The servants who open the scene have no names but sharp eyes. They observe the powerful men with the irreverent clarity of those who carry their chairs and fill their cups. Their commentary on Lepidus — that he's been made drunk as a tool, that his dignity is a pretense — is the most honest analysis in the first half of the scene.
Here they’ll be, man. Some o’ their plants are ill-rooted already; the
least wind i’ th’ world will blow them down.
They'll be here soon, my friend. Some of their plants aren't well rooted yet; even the gentlest breeze will knock them down.
They'll show up, man. These guys are like plants with weak roots—the slightest wind will topple them.
they're coming these guys have no foundation slightest breeze knocks em over
Lepidus is high-coloured.
Lepidus is flushed.
Lepidus is getting red in the face.
lepidus is blushing
They have made him drink alms-drink.
They've given him the cheapest drinks.
They're making him drink the cheap stuff.
they're giving him cheap wine
As they pinch one another by the disposition, he cries out “no more”,
reconciles them to his entreaty and himself to th’ drink.
Whenever they poke and goad each other out of spite, he yells 'stop', calms them down with his begging, and turns back to the wine.
When they're needling each other, he jumps in yelling 'enough!' and talks them down, then goes right back to drinking.
when they needle each other he yells stop then drinks more
But it raises the greater war between him and his discretion.
But it creates a bigger conflict between him and his own good judgment.
But it's creating this bigger war between him and his own sense of restraint.
it's a war between him and his own judgment
Why, this it is to have a name in great men’s fellowship. I had as lief
have a reed that will do me no service as a partisan I could not heave.
This is what it means to be part of great men's circle. I'd just as soon carry a useless reed as a weapon I can't lift.
That's what you get when you run with powerful people. Might as well be carrying a stick if I can't even lift the spear they want me to hold.
that's the cost of joining great men's clubs i can't even carry my own weapon
To be called into a huge sphere, and not to be seen to move in ’t, are
the holes where eyes should be, which pitifully disaster the cheeks.
A sennet sounded. Enter Caesar, Antony, Pompey, Lepidus, Agrippa,
Maecenas, Enobarbus, Menas with other Captains.
To be brought into such a large arena of power and yet be invisible within it—that's like having empty holes where eyes should be, which sadly ruins the face.
You get called up to this big powerful position but you're invisible in it—like having empty eye sockets where your face should be, which just wrecks your whole look.
called to power but invisible like empty eye sockets looks destroyed
[_To Caesar_.] Thus do they, sir: they take the flow o’ th’ Nile
By certain scales i’ th’ pyramid; they know
By th’ height, the lowness, or the mean, if dearth
Or foison follow. The higher Nilus swells,
The more it promises. As it ebbs, the seedsman
Upon the slime and ooze scatters his grain,
And shortly comes to harvest.
This is how they do it, sir: they measure the flow of the Nile using certain scales on the pyramid; they know by the height, the depth, or the average whether famine or plenty will follow. The higher the Nile swells, the more it promises. As it recedes, the farmer scatters his grain on the silt and mud, and soon comes the harvest.
This is how it works, sir: they measure the Nile's flow using scales marked on the pyramid. They can tell from the water level—high, low, or middle—whether the year will bring famine or plenty. The higher the Nile swells, the better the promise. Then as it recedes, the farmer scatters seed on the mud, and soon you have your harvest.
they measure the nile with pyramid scales can tell if it's famine or plenty from the level higher nile swells = better harvest farmer plants seed when it recedes
You’ve strange serpents there?
Do you have strange serpents there?
You guys have some weird snakes, huh?
you have weird snakes?
Ay, Lepidus.
Yes, Lepidus.
Yeah, Lepidus.
yeah
Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your
sun; so is your crocodile.
Your Egyptian serpent is now bred from your mud through the power of your sun; the same goes for your crocodile.
Your Egyptian snakes are literally born out of mud in your sun, just like your crocodiles.
your snakes and crocs born straight from mud and sun
They are so.
They are so.
They are so.
they are so.
Sit, and some wine! A health to Lepidus!
Sit down and have some wine! A toast to Lepidus!
Sit! Wine! Let's drink to Lepidus!
sit down wine time to lepidus
I am not so well as I should be, but I’ll ne’er out.
I'm not feeling as well as I should be, but I'll never leave.
I'm not feeling great, but I'm not going anywhere.
not feeling great but staying
Not till you have slept. I fear me you’ll be in till then.
Not until you sleep. I'm afraid you'll be in here until that happens.
