Your hostages I have, so have you mine,
And we shall talk before we fight.
I have your hostages, and you have mine, so we can have a conversation before we fight.
I've got your hostages and you've got mine—so let's talk before things get violent.
i have your hostages you have mine lets talk first
Most meet
That first we come to words, and therefore have we
Our written purposes before us sent,
Which if thou hast considered, let us know
If ’twill tie up thy discontented sword
And carry back to Sicily much tall youth
That else must perish here.
It's most appropriate that we speak first, which is why we sent our written terms ahead. If you've reviewed them, let us know whether they'll satisfy you and stop you from drawing your sword, so we can send back to Sicily many young men who would otherwise die here.
Speaking first makes the most sense, and that's why we sent our proposals ahead. Have you looked them over? Tell us if they work for you and if you'll stop threatening war—that way, lots of young Sicilian soldiers can go back home instead of dying here.
talking first is smart we sent our terms do they work for you? can we stop this before more die?
To you all three,
The senators alone of this great world,
Chief factors for the gods: I do not know
Wherefore my father should revengers want,
Having a son and friends, since Julius Caesar,
Who at Philippi the good Brutus ghosted,
There saw you labouring for him. What was’t
That moved pale Cassius to conspire? And what
Made the all-honoured, honest Roman, Brutus,
With the armed rest, courtiers of beauteous freedom,
To drench the Capitol, but that they would
Have one man but a man? And that is it
Hath made me rig my navy, at whose burden
The angered ocean foams, with which I meant
To scourge th’ ingratitude that despiteful Rome
Cast on my noble father.
To you three, the world's only rulers and representatives of the gods: I don't understand why my father needed to seek revenge, since he had me and friends. Julius Caesar—who killed the noble Brutus at Philippi—and you three were there fighting for him. What made the pale Cassius conspire? What made the honored, honest Roman Brutus and his armed companions, lovers of freedom, kill so many in the Capitol, if not because they wanted to keep any single man from ruling alone? That's what's driven me to build a massive fleet—the sea itself froths under its weight—because I meant to use it to punish Rome for the ingratitude it showed my father.
You three are the world's only real rulers and act as the gods' representatives. I don't get why my father needed anyone else to get revenge—he had me and plenty of friends. Julius Caesar killed the noble Brutus at Philippi, and you three were there helping him. What pushed Cassius to plot against Caesar? What made the respected and honest Brutus and all his armed allies, who fought for freedom, massacre people in the Capitol? They did it because they didn't want one man ruling everything. And that's exactly why I've built this enormous navy—the ocean itself shakes under the weight of it—because I want to make Rome pay for how badly they treated my father.
caesar killed brutus at philippi you three were there helping him why did cassius and brutus fight back? they didnt want one guy ruling everything so i built a massive fleet to punish rome for betraying my dad
Take your time.
Take your time.
Take your time.
take your time.
Thou canst not fear us, Pompey, with thy sails.
We’ll speak with thee at sea. At land thou know’st
How much we do o’ercount thee.
You can't threaten us with your navy, Pompey. We can meet you at sea and talk there. On land, you know how much we outnumber you.
Your ships aren't going to intimidate us, Pompey. We're happy to meet you on the ocean and discuss things. But on land, you're well aware that you're completely outnumbered.
your ships dont scare us lets talk at sea on land youre massively outnumbered
At land indeed
Thou dost o’ercount me of my father’s house;
But since the cuckoo builds not for himself,
Remain in’t as thou mayst.
Yes, on land you definitely outnumber me and have taken my father's property. But since the cuckoo doesn't build its own nest and lives in other birds' homes, you can stay in it however you want.
Right, on land you've got way more soldiers and you're sitting in my father's house. But since cuckoos don't make their own nests—they just live in other birds'—go ahead and stay there as long as you can.
yeah on land youre outnumbering me you took my dads house cuckoos dont make their own nests so stay in mine i guess
Be pleased to tell us—
For this is from the present—how you take
The offers we have sent you.
Would you please tell us—since this is getting away from the main point—how you feel about the proposals we sent you?
Can you tell us what you actually think of the offers we sent over? We're getting a bit off track here.
what do you think of our offers? lets focus on that
There’s the point.
There’s the point.
There’s the point.
there’s the point.
