Tony and Cleop Act Two Scene Five Sub-Scene One

 

Act Two

Scene Five

Sub-Scene One

Chores of the Queen

 

The Queen was on the barge with her entourage; She was she was lying nude on the blanket laid on the deck. The maids had cleared the deck area of the unneeded servants. She was not concerned about them eyeing her beauty, but she did not fancy the fish there feeding on the discards.

“Play me some music. Play me the Blues songs.” The Queen had her dark shades over her eyes. She was also doing her stretches on the body to keep it supple.

“Music is the best emotional sustenance for those of us who are in love.” The Queen smiled. “Plato once said music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.” (Plato)

Charmian placed the gramophone on the on the Victor-V model for the Queen. She placed it placed it on the even--inch record disc that was imprinted with the song ‘The Memphis Blues’.

I went out dancing with a Tennessee dear.

They had a fellow named Handy with a band you should hear.

And while the folks gently swayed

All those boys began to play in real harmony. I will never forget that tune they call

Handy's Memphis Blues——oh yes, those blues

(https://genius.com/Louis-armstrong-the-memphis-blues-lyrics)

The trumpeter took the stage with aa long blow on the saxophone.

“Play the music!” The ensemble cheered.

“Forget the music. Let us play billiards. Come, Charmian.” The Queen changed her mind. She pushed herself up and then stretched her limbs. Charmian took the wrap to cover the Queen.

“Am I ugly to look at or do or do you fear the oarsmen will miss the beat?” The Queen smiled.

“Neither, my Queen. Queen. You are still the most the most beautiful one anywhere.” Charmian smiled.

“Get me a mirror, then. I want it to tell me that.” The Queen said. “Mirror, mirror on the wall. Who is the fairest of them all?”

“The Queen.” The maids all said.

“Well, it cannot be Snow White. I am not fair like her. I am bronzed and bronzed and tanned like...like... " " The Queen smiled. “Doctor Savage would have been a good companion with me, but he is too far away. All my lovers are too far away.”

“Play balls then.” The Queen walked towards the billiard table. It was a present from Julius Caesar. He looked to play balls or ravished her from the rear at the table. No audience is allowed then.

“Nine balls. Someone will have one short.” The Queen does not hesitate to say her mind. “I will call him Antony.”

“My arm is sore. You had better play with Mardian.” Charmian, in her defiance towards the Queen.

“What did you do? Diddle too long? I would have thought Iras had her arse in the sling.” The Queen was bitchy. “It is the same to play with a woman as it is with a eunuch.”

“Come, you will play with me, Mardian?” The Queen leaned to look at the balls on the table.

“As well as I can, my Queen. Queen. I am not good at it.” Mardian replied and reached for the stick.

“If an actor tries his best, when his performance is not very good, he can still ask for pardon, or the patrons will get the refund. Here we play to our best or not to play.” The Queen looked at the pockets in front of her. She then stood up and sighed.

“I do not want to play anymore. Remove the table now.” The Queen gave the command.

“Give me my fishing rod. We will go fishing in the river. There, with my music playing from a distance, I will catch the golden-finned fish. My curved hook will pierce their slimy jaws, and as I pull them up, I will imagine that every one of them is Antony and say, "Aha! I have caught you by your balls!"

“It is a good joke when you bet on your fishing, and you had your diver go down and put a dried fish on his hook, which he pulled out enthusiastically.” Charmain was either drunk or plain stupid. The Queen was not listening to the maid.

“That time...... the times we had! … … I laughed at him until he lost patience, and that night, I satisfied him again.” The Queen gyrates her buttocks on the billiard table. “And the next morning, before nine o'clock, I got him drunk and sent him to bed, and then put my clothes and headdresses on him while I put on his sword. He looked like a mess, and I was the soldier.”

“Hear! Hear!” The maids chorused.

“He was limped like the fish on the bait that got hooked.” The Queen laughed. A servant approached the Queen.

“Oh, a message from Rome. Tell me your good news quickly, since I have not had any news in so long.” The Queen was excited.