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Enter ANTONY and SCARUS
ANTONY and SCARUS enter.

ANTONY

Yet they are not joined. Where yond pine does stand
I shall discover all. I’ll bring thee word
Straight how ’tis like to go.

ANTONY

They still haven’t joined the battle. I’ll be able to see better from that pine tree over there. I’ll let you know right away how it’s going.
Exit He exits.
Alarum afar off, as at a sea fight
Noises like a sea battle are heard in the distance.

SCARUS

Swallows have built
In Cleopatra’s sails their nests. The auguries
Say they know not, they cannot tell, look grimly,
And dare not speak their knowledge. Antony
Is valiant and dejected, and by starts
His fretted fortunes give him hope and fear
Of what he has and has not.

SCARUS

Swallows have built nests in Cleopatra’s sails. The fortunetellers won’t say whether that’s a good sign or a bad one, but they don’t look happy. Antony is valiant and dejected. His mood changes by fits and starts; his checkered luck vacillates between hope and fear, winning and losing.
Enter ANTONY
ANTONY enters.

ANTONY

All is lost!
10 This foul Egyptian hath betrayèd me.
My fleet hath yielded to the foe, and yonder
They cast their caps up and carouse together
Like friends long lost. Triple-turned whore! ’Tis thou
Hast sold me to this novice, and my heart
15 Makes only wars on thee. Bid them all fly,
For when I am revenged upon my charm,
I have done all. Bid them all fly. Begone!

ANTONY

All is lost! This treacherous Egyptian has betrayed me. My fleet has surrendered to the enemy. You can see them over there throwing their hats up in the air and drinking together like long lost friends. Three-time traitor and whore! It’s you who have sold me to this youth, Caesar. Now my war is only with you. Tell the army to flee. Revenge on Cleopatra will be my last act. Order them to escape. Go!
Exit SCARUS SCARUS exits.
O sun, thy uprise shall I see no more.
Fortune and Antony part here. Even here
Do we shake hands. All come to this? The hearts
That spanieled me at heels, to whom I gave
Their wishes, do discandy, melt their sweets
On blossoming Caesar, and this pine is barked
That overtopped them all. Betrayed I am.
Oh, this false soul of Egypt! This grave charm,
Whose eye becked forth my wars and called them home,
Whose bosom was my crownet, my chief end,
Like a right gypsy hath at fast and loose
Beguiled me to the very heart of loss.
(calling out) What, Eros, Eros!
Oh, sun, I will never see another one of your sunrises. Luck and Antony separate here and now. Here we’ll shake hands good-bye. Is it all come to this? The brave men who followed me like little dogs, whom I rewarded, have left me to follow Caesar. I’ve been stripped of everything, betrayed. Oh, that devious Egyptian spirit! Her charms launched my wars and called them back again. Pleasing her was my main goal, and she lured me to total defeat. (calling out) Where are you, Eros! Eros!
Enter CLEOPATRA
CLEOPATRA enters.
Ah, thou spell! Avaunt!
Ah, you sorceress! Be gone!

CLEOPATRA

Why is my lord enraged against his love?

CLEOPATRA

Why is my lord enraged against his love?

ANTONY

Vanish, or I shall give thee thy deserving,
And blemish Caesar’s triumph. Let him take thee
And hoist thee up to the shouting plebeians!
35 Follow his chariot, like the greatest spot
Of all thy sex. Most monsterlike be shown
For poor’st diminutives, for dolts, and let
Patient Octavia plow thy visage up
With her preparèd nails!

ANTONY

Get out of my sight, or I’ll give you what you deserve and spoil Caesar’s victory. Let him hoist you up in front of the shouting crowds! Follow his chariot, like the greatest disgrace to your whole gender. Let them exhibit you to the public for meager coins, like a monstrosity. Then let Octavia dig up your face with her nails.
Exit CLEOPATRA
CLEOPATRA exits.
’Tis well th’art gone,
40 If it be well to live, but better ’twere
Thou fell’st into my fury, for one death
Might have prevented many.—Eros, ho!—
The shirt of Nessus is upon me. Teach me,
Alcides, thou mine ancestor, thy rage.
45 Let me lodge Lichas on the horns o’ th’ moon,
And with those hands that grasped the heaviest club
Subdue my worthiest self. The witch shall die.
To the young Roman boy she hath sold me, and I fall
Under this plot. She dies for ’t.—Eros, ho!
If you wish to live, you had better get out of here. But I think it would have been better if you’d let me kill you. One death would have prevented the deaths of many others.—Eros, ho!—

I’m wearing the shirt of Nessus.

Hercules was killed by a shirt poisoned with Nessus’ blood. Wild with pain, he threw his servant Lichas all the way to the sea.

I’m wearing the shirt of Nessus.
Hercules, my ancestor, teach me how to feel your rage. I’ll toss Lichas to the moon and use my mighty hands to kill my better self. The witch shall die.
She sold me to that young Roman boy and now I’m ruined. She’ll die for it.—Eros, ho!
Exit He exits.

