Antony and Cleopatra, Act 2, Scene 7

Here they’ll be, man. Some o’ their plants are ill-rooted already; the least wind i’ th’ world will blow them down.

They'll be here any moment, man. Some of their feet are badly rooted already; the slightest wind in the world will blow them over.

Lepidus is high-coloured.

Lepidus is flushed red.

They have made him drink alms-drink.

They've made him drink the leftovers that go to the poor.

As they pinch one another by the disposition, he cries out “no more”, reconciles them to his entreaty and himself to th’ drink.

Whenever they needle each other's tempers, he shouts "stop it", and makes them friends at his request, and himself a friend to the drink.

But it raises the greater war between him and his discretion.

But it starts a bigger war between him and his good sense.

Why, this it is to have a name in great men’s fellowship. I had as lief have a reed that will do me no service as a partisan I could not heave.

Well, that's what comes of having a name among the company of great men. I'd just as soon have a reed that's no use to me as a spear I couldn't lift.

To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in ’t, are the holes where eyes should be, which pitifully disaster the cheeks.

To be summoned into a huge orbit and not be seen to move in it—those are the empty holes where eyes should be, which pitifully ruin the cheeks.

[To Caesar.] Thus do they, sir: they take the flow o’ th’ Nile By certain scales i’ th’ pyramid; they know By th’ height, the lowness, or the mean, if dearth Or foison follow. The higher Nilus swells, The more it promises. As it ebbs, the seedsman Upon the slime and ooze scatters his grain, And shortly comes to harvest.

[To Caesar.] This is how they do it, sir: they measure the rise of the Nile by certain marked scales on the pyramid; by whether it is high, low, or in between, they know whether famine or plenty will follow. The higher the Nile swells, the more it promises. As it goes down, the sower scatters his grain on the slime and mud, and soon after comes the harvest.

You’ve strange serpents there?

You have strange serpents there?

Ay, Lepidus.

Yes, Lepidus.

Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile.

Your Egyptian serpent is produced out of your mud by the action of your sun; and so is your crocodile.

They are so.

That's right.

Sit, and some wine! A health to Lepidus!

Sit down, and bring some wine! A toast to Lepidus!

I am not so well as I should be, but I’ll ne’er out.

I'm not as well as I ought to be, but I'll never drop out.

Not till you have slept. I fear me you’ll be in till then.

Not until you've slept it off. I'm afraid you'll be deep in it until then.

Nay, certainly, I have heard the Ptolemies’ pyramises are very goodly things. Without contradiction I have heard that.

No, honestly, I've heard the Ptolemies' pyramises are very fine things. I've heard that without anyone disputing it.

[Aside to Pompey.] Pompey, a word.

[Aside to Pompey.] Pompey, a word.

[Aside to Menas.] Say in mine ear what is ’t?

[Aside to Menas.] Say it in my ear—what is it?

[Whispers in ’s ear.] Forsake thy seat, I do beseech thee, captain, And hear me speak a word.

[Whispers in his ear.] Leave your seat, I beg you, captain, and listen to me say one word.

[Aside to Menas.] Forbear me till anon.— This wine for Lepidus!

[Aside to Menas.] Leave me alone until later.—This wine is for Lepidus!

What manner o’ thing is your crocodile?

What sort of thing is your crocodile?

It is shaped, sir, like itself, and it is as broad as it hath breadth. It is just so high as it is, and moves with it own organs. It lives by that which nourisheth it, and the elements once out of it, it transmigrates.

It is shaped, sir, like itself, and it is as broad as its own breadth. It is exactly as tall as it is, and it moves with its own limbs. It lives on whatever nourishes it, and once the elements have gone out of it, it passes into another body.

What colour is it of?

What colour is it?

Of its own colour too.

Its own colour, too.

’Tis a strange serpent.

It's a strange serpent.

’Tis so, and the tears of it are wet.

It is, and its tears are wet.

Will this description satisfy him?

Will that description satisfy him?

With the health that Pompey gives him, else he is a very epicure.

It will, along with the toast Pompey is giving him—otherwise he's a very hard man to please.

[Aside to Menas.] Go hang, sir, hang! Tell me of that? Away! Do as I bid you.—Where’s this cup I called for?

[Aside to Menas.] Go hang yourself, sir, hang! Are you telling me about that? Get away! Do as I tell you.—Where's this cup I asked for?

[Aside to Pompey.] If for the sake of merit thou wilt hear me, Rise from thy stool.

[Aside to Pompey.] If you'll hear me for the sake of my past service, get up from your stool.

[Aside to Menas.] I think thou’rt mad.

[Aside to Menas.] I think you're mad.

The matter?

What's the matter?

I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes.

I have always taken my cap off to your fortunes.

Thou hast served me with much faith. What’s else to say?— Be jolly, lords.

You have served me very faithfully. What else is there to say?—Be merry, my lords.

These quicksands, Lepidus, Keep off them, for you sink.

These quicksands, Lepidus—keep off them, or you'll sink.

Wilt thou be lord of all the world?

Do you want to be master of the whole world?

What sayst thou?

What did you say?

Wilt thou be lord of the whole world? That’s twice.

Do you want to be master of the entire world? That's twice I've asked.

How should that be?

How could that happen?

But entertain it, And though you think me poor, I am the man Will give thee all the world.

Just consider it, and though you think me a poor man, I'm the one who will give you the whole world.

Hast thou drunk well?

Have you been drinking heavily?

No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup. Thou art, if thou dar’st be, the earthly Jove. Whate’er the ocean pales or sky inclips Is thine, if thou wilt have’t.

