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Antony and Cleopatra
Antony and Cleopatra Translation Act 4, Scene 4
Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA, with CHARMIAN and others attending
ANTONY
[calling] Eros! Mine armor, Eros!
ANTONY
[Calling] Eros! Bring me my armor, Eros!
CLEOPATRA
Sleep a little.
CLEOPATRA
Sleep a little.
ANTONY
No, my chuck.—Eros, come, mine armor, Eros!
ANTONY
No, my dear—Eros, come, my armor, Eros!
Enter EROS with armor
Come, good fellow, put thine iron on.5If fortune be not ours today, it isBecause we brave her. Come.
Come, my good man, put your amor on. If we don't have good luck today, it is because fortune dislikes the way that we challenge her. Come.
CLEOPATRA
Nay, I’ll help too.What’s this for?
CLEOPATRA
No, I'll help too. What's this for?
She helps to arm him
ANTONY
Ah, let be, let be! Thou art10The armorer of my heart. False, false. This, this.
ANTONY
Ah, leave it alone, leave it alone! It's bad enough that you put the armor on my heart. [Showing CLEOPATRA how to put on the armor properly] That's not how you do it. Like this, like this.
CLEOPATRA
Sooth, la, I’ll help. Thus it must be.
CLEOPATRA
Really, I'll help. This is how it should be.
ANTONY
Well, well,We shall thrive now.—Seest thou, my good fellow?Go put on thy defenses.
ANTONY
Well, well, we'll succeed now.
[To EROS] Do you see, my good man? Go put on your armor.
EROS
15 Briefly, sir.
EROS
Soon, sir.
CLEOPATRA
Is not this buckled well?
CLEOPATRA
Isn't this buckled well?
ANTONY
Rarely, rarely. He that unbuckles this, till we do please To doff ’t for our repose, shall hear a storm.— 20 Thou fumblest, Eros, and my Queen’s a squire More tight at this than thou. Dispatch. —O love, That thou couldst see my wars today, and knew’st The royal occupation! Thou shouldst see A workman in ’t.
ANTONY
Uncommonly well. The one that unbuckles this armor—until I am pleased to take it off and rest—will face my anger.
[To EROS] You're fumbling, Eros, and my Queen is more skillful as a squire than you are. Hurry.
[To CLEOPATRA] Oh my love, if only you could see me in battle today, and if only you were familiar with the techniques of war! You'd see an expert at work.
Enter an armed SOLDIER
25 Good morrow to thee. Welcome. Thou look’st like him that knows a warlike charge. To business that we love we rise betimes And go to ’t with delight.
Good morning to you. Welcome. You look like someone who understands the business of war. We get up early to do the work that we love and we take great delight from it.
SOLDIER
A thousand, sir,30Early though ’t be, have on their riveted trimAnd at the port expect you.
SOLDIER
Even though it is early, sir, a thousand soldiers have put on their armor and wait for you at the port.
Shout. Trumpets flourish
Enter CAPTAINS and SOLDIERS
CAPTAIN
The morn is fair. Good morrow, General.
CAPTAIN
It is a favorable morning. Good morning, General.
ALL
Good morrow, General.
ALL
Good morning, General.
ANTONY
’Tis well blown, lads. 35 This morning, like the spirit of a youth That means to be of note, begins betimes. So, so. [To CLEOPATRA] Come, give me that. This way. Well said. Fare thee well, dame.
ANTONY
The morning begins well, boys. Like a spirited young man who means to accomplish great things, it gets started early. So, so.
[To CLEOPATRA] Come, give me that. Like this. Well done. Goodbye to you, my lady.
He kisses her
40 Whate’er becomes of me, This is a soldier’s kiss. Rebukable And worthy shameful check it were to stand On more mechanic compliment. I’ll leave thee Now like a man of steel. [To others] You that will45 fight, Follow me close. I’ll bring you to ’t. [To CLEOPATRA] Adieu.
ANTONY
Whatever happens to me, this is a soldier's kiss. It would be shameful and worthy of a scolding if I were to give you any baser or less noble a compliment than that. I'll leave you now like a true soldier.
[To the others] You who wish to fight, follow me closely, I'll bring you into battle.
[To CLEOPATRA] Farewell.
Exeunt ANTONY, EROS, CAPTAINS, and SOLDIERS
CHARMIAN
Please you retire to your chamber?
CHARMIAN
Would you like to retire to your room?
CLEOPATRA
Lead me. 50 He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might Determine this great war in single fight! Then Antony—but now—. Well, on.
CLEOPATRA
Lead me. He goes forward bravely. If only he and Caesar could fight this war through single combat! Then Antony—but now—Well, let's go.
Exeunt
About the Translator: Maria Devlin
Maria Devlin received her Ph.D. in English Literature from Harvard University, where she specialized in Renaissance drama. She has worked as a bibliographical and editorial assistant for The Norton Anthology of English Literature and for The Norton Shakespeare. She is currently working with Stephen Greenblatt to design online courses on Shakespeare, including the modules "Hamlet's Ghost" and "Shylock's Bond" offered through HarvardX. She is writing a book on Renaissance comedy.
Maria Devlin wishes to credit the following sources, which she consulted extensively in composing her translations and annotations:
William Shakespeare. The New Oxford Shakespeare: Modern Critical Edition. Eds. Gary Taylor et al. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2016.
William Shakespeare. The Norton Shakespeare, 3rd ed. Eds. Stephen Greenblatt et al. New York: W.W. Norton& Company, Inc., 2016.
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