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well a woman with an eunuch play'd As with a woman。 Come； you'll play
with me； sir？ MARDIAN。 As well as I can； madam。 CLEOPATRA。 And
when good will is show'd； though't come too short； The actor may plead
pardon。 I'll none now。 Give me mine angle… we'll to th' river。 There； My
music playing far off； I will betray Tawny…finn'd fishes； my bended hook
shall pierce Their slimy jaws； and as I draw them up I'll think them every
one an Antony； And say 'Ah ha！ Y'are caught。' CHARMIAN。 'Twas merry
when You wager'd on your angling； when your diver Did hang a salt fish
on his hook； which he With fervency drew up。 CLEOPATRA。 That time？
O times I laughed him out of patience； and that night I laugh'd him into
patience； and next morn； Ere the ninth hour； I drunk him to his bed； Then
put my tires and mantles on him； whilst I wore his sword Philippan。
Enter a MESSENGER
O！ from Italy？ Ram thou thy fruitful tidings in mine ears； That long
time have been barren。 MESSENGER。 Madam； madam… CLEOPATRA。
Antony's dead！ If thou say so； villain； Thou kill'st thy mistress； but well
and free； If thou so yield him； there is gold； and here My bluest veins to
kiss… a hand that kings Have lipp'd； and trembled kissing。 MESSENGER。
First； madam； he is well。 CLEOPATRA。 Why； there's more gold。 But；
sirrah； mark； we use To say the dead are well。 Bring it to that； The gold I
give thee will I melt and pour Down thy ill…uttering throat。 MESSENGER。
Good madam； hear me。 CLEOPATRA。 Well； go to； I will。 But there's no
goodness in thy face。 If Antony Be free and healthful… why so tart a favour
To trumpet such good tidings？ If not well； Thou shouldst come like a Fury
crown'd with snakes； Not like a formal man。 MESSENGER。 Will't please
you hear me？ CLEOPATRA。 I have a mind to strike thee ere thou speak'st。
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Yet； if thou say Antony lives； is well； Or friends with Caesar； or not
captive to him； I'll set thee in a shower of gold； and hail Rich pearls upon
thee。 MESSENGER。 Madam； he's well。 CLEOPATRA。 Well said。
MESSENGER。 And friends with Caesar。 CLEOPATRA。 Th'art an honest
man。 MESSENGER。 Caesar and he are greater friends than ever。
CLEOPATRA。 Make thee a fortune from me。 MESSENGER。 But yet；
madam… CLEOPATRA。 I do not like 'but yet。' It does allay The good
precedence； fie upon 'but yet'！ 'But yet' is as a gaoler to bring forth Some
monstrous malefactor。 Prithee； friend； Pour out the pack of matter to mine
ear； The good and bad together。 He's friends with Caesar； In state of health；
thou say'st； and； thou say'st； free。 MESSENGER。 Free； madam！ No； I
made no such report。 He's bound unto Octavia。 CLEOPATRA。 For what
good turn？ MESSENGER。 For the best turn i' th' bed。 CLEOPATRA。 I am
pale； Charmian。 MESSENGER。 Madam； he's married to Octavia。
CLEOPATRA。 The most infectious pestilence upon thee！ ＇Strikes him
down＇ MESSENGER。 Good madam； patience。 CLEOPATRA。 What say
you？ Hence； ＇Strikes him＇ Horrible villain！ or I'll spurn thine eyes Like
balls before me； I'll unhair thy head； ＇She hales him up and down＇ Thou
shalt be whipp'd with wire and stew'd in brine； Smarting in ling'ring pickle。
MESSENGER。 Gracious madam； I that do bring the news made not the
match。 CLEOPATRA。 Say 'tis not so； a province I will give thee； And
make thy fortunes proud。 The blow thou hadst Shall make thy peace for
moving me to rage； And I will boot thee with what gift beside Thy
modesty can beg。 MESSENGER。 He's married； madam。 CLEOPATRA。
Rogue； thou hast liv'd too long。 ＇Draws a knife＇ MESSENGER。 Nay； then
I'll run。 What mean you； madam？ I have made no fault。 Exit CHARMIAN。
Good madam； keep yourself within yourself： The man is innocent。
CLEOPATRA。 Some innocents scape not the thunderbolt。 Melt Egypt into
Nile！ and kindly creatures Turn all to serpents！ Call the slave again。
Though I am mad； I will not bite him。 Call！ CHARMIAN。 He is afear'd to
come。 CLEOPATRA。 I will not hurt him。 These hands do lack nobility；