Original Text

Modern Text

Enter ANTONY and SCARUS
ANTONY and SCARUS enter.

ANTONY

Yet they are not joined. Where yond pine does stand
I shall discover all. I’ll bring thee word
Straight how ’tis like to go.

ANTONY

They still haven’t joined the battle. I’ll be able to see better from that pine tree over there. I’ll let you know right away how it’s going.
Exit He exits.
Alarum afar off, as at a sea fight
Noises like a sea battle are heard in the distance.

SCARUS

Swallows have built
In Cleopatra’s sails their nests. The auguries
Say they know not, they cannot tell, look grimly,
And dare not speak their knowledge. Antony
Is valiant and dejected, and by starts
His fretted fortunes give him hope and fear
Of what he has and has not.

SCARUS

Swallows have built nests in Cleopatra’s sails. The fortunetellers won’t say whether that’s a good sign or a bad one, but they don’t look happy. Antony is valiant and dejected. His mood changes by fits and starts; his checkered luck vacillates between hope and fear, winning and losing.
Enter ANTONY
ANTONY enters.

ANTONY

All is lost!
10 This foul Egyptian hath betrayèd me.
My fleet hath yielded to the foe, and yonder
They cast their caps up and carouse together
Like friends long lost. Triple-turned whore! ’Tis thou
Hast sold me to this novice, and my heart
15 Makes only wars on thee. Bid them all fly,
For when I am revenged upon my charm,
I have done all. Bid them all fly. Begone!

ANTONY

All is lost! This treacherous Egyptian has betrayed me. My fleet has surrendered to the enemy. You can see them over there throwing their hats up in the air and drinking together like long lost friends. Three-time traitor and whore! It’s you who have sold me to this youth, Caesar. Now my war is only with you. Tell the army to flee. Revenge on Cleopatra will be my last act. Order them to escape. Go!
Exit SCARUS SCARUS exits.
O sun, thy uprise shall I see no more.
Fortune and Antony part here. Even here
Do we shake hands. All come to this? The hearts
That spanieled me at heels, to whom I gave
Their wishes, do discandy, melt their sweets
On blossoming Caesar, and this pine is barked
That overtopped them all. Betrayed I am.
Oh, this false soul of Egypt! This grave charm,
Whose eye becked forth my wars and called them home,
Whose bosom was my crownet, my chief end,
Like a right gypsy hath at fast and loose
Beguiled me to the very heart of loss.
(calling out) What, Eros, Eros!
Oh, sun, I will never see another one of your sunrises. Luck and Antony separate here and now. Here we’ll shake hands good-bye. Is it all come to this? The brave men who followed me like little dogs, whom I rewarded, have left me to follow Caesar. I’ve been stripped of everything, betrayed. Oh, that devious Egyptian spirit! Her charms launched my wars and called them back again. Pleasing her was my main goal, and she lured me to total defeat. (calling out) Where are you, Eros! Eros!
Enter CLEOPATRA
CLEOPATRA enters.
Ah, thou spell! Avaunt!
Ah, you sorceress! Be gone!

CLEOPATRA

Why is my lord enraged against his love?

CLEOPATRA

Why is my lord enraged against his love?

ANTONY

Vanish, or I shall give thee thy deserving,
And blemish Caesar’s triumph. Let him take thee
And hoist thee up to the shouting plebeians!
35 Follow his chariot, like the greatest spot
Of all thy sex. Most monsterlike be shown
For poor’st diminutives, for dolts, and let
Patient Octavia plow thy visage up
With her preparèd nails!

ANTONY

Get out of my sight, or I’ll give you what you deserve and spoil Caesar’s victory. Let him hoist you up in front of the shouting crowds! Follow his chariot, like the greatest disgrace to your whole gender. Let them exhibit you to the public for meager coins, like a monstrosity. Then let Octavia dig up your face with her nails.
Exit CLEOPATRA
CLEOPATRA exits.
’Tis well th’art gone,
40 If it be well to live, but better ’twere
Thou fell’st into my fury, for one death
Might have prevented many.—Eros, ho!—
The shirt of Nessus is upon me. Teach me,
Alcides, thou mine ancestor, thy rage.
45 Let me lodge Lichas on the horns o’ th’ moon,
And with those hands that grasped the heaviest club
Subdue my worthiest self. The witch shall die.
To the young Roman boy she hath sold me, and I fall
Under this plot. She dies for ’t.—Eros, ho!
If you wish to live, you had better get out of here. But I think it would have been better if you’d let me kill you. One death would have prevented the deaths of many others.—Eros, ho!—

I’m wearing the shirt of Nessus.

Hercules was killed by a shirt poisoned with Nessus’ blood. Wild with pain, he threw his servant Lichas all the way to the sea.

I’m wearing the shirt of Nessus.
Hercules, my ancestor, teach me how to feel your rage. I’ll toss Lichas to the moon and use my mighty hands to kill my better self. The witch shall die.
She sold me to that young Roman boy and now I’m ruined. She’ll die for it.—Eros, ho!
Exit He exits.