Tony and Cleop Act Five Scene Two Sub Scene Three

 

Act Five

Scene Two

Sub-Scene Three

Death do us meet.

 

The Queen laughed when Caesar was far from listening to her words.

“He tries to pacify me with empty words, girls, empty words, so that I will not do the noble thing and commit suicide. Thank you, my dear treasurer.”

“It took me the whole night to list down the items and whatever their value was... now.”

“I can sorely agree.” The Queen took hold of the paper handed out by the Treasurer. “The dildo made from the rhinoceros’ horn is a rarity. It will cost a fortune today. So is the lacy...”

The treasurer had left the chamber. 

“It was unwise to gall the Caesar with such bad jokes.” Dolabella cautioned the Queen. “He can be vengeful.”

“Indeed, but I am not afraid.” The Queen called towards Charmian. “Do your task. Please hurry back.

“I have given instructions for my next meal.” The Queen smiled at Dolabella.

“Queen, I vowed to obey your commands, and my devotion compels me to uphold that vow. Therefore, I must tell you this: Caesar intends to travel back through Syria, and within three days, he'll send you and your children on the road ahead of him.”

Oh, Caesarian gets to travel to Syria. How interesting.” The Queen smiled.

“Make the best use of this information that you can. I have carried out my message and served you well.”

“Dolabella, I will always be in your debt.” The Queen said. “Goodbye, and thank you.”

“Now, Iras, what do you think about this? You will be displayed in Rome like an Egyptian puppet, and so will I. “The Queen whirled herself around like a ballerina.

“Common labourers with greasy aprons, rulers, and hammers will lift us up for everyone to see. We will be suffocated by their foul breath that stinks from the unwholesome food they eat and forced to breathe in their stench.” The Queen laughed. “Tell me you like it.”

“May the gods forbid it!” Iras cried out.

“No, it will certainly happen, Iras. Insolent officers will grab at us as if we were prostitutes, and good-for-nothing poets will make up vulgar ballads about us. Witchy actors will improvise plays about us and dramatize the parties we had in Alexandria.”

“They will bring out some drunken man to play Antony, and I will see some squeaky-voiced boy play me; the Romans like boys, in all my greatness, as if I were nothing more than a whore.”

“Oh, may the good gods forbid it!” Iras was pale in the face.

“No, it is certain.” The Queen looked towards Iras. “

“I will never see it! I tear out my eyes with nails first.” 

“Why, that is the best way to ruin their plans and undermine the terrible things they intend to do.” The Queen smiled. It was then that Charmian returned.

“Now, Charmian! Dress me, my woman, like a Queen. Go get my best robes. I am going to Cydnus to meet Mark Antony.”

“Iras, get going. See Mardian at his place. Give him this letter. Now go.” The Queen told the maid. Iras left while Charmian dressed the Queen in her finest gown.

“Now, noble Charmian, we will put our plans into action, and when you have done this task, I give you permission to do as you please until the end of the world. Leave me.”

“A country peasant insists on seeing the Queen. He brings her figs.” The servant there called out.

“Let him come in.”

“See how a humble person can help accomplish a noble deed! This peasant brings me freedom. I am fully resolved to do this, and I have no more feminine fear or weakness in me. Now I am so completely dedicated to my purpose that my will cannot be shaken. Now I am unchangeable. I am always the Queen.”

The old man stepped in.

“Get out, and leave him here.” The Queen then looked at the old man. “Did Charmian tell you of my figs?”

“Yes, my Queen. The figs are here. They are...”

“Do you know of any people who have died from it? They must be delicious.”

“One too many, both men and women. I heard of one just yesterday. She was a very honest woman, but she had a slight tendency to lie, which women should not do except when it's honest. I heard she died from the pain. It was painless.”

“Eden’s parting gift, then.”

“If you say so, my Queen, I doubt the figs in Eden will be as delicious. I wish you luck with the figs, my Queen." The old man placed the basket before the Queen.

“Goodbye.” The Queen shooed him off.