that they strike A meaner than myself； since I myself Have given myself
the cause。
Enter the MESSENGER again
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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
Come hither； sir。 Though it be honest； it is never good To bring bad
news。 Give to a gracious message An host of tongues； but let ill tidings tell
Themselves when they be felt。 MESSENGER。 I have done my duty。
CLEOPATRA。 Is he married？ I cannot hate thee worser than I do If thou
again say 'Yes。' MESSENGER。 He's married； madam。 CLEOPATRA。 The
gods confound thee！ Dost thou hold there still？ MESSENGER。 Should I
lie； madam？ CLEOPATRA。 O； I would thou didst； So half my Egypt were
submerg'd and made A cistern for scal'd snakes！ Go； get thee hence。 Hadst
thou Narcissus in thy face； to me Thou wouldst appear most ugly。 He is
married？ MESSENGER。 I crave your Highness' pardon。 CLEOPATRA。
He is married？ MESSENGER。 Take no offence that I would not offend
you； To punish me for what you make me do Seems much unequal。 He's
married to Octavia。 CLEOPATRA。 O； that his fault should make a knave
of thee That art not what th'art sure of！ Get thee hence。 The merchandise
which thou hast brought from Rome Are all too dear for me。 Lie they upon
thy hand； And be undone by 'em！ Exit MESSENGER CHARMIAN。 Good
your Highness； patience。 CLEOPATRA。 In praising Antony I have
disprais'd Caesar。 CHARMIAN。 Many times； madam。 CLEOPATRA。 I am
paid for't now。 Lead me from hence； I faint。 O Iras； Charmian！ 'Tis no
matter。 Go to the fellow； good Alexas； bid him Report the feature of
Octavia； her years； Her inclination； let him not leave out The colour of her
hair。 Bring me word quickly。 Exit ALEXAS Let him for ever go… let him
not； Charmian… Though he be painted one way like a Gorgon； The other
way's a Mars。 ＇To MARDIAN＇ Bid you Alexas Bring me word how tall
she is。… Pity me； Charmian； But do not speak to me。 Lead me to my
chamber。 Exeunt
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ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
SCENE VI。 Near Misenum
Flourish。 Enter POMPEY and MENAS at one door； with drum and
trumpet； at another； CAESAR； ANTONY； LEPIDUS； ENOBARBUS；
MAECENAS； AGRIPPA； with soldiers marching
POMPEY。 Your hostages I have； so have you mine； And we shall talk
before we fight。 CAESAR。 Most meet That first we come to words； and
therefore have we Our written purposes before us sent； Which if thou hast
considered； let us know If 'twill tie up thy discontented sword And carry
back to Sicily much tall youth That else must perish here。 POMPEY。 To
you all three； The senators alone of this great world； Chief factors for the
gods： I do not know Wherefore my father should revengers want； Having
a son and friends； since Julius Caesar； Who at Philippi the good Brutus
ghosted； There saw you labouring for him。 What was't That mov'd pale
Cassius to conspire？ and what Made the all…honour'd honest Roman；
Brutus； With the arm'd rest； courtiers of beauteous freedom； To drench the
Capitol； but that they would Have one man but a man？ And that is it Hath
made me rig my navy； at whose burden The anger'd ocean foams； with
which I meant To scourge th' ingratitude that despiteful Rome Cast on my
noble father。 CAESAR。 Take your time。 ANTONY。 Thou canst not fear us；
Pompey； with thy sails； We'll speak with thee at sea； at land thou know'st
How much we do o'er…count thee。 POMPEY。 At land； indeed； Thou dost
o'er…count me of my father's house。 But since the cuckoo builds not for
himself； Remain in't as thou mayst。 LEPIDUS。 Be pleas'd to tell us… For
this is from the present… how you take The offers we have sent you。
CAESAR。 There's the point。 ANTONY。 Which do not be entreated to； but
weigh What it is worth embrac'd。 CAESAR。 And what may follow； To try
a larger fortune。 POMPEY。 You have made me offer Of Sicily； Sardinia；
and I must Rid all the sea of pirates； then to send Measures of wheat to
Rome； this 'greed upon；