Enter Pompey, Menecrates, and Menas, in warlike manner POMPEY         If the great gods be just, they shall assist The deeds of justest men. MENECRATES            Know, worthy Pompey, That what they do delay they not deny. POMPEY         Whiles we are suitors to their throne, decays The thing we sue for. MENECRATES            We, ignorant of ourselves, Beg […]

CLEOPATRA   By Isis, I will give thee bloody teeth If thou 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 judgement, cold in blood, To say as I said then. But come, away, Get me […]

CLEOPATRA               Met’st thou 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 […]

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, ’tis the man; but note him. He was not sad, for he would shine on those That […]

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 thou, shall call her mistress.’ So he nodded, And soberly did mount an argent steed, Who neighed […]

Enter Alexas ALEXAS           Sovereign of Egypt, hail! CLEOPATRA   How much unlike art thou Mark Antony! Yet, coming from him, that great medicine hath With his tinct gilded thee. 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 […]

CLEOPATRA               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 Phoebus’ amorous pinches black, And wrinkled deep in time. Broad-fronted Caesar, When thou wast here above the ground I was A morsel for a […]

CLEOPATRA   O, Charmian, Where think’st thou 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 thou whom thou mov’st— The demi-Atlas of this earth, the arm And burgonet of men.          (1.5.18-24)   […]

CLEOPATRA   Thou, eunuch Mardian! MARDIAN       What’s your highness’ pleasure? CLEOPATRA   Not now to hear thee sing. I take no pleasure In aught an eunuch has. ’Tis well for thee That, being unseminared, thy freer thoughts May not fly forth of Egypt. Hast thou affections? MARDIAN       Yes, gracious madam. CLEOPATRA               Indeed? MARDIAN       Not in deed, madam, […]

Enter Cleopatra, Charmian, Iras, and Mardian 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, ’tis treason! CHARMIAN Madam, I trust not so.  […]