William Shakespeare: Antony and Cleopatra

ACT I. 5. SCENE V. Alexandria. A Room in the Palace. (continued)

[Enter ALEXAS.]

ALEXAS.
Sovereign of Egypt, hail!

CLEOPATRA.
How much unlike art thou Mark Antony!
Yet, coming from him, that great medicine 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-girt 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' the 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.--Mett'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.'