The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra: Act 3, Scene 2 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 2 of The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Agrippa at one door, Enobarbus at another. AGRIPPA What, are the brothers parted? ENOBARBUS They have dispatched with Pompey; he is gone. The other three are sealing. Octavia weeps To part from Rome. Caesar is sad, and Lepidus, Since Pompey’s feast, as Menas says, is troubled 5 With the greensickness.	Back at Caesar’s house in Rome, Enobarbus and Agrippa talk while the rest of the group work out the details of the truce and its aftermath: Pompey has already left, Antony will take Octavia and go back to Athens, Caesar is sad to see them go, and Lepidus is still pitifully hung over.
AGRIPPA ’Tis a noble Lepidus. ENOBARBUS A very fine one. O, how he loves Caesar! AGRIPPA Nay, but how dearly he adores Mark Antony! ENOBARBUS Caesar? Why, he’s the Jupiter of men. 10 AGRIPPA What’s Antony? The god of Jupiter. ENOBARBUS Spake you of Caesar? How, the nonpareil! AGRIPPA O Antony, O thou Arabian bird! ENOBARBUS Would you praise Caesar, say “Caesar.” Go no further. 15 AGRIPPA Indeed, he plied them both with excellent praises. ENOBARBUS But he loves Caesar best, yet he loves Antony. Hoo, hearts, tongues, figures, scribes, bards, poets, cannot Think, speak, cast, write, sing, number—hoo!— 20 His love to Antony. But as for Caesar, Kneel down, kneel down, and wonder. AGRIPPA Both he loves. ENOBARBUS They are his shards and he their beetle. Trumpet within. So, 25 This is to horse. Adieu, noble Agrippa. AGRIPPA Good fortune, worthy soldier, and farewell.	Enobarbus and Agrippa go back and forth, gently mocking Lepidus about whether he loves Antony or Caesar better. They decide he’s the beetle in the center, and the other two men his wings on either side. Clearly, Lepidus is a joke.
Enter Caesar, Antony, Lepidus, and Octavia. ANTONY No further, sir. CAESAR You take from me a great part of myself. Use me well in ’t.—Sister, prove such a wife 30 As my thoughts make thee, and as my farthest bond Shall pass on thy approof.—Most noble Antony, Let not the piece of virtue which is set Betwixt us, as the cement of our love To keep it builded, be the ram to batter 35 The fortress of it. For better might we Have loved without this mean, if on both parts This be not cherished. ANTONY Make me not offended In your distrust. 40 CAESAR I have said. ANTONY You shall not find, Though you be therein curious, the least cause For what you seem to fear. So the gods keep you, And make the hearts of Romans serve your ends. 45 We will here part. CAESAR Farewell, my dearest sister, fare thee well. The elements be kind to thee and make Thy spirits all of comfort. Fare thee well.	Just then, Lepidus, Antony, Caesar, and Octavia enter the scene. They’re about to say their big goodbyes before they part ways, and Caesar bids Antony to take care of his sister, whose love will seal the bond between the two men.
OCTAVIA My noble brother. She weeps. 50 ANTONY The April’s in her eyes. It is love’s spring, And these the showers to bring it on.—Be cheerful. OCTAVIA, to Caesar Sir, look well to my husband’s house, and— CAESAR What, Octavia? OCTAVIA I’ll tell you in your ear. 55 Caesar and Octavia walk aside.	Octavia bids her brother a teary goodbye, and asks to speak to him privately.
ANTONY Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can Her heart inform her tongue—the swan’s-down feather That stands upon the swell at the full of tide And neither way inclines. 60 ENOBARBUS, aside to Agrippa Will Caesar weep? AGRIPPA He has a cloud in ’s face. ENOBARBUS He were the worse for that were he a horse; So is he being a man. AGRIPPA Why, Enobarbus, 65 When Antony found Julius Caesar dead, He cried almost to roaring. And he wept When at Philippi he found Brutus slain. ENOBARBUS That year indeed he was troubled with a rheum. What willingly he did confound he wailed, 70 Believe ’t, till I wept too.	Enobarbus and Agrippa worry that Caesar will cry, as he wept at Philippi over Brutus.
CAESAR, coming forward with Octavia No, sweet Octavia, You shall hear from me still. The time shall not Outgo my thinking on you. ANTONY Come, sir, come, 75 I’ll wrestle with you in my strength of love. Look, here I have you, thus I let you go, And give you to the gods. CAESAR Adieu, be happy. LEPIDUS, to Antony Let all the number of the stars give light 80 To thy fair way. CAESAR Farewell, farewell. Kisses Octavia. ANTONY Farewell. Trumpets sound. They exit.	Instead, Caesar responds to Octavia’s secret plea that he’ll think of her and be in touch often. Then he gives the couple a final blessing, and all exit.