ACT III. SCENE VII.
ANTONY'S camp near Actium
Enter CLEOPATRA and ENOBARBUS
| CLEOPATRA. | I will be even with thee, doubt it not.
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| ENOBARBUS. | But why, why,
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| CLEOPATRA. | Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,
And say'st it is not fit.
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| ENOBARBUS. | Well, is it, is it?
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| CLEOPATRA. | Is't not denounc'd against us? Why should not we
Be there in person?
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| ENOBARBUS. | [Aside] Well, I could reply:
If we should serve with horse and mares together
The horse were merely lost; the mares would bear
A soldier and his horse.
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| CLEOPATRA. | What is't you say?
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| ENOBARBUS. | write_ads(1,1)> Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;
Take from his heart, take from his brain, from's time,
What should not then be spar'd. He is already
Traduc'd for levity; and 'tis said in Rome
That Photinus an eunuch and your maids
Manage this war.
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| CLEOPATRA. | Sink Rome, and their tongues rot
That speak against us! A charge we bear i' th' war,
And, as the president of my kingdom, will
Appear there for a man. Speak not against it;
I will not stay behind.
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Enter ANTONY and CANIDIUS
| ENOBARBUS. | Nay, I have done.
Here comes the Emperor.
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| ANTONY. | Is it not strange, Canidius,
That from Tarentum and Brundusium
He could so quickly cut the Ionian sea,
And take in Toryne?- You have heard on't, sweet?
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| CLEOPATRA. | Celerity is never more admir'd
Than by the negligent.
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| ANTONY. | A good rebuke,
Which might have well becom'd the best of men
To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we
Will fight with him by sea.
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| CLEOPATRA. | write_ads(1,1)> By sea! What else?
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| CANIDIUS. | Why will my lord do so?
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| ANTONY. | For that he dares us to't.
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| ENOBARBUS. | So hath my lord dar'd him to single fight.
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| CANIDIUS. | Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia,
Where Caesar fought with Pompey. But these offers,
Which serve not for his vantage, he shakes off;
And so should you.
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| ENOBARBUS. | Your ships are not well mann'd;
Your mariners are muleteers, reapers, people
Ingross'd by swift impress. In Caesar's fleet
Are those that often have 'gainst Pompey fought;
Their ships are yare; yours heavy. No disgrace
Shall fall you for refusing him at sea,
Being prepar'd for land.
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| ANTONY. | By sea, by sea.
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| ENOBARBUS. | Most worthy sir, you therein throw away
The absolute soldiership you have by land;
Distract your army, which doth most consist
Of war-mark'd footmen; leave unexecuted
Your own renowned knowledge; quite forgo
The way which promises assurance; and
Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard
From firm security.
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| ANTONY. | I'll fight at sea.
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| CLEOPATRA. | I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.
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| ANTONY. | Our overplus of shipping will we burn,
And, with the rest full-mann'd, from th' head of Actium
Beat th' approaching Caesar. But if we fail,
We then can do't at land.
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Enter a MESSENGER
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Thy business?
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| MESSENGER. | The news is true, my lord: he is descried;
Caesar has taken Toryne.
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| ANTONY. | Can he be there in person? 'Tis impossible-
Strange that his power should be. Canidius,
Our nineteen legions thou shalt hold by land,
And our twelve thousand horse. We'll to our ship.
Away, my Thetis!
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Enter a SOLDIER
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How now, worthy soldier?
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| SOLDIER. | O noble Emperor, do not fight by sea;
Trust not to rotten planks. Do you misdoubt
This sword and these my wounds? Let th' Egyptians
And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we
Have us'd to conquer standing on the earth
And fighting foot to foot.
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| ANTONY. | Well, well- away.
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Exeunt ANTONY, CLEOPATRA, and ENOBARBUS
| SOLDIER. | By Hercules, I think I am i' th' right.
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| CANIDIUS. | Soldier, thou art; but his whole action grows
Not in the power on't. So our leader's led,
And we are women's men.
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| SOLDIER. | You keep by land
The legions and the horse whole, do you not?
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| CANIDIUS. | Marcus Octavius, Marcus Justeius,
Publicola, and Caelius are for sea;
But we keep whole by land. This speed of Caesar's
Carries beyond belief.
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| SOLDIER. | While he was yet in Rome,
His power went out in such distractions as
Beguil'd all spies.
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| CANIDIUS. | Who's his lieutenant, hear you?
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| SOLDIER. | They say one Taurus.
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| CANIDIUS. | Well I know the man.
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Enter a MESSENGER
| MESSENGER. | The Emperor calls Canidius.
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| CANIDIUS. | With news the time's with labour and throes forth
Each minute some
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Exeunt
Next
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