The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra: Act 3, Scene 11 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 11 of The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Antony with Attendants. ANTONY Hark, the land bids me tread no more upon ’t. It is ashamed to bear me. Friends, come hither. I am so lated in the world that I Have lost my way forever. I have a ship Laden with gold. Take that, divide it. Fly, 5 And make your peace with Caesar.	Antony, back at Cleopatra’s palace in Alexandria, cries out in shame. He laments that he’s lost to the world forever, and insists that his friends go to a ship he has left full of gold, divide up the spoils, and follow his example by fleeing.
ALL Fly? Not we! ANTONY I have fled myself and have instructed cowards To run and show their shoulders. Friends, begone. I have myself resolved upon a course 10 Which has no need of you. Begone. My treasure’s in the harbor; take it. O, I followed that I blush to look upon! My very hairs do mutiny, for the white Reprove the brown for rashness, and they them 15 For fear and doting. Friends, begone. You shall Have letters from me to some friends that will Sweep your way for you. Pray you look not sad, Nor make replies of loathness. Take the hint Which my despair proclaims. Let that be left 20 Which leaves itself. To the seaside straightway! I will possess you of that ship and treasure. Leave me, I pray, a little—pray you, now, Nay, do so—for indeed I have lost command. Therefore I pray you—I’ll see you by and by. 25 Attendants move aside. Antony sits down.	His men don't want to abandon him, but Antony says his lesser parts have defeated his nobler intuitions, and he has lost control. Overall, he’s kind of a wreck.
Enter Cleopatra led by Charmian, Iras, and Eros. EROS Nay, gentle madam, to him, comfort him. IRAS Do, most dear queen. CHARMIAN Do! Why, what else? CLEOPATRA Let me sit down. O Juno! She sits down. ANTONY No, no, no, no, no. 30 EROS See you here, sir? ANTONY Oh fie, fie, fie! CHARMIAN Madam. IRAS Madam, O good empress! EROS Sir, sir— 35 ANTONY Yes, my lord, yes. He at Philippi kept His sword e’en like a dancer, while I struck The lean and wrinkled Cassius, and ’twas I That the mad Brutus ended. He alone Dealt on lieutenantry, and no practice had 40 In the brave squares of war, yet now—no matter.	Cleopatra enters, but Antony is preoccupied with recounting what a noble soldier he used to be, like that time he oversaw the death of Brutus and Cassius. These victories are mitigated by his present shame.
CLEOPATRA Ah, stand by. EROS The Queen, my lord, the Queen. IRAS Go to him, madam; speak to him. He’s unqualitied with very shame. 45 CLEOPATRA, rising Well, then, sustain me. O! EROS Most noble sir, arise. The Queen approaches. Her head’s declined, and death will seize her but Your comfort makes the rescue. ANTONY I have offended reputation, 50 A most unnoble swerving. EROS Sir, the Queen.	Cleopatra goes to comfort him, with her head hung and looking the very picture of shame.
ANTONY, rising O, whither hast them led me, Egypt? See How I convey my shame out of thine eyes, By looking back what I have left behind 55 ’Stroyed in dishonor. CLEOPATRA O, my lord, my lord, Forgive my fearful sails! I little thought You would have followed.	He asks her how she could lead him to this, and she is full of apologies—she ran away because she was frightened, and never thought he would follow her.
ANTONY Egypt, thou knew’st too well 60 My heart was to thy rudder tied by th’ strings, And thou shouldst tow me after. O’er my spirit Thy full supremacy thou knew’st, and that Thy beck might from the bidding of the gods Command me. 65	He responds in despair. His heart was tied to her rudder; he had to follow because his love for her rules his spirit.
CLEOPATRA O, my pardon! ANTONY Now I must To the young man send humble treaties, dodge And palter in the shifts of lowness, who With half the bulk o’ th’ world played as I pleased, 70 Making and marring fortunes. You did know How much you were my conqueror, and that My sword, made weak by my affection, would Obey it on all cause.	She’s really sorry, it seems, but Antony now has to worry about seeking pardon from Caesar, which is sad since not too long ago he ruled half the world.
CLEOPATRA Pardon, pardon! 75 ANTONY Fall not a tear, I say; one of them rates All that is won and lost. Give me a kiss. They kiss. Even this repays me.— We sent our schoolmaster. Is he come back?— Love, I am full of lead.—Some wine 80 Within there, and our viands! Fortune knows We scorn her most when most she offers blows. They exit.	Still, Cleopatra has power over him; he asks her for a kiss, as this will repay him for all the wrongs. Antony calls for wine and is determined to make merry. He chooses to deliberately ignore all the signs that the entire endeavor against Caesar is cursed.