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Antony and Cleopatra

Act 4, Scene 3

Enter a company of SOLDIERS	A company of SOLDIERS enters.
FIRST SOLDIER Brother, good night. Tomorrow is the day.	FIRST SOLDIER Good night, brother. Tomorrow is the day.
SECOND SOLDIER It will determine one way. Fare you well. Heard you of nothing strange about the streets?	SECOND SOLDIER This battle will determine who wins the war. Take care of yourself. Have you heard about anything unusual happening in the city?
FIRST SOLDIER Nothing. What news?	FIRST SOLDIER No. What was it?
SECOND SOLDIER Belike ’tis but a rumor. Good night to you.	SECOND SOLDIER It was probably just a rumor. Good night.
FIRST SOLDIER Well, sir, good night.	FIRST SOLDIER Well sir, good night.
They meet other SOLDIERS	Two other SOLDIERS enter.
SECOND SOLDIER Soldiers, have careful watch.	SECOND SOLDIER Soldiers, watch carefully.
THIRD SOLDIER And you. Good night, good night.	THIRD SOLDIER You too. Good night. Good night.
The four SOLDIERS place themselves in every corner of the stage	Each SOLDIER takes a post at a corner of the stage.
SECOND SOLDIER Here we. And if tomorrow Our navy thrive, I have an absolute hope Our landmen will stand up.	SECOND SOLDIER This is our station. And if our navy wins tomorrow, no doubt our army will do their part.
FIRST SOLDIER ’Tis a brave army, and full of purpose.	FIRST SOLDIER It’s an outstanding army and highly motivated.
Music of the hautboys is under the stage	Oboe music comes from underneath the stage.
SECOND SOLDIER Peace! What noise?	SECOND SOLDIER Quiet! What’s that sound?
FIRST SOLDIER List, list!	FIRST SOLDIER Listen! Listen!
SECOND SOLDIER Hark!	SECOND SOLDIER Listen!
FIRST SOLDIER Music i’ th’ air.	FIRST SOLDIER There’s music coming out of thin air.
THIRD SOLDIER Under the earth.	THIRD SOLDIER From under the earth.
FOURTH SOLDIER It signs well, does it not?	FOURTH SOLDIER It’s a lucky sign, isn’t it?
THIRD SOLDIER No.	THIRD SOLDIER No.
FIRST SOLDIER Peace, I say! What should this mean?	FIRST SOLDIER Quiet, I say. What does this mean?
SECOND SOLDIER ’Tis the god Hercules, whom Antony loved, Now leaves him.	SECOND SOLDIER It means that Antony’s patron god, Hercules, is leaving him.
FIRST SOLDIER Walk. Let’s see if other watchmen Do hear what we do.	FIRST SOLDIER Let’s walk over and see if the other soldiers heard the same thing.
They advance toward the other SOLDIERS	They go to speak with the other SOLDIERS.
SECOND SOLDIER How now, masters?	SECOND SOLDIER Hello there, good sirs.
ALL (speak together) How now? How now? Do you hear this?	ALL (speaking at the same time) What now? What now? Do you hear that?
FIRST SOLDIER Ay. Is ’t not strange?	FIRST SOLDIER Yes. Isn’t it strange?
THIRD SOLDIER Do you hear, masters? Do you hear?	THIRD SOLDIER Do you hear that, men? Do you?
FIRST SOLDIER Follow the noise so far as we have quarter; Let’s see how it will give off.	FIRST SOLDIER Let’s follow the music as far as we can without leaving our station and see if it stops.
ALL Content. ’Tis strange.	ALL Good idea. It’s very strange.
Exeunt	They exit.