Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Enter Agrippa, Maecenas, and Caesar. CAESAR
Contemning Rome, he has done all this and more
In Alexandria. Here’s the manner of ’t:
I’ th’ marketplace, on a tribunal silvered,
Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold
Were publicly enthroned. At the feet sat 5
Caesarion, whom they call my father’s son,
And all the unlawful issue that their lust
Since then hath made between them. Unto her
He gave the stablishment of Egypt, made her
Of lower Syria, Cyprus, Lydia, 10
Absolute queen. | In Rome, Caesar fills us in on Antony’s wickedness. He reports that when in Alexandria, Antony chilled out on gold thrones in the marketplace, in full public view, with Cleopatra, Julius Caesar’s son by Cleopatra, and her children by Antony. There he declared her Queen of Egypt and added Syria, Cyprus, and a dash of Lydia to the bounty for good measure. |
MAECENAS This in the public eye? CAESAR
I’ th’ common showplace where they exercise.
His sons he there proclaimed the kings of kings.
Great Media, Parthia, and Armenia 15
He gave to Alexander; to Ptolemy he assigned
Syria, Cilicia, and Phoenicia. She
In th’ habiliments of the goddess Isis
That day appeared, and oft before gave audience,
As ’tis reported, so. 20 | Further, he added areas for the children to rule. All the while, Cleopatra was dressed up as the goddess Isis. |
MAECENAS Let Rome be thus informed. AGRIPPA
Who, queasy with his insolence already,
Will their good thoughts call from him. CAESAR
The people knows it and have now received
His accusations. 25 AGRIPPA Who does he accuse? CAESAR
Caesar, and that, having in Sicily
Sextus Pompeius spoiled, we had not rated him
His part o’ th’ isle. Then does he say he lent me
Some shipping, unrestored. Lastly, he frets 30
That Lepidus of the triumvirate
Should be deposed and, being, that we detain
All his revenue. | Caesar believes this information will turn the people against Antony. He thinks he can win the support of these people even though Antony’s been making some accusations against him, in particular claiming that he (Antony) was wrongly left out of the spoils gained from defeating Pompey, and that Lepidus shouldn’t have been unseated. |
AGRIPPA Sir, this should be answered. CAESAR
’Tis done already, and the messenger gone. 35
I have told him Lepidus was grown too cruel,
That he his high authority abused
And did deserve his change. For what I have
conquered,
I grant him part; but then in his Armenia 40
And other of his conquered kingdoms I
Demand the like. MAECENAS He’ll never yield to that. CAESAR
Nor must not then be yielded to in this. | Caesar says he’s already sent a reply to Antony, insisting that Lepidus had grown too cruel and needed to be overturned (which is suspect, knowing what we know of Lepidus’s character up to this point) and that he’d share his spoils of war with Antony if Antony would do the same. Caesar feels comfortable doing this, as he assumes Antony would never share his bounty. It’s a crooked deal both ways. |
Enter Octavia with her Train. OCTAVIA
Hail, Caesar, and my lord! Hail, most dear Caesar. 45 CAESAR
That ever I should call thee castaway! OCTAVIA
You have not called me so, nor have you cause. CAESAR
Why have you stol’n upon us thus? You come not
Like Caesar’s sister. The wife of Antony
Should have an army for an usher and 50
The neighs of horse to tell of her approach
Long ere she did appear. The trees by th’ way
Should have borne men, and expectation fainted,
Longing for what it had not. Nay, the dust
Should have ascended to the roof of heaven, 55
Raised by your populous troops. But you are come
A market-maid to Rome, and have prevented
The ostentation of our love, which, left unshown,
Is often left unloved. We should have met you
By sea and land, supplying every stage 60
With an augmented greeting. | Octavia enters. Caesar is upset that she arrived with so little fanfare. |
OCTAVIA Good my lord,
To come thus was I not constrained, but did it
On my free will. My lord, Mark Antony,
Hearing that you prepared for war, acquainted 65
My grievèd ear withal, whereon I begged
His pardon for return. | Octavia says she came of her own free will, after hearing her brother would make war against her husband. |
CAESAR Which soon he granted,
Being an abstract ’tween his lust and him. OCTAVIA
Do not say so, my lord. 70 CAESAR I have eyes upon him,
And his affairs come to me on the wind.
Where is he now? OCTAVIA My lord, in Athens. CAESAR
No, my most wrongèd sister. Cleopatra 75
Hath nodded him to her. He hath given his empire
Up to a whore, who now are levying
The kings o’ th’ Earth for war. He hath assembled
Bocchus, the King of Libya; Archelaus
Of Cappadocia; Philadelphos, King 80
Of Paphlagonia; the Thracian king, Adallas;
King Manchus of Arabia; King of Pont;
Herod of Jewry; Mithridates, King
Of Comagen; Polemon and Amyntas,
The Kings of Mede and Lycaonia, 85
With a more larger list of scepters. OCTAVIA Ay me, most wretched,
That have my heart parted betwixt two friends
That does afflict each other! | Caesar cuts her short. It’s clear to him that Antony got Octavia out of the way so he could go back to Cleopatra, and further, that the pair is collecting the kings of the east to wage war against Caesar and Rome. |
CAESAR Welcome hither. 90
Your letters did withhold our breaking forth
Till we perceived both how you were wrong led
And we in negligent danger. Cheer your heart.
Be you not troubled with the time, which drives
O’er your content these strong necessities, 95
But let determined things to destiny
Hold unbewailed their way. Welcome to Rome,
Nothing more dear to me. You are abused
Beyond the mark of thought, and the high gods,
To do you justice, makes his ministers 100
Of us and those that love you. Best of comfort,
And ever welcome to us. AGRIPPA Welcome, lady. MAECENAS Welcome, dear madam.
Each heart in Rome does love and pity you; 105
Only th’ adulterous Antony, most large
In his abominations, turns you off
And gives his potent regiment to a trull
That noises it against us. OCTAVIA, to Caesar Is it so, sir? 110 CAESAR
Most certain. Sister, welcome. Pray you
Be ever known to patience. My dear’st sister! They exit. | Caesar claims that he was holding back on making war on Antony for Octavia’s sake, but now that she’s here, they can be certain Antony has betrayed them both. Octavia seems uncertain. |