Enter Dolabella

DOLABELLA                           Where’s the Queen?

CHARMIAN     Behold, sir.

[Exit]

CLEOPATRA                           Dolabella!

DOLABELLA Madam, as thereto sworn by your command—

Which my love makes religion to obey—

I tell you this: Caesar through Syria

Intends his journey, and within three days

You with your children will he send before.

Make your best use of this. I have performed

Your pleasure, and my promise.

CLEOPATRA                           Dolabella,

I shall remain your debtor.

DOLABELLA   I your servant.

Adieu, good Queen. I must attend on Caesar.

CLEOPATRA Farewell, and thanks.

[Exit Dolabella]                                   (5.2.193-203)

 

As Charmian exits, here’s Dolabella back, with some urgency, asking her as they encounter one another where’s the Queen? (Does he imagine that Cleopatra might already have gone with Caesar?) Behold, sir. Right there. Is Cleopatra surprised to see him again? Dolabella! Possibly not. She must realise that she fascinates him, that he’s at least partially on her side. And so it proves; he brings important information, and he’s at pains to say that it’s his feelings towards her which have impelled him to go behind Caesar’s back. Madam—courteous as ever—as thereto sworn by your command, just as I’ve promised, and as my loyalty, my love makes religion to obey, as my feelings for you compel me to do—I tell you this. Caesar through Syria intends his journey; that’s the route he plans to take. And within three days you with your children he will send before. He’ll send you on ahead of him, with your children, just as you feared; he’ll send you to Rome, to await his triumph. Make your best use of this: do what you will, and the most you can, with this intelligence—does Dolabella know or suspect what Cleopatra plans, suicide rather than flight or acquiescence? Probably. I have performed your pleasure, and my promise. There, I’ve done what you’ve asked me to do, and what I swore to do—and, he leaves unsaid, at considerable personal risk. He might even be turning to go as he says it. Dolabella, I shall remain your debtor, she says: simple, polite, heartfelt. I owe you, and I have no way of repaying you now—she leaves that implicit too, it’s not just an empty phrase. I your servant, he replies, proper and brief and formal. And now, adieu good Queen. (Still he addresses her as Queen.) I must attend on Caesar, he’ll be waiting for me, perhaps wondering where I’ve got to. I can’t afford to be missed. Farewell, and thanks. It’s all that can be said—and a reminder of Cleopatra’s sharp intelligence, her practicality. Dolabella has done what he said he would, and she has the information that she needs. There’s no need for flattery or flirtation or bargaining or game-playing anymore.