CLEOPATRA              Pray you, tell him

I am his fortune’s vassal, and I send him

The greatness he has got. I hourly learn

A doctrine of obedience, and would gladly

Look him i’th’ face.

PROCULEIUS             This I’ll report, dear lady;

Have comfort, for I know your plight is pitied

Of him that caused it.

 [Enter Gallus and Roman soldiers]

You see how easily she may be surprised.

Guard her till Caesar come.

IRAS                                        Royal Queen—

CHARMIAN    O, Cleopatra, thou art taken, Queen!           (5.2.28-37)

 

Cleopatra is a finely judged combination of graciousness, gratitude, and sarcasm. Take this message back to Caesar, then, if you please: pray you, tell him I am his fortune’s vassal. He’s won, and I abase myself before his great good fortune in so doing; I send him the greatness he has got, and acknowledge the power that he has over me, recognise his power and superiority. I hourly learn a doctrine of obedience—Cleopatra obedient? No really, I’ll do what I’m told, I’ve learned my lesson, how I must behave from now on—and I would gladly look him i’th’ face. Please, can I see him? It can be both a genuine plea and a strategy: if she can speak with Caesar herself, rather than through intermediaries, surely she can work her old magic, surely she can charm some concessions from him? Proculeius isn’t giving anything away, smooth with just a touch of gallant flirtation: this I’ll report, dear lady. And have comfort—don’t worry your pretty head—for I know your plight is pitied of him that caused it. He doesn’t want to hurt you, he feels sorry for you. (A jab worthy of Cleopatra herself: Cleopatra, the object of pity?)

 

But Proculeius seems to have been playing for time, to give Cleopatra a false sense of security while the other Romans gain access to the monument and prepare to take control. There’s a sudden interruption, soldiers, a change of tone and pace; perhaps Charmian and Iras grabbed or threatened. Proculeius changes his tone, addressing the soldiers directly and ignoring Cleopatra, no more gallant courtesy or titles. You see how easily she may be surprised. She. Simple as that to subdue her, take her prisoner. Guard her till Caesar come. The women are frantic, perhaps trying to shield their mistress: Royal Queen! It could be spoken as a barbed reminder to the soldiers, that Cleopatra is a queen, even as she is a prisoner. Charmian seems to state the obvious: O, Cleopatra, thou art taken, Queen! But as well as the implicit stage direction, there’s a suggestion that Cleopatra hasn’t yet been grabbed, that there’s a moment of confusion when Cleopatra could still act—could still kill herself.