No, Pompey, I've kept away from the cup. You are, if you dare to be, the Jove of this earth. Whatever the ocean fences in or the sky encircles is yours, if you'll take it.

Show me which way.

Show me how.

These three world-sharers, these competitors, Are in thy vessel. Let me cut the cable, And when we are put off, fall to their throats. All then is thine.

These three men who share the world, these rivals, are aboard your ship. Let me cut the anchor cable, and once we've drifted clear, we go for their throats. Then it's all yours.

Ah, this thou shouldst have done And not have spoke on ’t! In me ’tis villainy; In thee ’t had been good service. Thou must know ’Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour; Mine honour it. Repent that e’er thy tongue Hath so betray’d thine act. Being done unknown, I should have found it afterwards well done, But must condemn it now. Desist, and drink.

Ah, you should have done this and not talked about it! Coming from me, it's villainy; coming from you, it would have been good service. You must understand that it isn't my advantage that guides my honour, but my honour that guides my advantage. Be sorry that your tongue has betrayed your plan like this. Done without my knowing, I'd have found it well done afterwards, but now I have to condemn it. Give it up, and drink.

[Aside.] For this, I’ll never follow thy palled fortunes more. Who seeks, and will not take when once ’tis offered, Shall never find it more.

[Aside.] For this, I'll never follow your faded fortunes any longer. A man who goes after something and won't take it when it's once offered will never find it again.

This health to Lepidus!

This toast is to Lepidus!

Bear him ashore. I’ll pledge it for him, Pompey.

Carry him ashore. I'll drink it on his behalf, Pompey.

Here’s to thee, Menas!

Here's to you, Menas!

Enobarbus, welcome!

Enobarbus, welcome!

Fill till the cup be hid.

Fill it up until the cup itself is out of sight.

There’s a strong fellow, Menas.

There's a strong fellow, Menas.

Why?

Why?

’A bears the third part of the world, man. Seest not?

He's carrying a third of the world, man. Don't you see?

The third part, then, is drunk. Would it were all, That it might go on wheels!

Then a third of the world is drunk. I wish the whole of it were, so it could roll along on wheels!

Drink thou. Increase the reels.

You drink too. Add to the staggering.

Come.

Come on.

This is not yet an Alexandrian feast.

This still isn't an Alexandrian feast.

It ripens towards it. Strike the vessels, ho! Here is to Caesar!

It's getting ripe for it. Bang the cups together, come on! Here's to Caesar!

I could well forbear’t. It’s monstrous labour when I wash my brain And it grows fouler.

I could easily do without it. It's a monstrous piece of work when I wash my brain and it only gets dirtier.

Be a child o’ the time.

Be a child of the moment.

Possess it, I’ll make answer. But I had rather fast from all, four days, Than drink so much in one.

Master the moment, that's my answer. But I would rather go without everything for four days than drink this much in one.

[To Antony.] Ha, my brave emperor, Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals And celebrate our drink?

[To Antony.] Well then, my brave emperor, shall we dance the Egyptian Bacchanals now and celebrate our drinking?

Let’s ha’t, good soldier.

Let's have it, good soldier.

Come, let’s all take hands Till that the conquering wine hath steeped our sense In soft and delicate Lethe.

Come on, let's all join hands until the conquering wine has soaked our senses in soft and delicate Lethe.

All take hands. Make battery to our ears with the loud music, The while I’ll place you; then the boy shall sing. The holding every man shall beat as loud As his strong sides can volley.

Everyone join hands. Batter our ears with loud music while I put you in position; then the boy will sing. Every man is to roar out the refrain as loudly as his strong lungs can fire it.

Come, thou monarch of the vine, Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne! In thy vats our cares be drowned, With thy grapes our hairs be crowned. Cup us till the world go round, Cup us till the world go round!

Come, you king of the vine, plump Bacchus with the pink eyes! Let our cares be drowned in your vats, let our hair be crowned with your grapes. Fill our cups until the world spins, fill our cups until the world spins!

What would you more? Pompey, good night. Good brother, Let me request you off. Our graver business Frowns at this levity.—Gentle lords, let’s part. You see we have burnt our cheeks. Strong Enobarb Is weaker than the wine, and mine own tongue Splits what it speaks. The wild disguise hath almost Anticked us all. What needs more words. Good night. Good Antony, your hand.

What more do you want? Pompey, good night. Good brother, let me ask you to come away. Our more serious business frowns at this frivolity.—Gentle lords, let's separate. You see our cheeks are flushed. Strong Enobarb is weaker than the wine, and my own tongue breaks apart the words it speaks. This wild carnival has nearly turned us all into clowns. Why say more? Good night. Good Antony, give me your hand.

I’ll try you on the shore.

I'll take you on ashore.

And shall, sir. Give’s your hand.

And you shall, sir. Give us your hand.

O Antony, You have my father’s house. But, what? We are friends. Come, down into the boat.

Oh, Antony, you own my father's house. But so what? We are friends. Come, down into the boat.

Take heed you fall not.

Be careful you don't fall.

Menas, I’ll not on shore.

Menas, I'm not going ashore.

No, to my cabin. These drums, these trumpets, flutes! What! Let Neptune hear we bid a loud farewell To these great fellows. Sound and be hanged, sound out!

No, come to my cabin. These drums, these trumpets, flutes! Come on! Let Neptune hear that we're giving these great men a loud farewell. Play, and be hanged, play out loud!

Hoo, says ’a! There’s my cap!

Hoo, he says! There goes my cap!

Hoo! Noble captain, come.

Hoo! Noble captain, come on.