Original Text |
Translated Text |
| Source: Folger Shakespeare Library |
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Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Alexas. CLEOPATRA
Give me some music—music, moody food
Of us that trade in love.
ALL The music, ho! Enter Mardian the eunuch. CLEOPATRA
Let it alone. Let’s to billiards. Come, Charmian. CHARMIAN
My arm is sore. Best play with Mardian. 5 CLEOPATRA
As well a woman with an eunuch played
As with a woman.—Come, you’ll play with me, sir? MARDIAN As well as I can, madam. CLEOPATRA
And when good will is showed, though ’t come too
short, 10
The actor may plead pardon. I’ll none now.
Give me mine angle; we’ll to th’ river. There,
My music playing far off, I will betray
Tawny-finned fishes. My bended hook shall pierce
Their slimy jaws, and as I draw them up 15
I’ll think them every one an Antony
And say “Aha! You’re caught.” CHARMIAN ’Twas merry when
You wagered on your angling; when your diver
Did hang a salt fish on his hook, which he 20
With fervency drew up. CLEOPATRA That time?—O, times!—
I laughed him out of patience; and that night
I laughed him into patience; and next morn,
Ere the ninth hour, I drunk him to his bed, 25
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,
That long time have been barren. 30 | Cleopatra misses Antony, and jokes with her servants about the times they had. She compares Antony to a fish she caught in the river, and notes that last time she caught him she kept him for quite some time (i.e., they were rather voracious in their appetites for each other). She also mentions that she dressed Antony up in her headdresses and clothes while she wore the sword he used in the battle against Brutus and Cassius at Philippi. This moment of TMI is interrupted by a messenger who brings news from Rome. |
MESSENGER Madam, madam— CLEOPATRA
Antonio’s 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
My bluest veins to kiss, a hand that kings 35
Have lipped and trembled kissing. MESSENGER First, madam, he is well. CLEOPATRA
Why, there’s more gold. But sirrah, mark, we use
To say the dead are well. Bring it to that,
The gold I give thee will I melt and pour 40
Down thy ill-uttering throat. MESSENGER Good madam, hear me. CLEOPATRA Well, go to, I will.
But there’s no goodness in thy face—if Antony
Be free and healthful, so tart a favor 45
To trumpet such good tidings! If not well,
Thou shouldst come like a Fury crowned with snakes,
Not like a formal man. MESSENGER Will ’t please you hear me? CLEOPATRA
I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak’st 50
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
Rich pearls upon thee. MESSENGER Madam, he’s well. 55 CLEOPATRA Well said. MESSENGER
And friends with Caesar. CLEOPATRA Th’ art an honest man. MESSENGER
Caesar and he are greater friends than ever. CLEOPATRA
Make thee a fortune from me. 60 MESSENGER But yet, madam— CLEOPATRA
I do not like “But yet.” It does allay
The good precedence. Fie upon “But yet.”
“But yet” is as a jailer to bring forth
Some monstrous malefactor. Prithee, friend, 65
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. | Cleopatra can tell by his face that it’s not great news. She worries that Antony is dead, or that he’s Caesar’s captive or something terrible. She keeps interrupting the messenger, threatening him if he brings bad news and promising gold if he brings good. |
MESSENGER
Free, madam, no. I made no such report.
He’s bound unto Octavia. 70 CLEOPATRA For what good turn? MESSENGER
For the best turn i’ th’ bed. CLEOPATRA I am pale, Charmian. MESSENGER
Madam, he’s married to Octavia. | Finally, the messenger manages to say that Antony is bound to Octavia, as in "married to" and "sleeping with." |
CLEOPATRA
The most infectious pestilence upon thee! 75 Strikes him down. MESSENGER Good madam, patience! CLEOPATRA What say you? Strikes him.
Hence, horrible villain, or I’ll spurn thine eyes
Like balls before me! I’ll unhair thy head!
She hales him up and down.
Thou shalt be whipped with wire and stewed in 80
brine,
Smarting in ling’ring pickle. MESSENGER Gracious madam,
I that do bring the news made not the match. CLEOPATRA
Say ’tis not so, a province I will give thee 85
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. MESSENGER He’s married, madam. 90 CLEOPATRA
Rogue, thou hast lived too long. Draw a knife. MESSENGER Nay then, I’ll run.
What mean you, madam? I have made no fault. He exits. | Cleopatra, not surprisingly, flies into a rage, beats the messenger repeatedly, and eventually draws a knife. He runs away, thinking his job was to tell the truth, not to bear its consequences. |
CHARMIAN
Good madam, keep yourself within yourself.
The man is innocent. 95 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! CHARMIAN
He is afeard to come. 100 CLEOPATRA I will not hurt him.
These hands do lack nobility that they strike
A meaner than myself, since I myself
Have given myself the cause. Enter the Messenger again. Come hither, sir. 105
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. | She eventually calms out of crazed mood, and calls the messenger back, admitting she has acted like she’s on Jerry Springer. She says it’s not the poor messenger's fault that he brought such bad news. |
MESSENGER I have done my duty. 110 CLEOPATRA Is he married?
I cannot hate thee worser than I do
If thou again say “yes.” MESSENGER He’s married, madam. CLEOPATRA
The gods confound thee! Dost thou hold there still? 115 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.
Hadst thou Narcissus in thy face, to me 120
Thou wouldst appear most ugly. He is married? MESSENGER
I crave your Highness’ pardon. CLEOPATRA He is married? MESSENGER
Take no offense that I would not offend you.
To punish me for what you make me do 125
Seems much unequal. He’s married to Octavia. CLEOPATRA
O, that his fault should make a knave of thee
That art not what th’ art 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! Messenger exits. | Cleopatra has the messenger repeat that Antony’s married a few more times, adding to the drama. |
CHARMIAN Good your Highness,
patience. CLEOPATRA
In praising Antony, I have dispraised Caesar. 135 CHARMIAN Many times, madam. 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 color of her hair. Bring me word quickly. Alexas exits. Let him forever go—let him not, Charmian.
Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,
The other way ’s a Mars. (To Mardian.) Bid you 145
Alexas
Bring me word how tall she is.—Pity me,
Charmian,
But do not speak to me. Lead me to my chamber. They exit. | As she dismisses the servant, Cleopatra notes that praising Antony has made her dispraise Julius Caesar (her original lover). She’s sure what's happening now is punishment for her short memory. Cleopatra sends her servant, Alexas, to follow the messenger and ask that he bring back word of what Octavia is like—her age, manner, height, hair color. She’d like to size up the competition. |