“You cannot think I am so old... that I may be foolish... I know the devil would not eat a woman. I know that a woman is worthy food for the gods, so long as the devil does not corrupt her. But in fact, those terrible devils do the gods great harm by ruining so many women. For every ten women the gods make, the devil ruins five.”

“Get going, old man. I am not Eve here. I know my apples well. Well, get going. Goodbye.”

“Give me my robe, Charmian. The one Mickey likes very much.” The Queen looked around. “Where is my tiara? The one with the diamonds on it.

“I found it. “Charmian handed it over.

“Put on my crown. I long to enter the afterlife dressed like a Queen. I will never again drink wine made from Egypt's grapes. It is terrible. Remind me to tell Mickey. He was always drinking it.”

“Quickly, quickly, good Charmian, quickly. I think I hear Mickey calling me. I see his spirit lifting itself up to praise my noble act. I hear him mocking Caesar's fortunes; the gods may give men good luck at first, but only to make up for giving them bad luck later. Us, women. We collect the leftovers.”

"Mickey, darling, I am coming! Now may I be brave enough to prove myself worthy to call you husband? Now that I am only a soul, I leave my body behind on earth, where coarser, less noble creatures live.”

“Of course, I am still as beautiful.” The Queen laughed. “Naughty of you, Mickey? Are there no nymphos there? Tell them the Queen is coming.”

The Queen kissed Charmian. The latter fell to her knees and held the Queen by the knees.

“Look, Charmian. I did not ask for that.” The Queen said. “Do stand up.”

“I cannot face you, my Queen. I am...”

“Do I have poison in my lips? I do not intend to kiss you. I am going to die. Not you. Are you dead? If you depart like this, you tell the world that it is not worth saying goodbye to.”

“May the thick clouds dissolve and rain so that I can say the gods themselves weep!” Charmian wept.

“Women! I will not understand them all.” The Queen pulled away and reached into the basket.

“Where’s figs? Come, you wretched, poisonous thing.”

The serpent curled around the Queen’s hand. It was hidden among the fig branches.

“Here darling. Lay your fangs on my breast.: The Queen places the serpent on her left breast. “ Feed Mama with your venom.

“Quiet, quiet! Don't you see this baby that is lulling me to sleep by sucking on my breast?” The serpent, agitated by the beating heart, bit its fangs into the flesh.

“It is done. And I can...” The Queen fell to her knees. The serpent took another bite into the throat.

“I am done.” The Queen fell to her back.

“Death, you can boast that you have taken a woman who has no equal. Let’s close these soft eyelids.” Charmian closed the Queen’s eyes. “She will see only her lover now.”

“What happened to the Queen?” The servant had stepped in.

“Speak softly. Do not wake her up.” Charmian whispered.

“Caesar has sent... Is that a serpent?” The servant was shocked.

“You are too slow.” Charmian placed the serpent on her chest. The serpent bit her. “It will finish me off! I partly feel the poison working.”

“I am to die.” The maid called out.

Soon after, Dolabella reported it to Caesar.

“Caesar, this is the effect of all your planning. You will arrive and see she's done the dreaded act you tried so hard to prevent.” Dolabella stood before Caesar. “You made her... your prediction came true. What you feared has happened.”

“She was bravest at the very end; she guessed what I planned to do and, being noble, took matters into her own hands. How did they die? I do not see any blood.”

“Serpent venom.” Dolabella dropped the dead serpent before Caesar. “She was bitten by the isp. There is a trail of blood here on her breast and some discharge. The same thing appears on her throat.”

“This is the trail of a serpent. These fig leaves have a slimy discharge on them too, just as a serpent leaves them in the caves of the Nile. The ISP was brought in by the assassin. The old man with the basket of figs.” 

“She will be buried beside her Antony. No grave on earth will contain such a famous couple. Great events like these strike the hearts of those who brought them about. The pity of their story is as great as the glory of the person who brought them to this lamentable end. Our boys and those of Egypt will solemnly watch this funeral, and then they will go to Rome.”