Not till you pass out, buddy. I think you'll be here till then.
not leaving til you sleep
Pompey's response to Menas's proposal is one of the most revealing moments in the play. He doesn't refuse on moral grounds — he explicitly says he would have been glad to find it done. He refuses because it was told to him: 'thou shouldst have done / And not have spoke on 't.' This is honor as a procedural fiction. Pompey can live with the result of murder; he can't be seen to have ordered it. His honor is not about what happens but about the paper trail of his knowledge. Shakespeare is not mocking this exactly — the distinction matters to Pompey, and it is a real distinction. But the play makes clear that this kind of procedural honor, maintained at the cost of the world, is also a form of self-deception. Pompey wants to be the earthly Jove. He just doesn't want to have decided to be.
Nay, certainly, I have heard the Ptolemies’ pyramises are very goodly
things. Without contradiction I have heard that.
Well certainly, I've heard that the Ptolemies' pyramids are very fine things. Without question, that's what I've been told.
No, wait—I've definitely heard the Ptolemies' pyramids are excellent structures. I've heard that for sure.
the ptolemies' pyramids r super impressive i heard that
[_Aside to Pompey_.] Pompey, a word.
Pompey, I need to speak with you.
Pompey, can I have a word with you?
pompey I need to talk to you
[_Aside to Menas_.] Say in mine ear what is ’t?
What do you want to tell me?
What is it you want to say?
what do you want
[_Whispers in ’s ear._] Forsake thy seat, I do beseech thee, captain,
And hear me speak a word.
Leave your seat, I beg you, captain, and hear what I have to say.
Get up from your seat for a minute, captain—I'm begging you. Let me tell you something.
get up and listen to me
[_Aside to Menas._] Forbear me till anon.—
This wine for Lepidus!
Leave me alone for now. This wine is for Lepidus!
Not now. This wine is for Lepidus!
not now this wine's for lepidus
What manner o’ thing is your crocodile?
What kind of thing is your crocodile?
So what exactly is a crocodile anyway?
what is a crocodile?
It is shaped, sir, like itself, and it is as broad as it hath breadth.
It is just so high as it is, and moves with it own organs. It lives by
that which nourisheth it, and the elements once out of it, it
transmigrates.
It's shaped, sir, like itself, and it's as wide as it is wide. It's exactly as tall as it is, and it moves with its own body parts. It lives on what nourishes it, and once those elements are gone from it, it transforms or dies.
Look, it looks like a crocodile. It's as big as it is. It moves with its own limbs. It survives on whatever it eats, and when those nutrients leave its body, it dies and decomposes.
it looks like itself moves on its own lives then dies
What colour is it of?
What color is it?
What's its coloring?
what color
Of its own colour too.
Its own color.
It's its own color.
the color it has
’Tis a strange serpent.
It's a strange serpent.
That's a weird snake.
weird snake
’Tis so, and the tears of it are wet.
It is, and its tears are wet.
Yeah, and its tears are wet.
yep, tears r wet
Will this description satisfy him?
Does this description please him?
Is that going to make him happy?
will that satisfy him?
With the health that Pompey gives him, else he is a very epicure.
With the toast that Pompey gives him, or else he's quite picky about pleasure.
Combined with the wine Pompey keeps pouring, or maybe he's just too particular.
with pompey's wine he's happy or he's just picky
[_Aside to Menas._] Go hang, sir, hang! Tell me of that? Away!
Do as I bid you.—Where’s this cup I called for?
Get away from me! Suggesting that to me? No! Do as I command. Where's the cup I asked for?
Forget it! You want me to do what? No! Do what I tell you. Now where is my cup?
no way get out of here do what I say where's my cup
[_Aside to Pompey_.] If for the sake of merit thou wilt hear me,
Rise from thy stool.
If for the sake of my merit you will listen to me, rise from your seat.
If you respect what I've done for you, get up from that seat for a moment.
if you value my service get up and listen to me
[_Aside to Menas_.] I think thou’rt mad.
I think you've lost your mind.
I think you're out of your mind.
you're crazy
The scene opens and closes with Lepidus — first observed by servants as already drunk and being managed, then carried out unconscious, then referenced as the 'third part of the world' being borne to shore. This is deliberate comic structure. Lepidus being drunk is funny; it is also a preview of his political elimination. The servants who set up the scene understand his position precisely: 'a reed that will do no service.' When he is carried out, Enobarbus points to the servant carrying him: 'He bears the third part of the world.' The joke collapses Lepidus's political rank into his physical helplessness. Caesar will deal with Lepidus's actual political rank the same way — efficiently, without ceremony.
