Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
Act 2 - Scene 5
Alexandria. CLEOPATRA’s palace.
Cleopatra : Give me some music; music, moody food
[p]Of us that trade in love.
Attendants : The music, ho!
Cleopatra : Let it alone; let's to billiards: come, Charmian.
Charmian : My arm is sore; best play with Mardian.
Cleopatra : As well a woman with an eunuch play'd
[p]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
[p]too short,
[p]The actor
may plead pardon. I'll none now:
[p]Give me mine angle; we'll to the
river: there,
[p]My music playing far off, I will
betray
[p]Tawny-finn'd fishes; my bended hook shall pierce
[p]Their
slimy jaws; and, as I draw them up,
[p]I'll think them every one an
Antony,
[p]And say 'Ah, ha! you're caught.'
Charmian : 'Twas merry when
[p]You wager'd on your angling; when your
diver
[p]Did hang a salt-fish on his hook, which he
[p]With fervency
drew up.
Cleopatra : That time,--O times!--
[p]I laugh'd him out of patience; and that
night
[p]I laugh'd him into patience; and next morn,
[p]Ere the ninth
hour, I drunk him to his bed;
[p]Then put my tires and mantles on him,
whilst
[p]I wore his sword Philippan.
[p][Enter a Messenger]
[p]O,
from Italy
[p]Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears,
[p]That long
time have been barren.
Messenger : Madam, madam,--
Cleopatra : Antonius dead!--If thou say so, villain,
[p]Thou kill'st thy mistress:
but well and free,
[p]If thou so yield him, there is gold, and
here
[p]My bluest veins to kiss; a hand that kings
[p]Have lipp'd, and
trembled kissing.
Messenger : First, madam, he is well.
Cleopatra : Why, there's more gold.
[p]But, sirrah, mark, we use
[p]To say the
dead are well: bring it to that,
[p]The gold I give thee will I melt
and pour
[p]Down thy ill-uttering throat.
Messenger : Good madam, hear me.
Cleopatra : Well, go to, I will;
[p]But there's no goodness in thy face: if
Antony
[p]Be free and healthful,--so tart a favour
[p]To trumpet such
good tidings! If not well,
[p]Thou shouldst come like a Fury crown'd
with snakes,
[p]Not like a formal man.
Messenger : Will't please you hear me?
Cleopatra : I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak'st:
[p]Yet if thou say
Antony lives, is well,
[p]Or friends with Caesar, or not captive to
him,
[p]I'll set thee in a shower of gold, and hail
[p]Rich pearls
upon thee.
Messenger : Madam, he's well.
Cleopatra : Well said.
Messenger : And friends with Caesar.
Cleopatra : Thou'rt an honest man.
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
[p]The good precedence; fie
upon 'But yet'!
[p]'But yet' is as a gaoler to bring forth
[p]Some
monstrous malefactor. Prithee, friend,
[p]Pour out the pack of matter
to mine ear,
[p]The good and bad together: he's friends with
Caesar:
[p]In state of health thou say'st; and thou say'st free.
Messenger : Free, madam! no; I made no such report:
[p]He's bound unto Octavia.
Cleopatra : For what good turn?
Messenger : For the best turn i' the bed.
Cleopatra : I am pale, Charmian.
Messenger : Madam, he's married to Octavia.
Cleopatra : The most infectious pestilence upon thee!
Messenger : Good madam, patience.
Cleopatra : What say you? Hence,
[p][Strikes him again]
[p]Horrible villain! or
I'll spurn thine eyes
[p]Like balls before me; I'll unhair thy
head:
[p][She hales him up and down]
[p]Thou shalt be whipp'd with
wire, and stew'd in brine,
[p]Smarting in lingering pickle.
Messenger : Gracious madam,
[p]I that do bring the news made not the match.
Cleopatra : Say 'tis not so, a province I will give thee,
[p]And make thy fortunes
proud: the blow thou hadst
[p]Shall make thy peace for moving me to
rage;
[p]And I will boot thee with what gift beside
[p]Thy modesty can
beg.
Messenger : He's married, madam.
Cleopatra : Rogue, thou hast lived too long.
Messenger : Nay, then I'll run.
[p]What mean you, madam? I have made no fault.
Charmian : Good madam, keep yourself within yourself:
[p]The man is innocent.
Cleopatra : Some innocents 'scape not the thunderbolt.
[p]Melt Egypt into Nile!
and kindly creatures
[p]Turn all to serpents! Call the slave
again:
[p]Though I am mad, I will not bite him: call.
Charmian : He is afeard to come.
Cleopatra : I will not hurt him.
[p][Exit CHARMIAN]
[p]These hands do lack
nobility, that they strike
[p]A meaner than myself; since I
myself
[p]Have given myself the cause.
[p][Re-enter CHARMIAN and
Messenger]
[p]Come hither, sir.
[p]Though it be honest, it is never
good
[p]To bring bad news: give to a gracious message.
[p]An host of
tongues; but let ill tidings tell
[p]Themselves when they be felt.
Messenger : I have done my duty.
Cleopatra : Is he married?
[p]I cannot hate thee worser than I do,
[p]If thou
again say 'Yes.'
Messenger : He's married, madam.
Cleopatra : The gods confound thee! dost thou hold there still?
Messenger : Should I lie, madam?
Cleopatra : O, I would thou didst,
[p]So half my Egypt were submerged and
made
[p]A cistern for scaled snakes! Go, get thee hence:
[p]Hadst thou
Narcissus in thy face, to me
[p]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:
[p]To punish me for what
you make me do.
[p]Seems much unequal: he's married to Octavia.
Cleopatra : O, that his fault should make a knave of thee,
[p]That art not what
thou'rt sure of! Get thee hence:
[p]The merchandise which thou hast
brought from Rome
[p]Are all too dear for me: lie they upon thy
hand,
[p]And be undone by 'em!
Charmian : Good your highness, patience.
Cleopatra : In praising Antony, I have dispraised Caesar.
Charmian : Many times, madam.
Cleopatra : I am paid for't now.
[p]Lead me from hence:
[p]I faint: O Iras,
Charmian! 'tis no matter.
[p]Go to the fellow, good Alexas; bid
him
[p]Report the feature of Octavia, her years,
[p]Her inclination,
let him not leave out
[p]The colour of her hair: bring me word
quickly.
[p][Exit ALEXAS]
[p]Let him for ever go:--let him
not--Charmian,
[p]Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon,
[p]The
other way's a Mars. Bid you Alexas
[p][To MARDIAN]
[p]Bring me word
how tall she is. Pity me, Charmian,
[p]But do not speak to me. Lead me
to my chamber.
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Next: Act 2 - Scene 6
