No Fear Shakespeare: Antony and Cleopatra: Act 3 Scene 3

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Original Text	Modern Text
Enter CLEOPATRA , CHARMIAN , IRAS , and ALEXAS	CLEOPATRA , CHARMIAN , IRAS , and ALEXAS enter.
CLEOPATRA Where is the fellow?	CLEOPATRA Where is that messenger?
ALEXAS Half afeard to come.	ALEXAS He’s afraid to come in.
CLEOPATRA Go to, go to.—Come hither, sir.	CLEOPATRA Oh, come on.—Come here, sir.
Enter the MESSENGER as before	The MESSENGER enters.
ALEXAS Good majesty, Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you But when you are well pleased.	ALEXAS Gracious Queen, even Herod of Judea wouldn’t dare look at you unless you were in a good mood.
CLEOPATRA That Herod’s head 5 I’ll have! But how? When Antony is gone, Through whom I might command it? (to MESSENGER) Come thou near.	CLEOPATRA I’ll have Herod’s head chopped off! But now that Antony’s gone, who will do it for me? (to MESSENGER) Come closer.
MESSENGER Most gracious majesty!	MESSENGER Most formidable Queen!
CLEOPATRA Didst thou behold Octavia?	CLEOPATRA Did you see Octavia?
MESSENGER Ay, dread Queen.	MESSENGER Yes, revered Queen.
CLEOPATRA Where?	CLEOPATRA Where?
MESSENGER Madam, in Rome. I looked her in the face, and saw her led 10 Between her brother and Mark Antony.	MESSENGER In Rome, Madam. I saw her face as she walked with her brother and Mark Antony.
CLEOPATRA Is she as tall as me?	CLEOPATRA Is she as tall as I am?
MESSENGER She is not, madam.	MESSENGER She is not, madam.
CLEOPATRA Didst hear her speak? Is she shrill-tongued or low?	CLEOPATRA Did you hear her speak? Is her voice pitched high or low?
MESSENGER Madam, I heard her speak. She is low-voiced.	MESSENGER Madam, I heard her speak. She has a low-pitched voice.
CLEOPATRA That’s not so good. He cannot like her long.	CLEOPATRA That’s not in her favor. He can’t like her very long.
CHARMIAN 15 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.
MESSENGER She creeps. Her motion and her station are as one. 20 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.
CLEOPATRA He’s very knowing, I do perceive ’t. There’s nothing in her yet. 25 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.
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?
MESSENGER Brown, madam, and her forehead 35 As low as she would wish it.	MESSENGER Brown, madam, and she wouldn’t want her forehead to be any lower.
CLEOPATRA (giving money) 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.	CLEOPATRA Here’s gold for you. You mustn’t hold my earlier outburst against me. I’ll hire you again to go back to Rome. I find that you’re very good at this kind of work. Go, prepare to travel. My letters are ready to go.
CHARMIAN A proper man.	CHARMIAN He’s an admirable man.
CLEOPATRA 40 Indeed, he is so. I repent me much That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him, This creature’s no such thing.	CLEOPATRA He certainly is. I’m very sorry I was so hard on him. Why, from what he says, Octavia isn’t worth getting upset over.
CHARMIAN Nothing, madam.	CHARMIAN Not a bit, madam.
CLEOPATRA The man hath seen some majesty and should know.	CLEOPATRA This man’s been around royalty. He should recognize it when he sees it.
CHARMIAN Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend, 45 And serving you so long!	CHARMIAN Been around royalty! Isis forbid it were otherwise, since he’s been in your service 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.	CLEOPATRA I want to ask him one more thing, Charmian. But it’s not important. Bring him to my writing room. Everything may still be all right.
CHARMIAN I warrant you, madam.	CHARMIAN I assure you it is, madam.
Exit MESSENGER	The MESSENGER exits.

Original Text	Modern Text
Enter CLEOPATRA , CHARMIAN , IRAS , and ALEXAS	CLEOPATRA , CHARMIAN , IRAS , and ALEXAS enter.
CLEOPATRA Where is the fellow?	CLEOPATRA Where is that messenger?
ALEXAS Half afeard to come.	ALEXAS He’s afraid to come in.
CLEOPATRA Go to, go to.—Come hither, sir.	CLEOPATRA Oh, come on.—Come here, sir.
Enter the MESSENGER as before	The MESSENGER enters.
ALEXAS Good majesty, Herod of Jewry dare not look upon you But when you are well pleased.	ALEXAS Gracious Queen, even Herod of Judea wouldn’t dare look at you unless you were in a good mood.
CLEOPATRA That Herod’s head 5 I’ll have! But how? When Antony is gone, Through whom I might command it? (to MESSENGER) Come thou near.	CLEOPATRA I’ll have Herod’s head chopped off! But now that Antony’s gone, who will do it for me? (to MESSENGER) Come closer.
MESSENGER Most gracious majesty!	MESSENGER Most formidable Queen!
CLEOPATRA Didst thou behold Octavia?	CLEOPATRA Did you see Octavia?
MESSENGER Ay, dread Queen.	MESSENGER Yes, revered Queen.
CLEOPATRA Where?	CLEOPATRA Where?
MESSENGER Madam, in Rome. I looked her in the face, and saw her led 10 Between her brother and Mark Antony.	MESSENGER In Rome, Madam. I saw her face as she walked with her brother and Mark Antony.
CLEOPATRA Is she as tall as me?	CLEOPATRA Is she as tall as I am?
MESSENGER She is not, madam.	MESSENGER She is not, madam.
CLEOPATRA Didst hear her speak? Is she shrill-tongued or low?	CLEOPATRA Did you hear her speak? Is her voice pitched high or low?
MESSENGER Madam, I heard her speak. She is low-voiced.	MESSENGER Madam, I heard her speak. She has a low-pitched voice.
CLEOPATRA That’s not so good. He cannot like her long.	CLEOPATRA That’s not in her favor. He can’t like her very long.
CHARMIAN 15 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.
MESSENGER She creeps. Her motion and her station are as one. 20 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.
CLEOPATRA He’s very knowing, I do perceive ’t. There’s nothing in her yet. 25 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.
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?
MESSENGER Brown, madam, and her forehead 35 As low as she would wish it.	MESSENGER Brown, madam, and she wouldn’t want her forehead to be any lower.
CLEOPATRA (giving money) 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.	CLEOPATRA Here’s gold for you. You mustn’t hold my earlier outburst against me. I’ll hire you again to go back to Rome. I find that you’re very good at this kind of work. Go, prepare to travel. My letters are ready to go.
CHARMIAN A proper man.	CHARMIAN He’s an admirable man.
CLEOPATRA 40 Indeed, he is so. I repent me much That so I harried him. Why, methinks, by him, This creature’s no such thing.	CLEOPATRA He certainly is. I’m very sorry I was so hard on him. Why, from what he says, Octavia isn’t worth getting upset over.
CHARMIAN Nothing, madam.	CHARMIAN Not a bit, madam.
CLEOPATRA The man hath seen some majesty and should know.	CLEOPATRA This man’s been around royalty. He should recognize it when he sees it.
CHARMIAN Hath he seen majesty? Isis else defend, 45 And serving you so long!	CHARMIAN Been around royalty! Isis forbid it were otherwise, since he’s been in your service 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.	CLEOPATRA I want to ask him one more thing, Charmian. But it’s not important. Bring him to my writing room. Everything may still be all right.
CHARMIAN I warrant you, madam.	CHARMIAN I assure you it is, madam.
Exit MESSENGER	The MESSENGER exits.