The matter?
The matter?
The matter?
the matter?
I have ever held my cap off to thy fortunes.
I have always shown respect to your fortunes.
I've always shown you respect, followed your success.
always been loyal to you
Thou hast served me with much faith. What’s else to say?—
Be jolly, lords.
You have served me with great loyalty. What more is there to say? Be merry, lords.
You've been totally loyal to me. What else can I say? Have a good time, everyone.
you've been loyal be happy
These quicksands, Lepidus,
Keep off them, for you sink.
These are quicksands, Lepidus. Stay away from them, because you'll sink.
Lepidus, these are quicksands—stay away from them or you'll go under.
lepidus watch out quicksands = you sink
Wilt thou be lord of all the world?
Will you be lord of all the world?
Want to be lord of the whole world?
wanna be lord of everything?
What sayst thou?
What do you say?
What?
what?
Wilt thou be lord of the whole world?
That’s twice.
Will you be lord of the whole world? That's the second time I'm asking.
You going to be lord of everything or what? That's the second time asking.
lord of the whole world? asking twice now
How should that be?
How could that possibly be?
How exactly would that work?
how's that possible
But entertain it,
And though you think me poor, I am the man
Will give thee all the world.
Just consider the thought: even though you think I'm poor, I'm the man who will give you the entire world.
Just think about it—yeah, I look broke, but I'm the one who can actually hand you the whole world.
just think about it i'm poor but i can give u everything
Hast thou drunk well?
Have you been drinking well?
You been drinking?
been drinking?
No, Pompey, I have kept me from the cup.
Thou art, if thou dar’st be, the earthly Jove.
Whate’er the ocean pales or sky inclips
Is thine, if thou wilt have’t.
No, Pompey, I've stayed away from the drink. You are, if you dare to be, the earthly Jupiter. Everything the ocean contains or the sky encompasses is yours, if you'll take it.
No, Pompey, I haven't had a drop. You could be like Jupiter on earth if you had the guts. Everything in the ocean and sky can be yours if you want it.
nope, haven't drunk you could be earth's jupiter everything can be yours
Show me which way.
Show me how.
Tell me the plan.
how
These three world-sharers, these competitors,
Are in thy vessel. Let me cut the cable,
And when we are put off, fall to their throats.
All then is thine.
These three men who rule the world, these rivals, are all in your ship. Let me cut the anchor rope, and when we drift away from shore, we can kill them. Then everything becomes yours.
These three guys who run the world are trapped in your ship. I'll cut the anchor, we drift off, and we slit their throats. Everything's yours then.
3 guys running the world r on your ship cut the cable kill them everything's yours
Ah, this thou shouldst have done
And not have spoke on ’t! In me ’tis villainy;
In thee ’t had been good service. Thou must know
’Tis not my profit that does lead mine honour;
Mine honour it. Repent that e’er thy tongue
Hath so betray’d thine act. Being done unknown,
I should have found it afterwards well done,
But must condemn it now. Desist, and drink.
Ah, you should have done this and not said it! Coming from me it's villainy; from you it would have been good service. You must understand: it's not profit that guides my honor; honor guides me. I regret that your words have betrayed your action. If it had been done in secret, I would have later approved it, but now I must condemn it. Stop and drink.
You should've done it and shut up! If I did this it'd be wrong; if you did it it'd be like serving me. But look, honor matters to me more than power. I hate that you said it out loud—if you'd just quietly done it, I'd say nice work later. But telling me first? I gotta condemn it now. Drop it and have a drink.
should've done it not told me i want honor not power can't approve once u said it just drink
[_Aside_.] For this,
I’ll never follow thy palled fortunes more.
Who seeks, and will not take when once ’tis offered,
Shall never find it more.
Because of this, I will never follow your declining fortunes again. Whoever wants something but refuses it when it's offered will never find it offered again.
That's it—I'm done with Pompey. If you want something but won't take it when it's handed to you, you won't get another chance.
i'm done with pompey if you don't take chances when offered you won't get them again
At every feast in this play, Caesar is uncomfortable. He drinks because he must, not because he wants to. His final speech in this scene — 'It's monstrous labour when I wash my brain / And it grows fouler' — is the most self-revealing thing he says in Act Two. Caesar is a man who does not lose himself in pleasure, who keeps his brain and his plans intact through every social occasion. This is both his strength and what makes him cold. In the Egyptian world of the play, where passion and excess are marks of life, Caesar's sobriety reads as something inhuman — and also as the quality that will let him win. He's the only person in this scene keeping score.
