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OCTAVIUS CAESAR
What, Octavia?
OCTAVIA
I'll tell you in your ear.
MARK ANTONY
Her tongue will not obey her heart, nor can
Her heart inform her tongue,--the swan's
down-feather,
That stands upon the swell at full of tide,
And neither way inclines.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
[Aside to AGRIPPA] Will Caesar weep? AGRIPPA
[Aside to ENOBARBUS] He has a cloud in's face.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
[Aside to AGRIPPA] He were the worse for that,
were he a horse;
So is he, being a man. AGRIPPA
[Aside to ENOBARBUS] Why, Enobarbus,
When Antony found Julius Caesar dead,
He cried almost to roaring; and he wept
When at Philippi he found Brutus slain.
DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS
[Aside to AGRIPPA] That year, indeed, he was
troubled with a rheum;
What willingly he did confound he wail'd,
Believe't, till I wept too.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
No, sweet Octavia,
You shall hear from me still; the time shall not
Out-go my thinking on you.
MARK ANTONY
Come, sir, come;
I'll wrestle with you in my strength of love:
Look, here I have you; thus I let you go,
And give you to the gods.
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Adieu; be happy!
LEPIDUS
Let all the number of the stars give light
To thy fair way!
OCTAVIUS CAESAR
Farewell, fa rewell!
Kisses OCTAVIA
MARK ANTONY
Farewell!
Trumpets sound. Exeunt
SCENE III. Alexandria. CLEOPATRA's
palace
Enter CLEOPATRA, CHARMIAN, IRAS, and ALEXAS
CLEOPATRA
Where is the fellow?
ALEXAS
Half afeard to come.
CLEOPATRA
Go to, go to.
Enter the Messenger as before
Come hither, sir.
ALEXAS
Good majesty,
Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you
But when you are well pleased.
CLEOPATRA
That Herod's head
I'll have: but how, when Antony is gone
Through whom I might command it? Come thou near.
Messenger
Most gracious majesty,--
CLEOPATRA
Didst thou behold Octavia?
Messenger
Ay, dread queen.
CLEOPATRA
Where?
Messenger
Madam, in Rome;
I look'd 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! 'tis impossible.
CLEOPATRA
I think so, Charmian: dull of tongue, and dwarfish!
What majesty is in her gait? Remember,
If e'er thou look'dst 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 judgment.
CHARMIAN
Excellent.
CLEOPATRA
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
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
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