The Tragedy of Antony and Cleopatra

  ALEXAS. Sovereign of Egypt, hail!  CLEOPATRA. How much unlike art thou Mark Antony!    Yet, coming from him, that great med'cine hath    With his tinct gilded thee.    How goes it with my brave Mark Antony?  ALEXAS. Last thing he did, dear Queen,    He kiss'd- the last of many doubled kisses-    This orient pearl. His speech sticks in my heart.  CLEOPATRA. Mine ear must pluck it thence.  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 arm-gaunt steed,    Who neigh'd so high that what I would have spoke    Was beastly dumb'd by him.  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 make their looks by his; he was not merry,    Which seem'd to tell them his remembrance lay    In Egypt with his joy; but between both.    O heavenly mingle! Be'st thou sad or merry,    The violence of either thee becomes,    So does it no man else. 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 chok'd with such another emphasis!    Say 'the brave Antony.'  CHARMIAN. The valiant Caesar!  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 judgment, cold in blood,    To say as I said then. But come, away!    Get me ink and paper.    He shall have every day a several greeting,    Or I'll unpeople Egypt. Exeunt

ACT II. SCENE I. Messina. POMPEY'S house

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 often our own harms, which the wise pow'rs    Deny us for our good; so find we profit    By losing of our prayers.  POMPEY. I shall do well.    The people love me, and the sea is mine;    My powers are crescent, and my auguring hope    Says it will come to th' full. Mark Antony    In Egypt sits at dinner, and will make    No wars without doors. Caesar gets money where    He loses hearts. Lepidus flatters both,    Of both is flatter'd; but he neither loves,    Nor either cares for him.  MENAS. Caesar and Lepidus    Are in the field. A mighty strength they carry.  POMPEY. Where have you this? 'Tis false.  MENAS. From Silvius, sir.  POMPEY. He dreams. I know they are in Rome together,    Looking for Antony. But all the charms of love,    Salt Cleopatra, soften thy wan'd lip!    Let witchcraft join with beauty, lust with both;    Tie up the libertine in a field of feasts,    Keep his brain fuming. Epicurean cooks    Sharpen with cloyless sauce his appetite,    That sleep and feeding may prorogue his honour    Even till a Lethe'd dullness-

Enter VARRIUS

    How now, Varrius!  VARRIUS. This is most certain that I shall deliver:    Mark Antony is every hour in Rome    Expected. Since he went from Egypt 'tis    A space for farther travel.  POMPEY. I could have given less matter    A better ear. Menas, I did not think    This amorous surfeiter would have donn'd his helm    For such a petty war; his soldiership    Is twice the other twain. But let us rear    The higher our opinion, that our stirring    Can from the lap of Egypt's widow pluck    The ne'er-lust-wearied Antony.  MENAS. I cannot hope    Caesar and Antony shall well greet together.    His wife that's dead did trespasses to Caesar;    His brother warr'd upon him; although, I think,    Not mov'd by Antony.  POMPEY. I know not, Menas,    How lesser enmities may give way to greater.    Were't not that we stand up against them all,    'Twere pregnant they should square between themselves;    For they have entertained cause enough    To draw their swords. But how the fear of us    May cement their divisions, and bind up    The petty difference we yet not know.    Be't as our gods will have't! It only stands    Our lives upon to use our strongest hands.    Come, Menas. Exeunt

SCENE II. Rome. The house of LEPIDUS

Enter ENOBARBUS and LEPIDUS

  LEPIDUS. Good Enobarbus, 'tis a worthy deed,    And shall become you well, to entreat your captain    To soft and gentle speech.  ENOBARBUS. I shall entreat him    To answer like himself. If Caesar move him,    Let Antony look over Caesar's head    And speak as loud as Mars. By Jupiter,    Were I the wearer of Antonius' beard,    I would not shave't to-day.  LEPIDUS. 'Tis not a time    For private stomaching.  ENOBARBUS. Every time    Serves for the matter that is then born in't.  LEPIDUS. But small to greater matters must give way.  ENOBARBUS. Not if the small come first.  LEPIDUS. Your speech is passion;    But pray you stir no embers up. Here comes    The noble Antony.

Enter ANTONY and VENTIDIUS

ENOBARBUS. And yonder, Caesar.

