Lord Alexas—sweet Alexas—excellent Alexas—absolutely amazing Alexas—where is the soothsayer you praised so much to the queen? Oh, I wish I knew about this husband of mine that you say must decorate his cuckold's horns with flowers!

Alexas, Alexas, excellent Alexas—where's that soothsayer you were bragging about to Cleopatra? I want to know about this husband who's supposed to be so unfaithful that he decorates his shame like it's a party.

where's the fortune teller the one you praised i want to know about my future about my husband too much joking

The soothsayer.

Here's the fortune teller.

soothsayer here listen

What do you want?

What do you need?

what do you want what's your wish

Are you the one? Are you, sir, the one who knows things?

Is this the guy? Are you the one who knows the future?

are you the one who knows things who can read fate

In nature's infinite book of secrets, I can read a little.

In the book of nature's secrets, I can read a bit.

in nature's book of infinite secrets i read a little i know fragments

Show him your palm.

Show your hand.

show your palm let him read it

Bring in the banquet quickly—wine enough to drink to Cleopatra's health.

Get the food and wine. We're drinking to Cleopatra.

bring food wine we'll drink to cleopatra

Good sir, tell me my fortune.

Tell me something good.

good fortune please tell me

I don't make fortunes, I only foresee them.

I don't make luck, I predict it.

i don't make fortune i see it there's a difference

Then predict one for me.

Then foresee mine.

foresee me one my future

You will be far more beautiful than you are now.

You'll be even more beautiful than you are.

you'll be more beautiful fare more lovely

He means I'll get fat.

He means I'll get bigger.

he means fat flesh

No, you'll need makeup when you're old.

No, you'll need paint when you're older.

when you're old you'll paint wear makeup

God forbid wrinkles!

No wrinkles, please!

wrinkles forbid no no aging

Don't mock his prophecy. Pay attention.

Don't mess with him. Listen.

don't mock pay attention respect him

Hush.

Quiet.

quiet hush listen

You will love more than you are loved.

You'll give more love than you get back.

more beloving than beloved unequal unrequited

I'd rather heat my liver with drinking.

I'd rather get drunk.

heat my liver with wine with drinking better than that

No, hear him.

Listen to him.

hear him listen

Give me some excellent fortune! Let me marry three kings in one morning and widow them all. Let me have a child at fifty, to whom King Herod might bow. Arrange me to marry Caesar, and have my queen as my companion.

Give me something wild! Let me marry three kings in one morning and become widow to all of them. Let me have a baby at fifty that even King Herod would serve. Make me marry Caesar and stay with my mistress.

marry three kings widow them have a child at fifty herod does homage marry caesar companion me wild fortunes

You will outlive the lady whom you serve.

You will live longer than your queen.

outlive the lady you serve cleopatra goes first

Oh, excellent! I love long life better than figs.

Perfect! I love living longer than anything else.

excellent long life better than figs

You have seen and enjoyed a better fortune than what is coming.

You've had better days ahead of you than what's coming.

seen better proved fairer fortune coming worse

Then my children will have no names. Tell me—how many boys and girls must I have?

Then I won't even name my kids. How many boys and girls will I have?

no names how many boys and girls children

If every one of your wishes had a womb and each wish could bear fruit, you'd have a million.

If every wish you have could get pregnant and give birth, you'd have a million.

if every wish a womb fertile million children

Out, fool! I forgive you because you're a witch.

Get out! You're a witch and I'm forgiving you for it.

out fool i forgive you witch

You think only your bed knows about your wishes.

You think only your sheets know what you want.

your sheets privy to your wishes only in bed

Come, now read Iras's fortune too.

Go on, tell Iras hers.

iras tell hers her fortune

We want to know all our fortunes.

We all want to hear ours.

all our fortunes know them

Mine, and most everyone's fortunes tonight, will be drunk to bed.

My fortune and everyone else's will be drunk tonight.

fortunes tonight drunk to bed wine sleep

There's a line in her palm that means chastity—if nothing else.

Her palm shows a sign of chastity—that's something.

palm chastity line if nothing else

Like the overflowing Nile means famine.

Like when the Nile floods it means starvation.

nile overflowing famine opposite reversal

Go on, you wild girl. You can't read fortunes.

Get out of here. You can't read fortunes.

wild bedfellow can't soothsay go

If a oily palm doesn't mean fertility, I can't even scratch my ear. Come on, just tell her an ordinary fortune.

If an oily palm doesn't mean good luck, I give up. Just tell her something simple.

oily palm fruitful scratch mine ear workaday fortune

Your fortunes are the same.

You both have the same fortune.

fortunes alike same equal

But how? Give me specifics.

How? Tell me more.

how particulars specifics

I have said what I will say.

That's all I have.

i have said no more finished

Am I even an inch of fortune better than she is?

Am I any better off than she is?

inch of fortune better than she

Well, if you were even an inch of fortune better than me, where on your body would you want it?

If you had even one inch better luck than me, where would you put it?

inch where would you choose better than

Not in my husband's nose.

