按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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…tongu'd or low？
MESSENGER。 Madam； I heard her speak： she is low…voic'd。
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 prepar'd。 Exit
43
… Page 44…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
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
44
… Page 45…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
SCENE IV。 Athens。 ANTONY'S house
Enter ANTONY and OCTAVIA
ANTONY。 Nay； nay； Octavia； not only that… That were excusable； that
and thousands more Of semblable import… but he hath wag'd New wars
'gainst Pompey； made his will； and read it To public ear； Spoke scandy 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 mid…way '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
45
… Page 46…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
SCENE V。 Athens。 ANTONY'S house
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
chaps… 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 murd'red Pompey。
ENOBARBUS。 Our great navy's rigg'd。 EROS。 For Italy and Caesar。 More；
Domitius： My lord desires you presently； my news I might have told
hereafter。 ENOBARBUS。 'Twill be naught； But let it be。 Bring me to
Antony。 EROS。 Come； sir。 Exeunt
46
… Page 47…
ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA
SCENE VI。 Rome。 CAESAR'S house
Enter CAESAR； AGRIPPA； and MAECENAS
CAESAR。 Contemning Rome； he has done all this and more In
Alexandria。 Here's the manner of't： I' th' market…place； on a tribunal
silver'd； Cleopatra and himself in chairs of gold Were publicly enthron'd；
at the feet sat Caesarion； whom they call my father's son； And all the
unlawful issue that their lust Since then hath made between them。 Unto
her He gave the stablishment of Egypt； made her Of lower Syria； Cyprus；
Lydia； Absolute queen。 MAECENAS。 This