| ACT IISCENE V | Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's palace. | |
| | Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS | |
| CLEOPATRA | Give me some music; music, moody food | |
| | Of us that trade in love. | |
| Attendants | The music, ho! | |
| | Enter MARDIAN | |
| CLEOPATRA | Let it alone; let's to billiards: come, Charmian. | 5 |
| CHARMIAN | My arm is sore; best play with Mardian. | |
| CLEOPATRA | As well a woman with an eunuch play'd | |
| | As with a woman. Come, you'll play with me, sir? | |
| MARDIAN | As well as I can, madam. | |
| CLEOPATRA | And when good will is show'd, though't come | 10 |
| | too short, | |
| | The actor may plead pardon. I'll none now: | |
| | Give me mine angle; we'll to the river: there, | |
| | My music playing far off, I will betray | |
| | Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce | 15 |
| | Their slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up, | |
| | I'll think them every one an Antony, | |
| | And say 'Ah, ha! you're caught.' | |
| CHARMIAN | 'Twas merry when | |
| | You wager'd on your angling; when your diver | 20 |
| | Did hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he | |
| | With fervency drew up. | |
| CLEOPATRA | That time,--O times!-- | |
| | I laugh'd him out of patience; and that night | |
| | I laugh'd him into patience; and next morn, | 25 |
| | Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed; | |
| | Then put my tires and mantles on him, whilst | |
| | I wore his sword Philippan. | |
| | Enter a Messenger | |
| | O, from Italy | |
| | Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears, | 30 |
| | That long time have been barren. | |
| Messenger | Madam, madam,-- | |
| CLEOPATRA | Antonius dead!--If thou say so, villain, | |
| | Thou kill'st thy mistress: but well and free, | |
| | If thou so yield him, there is gold, and here | 35 |
| | My bluest veins to kiss; a hand that kings | |
| | Have lipp'd, and trembled kissing. | |
| Messenger | First, madam, he is well. | |
| CLEOPATRA | Why, there's more gold. | |
| | But, sirrah, mark, we use | 40 |
| | To say the dead are well: bring it to that, | |
| | The gold I give thee will I melt and pour | |
| | Down thy ill-uttering throat. | |
| Messenger | Good madam, hear me. | |
| CLEOPATRA | Well, go to, I will; | 45 |
| | But there's no goodness in thy face: if Antony | |
| | Be free and healthful,--so tart a favour | |
| | To trumpet such good tidings! If not well, | |
| | Thou shouldst come like a Fury crown'd with snakes, | |
| | Not like a formal man. | 50 |
| Messenger | Will't please you hear me? | |
| CLEOPATRA | I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak'st: | |
| | Yet if thou say Antony lives, is well, | |
| | Or friends with Caesar, or not captive to him, | |
| | I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail | 55 |
| | Rich pearls upon thee. | |
| Messenger | Madam, he's well. | |
| CLEOPATRA | Well said. | |
| Messenger | And friends with Caesar. | |
| CLEOPATRA | Thou'rt an honest man. | 60 |
| Messenger | Caesar and he are greater friends than ever. | |
| CLEOPATRA | Make thee a fortune from me. | |
| Messenger | But yet, madam,-- | |
| CLEOPATRA | I do not like 'But yet,' it does allay | |
| | The good precedence; fie upon 'But yet'! | 65 |
| | 'But yet' is as a gaoler to bring forth | |
| | Some monstrous malefactor. Prithee, friend, | |
| | Pour out the pack of matter to mine ear, | |
| | The good and bad together: he's friends with Caesar: | |
| | In state of health thou say'st; and thou say'st free. | 70 |
| Messenger | Free, madam! no; I made no such report: | |
| | He's bound unto Octavia. | |
| CLEOPATRA | For what good turn? | |
| Messenger | For the best turn i' the bed. | |
| CLEOPATRA | I am pale, Charmian. | 75 |
