About this translation
Every scene of Antony and Cleopatra is set out twice: William Shakespeare’s words on one side, and on the other a plain modern English rendering of the same lines, in the same order. It is a way to read the original, not a replacement for it — the rendering says what the text says, and the text is the thing you quote.
Line numbers count the verse lines of each scene in the public-domain Project Gutenberg edition these pages are set from, so they may not match the numbering in a printed edition.
- Act 1, Scene 2 — Alexandria. Another Room in Cleopatra’s palace.Lord Alexas, sweet Alexas, almost-anything-you-like Alexas, very nearly utterly perfect…
- Act 1, Scene 4 — Rome. An Apartment in Caesar’s House.You can see, Lepidus, and from now on you'll know, that it is not a natural fault in…
- Act 1, Scene 5 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.Charmian!
- Act 2, Scene 2 — Rome. A Room in the House of Lepidus.Good Enobarbus, it would be a worthy deed, and it would suit you well, to urge your…
- Act 2, Scene 3 — Rome. A Room in Caesar’s House.The world and my great office will sometimes keep me away from your arms.
- Act 2, Scene 4 — Rome. A street.Don't put yourselves to any more trouble. Please, hurry after your generals.
- Act 2, Scene 5 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.Give me some music — music, the melancholy food of those of us who make a business of…
- Act 2, Scene 7 — On board Pompey’s Galley, lying near Misenum.They'll be here any moment, man. Some of their feet are badly rooted already; the…
- Act 3, Scene 1 — A plain in Syria.Now, arrow-shooting Parthia, you are struck down, and now pleased Fortune makes me the…
- Act 3, Scene 3 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.Where is the man?
- Act 3, Scene 4 — Athens. A Room in Antony’s House.No, no, Octavia, it isn't only that — that would be forgivable, that and a thousand more…
- Act 3, Scene 5 — Athens. Another Room in Antony’s House.What's happening, my friend Eros?
- Act 3, Scene 6 — Rome. A Room in Caesar’s House.Showing his contempt for Rome, he has done all this, and more, in Alexandria. Here is how…
- Act 3, Scene 8 — A plain near Actium.Taurus!
- Act 3, Scene 9 — Another part of the Plain.Let's place our squadrons on that side of the hill, in view of Caesar's army. From there…
- Act 3, Scene 10 — Another part of the Plain.Ruined, ruined, all ruined! I can't watch any longer. The Antoniad, the Egyptian…
- Act 3, Scene 11 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.Listen — the land tells me not to walk on it any more. It's ashamed to carry me. Friends…
- Act 3, Scene 13 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.What shall we do, Enobarbus?
- Act 4, Scene 1 — Caesar’s Camp at Alexandria.He calls me boy, and scolds me as if he had the power to drive me out of Egypt. He has…
- Act 4, Scene 2 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.He won't fight me, Domitius?
- Act 4, Scene 5 — Antony’s camp near Alexandria.May the gods make this a lucky day for Antony!
- Act 4, Scene 6 — Alexandria. Caesar’s camp.Go out, Agrippa, and begin the battle. Our order is that Antony be taken alive. Make that…
- Act 4, Scene 7 — Field of battle between the Camps.Pull back! We have pushed ourselves in too deep. Caesar himself is hard pressed, and the…
- Act 4, Scene 8 — Under the Walls of Alexandria.We have beaten him back to his camp. Let someone run on ahead and tell the Queen about…
- Act 4, Scene 10 — Ground between the two Camps.Today they're getting ready to fight at sea; they're not happy to face us on land.
- Act 4, Scene 11 — Another part of the Ground.Unless we are attacked, we will stay quiet on land — and I think we will not be attacked…
- Act 4, Scene 13 — Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.Help me, my women! Oh, he is more insane than Telamon was over his shield; the boar of…
- Act 4, Scene 14 — Alexandria. Another Room.Eros, can you still see me?
- Act 4, Scene 15 — Alexandria. A monument.Oh, Charmian, I will never leave this place.