The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra: Act 3, Scene 12 Translation

A side-by-side translation of Act 3, Scene 12 of The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra from the original Shakespeare into modern English.

Original Text	Translated Text
Source: Folger Shakespeare Library
Enter Caesar, Agrippa, Thidias, and Dolabella, with others. CAESAR Let him appear that’s come from Antony. Know you him? DOLABELLA Caesar, ’tis his schoolmaster— An argument that he is plucked, when hither He sends so poor a pinion of his wing, 5 Which had superfluous kings for messengers Not many moons gone by.	Antony’s messenger, a schoolmaster (the tutor of his and Cleopatra’s children) arrives at Caesar’s camp in Egypt.
Enter Ambassador from Antony. CAESAR Approach, and speak. AMBASSADOR Such as I am, I come from Antony. I was of late as petty to his ends 10 As is the morn-dew on the myrtle leaf To his grand sea. CAESAR Be ’t so. Declare thine office. AMBASSADOR Lord of his fortunes he salutes thee, and Requires to live in Egypt, which not granted, 15 He lessens his requests, and to thee sues To let him breathe between the heavens and Earth, A private man in Athens. This for him. Next, Cleopatra does confess thy greatness, Submits her to thy might, and of thee craves 20 The circle of the Ptolemies for her heirs, Now hazarded to thy grace.	Antony has sent word with the messenger that he admits Caesar is now his lord. He requests that Caesar let him stay in Egypt, or else let him stay a free and lowly man in Athens. Cleopatra has also admitted to Caesar’s greatness, and her request is that her sons be allowed to keep Egypt for their rule.
CAESAR For Antony, I have no ears to his request. The Queen Of audience nor desire shall fail, so she 25 From Egypt drive her all-disgracèd friend, Or take his life there. This if she perform, She shall not sue unheard. So to them both.	Caesar tells the messenger to refuse Antony’s request. He says he’ll grant Cleopatra’s request, though, if she exiles her lover from Egypt or alternatively has him killed there.
AMBASSADOR Fortune pursue thee!	The schoolmaster is not psyched with this response. (He probably knows Cleopatra tends to knife messengers carrying bad news.)
CAESAR Bring him through the bands. 30 Ambassador exits, with Attendants. To Thidias. To try thy eloquence now ’tis time. Dispatch. From Antony win Cleopatra. Promise, And in our name, what she requires; add more, From thine invention, offers. Women are not 35 In their best fortunes strong, but want will perjure The ne’er-touched vestal. Try thy cunning, Thidias. Make thine own edict for thy pains, which we Will answer as a law. THIDIAS Caesar, I go. 40 CAESAR Observe how Antony becomes his flaw, And what thou think’st his very action speaks In every power that moves. THIDIAS Caesar, I shall. They exit.	Caesar dismisses the messenger and calls over Thidias, one of his men. He asks Thidias to try to lure Cleopatra to their side with his eloquence. Cleopatra, like all women, Caesar claims, is strong when she is fortunate. But with her fortunes down, he says, they might be able to get her to betray Antony.