Which do not be entreated to, but weigh
What it is worth embraced.
Don't let yourself be persuaded into it, but consider what value it actually has.
Don't just say yes because someone's pushing you—think about what it's actually worth.
dont just agree think about what its really worth
And what may follow
To try a larger fortune.
And what might happen if you take a chance on a bigger prize.
Or what could happen if you gamble for something bigger.
what if you gamble for more
You have made me offer
Of Sicily, Sardinia; and I must
Rid all the sea of pirates; then to send
Measures of wheat to Rome. This ’greed upon,
To part with unhacked edges and bear back
Our targes undinted.
CAESAR, ANTONY, and LEPIDUS.
That’s our offer.
You've offered me Sicily and Sardinia, and in return I must clear all the pirates from the sea, then send grain shipments to Rome. Once we agree to this, we'll part without any bloodshed and carry back our weapons and shields unharmed.
You're offering me Sicily and Sardinia, and I'd have to clear the pirates out of the sea and send grain to Rome. If we make this deal, we leave without fighting and keep our weapons and shields intact.
you offer sicily and sardinia i clear pirates i send grain to rome no fighting everybody keeps their weapons
Know, then,
I came before you here a man prepared
To take this offer. But Mark Antony
Put me to some impatience. Though I lose
The praise of it by telling, you must know
When Caesar and your brother were at blows,
Your mother came to Sicily and did find
Her welcome friendly.
Understand this: I came here ready and willing to accept your offer. But Mark Antony has made me wait, which is frustrating. Even though I'll get less credit for doing this if I have to explain it, you should know that when Caesar and your brother were fighting, your mother came to Sicily and found that I welcomed her kindly.
Look, I showed up here ready to take your deal. But Antony's been testing my patience. I know it makes me look less impressive to have to say this, but when Caesar and your brother were at war, your mother came to Sicily and I treated her with respect and kindness.
i came ready to accept antony made me wait your mom came to sicily once i treated her really well
I have heard it, Pompey,
And am well studied for a liberal thanks
Which I do owe you.
I've heard about that, Pompey, and I've prepared to thank you generously for how you treated my mother.
Yeah, I've heard about that, and I know I owe you some serious thanks for how you looked after my mother.
yeah i heard i owe you big time for treating my mom well
Let me have your hand.
I did not think, sir, to have met you here.
Give me your hand in agreement. I didn't expect to meet you here, sir.
Shake my hand. I really didn't think you'd be here.
shake my hand didn't expect you
The beds i’ th’ East are soft; and thanks to you,
That called me timelier than my purpose hither,
For I have gained by ’t.
The beds in the East are soft, and I thank you for calling me back here sooner than I planned, because I've benefited from it.
Life in the East is pretty comfortable, and I'm grateful to you for bringing me here earlier than I expected—it's turned out well for me.
the east is comfortable thanks for bringing me here earlier it worked out great for me
Pompey's long speech invoking Brutus, Cassius, and the cause of liberty is his most sustained public argument in the play — and it doesn't quite work. His case is that he fights, like the assassins, to prevent any one man from being more than a man. But he's making this argument to the three most powerful men in the world, asking them to give him Sicily and Sardinia. The audience can feel the logic straining. Caesar's dismissal — 'Take your time' — is perfectly calibrated: it deflates the rhetoric without engaging it. Pompey is more comfortable with grievance than with strategy. His power is naval; his case is sentimental. Both are real but neither is enough.
Since I saw you last,
There is a change upon you.
I can see a change in you since we last met.
Something's different about you since I last saw you.
youre different than before
Well, I know not
What counts harsh Fortune casts upon my face,
But in my bosom shall she never come
To make my heart her vassal.
I don't know what effects harsh fortune might show on my face, but she'll never penetrate my heart to make it her servant.
Who knows what bad luck might show on my face, but fortune will never make my heart surrender and obey her.
bad luck might show on my face but shell never control my heart
Well met here.
Good to see you here.
Good to see you.
good to see you
I hope so, Lepidus. Thus we are agreed.
I crave our composition may be written
And sealed between us.
I hope so too, Lepidus. We've reached an agreement. I ask that our peace treaty be written down and sealed between us.
I hope so too. So we're in agreement. I'd like us to put this deal in writing and seal it officially.
yes were agreed lets write it down and seal the deal
That’s the next to do.
