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Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA , with CHARMIAN and others attending
ANTONY and CLEOPATRA enter with CHARMIAN and others of the court.

ANTONY

(calling) Eros! Mine armor, Eros!

ANTONY

(calling) Eros! Bring my armor, Eros.

CLEOPATRA

Sleep a little.

CLEOPATRA

Get a little sleep.

ANTONY

No, my chuck.—Eros, come, mine armor, Eros!

ANTONY

No, my dear . . . Eros, come on, bring my armor, Eros.
Enter EROS with armor
EROS enters, carrying ANTONY ’s armor.
Come, good fellow, put thine iron on.
If fortune be not ours today, it is
5 Because we brave her. Come.
Come on, good fellow, help me into that armor you’re carrying. If luck deserts us today, it’s because we defy it. Come on.

CLEOPATRA

Nay, I’ll help too.
What’s this for?

CLEOPATRA

No, I’ll help too. What’s this part for?
She helps to arm him
She picks up a piece of the armor.

ANTONY

Ah, let be, let be! Thou art
The armorer of my heart. False, false. This, this.

ANTONY

Ah, leave it alone. Leave it alone! You armor my heart. No! No! That part goes there.

CLEOPATRA

Sooth, la, I’ll help. Thus it must be.

CLEOPATRA

Really, I’ll help. It must go like this.

ANTONY

Well, well,
We shall thrive now.—Seest thou, my good fellow?
10 Go put on thy defenses.

ANTONY

Yes, well done. We’ve got it now.—Do you see this, my good fellow? Go and put on your own armor.

EROS

Briefly, sir.

EROS

In a minute, sir.

CLEOPATRA

Is not this buckled well?

CLEOPATRA

Didn’t I buckle this well?

ANTONY

Rarely, rarely.
He that unbuckles this, till we do please
To doff ’t for our repose, shall hear a storm.—
Thou fumblest, Eros, and my Queen’s a squire
More tight at this than thou. Dispatch.—O love,
That thou couldst see my wars today, and knew’st
The royal occupation! Thou shouldst see
A workman in ’t.

ANTONY

Excellently, excellently. Anyone who unbuckles this before I want to take it off to rest will be sorry.—You’re fumbling, Eros. My Queen’s a better squire than you are. Hurry.—Oh, love, if you could only watch the battle today and see how expert I am at my craft.
Enter an armed SOLDIER
An armed SOLDIER enters.
Good morrow to thee. Welcome.
Thou look’st like him that knows a warlike charge.
20 To business that we love we rise betimes
And go to ’t with delight.
Good morning to you. Welcome. You look like a person who knows the business of war. When we love our job we get up early and go to it joyfully.

SOLDIER

A thousand, sir,
Early though ’t be, have on their riveted trim
And at the port expect you.

SOLDIER

Even though it’s early, there are already a thousand armored soldiers waiting for you at the harbor.
Shout. Trumpets flourish
A shout is heard, then a trumpet fanfare.
Enter CAPTAINS and SOLDIERS
CAPTAINS and SOLDIERS enter.

CAPTAIN

The morn is fair. Good morrow, General.

CAPTAIN

The weather is fair. Good morning, General.

ALL

25 Good morrow, General.

ALL

Good morning, General.

ANTONY

’Tis well blown, lads.
This morning, like the spirit of a youth
That means to be of note, begins betimes.
So, so. (to CLEOPATRA) Come, give me that. This way. Well said.
Fare thee well, dame.

ANTONY

That was a fine fanfare, boys. Like a young man who wants to amount to something, this morning begins early. (to CLEOPATRA) So, so. Here, give me that. This is how it goes on. Well done.
Farewell, lady.
He kisses her
He kisses her.
                                              Whate’er becomes of me,
30 This is a soldier’s kiss. Rebukable
And worthy shameful check it were to stand
On more mechanic compliment. I’ll leave thee
Now like a man of steel. (to others) You that will fight,
Follow me close. I’ll bring you to ’t. (to CLEOPATRA) Adieu.
Whatever happens to me, this is a soldier’s kiss. It would be shameful to draw out our good-byes. I’ll leave you without revealing any emotion, like a man of steel. (to the others) Anyone who wants to fight, follow me now, and I’ll see you get your wish. (to CLEOPATRA) Good-bye.
Exeunt ANTONY , EROS , CAPTAINS , and SOLDIERS ANTONY and EROS exit with the CAPTAINS and SOLDIERS .

CHARMIAN

35 Please you retire to your chamber?

CHARMIAN

If it pleases you, let’s go to your room.

CLEOPATRA

Lead me.
He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might
Determine this great war in single fight!
Then Antony—but now—. Well, on.

CLEOPATRA

Lead the way. He goes forth to war bravely. If only he and Caesar could determine the outcome of this war by single combat! Then Antony would—but, with circumstances as they are—well, let’s go.
Exeunt They exit.

