Mojo, The Bard, & Me

 

 

Brown, madam: and her forehead

As low as she would wish it.

-Messenger

Antony and Cleopatra            Act III, Scene iii, Line 32

Today’s scene is where Cleopatra is learning some details about Octavia, the new wife that Antony has taken in Rome as part of some political wrangling. The messenger who’s bringing the news is the same guy who had previously brought the initial news that this wife existed, and he got his ears boxed soundly for that. So he’s pretty hesitant to come in front of Cleopatra in this scene.

Now she is asking questions about this new wife's appearance, and the messenger is being very careful and clever with his answers. He is making sure that everything he says about Octavia is not as good as Cleopatra. Ocatavia is shorter, has a deep voice, and a large round face. Her hair? Plain old brown, and with a low forehead no less. 

This guy knows what he’s doing, and he’s not about to get his ears boxed again. 

I'm pretty sure this is more or less what the messenger is trying to tell Cleopatra that Octavia looks like. 

Oh, he's a clever fellow this messenger.