Enter CAESAR, MAECENAS, and AGRIPPA

  ANTONY. If we compose well here, to Parthia.    Hark, Ventidius.  CAESAR. I do not know, Maecenas. Ask Agrippa.  LEPIDUS. Noble friends,    That which combin'd us was most great, and let not    A leaner action rend us. What's amiss,    May it be gently heard. When we debate    Our trivial difference loud, we do commit    Murder in healing wounds. Then, noble partners,    The rather for I earnestly beseech,    Touch you the sourest points with sweetest terms,    Nor curstness grow to th' matter.  ANTONY. 'Tis spoken well.    Were we before our arinies, and to fight,    I should do thus. [Flourish]  CAESAR. Welcome to Rome.  ANTONY. Thank you.  CAESAR. Sit.  ANTONY. Sit, sir.  CAESAR. Nay, then. [They sit]  ANTONY. I learn you take things ill which are not so,    Or being, concern you not.  CAESAR. I must be laugh'd at    If, or for nothing or a little,    Should say myself offended, and with you    Chiefly i' the world; more laugh'd at that I should    Once name you derogately when to sound your name    It not concern'd me.  ANTONY. My being in Egypt, Caesar,    What was't to you?  CAESAR. No more than my residing here at Rome    Might be to you in Egypt. Yet, if you there    Did practise on my state, your being in Egypt    Might be my question.  ANTONY. How intend you- practis'd?  CAESAR. You may be pleas'd to catch at mine intent    By what did here befall me. Your wife and brother    Made wars upon me, and their contestation    Was theme for you; you were the word of war.  ANTONY. You do mistake your business; my brother never    Did urge me in his act. I did inquire it,    And have my learning from some true reports    That drew their swords with you. Did he not rather    Discredit my authority with yours,    And make the wars alike against my stomach,    Having alike your cause? Of this my letters    Before did satisfy you. If you'll patch a quarrel,    As matter whole you have not to make it with,    It must not be with this.  CAESAR. You praise yourself    By laying defects of judgment to me; but    You patch'd up your excuses.  ANTONY. Not so, not so;    I know you could not lack, I am certain on't,    Very necessity of this thought, that I,    Your partner in the cause 'gainst which he fought,    Could not with graceful eyes attend those wars    Which fronted mine own peace. As for my wife,    I would you had her spirit in such another!    The third o' th' world is yours, which with a snaffle    You may pace easy, but not such a wife.  ENOBARBUS. Would we had all such wives, that the men might goto    wars with the women!  ANTONY. So much uncurbable, her garboils, Caesar,    Made out of her impatience- which not wanted    Shrewdness of policy too- I grieving grant    Did you too much disquiet. For that you must    But say I could not help it.  CAESAR. I wrote to you    When rioting in Alexandria; you    Did pocket up my letters, and with taunts    Did gibe my missive out of audience.  ANTONY. Sir,    He fell upon me ere admitted. Then    Three kings I had newly feasted, and did want    Of what I was i' th' morning; but next day    I told him of myself, which was as much    As to have ask'd him pardon. Let this fellow    Be nothing of our strife; if we contend,    Out of our question wipe him.  CAESAR. You have broken    The article of your oath, which you shall never    Have tongue to charge me with.  LEPIDUS. Soft, Caesar!  ANTONY. No;    Lepidus, let him speak.    The honour is sacred which he talks on now,    Supposing that I lack'd it. But on, Caesar:    The article of my oath-  CAESAR. To lend me arms and aid when I requir'd them,    The which you both denied.  ANTONY. Neglected, rather;    And then when poisoned hours had bound me up    From mine own knowledge. As nearly as I may,    I'll play the penitent to you; but mine honesty    Shall not make poor my greatness, nor my power    Work without it. Truth is, that Fulvia,    To have me out of Egypt, made wars here;    For which myself, the ignorant motive, do    So far ask pardon as befits mine honour    To stoop in such a case.  LEPIDUS. 'Tis noble spoken.  MAECENAS. If it might please you to enforce no further    The griefs between ye- to forget them quite    Were to remember that the present need    Speaks to atone you.  LEPIDUS. Worthily spoken, Maecenas.  ENOBARBUS. Or, if you borrow one another's love for theinstant,    you may, when you hear no more words of Pompey, return itagain.    You shall have time to wrangle in when you have nothing elseto    do.  ANTONY. Thou art a soldier only. Speak no more.  ENOBARBUS. That truth should be silent I had almost forgot.  ANTONY. You wrong this presence; therefore speak no more.  ENOBARBUS. Go to, then- your considerate stone!  CAESAR. I do not much dislike the matter, but    The manner of his speech; for't cannot be    We shall remain in friendship, our conditions    So diff'ring in their acts. Yet if I knew    What hoop should hold us stanch, from edge to edge    O' th' world, I would pursue it.  AGRIPPA. Give me leave, Caesar.  CAESAR. Speak, Agrippa.  AGRIPPA. Thou hast a sister by the mother's side,    Admir'd Octavia. Great Mark Antony    Is now a widower.  CAESAR. Say not so, Agrippa.    If Cleopatra heard you, your reproof    Were well deserv'd of rashness.  ANTONY. I am not married, Caesar. Let me hear    Agrippa further speak.  