Antony and Cleopatra

by: William Shakespeare

Act 3 Scene 7

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Original Text	Modern Text
Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS	CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS enter.
CLEOPATRA I will be even with thee, doubt it not.	CLEOPATRA I’ll be straight with you. Do not doubt it.
ENOBARBUS But why, why, why?	ENOBARBUS But why, why, why?
CLEOPATRA Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars And sayst it is not fit.	CLEOPATRA You opposed my taking part in the war. You said it wasn’t proper.
ENOBARBUS Well, is it, is it?	ENOBARBUS Well, is it? Is it?
CLEOPATRA 5Is ’t not denounced against us? Why should not we Be there in person?	CLEOPATRA Isn’t this war against me? Why shouldn’t I be there in person?
ENOBARBUS Well, I could reply, If we should serve with horse and mares together, The horse were merely lost. The mares would bear A soldier and his horse.	ENOBARBUS Well, I could answer that if we went to war on male and female horses alike—the male horses would be totally distracted and useless. The mares would be ridden by their riders and the male horses.
CLEOPATRA What is ’t you say?	CLEOPATRA What do you mean?
ENOBARBUS 10Your presence needs must puzzle Antony, Take from his heart, take from his brain, from ’s time What should not then be spared. He is already Traduced for levity, and ’tis said in Rome That Photinus, an eunuch, and your maids 15Manage this war.	ENOBARBUS Antony will necessarily be distracted by your presence. You will affect his heart and his head. You’ll take up time he can’t afford to lose. He’s already criticized for frivolous behavior. In Rome they say that your eunuch Photinus and your maids run the war.
CLEOPATRA Sink Rome! And their tongues rot That speak against us! A charge we bear i’ th’ war, And as the president of my kingdom will Appear there for a man. Speak not against it. I will not stay behind.	CLEOPATRA Let Rome fall! May the tongues of our critics rot! I have responsibilities in this war, and as the absolute ruler of my kingdom I will carry out my duties as if I were a man. Don’t argue against it. I won’t stay behind.

Read the Summary of Act III, scenes iv–vii

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