Original Text

Modern Text

Enter ANTONY and CLEOPATRA , with CHARMIAN and others attending
ANTONY and CLEOPATRA enter with CHARMIAN and others of the court.

ANTONY

(calling) Eros! Mine armor, Eros!

ANTONY

(calling) Eros! Bring my armor, Eros.

CLEOPATRA

Sleep a little.

CLEOPATRA

Get a little sleep.

ANTONY

No, my chuck.—Eros, come, mine armor, Eros!

ANTONY

No, my dear . . . Eros, come on, bring my armor, Eros.
Enter EROS with armor
EROS enters, carrying ANTONY ’s armor.
Come, good fellow, put thine iron on.
If fortune be not ours today, it is
5 Because we brave her. Come.
Come on, good fellow, help me into that armor you’re carrying. If luck deserts us today, it’s because we defy it. Come on.

CLEOPATRA

Nay, I’ll help too.
What’s this for?

CLEOPATRA

No, I’ll help too. What’s this part for?
She helps to arm him
She picks up a piece of the armor.

ANTONY

Ah, let be, let be! Thou art
The armorer of my heart. False, false. This, this.

ANTONY

Ah, leave it alone. Leave it alone! You armor my heart. No! No! That part goes there.

CLEOPATRA

Sooth, la, I’ll help. Thus it must be.

CLEOPATRA

Really, I’ll help. It must go like this.

ANTONY

Well, well,
We shall thrive now.—Seest thou, my good fellow?
10 Go put on thy defenses.

ANTONY

Yes, well done. We’ve got it now.—Do you see this, my good fellow? Go and put on your own armor.

EROS

Briefly, sir.

EROS

In a minute, sir.

CLEOPATRA

Is not this buckled well?

CLEOPATRA

Didn’t I buckle this well?

ANTONY

Rarely, rarely.
He that unbuckles this, till we do please
To doff ’t for our repose, shall hear a storm.—
Thou fumblest, Eros, and my Queen’s a squire
More tight at this than thou. Dispatch.—O love,
That thou couldst see my wars today, and knew’st
The royal occupation! Thou shouldst see
A workman in ’t.

ANTONY

Excellently, excellently. Anyone who unbuckles this before I want to take it off to rest will be sorry.—You’re fumbling, Eros. My Queen’s a better squire than you are. Hurry.—Oh, love, if you could only watch the battle today and see how expert I am at my craft.
Enter an armed SOLDIER
An armed SOLDIER enters.
Good morrow to thee. Welcome.
Thou look’st like him that knows a warlike charge.
20 To business that we love we rise betimes
And go to ’t with delight.
Good morning to you. Welcome. You look like a person who knows the business of war. When we love our job we get up early and go to it joyfully.

SOLDIER

A thousand, sir,
Early though ’t be, have on their riveted trim
And at the port expect you.

SOLDIER

Even though it’s early, there are already a thousand armored soldiers waiting for you at the harbor.
Shout. Trumpets flourish
A shout is heard, then a trumpet fanfare.
Enter CAPTAINS and SOLDIERS
CAPTAINS and SOLDIERS enter.

CAPTAIN

The morn is fair. Good morrow, General.

CAPTAIN

The weather is fair. Good morning, General.

ALL

25 Good morrow, General.

ALL

Good morning, General.

ANTONY

’Tis well blown, lads.
This morning, like the spirit of a youth
That means to be of note, begins betimes.
So, so. (to CLEOPATRA) Come, give me that. This way. Well said.
Fare thee well, dame.

ANTONY

That was a fine fanfare, boys. Like a young man who wants to amount to something, this morning begins early. (to CLEOPATRA) So, so. Here, give me that. This is how it goes on. Well done.
Farewell, lady.
He kisses her
He kisses her.
                                              Whate’er becomes of me,
30 This is a soldier’s kiss. Rebukable
And worthy shameful check it were to stand
On more mechanic compliment. I’ll leave thee
Now like a man of steel. (to others) You that will fight,
Follow me close. I’ll bring you to ’t. (to CLEOPATRA) Adieu.
Whatever happens to me, this is a soldier’s kiss. It would be shameful to draw out our good-byes. I’ll leave you without revealing any emotion, like a man of steel. (to the others) Anyone who wants to fight, follow me now, and I’ll see you get your wish. (to CLEOPATRA) Good-bye.
Exeunt ANTONY , EROS , CAPTAINS , and SOLDIERS ANTONY and EROS exit with the CAPTAINS and SOLDIERS .

CHARMIAN

35 Please you retire to your chamber?

CHARMIAN

If it pleases you, let’s go to your room.

CLEOPATRA

Lead me.
He goes forth gallantly. That he and Caesar might
Determine this great war in single fight!
Then Antony—but now—. Well, on.

CLEOPATRA

Lead the way. He goes forth to war bravely. If only he and Caesar could determine the outcome of this war by single combat! Then Antony would—but, with circumstances as they are—well, let’s go.
Exeunt They exit.