Not in my husband's face.

not there not in husband

May heavens fix our worse thoughts! Alexas, come read his fortune! Oh, let him marry a woman who can't walk, sweet goddess Isis, I beg. Let her die, give him a worse one, and keep it getting worse until the worst follows him laughing to his grave—five times over a cuckold! Goddess, hear my prayer, though you deny me things that matter more.

Heaven fix our bad thoughts! Alexas, his fortune! Oh goddess Isis, let him marry a woman who can't move, I'm begging. Let her die, give him worse ones, worse and worse until the worst one follows him laughing to his grave as a total cuckold! Goddess, listen to this prayer even if you won't grant me bigger things.

heavens mend let him marry woman who cannot go let her die worser follow worse to his grave fiftyfold cuckold good isis hear me

Amen. Goddess, hear this prayer from your people! It's heartbreaking to see a handsome man cheated on, and it's deadly sad to see an ugly man not cuckolded. So goddess, keep the proper order and give him what he deserves!

Amen. Goddess, listen to what we're praying! It breaks the heart to see a good-looking man cheated on, and it's terrible to see an ugly guy who doesn't get what's coming to him. So goddess, keep things balanced and let him get what he deserves!

amen heartbreaking handsome man loose-wived foul knave uncuckolded keep decorum

Amen.

Amen.

amen

Look, if it were in their power to make me a cuckold, they'd turn themselves into whores to do it!

If it was up to them, they'd become prostitutes just to make me a cuckold!

if in their hands make me cuckold whores do it

Quiet, Antony's coming.

Quiet, here comes Antony.

quiet antony coming

No, it's the queen.

No, it's the queen.

no the queen cleopatra

Have you seen my lord?

Have you seen Antony?

my lord seen him antony

No, my lady.

No, lady.

no lady

Was he not here?

He wasn't here?

not here where is he

No, madam.

No, my queen.

no madam

He was ready to be happy, but suddenly a Roman thought struck him. Enobarbus!

He was in a good mood, but then something Roman hit him. Enobarbus!

disposed to mirth suddenly roman thought struck him

What, my lady?

Yes, my queen?

yes what my lady

I must not think there are evils enough to darken the good day which you have promised me. I should think you were offended or that you had news.

I should believe there aren't enough bad things in the world to ruin the good day you promised me. I'd think you were mad or that you heard bad news.

evils enough darken good day promised me offended heard news

It's just that our lord is troubled. Something from Rome has come that troubles him. But it won't spoil your plans.

It's just Antony's upset about something from Rome. But don't worry about your day.

lord troubled from rome come wont spoil

I'll be at supper, Enobarbus. Come.

I'm going to dinner. Come on.

[exit cleopatra] supper come

Your wife Fulvia entered the war first.

Your wife Fulvia went to war.

fulvia your wife went to war fought

Against my brother Lucius?

She fought against my brother Lucius?

against lucius my brother she fought him

Yes, but that war ended quickly. The times changed, they made peace, and both of them together turned their forces against Caesar. Caesar defeated them in their first battle and drove them back from Italy.

Yeah, but then that war ended fast. Things changed, they made peace, and together they fought Caesar. Caesar beat them immediately and drove them out of Italy.

war ended they made peace joined forces against caesar he beat them drove them out

Well, what's worse?

What else happened?

what's worse tell me the rest

Bad news corrupts the one who brings it.

Bad news makes the messenger look bad.

bad news taints the messenger infects him

Only if the news concerns a fool or coward. Speak on. What is past is done with me. Here's my rule: whoever tells me truth, even if death lies in his tale, I hear him as if he were flattering me.

Only if it's about a fool or coward. Keep going. What's done is done. Whoever tells me the truth, even if it's terrible, I'll listen like it's a compliment.

speak freely truth even death i'll hear it like flattery

Labienus—this is serious—has taken the Parthian forces and conquered all of Asia from the Euphrates, shaken his banners of victory from Syria to Lydia and Ionia, while—

Labienus—this is bad—took the Parthians and conquered all of Asia from the Euphrates, flew his banner from Syria to Lydia and Ionia, and meanwhile—

labienus with parthians conquered asia all of it from euphrates to syria to lydia

'Antony', you were about to say—

'Antony', right? While Antony—

'antony' while antony what was i doing

Oh, my lord!

My lord!

my lord forgive me

Speak directly to me. Don't mince words. Name Cleopatra exactly as she is called in Rome. Curse me in Fulvia's language. Taunt my faults with the full freedom of both truth and malice. Oh, we grow weeds when our busy minds are idle, and when we're told our crimes, it's like plowing. Goodbye for now.

Tell me straight. Don't soften it. Call Cleopatra exactly what Rome calls her. Curse me like Fulvia would. Tell me my faults without holding back. We grow weeds when we're lazy, and when someone tells us about them, it's like harvesting. Leave me.

speak plain call cleopatra by her name rail at me with fulvia's curse tell my faults the truth and the malice i've grown weeds while idle

At your pleasure, my lord.

As you wish, my lord.

as you wish i'll go

From Sicyon—what is the news? Speak!

News from Sicyon? Tell me!

from sicyon what speak

The man from Sicyon—

The man from Sicyon—

the man from sicyon

Is there such a one?