This health to Lepidus!
This drink is to Lepidus!
Here's to Lepidus!
to lepidus
Bear him ashore. I’ll pledge it for him, Pompey.
Take him ashore. I'll drink his toast for him, Pompey.
Get him to shore. I'll make the toast for him, Pompey.
take him to shore i'll toast for him
Here’s to thee, Menas!
Here's to you, Menas!
Cheers, Menas!
a toast to menas
Enobarbus, welcome!
Enobarbus, welcome!
Enobarbus, welcome!
enobarbus, welcome!
Fill till the cup be hid.
Fill until the cup is hidden.
Keep pouring till the cup's buried.
fill til it's covered
There’s a strong fellow, Menas.
There's a strong man, Menas.
Menas is a tough guy.
menas is strong
Why?
Why?
Why?
why?
’A bears the third part of the world, man. Seest not?
He's carrying a third of the world's power, man. Don't you see?
He controls a third of the world, man. You getting it?
he runs a third of the world get it?
The third part, then, is drunk. Would it were all,
That it might go on wheels!
So a third of the world is drunk. I wish it were all, so it could roll around on wheels!
So a third of the world is wasted. I wish the whole thing was drunk—then it could just roll away!
third of the world is drunk wish it was all so it'd roll
Drink thou. Increase the reels.
You drink. Let's make the spinning dance more wild.
Keep drinking. Get those dances going faster.
drink more keep dancing
Come.
Come.
Come.
come.
This is not yet an Alexandrian feast.
This isn't yet an Egyptian feast.
This isn't an Alexandria-style party yet.
not a proper egyptian feast yet
It ripens towards it. Strike the vessels, ho!
Here is to Caesar!
It's getting closer to it. Sound the drums, ho! Here's a toast to Caesar!
Getting there. Drums! Let's drink to Caesar!
getting closer drum sounds to caesar
I could well forbear’t.
It’s monstrous labour when I wash my brain
And it grows fouler.
I could easily skip it. It's terrible work when I try to clear my head with wine and it just gets muddier.
I could do without it. It's exhausting—the more I drink trying to relax, the more scrambled my brain gets.
i could skip this drinking to think clear just makes it worse
Be a child o’ the time.
Go with the flow of the moment.
Just go with the times, man.
just go with it
The song 'Come, thou monarch of the vine' seems like pure festivity — and it is. But its placement is exact. It comes immediately after Pompey has refused the world, after Menas has decided to leave, after Lepidus has been carried out, and while Caesar stands uncomfortable at the edge of the circle. The lords of the world dance in a ring on Pompey's galley, which Menas just proposed to turn into a murder ship. 'Cup us till the world go round' — the world is already going around, and none of them are in control of it. The Bacchanalian abandon that Antony loves and Caesar tolerates is, in this context, also a form of political blindness. The feast happens. The world turns. The cable was not cut. Pompey has laughed away his fortune.
Possess it, I’ll make answer.
But I had rather fast from all, four days,
Than drink so much in one.
If you're going to insist, I'll respond. But I'd rather go without eating for four days than drink this much in one.
I get it, I'll answer that. But honestly, I'd rather starve for four days than drink this much in one night.
fine i'll go along but i'd rather fast 4 days than drink this much
[_To Antony_.] Ha, my brave emperor,
Shall we dance now the Egyptian Bacchanals
And celebrate our drink?
Well, my brave emperor, shall we now dance the Egyptian Bacchanals and celebrate our drinking?
Come on, my brave emperor—shall we dance like the Egyptians and celebrate with some drinking?
shall we dance like egyptians and party
Let’s ha’t, good soldier.
Let's do it, good soldier.
Let's go for it.
let's go
Come, let’s all take hands
Till that the conquering wine hath steeped our sense
In soft and delicate Lethe.
Come, let's all join hands until the victorious wine has soaked our consciousness in the soft, gentle forgetfulness of Lethe.
Everybody join hands and let the wine put us into that blissful state of forgetting everything.
all join hands let wine drown us in sweet forgetfulness
All take hands.
Make battery to our ears with the loud music,
The while I’ll place you; then the boy shall sing.
The holding every man shall beat as loud
As his strong sides can volley.
Everyone join hands. Assault our ears with loud music while I position you; then the boy will sing. And everyone will beat in rhythm as loud as they can muster.
