Through whom I might command it?

(To the Messenger)

Come thou near.

MESSENGER

Most gracious majesty!

CLEOPATRA

Didst thou behold

Octavia?

MESSENGER Ay, dread Queen.

CLEOPATRA

Where?

MESSENGER

Madam, in Rome.

I looked her in the face, and saw her led

Between her brother and Mark Antony.

CLEOPATRA

Is she as tall as me?

MESSENGER

She is not, madam.

CLEOPATRA

Didst hear her speak? Is she shrill-tongued or low?

MESSENGER

Madam, I heard her speak. She is low-voiced.

CLEOPATRA

That’s not so good. He cannot like her long.

CHARMIAN

Like her? O Isis, ’is impossible!

CLEOPATRA

I think so, Charmian. Dull of tongue, and dwarfish.

What majesty is in her gait? Remember

If e‘er thou looked’st on majesty.

MESSENGER

She creeps.

Her motion and her station are as one.

She shows a body rather than a life,

A statue than a breather.

CLEOPATRA

Is this certain?

MESSENGER

Or I have no observance.

CHARMIAN

Three in Egypt

Cannot make better note.

CLEOPATRA

He’s very knowing,

I do perceive’t. There’s nothing in her yet.

The fellow has good judgement.

CHARMIAN

Excellent.

CLEOPATRA (to the Messenger)

Guess at her years, I prithee.

MESSENGER

Madam,

She was a widow—

CLEOPATRA

Widow? Charmian, hark.

MESSENGER And I do think she’s thirty.

CLEOPATRA

Bear’st thou her face in mind? Is’t long or round?

MESSENGER Round, even to faultiness.

CLEOPATRA

For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so.

Her hair—what colour?

MESSENGER

Brown, madam; and her forehead

As low as she would wish it.

CLEOPATRA (giving money)

There’s gold for thee.

Thou must not take my former sharpness ill.

I will employ thee back again. I find thee

Most fit for business. Go, make thee ready.

Our letters are prepared.

Exit Messenger

CHARMIAN

A proper man.

CLEOPATRA

Indeed he is so. I repent me much

That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him,

This creature’s no such thing.

CHARMIAN

Nothing, madam.

CLEOPATRA

The man hath seen some majesty, and should know.

CHARMIAN

Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend,

And serving you so long!

CLEOPATRA

I have one thing more to ask him yet, good

Charmian.

But ’tis no matter. Thou shalt bring him to me

Where I will write. All may be well enough.

CHARMIAN I warrant you, madam.

Exeunt

3.4 Enter Antony and Octavia

ANTONY

Nay, nay, Octavia, not only that,

That were excusable, that and thousands more

Of semblable import; but he hath waged

New wars ‘gainst Pompey, made his will and read it

To public ear, spoke scantly of me;

When perforce he could not

But pay me terms of honour, cold and sickly

He vented them, most narrow measure lent me.

When the best hint was given him, he not took’t,

Or did it from his teeth.

OCTAVIA

O my good lord,

Believe not all, or if you must believe,

Stomach not all. A more unhappy lady,

If this division chance, ne’er stood between,

Praying for both parts.

The good gods will mock me presently,

When I shall pray ‘O, bless my lord and husband!’,

Undo that prayer by crying out as loud

‘O, bless my brother!’ Husband win, win brother

Prays and destroys the prayer; no midway

’Twixt these extremes at all.

ANTONY

Gentle Octavia,

Let your best love draw to that point which seeks

Best to preserve it. If I lose mine honour,

I lose myself. Better I were not yours

Than yours so branchless. But, as you requested,

Yourself shall go between’s. The meantime, lady,

I’ll raise the preparation of a war

Shall stain your brother. Make your soonest haste;

So your desires are yours.

OCTAVIA

Thanks to my lord.

The Jove of power make me most weak, most weak,

Your reconciler! Wars ’twixt you twain would be

As if the world should cleave, and that slain men

Should solder up the rift.

ANTONY

When it appears to you where this begins,

Turn your displeasure that way, for our faults

Can never be so equal that your love

Can equally move with them. Provide your going,

Choose your own company, and command what cost

Your heart has mind to.

Exeunt

3.5 Enter Enobarbus and Eros, meeting

ENOBARBUS How now, friend Eros?

EROS There’s strange news come, sir.

ENOBARBUS What, man?

EROS Caesar and Lepidus have made wars upon Pompey. ENOBARBUS This is old. What is the success?

EROS Caesar, having made use of him in the wars ’gainst Pompey, presently denied him rivality, would not let him partake in the glory of the action, and, not resting here, accuses him of letters he had formerly wrote to Pompey; upon his own appeal seizes him; so the poor third is up, till death enlarge his confine.

ENOBARBUS

Then, world, thou hast a pair of chops, no more,

And throw between them all the food thou hast,

They’ll grind the one the other. Where’s Antony?

EROS

He’s walking in the garden, thus, and spurns

The rush that lies before him, cries ‘Fool Lepidus!’

And threats the throat of that his officer

That murdered Pompey.

ENOBARBUS

Our great navy’s rigged.

EROS

For Italy and Caesar. More, Domitius:

My lord desires you presently. My news

I might have told hereafter.