by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616)
Translation by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873)
Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have
Language: English
Cleopatra Give me my robe, put on my crown; I have Immortal longings in me: now no more The juice of Egypt's grape shall moist this lip: Yare, yare, good Iras; quick. Methinks I hear Antony call; I see him rouse himself To praise my noble act; I hear him mock The luck of Caesar, which the gods give men To excuse their after wrath: husband, I come: Now to that name my courage prove my title! I am fire and air; my other elements I give to baser life. So; have you done? Come then, and take the last warmth of my lips. Farewell, kind Charmian; Iras, long farewell. [Kisses them. IRAS falls and dies] Have I the aspic in my lips? Dost fall? If thou and nature can so gently part, The stroke of death is as a lover's pinch, Which hurts, and is desired. Dost thou lie still? If thus thou vanishest, thou tell'st the world It is not worth leave-taking. Charmian. Dissolve, thick cloud, and rain; that I may say, The gods themselves do weep! Cleopatra. This proves me base: If she first meet the curled Antony, He'll make demand of her, and spend that kiss Which is my heaven to have. Come, thou mortal wretch, [To an asp, which she applies to her breast] With thy sharp teeth this knot intrinsicate Of life at once untie: poor venomous fool Be angry, and dispatch. O, couldst thou speak, That I might hear thee call great Caesar ass Unpolicied! Charmian. O eastern star! Cleopatra. Peace, peace! Dost thou not see my baby at my breast, That sucks the nurse asleep? Charmian. O, break! O, break! Cleopatra. As sweet as balm, as soft as air, as gentle, — O Antony! — Nay, I will take thee too. [Applying another asp to her arm] What should I stay — [Dies]
About the headline (FAQ)
Note: J. Reise's setting begins "I have immortal longings in me", and is abridged.
Text Authorship:
- by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Antony and Cleopatra, Act V, Scene 2 [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- by Jay Reise , "Cleopatra", subtitle: "A dramatic aria", 1979, first performed 1979 [ soprano, flute, oboe, violin, cello, piano ] [sung text not yet checked]
Settings in other languages, adaptations, or excerpts:
- Also set in German (Deutsch), a translation by Anonymous/Unidentified Artist [an adaptation] ; composed by Walter Braunfels.
Other available translations, adaptations or excerpts, and transliterations (if applicable):
- FRE French (Français) (François Pierre Guillaume Guizot) , no title
- FRE French (Français) (François-Victor Hugo) , no title
Researcher for this text: Emily Ezust [Administrator]
This text was added to the website: 2016-11-19
Line count: 49
Word count: 311
Donne‑moi ma robe... Pose ma couronne......
Language: French (Français) after the English
CLÉOPATRE. — Donne-moi ma robe... Pose ma couronne... Je sens en moi d’immortelles ardeurs. Désormais le jus de la grappe d’Égypte ne mouillera plus ma lèvre... Lestement, lestement, bonne Iras, vite ! Il me semble que j’entends Antoine qui appelle ; je le vois se dresser pour louer ma noble action ; je l’entends qui se moque du bonheur de César, bonheur que les dieux accordent aux hommes pour justifier leurs futures colères... Époux, j’arrive ! Qu’à ce nom si doux mon courage soit mon titre ! Je suis d’air et de feu ; mes autres éléments, je les lègue à une plus infime existence... Bon... avez-vous fini ? Venez donc, et recueillez la dernière chaleur de mes lèvres... Adieu, bonne Charmion ! Iras, un long adieu ! ( Elle les embrasse. Iras chancelle et tombe morte. ) Y a-t-il donc un aspic sur mes lèvres ? quoi, tu tombes ? Si tu peux si doucement te séparer de la nature, le coup de la mort est comme l’étreinte d’un amant, qui blesse et qu’on souhaite... Es-tu donc immobile ? Si tu t’évanouis ainsi, tu déclares au monde qu’il n’est pas digne d’un adieu. CHARMION. Nuages épais, dissolvez-vous en pluie, que je puisse dire : Les dieux eux-mêmes pleurent ! CLÉOPATRE. Ceci m’accuse de lâcheté : si elle rencontre la première Antoine dans son tourbillon, il lui demandera de mes nouvelles en lui accordant ce baiser qui est pour moi le ciel. Viens, misérable tueur, ( À l’aspic qu’elle applique sur son sein. ) défais avec ta dent acérée le nœud ardu de cette vie : pauvre bête venimeuse, irrite-toi et dépêche... Oh ! que ne peux-tu parler, pour que je t’entende appeler le grand César âne stupide ! CHARMION. O étoile d’Orient ! CLÉOPATRE. Silence ! silence ! ne vois-tu pas mon enfant à la mamelle qui tette sa nourrice en l’endormant ? CHARMION. Oh ! finissons ! finissons ! CLÉOPATRE. Aussi suave qu’un baume, aussi doux que l’air, aussi tendre... Antoine ! Allons, je veux te prendre, toi aussi... ( Appliquant un autre aspic à son bras. ) Pourquoi resterais-je... ( Elle expire. )
About the headline (FAQ)
Text Authorship:
- by François-Victor Hugo (1828 - 1873), no title [author's text checked 1 time against a primary source]
Based on:
- a text in English by William Shakespeare (1564 - 1616), no title, appears in Antony and Cleopatra, Act V, Scene 2
Musical settings (art songs, Lieder, mélodies, (etc.), choral pieces, and other vocal works set to this text), listed by composer (not necessarily exhaustive):
- [ None yet in the database ]
Researcher for this page: Guy Laffaille [Guest Editor]
This text was added to the website: 2016-11-29
Line count: 50
Word count: 330