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Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS |
CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS enter. |
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CLEOPATRA
Where is the fellow? |
CLEOPATRA
Where is that messenger? |
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ALEXAS
Half afeard to come. |
ALEXAS
He’s afraid to come in. |
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CLEOPATRA
Go to, go to.—Come hither, sir. |
CLEOPATRA
Oh, come on.—Come here, sir. |
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Enter the MESSENGER as before |
The MESSENGER enters. |
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ALEXAS
Good majesty, Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you But when you are well pleased. |
ALEXAS
Gracious Queen, even Herod of Judea wouldn’t dare look at you unless you were in a good mood. |
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CLEOPATRA
That Herod’s head I’ll have! But how? When Antony is gone, Through whom I might command it? (to MESSENGER) Come thou near. |
CLEOPATRA
I’ll have Herod’s head chopped off! But now that Antony’s gone, who will do it for me? (to MESSENGER) Come closer. |
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MESSENGER
Most gracious majesty! |
MESSENGER
Most formidable Queen! |
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CLEOPATRA
Didst thou behold Octavia? |
CLEOPATRA
Did you see Octavia? |
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MESSENGER
Ay, dread Queen. |
MESSENGER
Yes, revered Queen. |
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CLEOPATRA
Where? |
CLEOPATRA
Where? |
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MESSENGER
Madam, in Rome. I looked her in the face, and saw her led Between her brother and Mark Antony. |
MESSENGER
In Rome, Madam. I saw her face as she walked with her brother and Mark Antony. |
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CLEOPATRA
Is she as tall as me? |
CLEOPATRA
Is she as tall as I am? |
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MESSENGER
She is not, madam. |
MESSENGER
She is not, madam. |
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CLEOPATRA
Didst hear her speak? Is she shrill-tongued or low? |
CLEOPATRA
Did you hear her speak? Is her voice pitched high or low? |
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MESSENGER
Madam, I heard her speak. She is low-voiced. |
MESSENGER
Madam, I heard her speak. She has a low-pitched voice. |
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CLEOPATRA
That’s not so good. He cannot like her long. |
CLEOPATRA
That’s not in her favor. He can’t like her very long. |
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CHARMIAN
Like her? O Isis, ’tis impossible. |
CHARMIAN
Like her? Oh, Isis, that’s impossible. |
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CLEOPATRA
I think so, Charmian. Dull of tongue, and dwarfish.— What majesty is in her gait? Remember, If e’er thou looked’st on majesty. |
CLEOPATRA
You’re right, Charmian. She’s both dull-spoken and dwarfishly little.—Did she carry herself with majesty? Compare her to any memory you might have of royalty. |
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MESSENGER
She creeps. Her motion and her station are as one. She shows a body rather than a life, A statue than a breather. |
MESSENGER
She creeps along. Moving or standing still, her bearing is about the same. She has a body, not a life. She’s more like a statue than a living, breathing human being. |
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CLEOPATRA
Is this certain? |
CLEOPATRA
Is this true? |
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MESSENGER
Or I have no observance. |
MESSENGER
If not, then I have no powers of observation. |
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CHARMIAN
Three in Egypt Cannot make better note. |
CHARMIAN
There aren’t three people in all of Egypt who could do better. |
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CLEOPATRA
He’s very knowing, I do perceive ’t. There’s nothing in her yet. The fellow has good judgment. |
CLEOPATRA
He’s very observant. I can tell. She doesn’t have anything going for her so far. This messenger is wise. |
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CHARMIAN
Excellent. |
CHARMIAN
Very wise. |
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CLEOPATRA
(to MESSENGER) Guess at her years, I prithee. |
CLEOPATRA
(to MESSENGER) How old do you think she is? |
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MESSENGER
Madam, she was a widow— |
MESSENGER
She was a widow previously, madam. |
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CLEOPATRA
Widow? Charmian, hark. |
CLEOPATRA
A widow? Do you hear that, Charmian? |
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MESSENGER
And I do think she’s thirty. |
MESSENGER
And I think she’s at least thirty. |
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CLEOPATRA
Bear’st thou her face in mind? Is ’t long or round? |
CLEOPATRA
Do you remember her face? Was it long or round? |
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MESSENGER
Round, even to faultiness. |
MESSENGER
Round enough to be unattractive. |
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CLEOPATRA
For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so. Her hair, what color? |
CLEOPATRA
Usually that means a person is foolish. What color is her hair? |
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MESSENGER
Brown, madam, and her forehead As low as she would wish it. |
MESSENGER
Brown, madam, and she wouldn’t want her forehead to be any lower. |
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CLEOPATRA
(giving money) There’s gold for thee. Thou must not take my former sharpness ill. I will employ thee back again; I find thee Most fit for business. Go make thee ready; Our letters are prepared. |
CLEOPATRA
Here’s gold for you. You mustn’t hold my earlier outburst against me. I’ll hire you again to go back to Rome. I find that you’re very good at this kind of work. Go, prepare to travel. My letters are ready to go. |
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Exit MESSENGER |
The MESSENGER exits. |
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CHARMIAN
A proper man. |
CHARMIAN
He’s an admirable man. |
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CLEOPATRA
Indeed, he is so. I repent me much That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him, This creature’s no such thing. |
CLEOPATRA
He certainly is. I’m very sorry I was so hard on him. Why, from what he says, Octavia isn’t worth getting upset over. |
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CHARMIAN
Nothing, madam. |
CHARMIAN
Not a bit, madam. |
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CLEOPATRA
The man hath seen some majesty and should know. |
CLEOPATRA
This man’s been around royalty. He should recognize it when he sees it. |
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CHARMIAN
Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend, And serving you so long! |
CHARMIAN
Been around royalty! Isis forbid it were otherwise, since he’s been in your service so long. |
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CLEOPATRA
I have one thing more to ask him yet, good Charmian— But ’tis no matter; thou shalt bring him to me Where I will write. All may be well enough. |
CLEOPATRA
I want to ask him one more thing, Charmian. But it’s not important. Bring him to my writing room. Everything may still be all right. |
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CHARMIAN
I warrant you, madam. |
CHARMIAN
I assure you it is, madam. |
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Exeunt |
They exit. |