AGRIPPA. To hold you in perpetual amity,    To make you brothers, and to knit your hearts    With an unslipping knot, take Antony    Octavia to his wife; whose beauty claims    No worse a husband than the best of men;    Whose virtue and whose general graces speak    That which none else can utter. By this marriage    All little jealousies, which now seem great,    And all great fears, which now import their dangers,    Would then be nothing. Truths would be tales,    Where now half tales be truths. Her love to both    Would each to other, and all loves to both,    Draw after her. Pardon what I have spoke;    For 'tis a studied, not a present thought,    By duty ruminated.  ANTONY. Will Caesar speak?  CAESAR. Not till he hears how Antony is touch'd    With what is spoke already.  ANTONY. What power is in Agrippa,    If I would say 'Agrippa, be it so,'    To make this good?  CAESAR. The power of Caesar, and    His power unto Octavia.  ANTONY. May I never    To this good purpose, that so fairly shows,    Dream of impediment! Let me have thy hand.    Further this act of grace; and from this hour    The heart of brothers govern in our loves    And sway our great designs!  CAESAR. There is my hand.    A sister I bequeath you, whom no brother    Did ever love so dearly. Let her live    To join our kingdoms and our hearts; and never    Fly off our loves again!  LEPIDUS. Happily, amen!  ANTONY. I did not think to draw my sword 'gainst Pompey;    For he hath laid strange courtesies and great    Of late upon me. I must thank him only,    Lest my remembrance suffer ill report;    At heel of that, defy him.  LEPIDUS. Time calls upon's.    Of us must Pompey presently be sought,    Or else he seeks out us.  ANTONY. Where lies he?  CAESAR. About the Mount Misenum.  ANTONY. What is his strength by land?  CAESAR. Great and increasing; but by sea    He is an absolute master.  ANTONY. So is the fame.    Would we had spoke together! Haste we for it.    Yet, ere we put ourselves in arms, dispatch we    The business we have talk'd of.  CAESAR. With most gladness;    And do invite you to my sister's view,    Whither straight I'll lead you.  ANTONY. Let us, Lepidus,    Not lack your company.  LEPIDUS. Noble Antony,    Not sickness should detain me. [Flourish]                     Exeunt all but ENOBARBUS, AGRIPPA, MAECENAS  MAECENAS. Welcome from Egypt, sir.  ENOBARBUS. Half the heart of Caesar, worthy Maecenas! Myhonourable    friend, Agrippa!  AGRIPPA. Good Enobarbus!  MAECENAS. We have cause to be glad that matters are so well    digested. You stay'd well by't in Egypt.  ENOBARBUS. Ay, sir; we did sleep day out of countenance andmade    the night light with drinking.  MAECENAS. Eight wild boars roasted whole at a breakfast, andbut    twelve persons there. Is this true?  ENOBARBUS. This was but as a fly by an eagle. We had much more    monstrous matter of feast, which worthily deserved noting.  MAECENAS. She's a most triumphant lady, if report be square toher.  ENOBARBUS. When she first met Mark Antony she purs'd up hisheart,    upon the river of Cydnus.  AGRIPPA. There she appear'd indeed! Or my reporter devis'd wellfor    her.  ENOBARBUS. I will tell you.    The barge she sat in, like a burnish'd throne,    Burn'd on the water. The poop was beaten gold;    Purple the sails, and so perfumed that    The winds were love-sick with them; the oars were silver,    Which to the tune of flutes kept stroke, and made    The water which they beat to follow faster,    As amorous of their strokes. For her own person,    It beggar'd all description. She did lie    In her pavilion, cloth-of-gold, of tissue,    O'erpicturing that Venus where we see    The fancy out-work nature. On each side her    Stood pretty dimpled boys, like smiling Cupids,    With divers-colour'd fans, whose wind did seem    To glow the delicate cheeks which they did cool,    And what they undid did.  AGRIPPA. O, rare for Antony!  ENOBARBUS. Her gentlewomen, like the Nereides,    So many mermaids, tended her i' th' eyes,    And made their bends adornings. At the helm    A seeming mermaid steers. The silken tackle    Swell with the touches of those flower-soft hands    That yarely frame the office. From the barge    A strange invisible perfume hits the sense    Of the adjacent wharfs. The city cast    Her people out upon her; and Antony,    Enthron'd i' th' market-place, did sit alone,    Whistling to th' air; which, but for vacancy,    Had gone to gaze on Cleopatra too,    And made a gap in nature.  AGRIPPA. Rare Egyptian!  ENOBARBUS. Upon her landing, Antony sent to her,    Invited her to supper. She replied    It should be better he became her guest;    Which she entreated. Our courteous Antony,    Whom ne'er the word of 'No' woman heard speak,    Being barber'd ten times o'er, goes to the feast,    And for his ordinary pays his heart    For what his eyes eat only.  AGRIPPA. Royal wench!    She made great Caesar lay his sword to bed.    He ploughed her, and she cropp'd.  ENOBARBUS. I saw her once    Hop forty paces through the public street;    And, having lost her breath, she spoke, and panted,    That she did make defect perfection,    And, breathless, pow'r breathe forth.  MAECENAS. Now Antony must leave her utterly.  ENOBARBUS. Never! He will not.    Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale    Her infinite variety. Other women cloy    The appetites they feed, but she makes hungry    Where most she satisfies; for vilest things    Become themselves in her, that the holy priests    Bless her when she is riggish.  MAECENAS. If beauty, wisdom, modesty, can settle    The heart of Antony, Octavia is    A blessed lottery to him.  AGRIPPA. Let us go.    Good Enobarbus, make yourself my guest    Whilst you abide here.  ENOBARBUS. Humbly, sir, I thank you. Exeunt

