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, treason!
CHARMIAN
Madam, I trust not so.
CLEOPATRA
, eunuch Mardian!
MARDIAN
What’s your highness’ pleasure?
CLEOPATRA
Not now to hear sing. I take no pleasure
In an eunuch has. well for
That, being unseminared, freer thoughts
May not fly forth of Egypt. 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 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 wot’st whom 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 Phœbus’ amorous pinches black,
And wrinkled deep in time? Broad-fronted Caesar,
When 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.
ALEXAS
Sovereign of Egypt, hail!
CLEOPATRA
How much unlike art Mark Antony!
Yet, coming from him, that great medicine
With his tinct gilded .
How goes it with my brave Mark Antony?
ALEXAS
Last thing he did, dear queen,
He kissed—the last of many doubled kisses—
This orient pearl. His speech sticks in my heart.
CLEOPATRA
Mine ear must pluck it .
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 , shall call her mistress.” So he nodded
And soberly did mount an arm-gaunt steed,
Who neighed so high that what I would have spoke
Was beastly dumbed by him.
CLEOPATRA
What, was he sad or merry?
ALEXAS
Like to the time o’ th’ 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, 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 seemed to tell them his remembrance lay
In Egypt with his joy; but between both.
O heavenly mingle!—Be’st sad or merry,
The violence of either becomes,
So does it no man else.—Met’st 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 choked with such another emphasis!
Say “the brave Antony.”
CHARMIAN
The valiant Caesar!
CLEOPATRA
By Isis, I will give bloody teeth
If 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.