Is he here?

is he here does he exist

He waits for your permission.

He's waiting for you.

he waits for your word

Let him come.

Send him in.

let him come approach

Your wife Fulvia is dead.

Your wife Fulvia is dead.

fulvia is dead your wife gone

Where did she die?

Where did she die?

where where did she die sicyon

In Sicyon. Her long illness, and everything else you need to know about what matters to you—this letter has it all.

In Sicyon. Her illness—how long it lasted—and everything else you should know. It's all in this letter.

sicyon her sickness long illness what matters to you

Leave me.

Go. Leave me.

leave me go i need to be alone

What do you want, sir?

What do you need, sir?

what's your pleasure what do you want

I must leave quickly.

I have to go right away.

must go haste from hence

Why, then we're killing all our women. Look how deadly an abandonment is to them. If they survive us leaving, death should be the word.

Why, we're killing every woman here. See how fatal it is when we leave them. If they survive our departure, death is the only word for it.

kill women moral unkindness they suffer death's the word

I must go.

I have to leave.

must be gone

For a serious reason, let women die. It would be shameful to abandon them for nothing, though a great cause might be worth their loss. But Cleopatra—she dies at the slightest hint of this. I've seen her die twenty times for much smaller reasons. There's something noble in her death, some loving act in it. She dies so fast.

For a real reason, sure, women can die. It's a shame to throw them away for nothing, though big things might be worth it. But Cleopatra? She dies the second she hears about this. I've seen her fake-die twenty times for nothing. There's something beautiful in her dying—some loving thing. She does it so fast.

great cause women die cleopatra dying twenty times poorer moment mettle in death loving act celerity in dying

She's more clever than any man could be.

She's smarter than anyone.

cunning past man's thought

No, sir. Her passions are made of pure love. We can't call her winds and tears mere sighs and weeping—they're greater storms than any almanac records. This isn't cunning in her. If it is, she makes storms as well as Jupiter does.

No, sir. Her feelings are pure love. We can't call her winds and tears just sighs and cries—they're bigger storms than any calendar records. This isn't her being clever. If it is, she controls storms like Jupiter.

passions pure love not cunning winds and waters storms and tempests greater than almanacs jove

I wish I'd never seen her!

I wish I'd never even seen her!

would i had never seen her wish

Oh sir, you would have left unseen a wonderful thing, and not having seen her would have diminished your life and travels.

Oh sir, you would have missed a masterpiece. Not seeing her would have been a loss to your whole life.

left unseen wonderful piece of work blest withal discredited your travel

Fulvia is dead.

Fulvia is dead.

fulvia is dead

Sir?

What?

sir

Fulvia is dead.

Fulvia is dead.

fulvia is dead again

Fulvia?

Fulvia?

fulvia

Dead.

Dead.

dead

Then give the gods thanks for a sacrifice. When the gods take a man's wife, they show us that we can replace old cloth with new. If there were no more women but Fulvia, you'd have a real loss. But this grief comes with comfort—old clothes wear out, new petticoats come forth. Your tears should be for an onion, not for this sorrow.

Then thank the gods for that. When they take your wife, they show you that you can get new clothes when the old ones wear out. If Fulvia was the only woman left, that'd be a real loss. But this comes with a silver lining—when old clothes die, new ones are born. These tears should be for an onion, not this.

give gods thanks wife taken tailors of earth worn out new petticoat old smock grief crowned with consolation consolation

The situation she started in Rome can't continue without me.

The war she started in Rome needs me there.

business broached in state endure my absence

And the business you've started here can't continue without you—especially Cleopatra's, which completely depends on your being here.

And the mess you've started here needs you here—especially with Cleopatra, who completely depends on you staying.

business broached here cannot be without you cleopatra's wholly depends your abode

No more light words. Have our officers give notice of what we intend. I'll explain to the Queen why we must leave urgently and ask her permission to depart. Not only Fulvia's death, with its pressing concerns, calls us—but also letters from many of our allies in Rome urging us to return. Sextus Pompeius has challenged Caesar and controls the sea. Our fickle people, who love only when the deed is done, are now throwing their support to Pompeius the Great through his son. He stands high, higher than his father in blood and power, commanding as the main general. And if he continues, he might threaten the whole world. Dangers are breeding—like a horsehair that only looks like life but will become a serpent's poison. Tell our officers we must leave immediately.

No more jokes. Tell our officers what we're doing. I'll tell the Queen why we need to leave and ask permission. It's not just Fulvia's death that's pushing me—it's also letters from our allies in Rome telling me to come back. Sextus Pompeius is fighting Caesar and has the navy. Our fickle people, who only love winners, are now supporting Pompeius through his son. He's standing up as a military leader, and if this keeps going, he could threaten everything. Danger is brewing—it looks harmless now like a horsehair, but it'll turn into a snake's poison. Tell our people we have to leave right now.

no light answers officers notice purpose break cause expedience full via letters rome contrivingfriends phlo mpeius caesar empire sea slippery people doeserts past soldier quality sides world endanger breeding courser's hair life serpent's poison

I will do it.

I'll do it.

i shall do't