SCENE III. Rome. CAESAR'S house

Enter ANTONY, CAESAR, OCTAVIA between them

  ANTONY. The world and my great office will sometimes    Divide me from your bosom.  OCTAVIA. All which time    Before the gods my knee shall bow my prayers    To them for you.  ANTONY. Good night, sir. My Octavia,    Read not my blemishes in the world's report.    I have not kept my square; but that to come    Shall all be done by th' rule. Good night, dear lady.  OCTAVIA. Good night, sir.  CAESAR. Good night. Exeunt CAESAR and OCTAVIA

Enter SOOTHSAYER

  ANTONY. Now, sirrah, you do wish yourself in Egypt?  SOOTHSAYER. Would I had never come from thence, nor youthither!  ANTONY. If you can- your reason.  SOOTHSAYER. I see it in my motion, have it not in my tongue;but    yet hie you to Egypt again.  ANTONY. Say to me,    Whose fortunes shall rise higher, Caesar's or mine?  SOOTHSAYER. Caesar's.    Therefore, O Antony, stay not by his side.    Thy daemon, that thy spirit which keeps thee, is    Noble, courageous, high, unmatchable,    Where Caesar's is not; but near him thy angel    Becomes a fear, as being o'erpow'r'd. Therefore    Make space enough between you.  ANTONY. Speak this no more.  SOOTHSAYER. To none but thee; no more but when to thee.    If thou dost play with him at any game,    Thou art sure to lose; and of that natural luck    He beats thee 'gainst the odds. Thy lustre thickens    When he shines by. I say again, thy spirit    Is all afraid to govern thee near him;    But, he away, 'tis noble.  ANTONY. Get thee gone.    Say to Ventidius I would speak with him.                                                 Exit SOOTHSAYER    He shall to Parthia. – Be it art or hap,    He hath spoken true. The very dice obey him;    And in our sports my better cunning faints    Under his chance. If we draw lots, he speeds;    His cocks do win the battle still of mine,    When it is all to nought, and his quails ever    Beat mine, inhoop'd, at odds. I will to Egypt;    And though I make this marriage for my peace,    I' th' East my pleasure lies.

Enter VENTIDIUS

    O, come, Ventidius,    You must to Parthia. Your commission's ready;    Follow me and receive't. Exeunt

SCENE IV. Rome. A street

Enter LEPIDUS, MAECENAS, and AGRIPPA

  LEPIDUS. Trouble yourselves no further. Pray you hasten    Your generals after.  AGRIPPA. Sir, Mark Antony    Will e'en but kiss Octavia, and we'll follow.  LEPIDUS. Till I shall see you in your soldier's dress,    Which will become you both, farewell.  MAECENAS. We shall,    As I conceive the journey, be at th' Mount    Before you, Lepidus.  LEPIDUS. Your way is shorter;    My purposes do draw me much about.    You'll win two days upon me.  BOTH. Sir, good success!  LEPIDUS. Farewell. Exeunt

SCENE V. Alexandria. CLEOPATRA'S palace

Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS

  CLEOPATRA. Give me some music- music, moody food    Of us that trade in love.  ALL. The music, ho!

Enter MARDIAN the eunuch

  CLEOPATRA. Let it alone! Let's to billiards. Come, Charmian.  CHARMIAN. My arm is sore; best play with Mardian.  CLEOPATRA. As 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 tooshort,    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.    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

    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