautiful enough

No worse a husband than the best of men;

For the best of men to be her husband;

Whose virtue and whose general graces speak

And her goodness and general gracefulness speak

That which none else can utter. By this marriage,

Well of her. By this marriage,

All little jealousies, which now seem great,

All the little problems, which now seem big,

And all great fears, which now import their dangers,

And all big fears, which come from their dangers,

Would then be nothing: truths would be tales,

Would then be nothing: facts would be stories,

Where now half tales be truths: her love to both

Where now only partial facts are true: her love to both

Would, each to other and all loves to both,

Would, each of them to each other,

Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke;

Come together because of her. Forgive me for speaking;

For 'tis a studied, not a present thought,

For it is something I have thought about, not a sudden idea,

By duty ruminated.

And properly considered.

MARK ANTONY

Will Caesar speak?

Does Caesar have anything to say?

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd

Not until I hear how Antony is affected

With what is spoke already.

By what is spoken already.

MARK ANTONY

What power is in Agrippa,

What power does Agrippa have,

If I would say, 'Agrippa, be it so,'

If I were to say, 'Agrippa, make it so,'

To make this good?

To make this happen?

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

The power of Caesar, and

My own power, and

His power unto Octavia.

My power over Octavia.

MARK ANTONY

May I never

May I never
To this good purpose, that so fairly shows,

To this good solution, that seems so reasonable,

Dream of impediment! Let me have thy hand:

Dream of preventing! Let me have your hand:

Further this act of grace: and from this hour

Continue this act of grace: and from now on
The heart of brothers govern in our loves

May the heart of brothers rule over our feelings

And sway our great designs!

And affect our big plans!

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

There is my hand.

Here is my hand.

A sister I bequeath you, whom no brother

I give you my sister, whom no brother

Did ever love so dearly: let her live

Ever loved so dearly: may she live

To join our kingdoms and our hearts; and never

To join our kingdoms and our hearts; and never
Fly off our loves again!

Fight between us again!

LEPIDUS

Happily, amen!

May it be so!

MARK ANTONY

I did not think to draw my sword 'gainst Pompey;

I did not think to fight against Pompey;

For he hath laid strange courtesies and great

For he has been very polite and given many favors

Of late upon me: I must thank him only,

Recently: I must only thank him,

Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;

So that my gratefulness will not lose its reputation;