Act2 Scene1 Antony and Cleopatra 莎翁戏剧原著

本集（第二幕第一场）文本如下：

ACT II SCENE I Messina. Pompey's house.  
[ Enter POMPEY, MENECRATES, and MENAS, in warlike manner ]
POMPEYIf the great gods be just, they shall assist
The deeds of justest men.
MENECRATESKnow, worthy Pompey,
That what they do delay, they not deny.
POMPEYWhiles we are suitors to their throne, decays5
The thing we sue for.
MENECRATESWe, ignorant of ourselves,
Beg often our own harms, which the wise powers
Deny us for our good; so find we profit
By losing of our prayers.10
POMPEYI shall do well:
The people love me, and the sea is mine;
My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope
Says it will come to the full. Mark Antony
In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make15
No wars without doors: Caesar gets money where
He loses hearts: Lepidus flatters both,
Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,
Nor either cares for him.
MENASCaesar and Lepidus20
Are in the field: a mighty strength they carry.
POMPEYWhere have you this? 'tis false.
MENASFrom Silvius, sir.
POMPEYHe dreams: I know they are in Rome together,
Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,25
Salt Cleopatra, soften thy waned lip!
Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both!
Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,
Keep his brain fuming; Epicurean cooks
Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite;30
That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour
Even till a Lethe'd dulness!
[Enter VARRIUS]
How now, Varrius!
VARRIUSThis is most certain that I shall deliver:
Mark Antony is every hour in Rome35
Expected: since he went from Egypt 'tis
A space for further travel.
POMPEYI could have given less matter
A better ear. Menas, I did not think
This amorous surfeiter would have donn'd his helm40
For such a petty war: his soldiership
Is twice the other twain: but let us rear
The higher our opinion, that our stirring
Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck
The ne'er-lust-wearied Antony.45
MENASI cannot hope
Caesar and Antony shall well greet together:
His wife that's dead did trespasses to Caesar;
His brother warr'd upon him; although, I think,
Not moved by Antony.50
POMPEYI know not, Menas,
How lesser enmities may give way to greater.
Were't not that we stand up against them all,
'Twere pregnant they should square between
themselves;55
For they have entertained cause enough
To draw their swords: but how the fear of us
May cement their divisions and bind up
The petty difference, we yet not know.
Be't as our gods will have't! It only stands60
Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.
Come, Menas.
[Exeunt]

作者：William Shakespeare，1564-1616，英国文艺复兴时期最伟大的剧作家、诗人、文学家；朗读：苑溪仙；播出时间：晚9点。
This riveting tragedy presents one of Shakespeare's greatest female characters—the seductive, cunning Egyptian queen, Cleopatra. Mark Antony, a virtual prisoner of his passion for her, is torn between pleasure and virtue, between sensual indolence and duty...