| Messenger | Madam, he's married to Octavia. | |
| CLEOPATRA | The most infectious pestilence upon thee! | |
| | Strikes him down | |
| Messenger | Good madam, patience. | |
| CLEOPATRA | What say you? Hence, | |
| | Strikes him again | |
| | Horrible villain! or I'll spurn thine eyes | 80 |
| | Like balls before me; I'll unhair thy head: | |
| | She hales him up and down | |
| | Thou shalt be whipp'd with wire, and stew'd in brine, | |
| | Smarting in lingering pickle. | |
| Messenger | Gracious madam, | |
| | I that do bring the news made not the match. | 85 |
| CLEOPATRA | Say 'tis not so, a province I will give thee, | |
| | And make thy fortunes proud: the blow thou hadst | |
| | Shall make thy peace for moving me to rage; | |
| | And I will boot thee with what gift beside | |
| | Thy modesty can beg. | 90 |
| Messenger | He's married, madam. | |
| CLEOPATRA | Rogue, thou hast lived too long. | |
| | Draws a knife | |
| Messenger | Nay, then I'll run. | |
| | What mean you, madam? I have made no fault. | |
| | Exit | |
| CHARMIAN | Good madam, keep yourself within yourself: | 95 |
| | The man is innocent. | |
| CLEOPATRA | Some innocents 'scape not the thunderbolt. | |
| | Melt Egypt into Nile! and kindly creatures | |
| | Turn all to serpents! Call the slave again: | |
| | Though I am mad, I will not bite him: call. | 100 |
| CHARMIAN | He is afeard to come. | |
| CLEOPATRA | I will not hurt him. | |
| | Exit CHARMIAN | |
| | These hands do lack nobility, that they strike | |
| | A meaner than myself; since I myself | |
| | Have given myself the cause. | 105 |
| | Re-enter CHARMIAN and Messenger | |
| | Come hither, sir. | |
| | Though it be honest, it is never good | |
| | To bring bad news: give to a gracious message. | |
| | An host of tongues; but let ill tidings tell | |
| | Themselves when they be felt. | 110 |
| Messenger | I have done my duty. | |
| CLEOPATRA | Is he married? | |
| | I cannot hate thee worser than I do, | |
| | If thou again say 'Yes.' | |
| Messenger | He's married, madam. | 115 |
| CLEOPATRA | The gods confound thee! dost thou hold there still? | |
| Messenger | Should I lie, madam? | |
| CLEOPATRA | O, I would thou didst, | |
| | So half my Egypt were submerged and made | |
| | A cistern for scaled snakes! Go, get thee hence: | 120 |
| | Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me | |
| | Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is married? | |
| Messenger | I crave your highness' pardon. | |
| CLEOPATRA | He is married? | |
| Messenger | Take no offence that I would not offend you: | 125 |
| | To punish me for what you make me do. | |
| | Seems much unequal: he's married to Octavia. | |
| CLEOPATRA | O, that his fault should make a knave of thee, | |
| | That art not what thou'rt sure of! Get thee hence: | |
| | The merchandise which thou hast brought from Rome | 130 |
| | Are all too dear for me: lie they upon thy hand, | |
| | And be undone by 'em! | |
| | Exit Messenger | |
| CHARMIAN | Good your highness, patience. | |
| CLEOPATRA | In praising Antony, I have dispraised Caesar. | |
| CHARMIAN | Many times, madam. | 135 |
| CLEOPATRA | I am paid for't now. | |
| | Lead me from hence: | |
| | I faint: O Iras, Charmian! 'tis no matter. | |
| | Go to the fellow, good Alexas; bid him | |
| | Report the feature of Octavia, her years, | 140 |
| | Her inclination, let him not leave out | |
| | The colour of her hair: bring me word quickly. | |
| | Exit ALEXAS | |
| | Let him for ever go:--let him not--Charmian, | |
| | Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon, | |
| | The other way's a Mars. Bid you Alexas | 145 |
| | To MARDIAN | |
| | Bring me word how tall she is. Pity me, Charmian, | |
| | But do not speak to me. Lead me to my chamber. | |
| | Exeunt | |
