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Act 3, Scene 3, Page 2
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15 CHARMIAN
Like her? O Isis, ’tis impossible.
CHARMIAN
Like her? Oh, Isis, that’s impossible.
CLEOPATRA
I think so, Charmian. Dull of tongue, and dwarfish.—
What majesty is in her gait? Remember,
If e’er thou looked’st on majesty.
CLEOPATRA
You’re right, Charmian. She’s both dull-spoken and dwarfishly little.—Did she carry herself with majesty? Compare her to any memory you might have of royalty.
20
MESSENGER
She creeps.
Her motion and her station are as one.
She shows a body rather than a life,
A statue than a breather.
MESSENGER
She creeps along. Moving or standing still, her bearing is about the same. She has a body, not a life. She’s more like a statue than a living, breathing human being.
CLEOPATRA
Is this certain?
CLEOPATRA
Is this true?
MESSENGER
Or I have no observance.
MESSENGER
If not, then I have no powers of observation.
CHARMIAN
Three in Egypt
Cannot make better note.
CHARMIAN
There aren’t three people in all of Egypt who could do better.
25 CLEOPATRA
He’s very knowing,
I do perceive ’t. There’s nothing in her yet.
The fellow has good judgment.
CLEOPATRA
He’s very observant. I can tell. She doesn’t have anything going for her so far. This messenger is wise.
CHARMIAN
Excellent.
CHARMIAN
Very wise.
CLEOPATRA
(to MESSENGER ) Guess at her years, I prithee.
CLEOPATRA
(to MESSENGER ) How old do you think she is?
MESSENGER
Madam, she was a widow—
MESSENGER
She was a widow previously, madam.
CLEOPATRA
Widow? Charmian, hark.
CLEOPATRA
A widow? Do you hear that, Charmian?
MESSENGER
And I do think she’s thirty.
MESSENGER
And I think she’s at least thirty.
30 CLEOPATRA
Bear’st thou her face in mind? Is ’t long or round?
CLEOPATRA
Do you remember her face? Was it long or round?
MESSENGER
Round, even to faultiness.
MESSENGER
Round enough to be unattractive.
CLEOPATRA
For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so.
Her hair, what color?
CLEOPATRA
Usually that means a person is foolish. What color is her hair?
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Original Text
Modern Text
15 CHARMIAN
Like her? O Isis, ’tis impossible.
CHARMIAN
Like her? Oh, Isis, that’s impossible.
CLEOPATRA
I think so, Charmian. Dull of tongue, and dwarfish.—
What majesty is in her gait? Remember,
If e’er thou looked’st on majesty.
CLEOPATRA
You’re right, Charmian. She’s both dull-spoken and dwarfishly little.—Did she carry herself with majesty? Compare her to any memory you might have of royalty.
20
MESSENGER
She creeps.
Her motion and her station are as one.
She shows a body rather than a life,
A statue than a breather.
MESSENGER
She creeps along. Moving or standing still, her bearing is about the same. She has a body, not a life. She’s more like a statue than a living, breathing human being.
CLEOPATRA
Is this certain?
CLEOPATRA
Is this true?
MESSENGER
Or I have no observance.
MESSENGER
If not, then I have no powers of observation.
CHARMIAN
Three in Egypt
Cannot make better note.
CHARMIAN
There aren’t three people in all of Egypt who could do better.
25 CLEOPATRA
He’s very knowing,
I do perceive ’t. There’s nothing in her yet.
The fellow has good judgment.
CLEOPATRA
He’s very observant. I can tell. She doesn’t have anything going for her so far. This messenger is wise.
CHARMIAN
Excellent.
CHARMIAN
Very wise.
CLEOPATRA
(to MESSENGER ) Guess at her years, I prithee.
CLEOPATRA
(to MESSENGER ) How old do you think she is?
MESSENGER
Madam, she was a widow—
MESSENGER
She was a widow previously, madam.
CLEOPATRA
Widow? Charmian, hark.
CLEOPATRA
A widow? Do you hear that, Charmian?
MESSENGER
And I do think she’s thirty.
MESSENGER
And I think she’s at least thirty.
30 CLEOPATRA
Bear’st thou her face in mind? Is ’t long or round?
CLEOPATRA
Do you remember her face? Was it long or round?
MESSENGER
Round, even to faultiness.
MESSENGER
Round enough to be unattractive.
CLEOPATRA
For the most part, too, they are foolish that are so.
Her hair, what color?
CLEOPATRA
Usually that means a person is foolish. What color is her hair?
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