payment page
Continue reading with a SparkNotes PLUS trial
Already have an account? Log in
Original Text |
Modern Text |
|
Enter POMPEY , MENECRATES , and MENAS , in warlike manner
|
Enter POMPEY , MENECRATES , and MENAS , in warlike manner
|
|
POMPEY If the great gods be just, they shall assist
The deeds of justest men.
|
POMPEY If the great gods be just, they shall assist
The deeds of justest men.
|
|
MENAS Know, worthy Pompey,
That what they do delay, they not deny.
|
MENAS Know, worthy Pompey,
That what they do delay, they not deny.
|
|
POMPEY Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays
5 The thing we sue for.
|
POMPEY Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays
The thing we sue for.
|
|
MENAS We, ignorant of ourselves,
Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good, so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.
|
MENAS We, ignorant of ourselves,
Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good, so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.
|
|
POMPEY I shall do well.
The people love me, and the sea is mine.
10 My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to th’ full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where
He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both,
15 Of both is flattered, but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.
|
POMPEY I shall do well.
The people love me, and the sea is mine.
My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to th’ full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where
He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flattered, but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.
|
|
MENAS Caesar and Lepidus
Are in the field. A mighty strength they carry.
|
MENAS Caesar and Lepidus
Are in the field. A mighty strength they carry.
|
|
POMPEY Where have you this? ’Tis false.
|
POMPEY Where have you this? ’Tis false.
|
|
MENAS From Silvius, sir.
|
MENAS From Silvius, sir.
|
|
POMPEY He dreams. I know they are in Rome together
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wanned lip!
Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both.
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean cooks,
25 Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honor
Even till a Lethe’d dulness—
|
POMPEY He dreams. I know they are in Rome together
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wanned lip!
Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both.
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean cooks,
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honor
Even till a Lethe’d dulness—
|
|
Enter VARRIUS
|
Enter VARRIUS
|
|
How now, Varrius?
|
How now, Varrius?
|
|
VARRIUS This is most certain that I shall deliver:
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
30 Expected. Since he went from Egypt ’tis
A space for farther travel.
|
VARRIUS This is most certain that I shall deliver:
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
Expected. Since he went from Egypt ’tis
A space for farther travel.
|
|
POMPEY I could have given less matter
A better ear.—Menas, I did not think
This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm
35 For such a petty war. His soldiership
Is twice the other twain. But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt’s widow pluck
The ne’er lust-wearied Antony.
|
POMPEY I could have given less matter
A better ear.—Menas, I did not think
This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm
For such a petty war. His soldiership
Is twice the other twain. But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt’s widow pluck
The ne’er lust-wearied Antony.
|
|
MENAS I cannot hope
40 Caesar and Antony shall well greet together.
His wife that’s dead did trespasses to Caesar.
His brother warred upon him, although, I think,
Not moved by Antony.
|
MENAS I cannot hope
Caesar and Antony shall well greet together.
His wife that’s dead did trespasses to Caesar.
His brother warred upon him, although, I think,
Not moved by Antony.
|
|
POMPEY I know not, Menas,
How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
45 Were ’t not that we stand up against them all,
’Twere pregnant they should square between themselves,
For they have entertainèd cause enough
To draw their swords. But how the fear of us
May cement their divisions and bind up
50 The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be ’t as our gods will have ’t. It only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
|
POMPEY I know not, Menas,
How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
Were ’t not that we stand up against them all,
’Twere pregnant they should square between themselves,
For they have entertainèd cause enough
To draw their swords. But how the fear of us
May cement their divisions and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be ’t as our gods will have ’t. It only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
|
| Exeunt | Exeunt |
Original Text |
Modern Text |
|
Enter POMPEY , MENECRATES , and MENAS , in warlike manner
|
Enter POMPEY , MENECRATES , and MENAS , in warlike manner
|
|
POMPEY If the great gods be just, they shall assist
The deeds of justest men.
|
POMPEY If the great gods be just, they shall assist
The deeds of justest men.
|
|
MENAS Know, worthy Pompey,
That what they do delay, they not deny.
|
MENAS Know, worthy Pompey,
That what they do delay, they not deny.
|
|
POMPEY Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays
5 The thing we sue for.
|
POMPEY Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays
The thing we sue for.
|
|
MENAS We, ignorant of ourselves,
Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good, so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.
|
MENAS We, ignorant of ourselves,
Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good, so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.
|
|
POMPEY I shall do well.
The people love me, and the sea is mine.
10 My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to th’ full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where
He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both,
15 Of both is flattered, but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.
|
POMPEY I shall do well.
The people love me, and the sea is mine.
My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to th’ full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make
No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where
He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flattered, but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.
|
|
MENAS Caesar and Lepidus
Are in the field. A mighty strength they carry.
|
MENAS Caesar and Lepidus
Are in the field. A mighty strength they carry.
|
|
POMPEY Where have you this? ’Tis false.
|
POMPEY Where have you this? ’Tis false.
|
|
MENAS From Silvius, sir.
|
MENAS From Silvius, sir.
|
|
POMPEY He dreams. I know they are in Rome together
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wanned lip!
Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both.
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean cooks,
25 Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honor
Even till a Lethe’d dulness—
|
POMPEY He dreams. I know they are in Rome together
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wanned lip!
Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both.
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean cooks,
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honor
Even till a Lethe’d dulness—
|
|
Enter VARRIUS
|
Enter VARRIUS
|
|
How now, Varrius?
|
How now, Varrius?
|
|
VARRIUS This is most certain that I shall deliver:
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
30 Expected. Since he went from Egypt ’tis
A space for farther travel.
|
VARRIUS This is most certain that I shall deliver:
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome
Expected. Since he went from Egypt ’tis
A space for farther travel.
|
|
POMPEY I could have given less matter
A better ear.—Menas, I did not think
This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm
35 For such a petty war. His soldiership
Is twice the other twain. But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt’s widow pluck
The ne’er lust-wearied Antony.
|
POMPEY I could have given less matter
A better ear.—Menas, I did not think
This amorous surfeiter would have donned his helm
For such a petty war. His soldiership
Is twice the other twain. But let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt’s widow pluck
The ne’er lust-wearied Antony.
|
|
MENAS I cannot hope
40 Caesar and Antony shall well greet together.
His wife that’s dead did trespasses to Caesar.
His brother warred upon him, although, I think,
Not moved by Antony.
|
MENAS I cannot hope
Caesar and Antony shall well greet together.
His wife that’s dead did trespasses to Caesar.
His brother warred upon him, although, I think,
Not moved by Antony.
|
|
POMPEY I know not, Menas,
How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
45 Were ’t not that we stand up against them all,
’Twere pregnant they should square between themselves,
For they have entertainèd cause enough
To draw their swords. But how the fear of us
May cement their divisions and bind up
50 The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be ’t as our gods will have ’t. It only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
|
POMPEY I know not, Menas,
How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
Were ’t not that we stand up against them all,
’Twere pregnant they should square between themselves,
For they have entertainèd cause enough
To draw their swords. But how the fear of us
May cement their divisions and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be ’t as our gods will have ’t. It only stands
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
|
| Exeunt | Exeunt |
Read the Summary
Read the Summary of Antony and Cleopatra.
Shakespeare’s Life & Times
Dive into our comprehensive guide to ace your Shakespeare assignments
Take a study break
The 7 Most Messed-Up Short Stories We All Had to Read in School
Did you know you can highlight text to take a note?
x