That's exactly what we'll do next.
That's what we're doing right now.
on it
We’ll feast each other ere we part, and let’s
Draw lots who shall begin.
Let's have a feast together before we leave, and we'll draw lots to see who hosts first.
Before we head out, we should celebrate together—let's draw lots to see who throws the first dinner.
lets feast before we leave whos hosting first?
That will I, Pompey.
I'll do it, Pompey.
I'll be the one to do it, Pompey.
ill do it
No, Antony, take the lot.
But, first or last, your fine Egyptian cookery
Shall have the fame. I have heard that Julius Caesar
Grew fat with feasting there.
No, Antony, let the lots decide. But whether your Egyptian cooking comes first or last, it will be famous. I've heard that Julius Caesar got fat from all the feasting in Egypt.
No way, Antony—let luck decide this. Either way, your Egyptian food is going to be the star of the show. Julius Caesar supposedly got really fat from all the feasting he did in Egypt.
let luck decide your egyptian food will be amazing julius caesar got fat from it
You have heard much.
You've certainly heard a lot of stories.
Wow, you've heard quite a bit.
youve heard a lot
I have fair meanings, sir.
My intentions are good, sir.
I mean well, sir.
i mean well
And fair words to them.
And you have nice words to back them up too.
And you know how to put those good intentions into words.
and you know how to talk the talk
Then so much have I heard.
And I have heard Apollodorus carried—
Then that's what I've heard about. And I've also heard that Apollodorus carried—
That's what I've been hearing. And I've also heard that Apollodorus carried—
thats what ive heard i also heard apollodorus carried—
No more of that. He did so.
Don't go there. It's true.
Stop right there. Yeah, he did.
stop he did
What, I pray you?
What was it, please?
What was it?
tell me what
A certain queen to Caesar in a mattress.
A certain queen was delivered to Caesar rolled up in a mattress.
A queen got rolled up in a mattress to visit Caesar secretly.
a queen rolled in a mattress to see caesar
I know thee now. How far’st thou, soldier?
Now I recognize you. How are you doing, soldier?
Oh, now I know who you are! How've you been, soldier?
now i know you hows it going soldier
Well;
And well am like to do, for I perceive
Four feasts are toward.
I'm doing well, and I'll probably keep doing well because I can see four feasts coming up.
Great, and things are looking good because I can tell there are going to be four big feasts.
im good and things look great four feasts incoming
Let me shake thy hand.
I never hated thee. I have seen thee fight
When I have envied thy behaviour.
Let me shake your hand. I never hated you. I've seen you fight, and I've envied the way you conduct yourself.
Shake my hand. I never disliked you. I've watched you fight, and honestly, I've admired how you handle yourself.
shake my hand i always respected you i admired how you fight
Of all the characters in Antony and Cleopatra, Enobarbus is the one who consistently sees clearly. He is a soldier whose intelligence runs through observation rather than loyalty, though loyalty matters to him too. In this scene, in a conversation with an enemy lieutenant, he delivers an analysis of the Antony-Caesar alliance that proves precisely accurate: the marriage will strangle the friendship. He knows this because he knows Antony. 'He will to his Egyptian dish again.' He says it without judgment, almost without emotion. This is what makes the later scenes so painful: Enobarbus sees what's coming, stays anyway, and is destroyed by the loyalty he couldn't entirely overcome.
Sir,
I never loved you much, but I ha’ praised ye
When you have well deserved ten times as much
As I have said you did.
Sir, I've never really cared for you much, but I've praised you when you deserved ten times as much praise as I actually gave you.
Look, I never really liked you that much, but I've praised you anyway—honestly, you deserved way more credit than I actually gave you.
never liked you much but ive always given you credit you deserve even more
Enjoy thy plainness;
It nothing ill becomes thee.
Aboard my galley I invite you all.
Will you lead, lords?
CAESAR, ANTONY, and LEPIDUS.
Show’s the way, sir.
I appreciate your straightforwardness—it suits you well. I'm inviting you all aboard my ship. Will you lead the way, gentlemen? We'll follow, sir.
Your honesty is refreshing—it looks good on you. Come aboard my ship, all of you. Would you lead the way, lords? We're right behind you, sir.
i like your directness come aboard my ship lead the way well follow
Come.