Grab hands, everybody. Crank up the music loud, and I'll get everyone in position. Then the boy sings and all of you pound out the beat as hard as you can.
hands together music loud boy sings everybody beats hard
Come, thou monarch of the vine,
Plumpy Bacchus with pink eyne!
In thy vats our cares be drowned,
With thy grapes our hairs be crowned.
Cup us till the world go round,
Cup us till the world go round!
Come, king of wine, plump Bacchus with pink eyes! In your wine vats our sorrows are drowned, and with your grapes our hair is crowned. Pour us wine until the world spins, pour us wine until the world spins!
Hey wine god Bacchus with your rosy face! Drown our troubles in your wine, crown us with grapes. Keep the drinks coming till we spin with the world!
wine god bacchus drown our pain keep pouring til everything spins
What would you more? Pompey, good night. Good brother,
Let me request you off. Our graver business
Frowns at this levity.—Gentle lords, let’s part.
You see we have burnt our cheeks. Strong Enobarb
Is weaker than the wine, and mine own tongue
Splits what it speaks. The wild disguise hath almost
Anticked us all. What needs more words. Good night.
Good Antony, your hand.
What more do you want? Pompey, good night. My good friend, I'm asking to be excused. Our serious business is frowning upon this frivolity. Gentlemen, let's part. You see we've gotten flushed and drunk. Even strong Enobarbus is weaker than the wine, and I can barely speak straight. This wild drunkenness has almost turned us into fools. There's no need for more words. Good night. Antony, give me your hand.
What else do you want? Pompey, I'm leaving. Look, our real work is waiting and this party isn't helping. Guys, let's break it up. We're all hammered—look at our faces. Even Enobarbus can't handle the wine, and I can barely talk straight. We're becoming complete idiots. No point in dragging this out. Good night. Antony, shake.
enough fun gotta go pompey our real work's waiting we're all too drunk can barely speak time to leave good night antony
I’ll try you on the shore.
I'll see you on shore.
See you on the beach.
see u on shore
And shall, sir. Give’s your hand.
And you will see me. Give me your hand.
Yeah, you will. Hand.
you will give hand
O Antony,
You have my father’s house.
But, what? We are friends. Come, down into the boat.
Oh Antony, you have my father's house. But what of it? We are friends. Come, let's go down into the boat.
Antony, you took my father's house. But you know what? We're friends anyway. Come on, let's get in the boat.
you have my father's house but we're friends let's go
Take heed you fall not.
Be careful you don't fall.
Watch your step, don't fall.
don't fall
Menas, I’ll not on shore.
Menas, I won't go on shore.
Menas, I'm not going on shore.
menas i'm staying on the boat
No, to my cabin. These drums, these trumpets, flutes! What!
Let Neptune hear we bid a loud farewell
To these great fellows. Sound and be hanged, sound out!
No, I'm going to my cabin. These drums, these trumpets, flutes! Come on! Let Neptune hear us saying a loud goodbye to these great men. Play and be damned, play loud!
No way, I'm heading to my cabin. Drums! Trumpets! Flutes! Come on! Let the sea god hear us shouting goodbye to these big shots. Play till the sky falls, play loud!
nope cabin drum trumpet flutes shout goodbye play loud
Hoo, says ’a! There’s my cap!
Whoops, he says! There goes my cap!
Whoa, look at that! There's my hat!
hey my cap!
Hoo! Noble captain, come.
Whoa! Noble captain, come here!
Hey! Captain, come on!
hey captain
The Reckoning
This scene is simultaneously comedy, political tragedy, and symbolic prophecy. Lepidus being drunk is funny — and it shows exactly what he is: the third wheel, tolerated and managed. Antony's crocodile speech is a masterpiece of comic evasion: every answer is technically true and completely meaningless. The Menas-Pompey exchange is the scene's dark heart. Pompey had one chance. Menas laid it before him. Pompey refused it on principle — and with a fatal honesty admitted he wished he hadn't been told. That 'thou shouldst have done / And not have spoke on 't' is one of the play's most revealing lines about the gap between wanting and honor. The song, the dancing, Caesar's discomfort — all of it is a world about to change, feasting while it can.
If this happened today…
A hostile takeover target has everyone who matters at a company dinner. An advisor pulls the acquiring CEO aside: 'We can lock the doors right now. They're all here. We do it tonight, it's done.' The CEO says: 'You should have just done it. The moment you told me, it became a decision, and I can't make that decision. But if you'd just done it — I'd have found it well done.' He goes back to dinner. The advisor walks out of the building.