The Complete Works of William Shakespeare In Plain and Simple English (Translated) (777 page)

If thereon you rely. I'll take my leave.

If you trust me to. I'll leave now.

CLEOPATRA

And may, through all the world: 'tis yours; and we,

And may, through all the world, it is yours; and we,

Your scutcheons and your signs of conquest, shall

Your trophies and your signs of conquest, shall

Hang in what place you please. Here, my good lord.

Be put in whatever place you please. Here, my good lord.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

You shall advise me in all for Cleopatra.

You will advice me what I should do for Cleopatra.

CLEOPATRA

This is the brief of money, plate, and jewels,

This is a list of money, precious metal, and jewels,

I am possess'd of: 'tis exactly valued;

I have: it is exact and correct;

Not petty things admitted. Where's Seleucus?

Nothing too minor. Where's Seleucus?

SELEUCUS

Here, madam.

Here, madam.

CLEOPATRA

This is my treasurer: let him speak, my lord,

This is my treasurer: let him speak, sir,
Upon his peril, that I have reserved

At his own risk, that I have kept

To myself nothing. Speak the truth, Seleucus.

Nothing to myself. Tell the truth, Seleucus.

SELEUCUS

Madam,

Madam,
I had rather seal my lips, than, to my peril,

I would rather stay silent, then, at my own risk,

Speak that which is not.

Tell a lie.

CLEOPATRA

What have I kept back?

What have I kept back?

SELEUCUS

Enough to purchase what you have made known.

Enough to buy what you have admitted to.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

Nay, blush not, Cleopatra; I approve

No, do not blush, Cleopatra; I approve

Your wisdom in the deed.

Your wisdom in doing so.

CLEOPATRA

See, Caesar! O, behold,

See, Caesar! Oh, look,

How pomp is follow'd! mine will now be yours;

How wealth is followed! Mine will now be yours;

The ingratitude of this Seleucus does

The ingratitude of Seleucus is enough to
Even make me wild: O slave, of no more trust

Make me wild with anger: Oh slave, no more trustworthy

Than love that's hired! What, goest thou back? thou shalt

Than love that's paid for! What, are you going back, you will

Go back, I warrant thee; but I'll catch thine eyes,

Go back, I grant you; but I'll catch your eyes,

Though they had wings: slave, soulless villain, dog!

Even if they had wings: slave, soulless villain, dog!
O rarely base!

Oh unusually bad!

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

Good queen, let us entreat you.

Good queen, calm down.

CLEOPATRA

O Caesar, what a wounding shame is this,

Oh Caesar, what a painful shame this is,

That thou, vouchsafing here to visit me,

That you, coming here to visit me,

Doing the honour of thy lordliness

Doing the honor of your greatness

To one so meek, that mine own servant should

To one so humble, that my own servant would

Parcel the sum of my disgraces by

Add on to my disgrace by

Addition of his envy! Say, good Caesar,

Adding on his envy! Say, good Caesar,

That I some lady trifles have reserved,

That I have reserved some minor lady things,

Immoment toys, things of such dignity

Little toys, with such dignity

As we greet modern friends withal; and say,

That we use to greet modern friends; and say,

Some nobler token I have kept apart

Some better items I have kept apart

For Livia and Octavia, to induce

For Livia and Octavia, to encourage

Their mediation; must I be unfolded

Their friendship; must I be revealed

With one that I have bred? The gods! it smites me

By one of my servants? The gods! It hits me

Beneath the fall I have.

Lower than I have already sunk.

To SELEUCUS

Prithee, go hence;

Please, go away;

Or I shall show the cinders of my spirits

Or I will show the remaining coals of my spirits

Through the ashes of my chance: wert thou a man,

Through the ashes of my destiny: if you were a real man,

Thou wouldst have mercy on me.

You would have mercy on me.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

Forbear, Seleucus.

Hold back, Seleucus.

Exit SELEUCUS

CLEOPATRA

Be it known, that we, the greatest, are misthought

Let it be known that we, the greatest, are thought wrongly

For things that others do; and, when we fall,

For things that others do; and, when we fall,
We answer others' merits in our name,

We are held responsible for things others did,

Are therefore to be pitied.

And should therefore be pitied.

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

Cleopatra,

Cleopatra,
Not what you have reserved, nor what acknowledged,

None of what you have reserved, or what you have admitted to,

Put we i' the roll of conquest: still be't yours,

Will we make a part of our booty: it is still yours,

Bestow it at your pleasure; and believe,

Do what you like with it; and believe

Caesar's no merchant, to make prize with you

Caesar is no merchant, to make a prize of you

Of things that merchants sold. Therefore be cheer'd;

With things that merchants sell. Therefore, cheer up;

Make not your thoughts your prisons: no, dear queen;

Do not turn your thoughts into your prisons: now, dear queen;

For we intend so to dispose you as

For we intend to treat you the way

Yourself shall give us counsel. Feed, and sleep:

You yourself want to be treated. Eat, and sleep:

Our care and pity is so much upon you,

Our care and pity is so much upon you,
That we remain your friend; and so, adieu.

That we are still your friend; and so, goodbye.

CLEOPATRA

My master, and my lord!

My master, and my lord!

OCTAVIUS CAESAR

Not so. Adieu.

Oh, no, not like that. Farewell.

Flourish. Exeunt OCTAVIUS CAESAR and his train

CLEOPATRA

He words me, girls, he words me, that I should not

He persuades me, girls, her persuades me, that I should not

Be noble to myself: but, hark thee, Charmian.

Do what I want: but, listen, Charmian.

Whispers to CHARMIAN

IRAS

Finish, good lady; the bright day is done,

Finish, good lady; the bright day is done,
And we are for the dark.

And we are now in the dark.

CLEOPATRA

Hie thee again:

Go now again:

I have spoke already, and it is provided;

I have spoken it already, and it has been taken care of;

Go put it to the haste.

Go make it happen quickly.

CHARMIAN

Madam, I will.

Madam, I will.

Re-enter DOLABELLA

DOLABELLA

Where is the queen?

Where's the queen?

CHARMIAN

Behold, sir.

See, sir.

Exit

CLEOPATRA

Dolabella!

DOLABELLA

Madam, as thereto sworn by your command,

Madam, as you made me promise to tell,

Which my love makes religion to obey,

Which my love commands me to obey,
I tell you this: Caesar through Syria

I tell you this: Caesar intends to travel

Intends his journey; and within three days

Through Syria; and within three days

You with your children will he send before:

You and your children will be sent in front of him:

Make your best use of this: I have perform'd

Do your best with this information: I have done

Your pleasure and my promise.

What you wanted and what I promised.

CLEOPATRA

Dolabella,

Dolabella,
I shall remain your debtor.

I will be in your debt.

DOLABELLA

I your servant,

I will stay your servant,

Adieu, good queen; I must attend on Caesar.

Farewell, good queen; I must serve Caesar.

CLEOPATRA

Farewell, and thanks.

Farewell, and thanks.

Exit DOLABELLA

Now, Iras, what think'st thou?

Now, Iras, what do you think?

Thou, an Egyptian puppet, shalt be shown

You, an Egyptian puppet, will be shown

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, will
Uplift 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 way
To fool their preparation, and to conquer