Come.
Come.
come.
[_Aside_.] Thy father, Pompey, would ne’er have made this treaty.—
You and I have known, sir.
Your father, Pompey, would never have made this treaty. You and I have known each other before, sir.
Your father, Pompey, never would have agreed to a peace treaty like this. But you and I have crossed paths before, haven't we?
your father would never have agreed to this we've met before
At sea, I think.
Yes, I think it was at sea.
Yeah, I think it was at sea.
yeah at sea
We have, sir.
We have, sir.
We have, sir.
we have, sir.
You have done well by water.
You've had great success commanding at sea.
You've been pretty impressive on the water.
youre good with ships
And you by land.
And you've been successful on land.
And you've done well on land yourself.
youre good on land
I will praise any man that will praise me, though it cannot be denied
what I have done by land.
I'll praise anyone who praises me, though I have to admit I've done some impressive things on land too.
I'll sing anyone's praises if they sing mine, though I have to say I've also made a name for myself on land.
ill praise anyone who praises me but yeah ive done good things on land too
Nor what I have done by water.
Just as much as you have to acknowledge what I've done at sea.
And you have to give me credit for what I've done on the water.
and give me credit for what ive done at sea
Yes, something you can deny for your own safety: you have been a great
thief by sea.
Right—except that you could deny being a great pirate at sea and you'd be wise to do so, because it's not exactly a point of pride.
Yeah, the one thing you should probably deny—for your own sake—is that you've been a major pirate.
but you should deny being a pirate its not exactly impressive
And you by land.
Just the way you should deny being a robber on land.
The same way you should be careful bragging about robbing people on land.
same with you and land
There I deny my land service. But give me your hand, Menas. If our eyes
had authority, here they might take two thieves kissing.
I do deny any robberies I've done on land. But come on, shake my hand, Menas. If our eyes had the power to arrest people, they could arrest us both for being thieves right here.
I'm absolutely denying that I've stolen from anyone on land. Now give me a handshake anyway. If our eyes could make arrests, they'd catch the both of us as thieves standing right here.
i deny land robbery shake my hand our eyes could arrest us both for being thieves
All men’s faces are true, whatsome’er their hands are.
All men have honest faces, no matter what their hands have done.
Everyone looks sincere, no matter what shady stuff they've actually pulled.
everyone looks sincere no matter what they actually did
But there is never a fair woman has a true face.
But beautiful women never have sincere faces.
But beautiful women? Their faces are never honest.
but pretty women their faces are fake
No slander. They steal hearts.
That's not slander. They steal hearts.
Yeah, that's not unfair. They do steal hearts.
they be stealing hearts
We came hither to fight with you.
We came here to fight you.
We were supposed to be fighting you.
we were supposed to fight
Shakespeare designs this scene in two distinct halves with completely different tonal registers. The first half (001-039) is formal, ceremonial, full of careful language and public performance. Both sides speak for the record. The second half (041-073) — after the great men leave — drops into colloquial prose, direct speech, private candor. This structural technique is one of Shakespeare's most sophisticated devices: the official event, then the real conversation. The audience gets both versions of reality, and the gap between them is the play's argument. The deal is done and the alliance is sealed; also, the alliance is already over. Both things are true at once.
For my part, I am sorry it is turned to a drinking. Pompey doth this
day laugh away his fortune.
As for me, I'm disappointed this has turned into a drinking party. Pompey's throwing away his fortune today by laughing instead of fighting.
Honestly, I'm bummed this turned into just drinking and partying. Pompey's blowing his chance to win today by sitting around laughing.
too bad its just drinking pompey's wasting his chance
If he do, sure he cannot weep ’t back again.
If he does throw it away, he definitely won't be able to cry it back.
If he wastes it, there's no way he's getting it back through tears.
once its gone he cant cry to get it back
You have said, sir. We looked not for Mark Antony here. Pray you, is he
married to Cleopatra?
You make a good point, sir. We weren't expecting Mark Antony to show up. Is he married to Cleopatra?
Fair point. We didn't expect to see Mark Antony here. So is he actually married to Cleopatra?
we didnt expect antony is he married to cleopatra?
Caesar’s sister is called Octavia.
The woman who is Caesar's sister goes by the name Octavia.
