No Fear Shakespeare: Antony and Cleopatra: Act 1 Scene 4 Page 2

Original Text	Modern Text
Enter FIRST MESSENGER	The FIRST MESSENGER enters.
LEPIDUS Here’s more news.	LEPIDUS Here’s more news.
FIRST MESSENGER Thy biddings have been done, and every hour, 35Most noble Caesar, shalt thou have report How ’tis abroad. Pompey is strong at sea, And it appears he is beloved of those That only have feared Caesar. To the ports The discontents repair, and men’s reports 40Give him much wronged.	FIRST MESSENGER We’ve followed your commands, lord Caesar. You shall have hourly updates regarding the situation at sea. Pompey has a strong navy. All the people who only stayed with you out of fear are gathering at the port to join him, in the opinion he’s been treated unfairly.
CAESAR I should have known no less. It hath been taught us from the primal state That he which is was wished until he were, And the ebbed man, ne’er loved till ne’er worth love, Comes deared by being lacked. This common body, 45Like to a vagabond flag upon the stream, Goes to and back, lackeying the varying tide To rot itself with motion.	CAESAR I should have known it. It’s been this way ever since the first government was organized. People will transfer their support to a strong figure until he becomes their actual leader. Then they will value their former leader, even though the loss of their support has made him powerless. The common crowd changes like the tide, to and fro, serving whoever is on the rise. Their power is worn away by their fickleness.
Enter SECOND MESSENGER	The SECOND MESSENGER enters.
SECOND MESSENGER Caesar, I bring thee word Menecrates and Menas, famous pirates, 50Make the sea serve them, which they ear and wound With keels of every kind. Many hot inroads They make in Italy—the borders maritime Lack blood to think on ’t—and flush youth revolt. No vessel can peep forth, but ’tis as soon 55Taken as seen, for Pompey’s name strikes more Than could his war resisted.	SECOND MESSENGER Caesar, I have news about Menecrates and Menas, notorious pirates who prowl the sea in a variety of ships. They’ve made many raids upon Italy—and the naval patrols go pale at even the thought of resisting them. The young, energetic men are joining Pompey. These pirates can capture a ship as soon as it leaves the harbor, since the simple mention of the name “Pompey” carries as much power as a fleet of troops in battle.