Act III, Scene iii:
Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.

[Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS.]

CLEOPATRA:

Where is the fellow?

ALEXAS:

Half afear'd to come.

CLEOPATRA:

Go to, go to.

[Enter a Messenger.]

Come hither, sir.

ALEXAS:

Good majesty,

Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you

But when you are well pleas'd.

CLEOPATRA:

That Herod's head

I'll have: but how? when Antony is gone,

Through whom I might command it?—Come thou near.

MESSENGER:

Most gracious majesty,—

CLEOPATRA:

Didst thou behold Octavia?

MESSENGER:

Ay, dread queen.

CLEOPATRA:

Where?

MESSENGER:

Madam, in Rome

I look'd her in the face, and saw her led

Between her brother and Mark Antony.

CLEOPATRA:

Is she as tall as me?

MESSENGER:

She is not, madam.

CLEOPATRA:

Didst hear her speak? is she shrill-tongu'd or low?

MESSENGER:

Madam, I heard her speak: she is low-voic'd.

CLEOPATRA:

That's not so good:—he cannot like her long.

CHARMIAN:

Like her! O Isis! 'tis impossible.

CLEOPATRA:

I think so, Charmian: dull of tongue and dwarfish!—

What majesty is in her gait? Remember,

If e'er thou look'dst on majesty.

MESSENGER:

She creeps,—

Her motion and her station are as one;

She shows a body rather than a life,

A statue than a breather.

CLEOPATRA:

Is this certain?

MESSENGER:

Or I have no observance.

CHARMIAN:

Three in Egypt

Cannot make better note.

CLEOPATRA:

He's very knowing;

I do perceive't:—there's nothing in her yet:—

The fellow has good judgment.

CHARMIAN:

Excellent.

CLEOPATRA:

Guess at her years, I pr'ythee.

MESSENGER:

Madam,

She was a widow.

CLEOPATRA:

Widow!—Charmian, hark!

MESSENGER:

And I do think she's thirty.

CLEOPATRA:

Bear'st thou her face in mind? is't long or round?

MESSENGER:

Round even to faultiness.

CLEOPATRA:

For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so.—

Her hair, what colour?

MESSENGER:

Brown, madam: and her forehead

As low as she would wish it.

CLEOPATRA:

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 prepar'd.

[Exit Messenger.]

CHARMIAN:

A proper man.

CLEOPATRA:

Indeed, he is so: I repent me much

That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him,

This creature's no such thing.

CHARMIAN:

Nothing, madam.

CLEOPATRA:

The man hath seen some majesty, and should know.

CHARMIAN:

Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend,

And serving you so long!

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.

CHARMIAN:

I warrant you, madam.

[Exeunt.]