READ STUDY GUIDE: Act I, scenes iv–v; Act II, scenes i–ii |
|
Act I, Scene v:
Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.
Alexandria. A Room in the Palace.
| [Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and MARDIAN.] |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| Charmian,— |
| CHARMIAN: |
| Madam? |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| Ha, ha!— |
| Give me to drink mandragora. |
| CHARMIAN: |
| Why, madam? |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| That I might sleep out this great gap of time |
| My Antony is away. |
| CHARMIAN: |
| You think of him too much. |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| O, 'tis treason! |
| CHARMIAN: |
| Madam, I trust, not so. |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| Thou, eunuch Mardian! |
| MARDIAN: |
| What's your highness' pleasure? |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| Not now to hear thee sing; I take no pleasure |
| In aught an eunuch has; 'tis well for thee |
| That, being unseminar'd, thy freer thoughts |
| May not fly forth of Egypt. Hast thou affections? |
| MARDIAN: |
| Yes, gracious madam. |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| Indeed! |
| MARDIAN: |
| Not in deed, madam; for I can do nothing |
| But what indeed is honest to be done: |
| Yet have I fierce affections, and think |
| What Venus did with Mars. |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| O Charmian, |
| Where think'st thou he is now? Stands he or sits he? |
| Or does he walk? or is he on his horse? |
| O happy horse, to bear the weight of Antony! |
| Do bravely, horse! for wott'st thou whom thou mov'st? |
| The demi-Atlas of this earth, the arm |
| And burgonet of men.—He's speaking now, |
| Or murmuring 'Where's my serpent of old Nile?' |
| For so he calls me.—Now I feed myself |
| With most delicious poison:—think on me, |
| That am with Phoebus' amorous pinches black, |
| And wrinkled deep in time? Broad-fronted Caesar, |
| When thou wast here above the ground I was |
| A morsel for a monarch: and great Pompey |
| Would stand and make his eyes grow in my brow; |
| There would he anchor his aspect and die |
| With looking on his life. |
| [Enter ALEXAS.] |
| ALEXAS: |
| Sovereign of Egypt, hail! |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| How much unlike art thou Mark Antony! |
| Yet, coming from him, that great medicine hath |
| With his tinct gilded thee.— |
| How goes it with my brave Mark Antony? |
| ALEXAS: |
| Last thing he did, dear queen, |
| He kiss'd,—the last of many doubled kisses,— |
| This orient pearl: his speech sticks in my heart. |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| Mine ear must pluck it thence. |
| ALEXAS: |
| 'Good friend,' quoth he |
| 'Say, the firm Roman to great Egypt sends |
| This treasure of an oyster; at whose foot, |
| To mend the petty present, I will piece |
| Her opulent throne with kingdoms; all the east, |
| Say thou, shall call her mistress.' So he nodded, |
| And soberly did mount an arm-girt steed, |
| Who neigh'd so high that what I would have spoke |
| Was beastly dumb'd by him. |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| What, was he sad or merry? |
| ALEXAS: |
| Like to the time o' the year between the extremes |
| Of hot and cold, he was nor sad nor merry. |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| O well-divided disposition!—Note him, |
| Note him, good Charmian; 'tis the man; but note him: |
| He was not sad,—for he would shine on those |
| That make their looks by his; he was not merry,— |
| Which seem'd to tell them his remembrance lay |
| In Egypt with his joy; but between both: |
| O heavenly mingle!—Be'st thou sad or merry, |
| The violence of either thee becomes, |
| So does it no man else.—Mett'st thou my posts? |
| ALEXAS: |
| Ay, madam, twenty several messengers. |
| Why do you send so thick? |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| Who's born that day |
| When I forget to send to Antony |
| Shall die a beggar.—Ink and paper, Charmian.— |
| Welcome, my good Alexas.—Did I, Charmian, |
| Ever love Caesar so? |
| CHARMIAN: |
| O that brave Caesar! |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| Be chok'd with such another emphasis! |
| Say 'the brave Antony.' |
| CHARMIAN: |
| The valiant Caesar! |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| By Isis, I will give thee bloody teeth |
| If thou with Caesar paragon again |
| My man of men. |
| CHARMIAN: |
| By your most gracious pardon, |
| I sing but after you. |
| CLEOPATRA: |
| My salad days, |
| When I was green in judgment:—cold in blood, |
| To say as I said then!—But come, away; |
| Get me ink and paper: he shall have every day |
| A several greeting, |
| Or I'll unpeople Egypt. |
| [Exeunt.] |
|
|
||||
|