Caesar's sister is named Octavia.
caesars sister is octavia
True, sir. She was the wife of Caius Marcellus.
That's right. She was married to Caius Marcellus before.
Yeah, she was married to Caius Marcellus.
married to marcellus before
But she is now the wife of Marcus Antonius.
But she's now married to Mark Antony.
So she ended up marrying Mark Antony.
now shes married to mark antony
Pray you, sir?
Really, sir?
Are you serious?
really
’Tis true.
It's true.
Yeah, it's true.
its true
Then is Caesar and he for ever knit together.
So Caesar and Mark Antony are now permanently united.
So that ties Caesar and Mark Antony together forever.
so theyre tied together forever
If I were bound to divine of this unity, I would not prophesy so.
If I were forced to guess how this partnership would work out, I wouldn't predict it would last.
If I had to predict how this unity would play out, I'd say it won't work out well.
if i had to guess i wouldnt bet on their partnership
I think the policy of that purpose made more in the marriage than the
love of the parties.
I think the strategy behind the deal mattered more to this marriage than any actual love between them.
I think this marriage is more about the political strategy than any real love between them.
its politics not love
I think so too. But you shall find the band that seems to tie their
friendship together will be the very strangler of their amity. Octavia
is of a holy, cold, and still conversation.
I agree. But you'll see that the bond that seems to hold their friendship together will actually destroy it. Octavia is virtuous and reserved, with a cold and quiet manner.
Exactly. But what looks like it's bringing them together will actually tear them apart. Octavia is devout, detached, and doesn't say much—she's pretty uptight.
what brings them together will break them apart octavias cold and quiet
Who would not have his wife so?
Who wouldn't want his wife to be like that?
I mean, who wouldn't want their wife to be like that?
who wouldnt want that in a wife?
Not he that himself is not so; which is Mark Antony. He will to his
Egyptian dish again. Then shall the sighs of Octavia blow the fire up
in Caesar, and, as I said before, that which is the strength of their
amity shall prove the immediate author of their variance. Antony will
use his affection where it is. He married but his occasion here.
Not Mark Antony—because he's not like that at all. He'll go back to Cleopatra. Then Octavia's sadness will make Caesar angry, and like I said, the thing that's supposed to be holding their friendship together will actually be what destroys it. Antony's going to give his love to where his heart actually is. He married Octavia for nothing more than political advantage.
Not Mark Antony—he's nothing like that. He's going to go running back to Cleopatra. That'll break Octavia's heart, which will make Caesar furious, and this marriage that's supposed to keep them friends will be exactly what tears them apart. Antony's heart belongs to Cleopatra, and he only married Octavia for the deal.
not antony he'll go back to cleopatra octavias pain will anger caesar the marriage will destroy them he only married for the politics
And thus it may be. Come, sir, will you aboard? I have a health for
you.
Yes, that's probably what will happen. Come on, will you come aboard? I have a toast prepared for you.
That's probably exactly how it'll go. Come on, get aboard my ship. I've got a drink with your name on it.
yeah thats what will happen come aboard i have a toast for you
I shall take it, sir. We have used our throats in Egypt.
I'll drink it. We've certainly had plenty to drink in Egypt.
I'll take that. We've done plenty of drinking in Egypt.
ill take it weve drunk a lot in egypt
Come, let’s away.
Come on, let's go.
Come on, let's get out of here.
come on lets go
The Reckoning
The scene has two completely different registers. The first half is formal political theater — careful, guarded, all posturing and leverage. Pompey gets his deal but can't hide his bitterness about Antony living in his father's house. Antony gives him a graceful acknowledgment about his mother's refuge in Sicily. Then everyone boards the galley. The second half — Enobarbus and Menas talking frankly while the great men feast — is where the real analysis happens. Enobarbus destroys the peace treaty in about four sentences. He doesn't gloat. He's just right, and he knows it, and it costs him nothing because he said it only to Menas.
If this happened today…
Two companies just signed a major partnership agreement. The press conference was smooth. As the executives clear the lobby, two mid-level veterans from rival firms shake hands and light cigarettes outside. 'You think this holds?' 'Six months.' 'I'd say eight.' 'The CEO's already calling his ex.' 'Yeah. That's what I thought.' They both go inside.