Antony and Cleopatra

William Shakespeare
No Fear Act 2 Scene 3
No Fear Act 2 Scene 3 Page 1
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3

Original Text

Modern Text
Enter ANTONY, CAESAR; OCTAVIA between them
ANTONY and CAESAR enter with OCTAVIA between them.

ANTONY

(to OCTAVIA ) The world and my great office will sometimes
Divide me from your bosom.

ANTONY

(to OCTAVIA ) There will be times when my duties and responsibilities take me away from you.

OCTAVIA

                                                         All which time
Before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers
To them for you.

OCTAVIA

And I will spend our time apart on my knees, praying for you.

ANTONY

     (to CAESAR )     Good night, sir.—My Octavia,
5Read not my blemishes in the world’s report.
I have not kept my square, but that to come
Shall all be done by th’ rule. Good night, dear lady.
(to CAESAR ) Good night, sir.

ANTONY

(to CAESAR ) Good night, sir. My Octavia, don’t believe everything you hear about me. I haven’t always lived a conventional life, but the future will be by the book. Good night, dear lady. (to CAESAR ) Good night, sir.

CAESAR

Good night.

CAESAR

Good night.
He exits with OCTAVIA
CAESAR and OCTAVIA exit.
Enter SOOTHSAYER
The FORTUNETELLER enters.

ANTONY

10Now, sirrah, you do wish yourself in Egypt?

ANTONY

Now,

sirrah

term of address for a person of lower status

 sirrah , I hear you wish you were back in Egypt.

SOOTHSAYER

Would I had never come from thence, nor you thither.

FORTUNETELLER

I wish I had never left Egypt and that you had never come to Egypt.

ANTONY

If you can, your reason?

ANTONY

Tell me why, if you can.

SOOTHSAYER

I see it in my motion, have it not in my tongue. But yet hie you to Egypt again.

FORTUNETELLER

It’s a feeling, but nothing I can put into words. But you had better get back to Egypt again.

ANTONY

15Say to me whose fortunes shall rise higher,
Caesar’s or mine?

ANTONY

Tell me who shall have the better luck, Caesar or me?

SOOTHSAYER

Caesar’s.
Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side.
Thy dæmon—that thy spirit which keeps thee—is
20Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable
Where Caesar’s is not. But near him thy angel
Becomes afeard, as being o’erpowered. Therefore
Make space enough between you.

FORTUNETELLER

Caesar. So you’d better not stay with him, Antony. Your guardian angel is noble, courageous, significant, and unmatched when Caesar’s not around. But when you are with him, your angel is weakened and easily frightened. That’s why there must be space between you.
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