ACT III
SCENE VII Near Actium. MARK ANTONY's camp.


 [Enter CLEOPATRA and DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS]

CLEOPATRA I will be even with thee, doubt it not.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS But why, why, why?

CLEOPATRA Thou hast forspoke my being in these wars,
 And say'st it is not fit.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS Well, is it, is it?

CLEOPATRA If not denounced against us, why should not we
 Be there in person?

DOMITIUS 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.

CLEOPATRA What is't you say?

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS Your presence needs must puzzle Antony;
 Take from his heart, take from his brain,
 from's time,
 What should not then be spared. He is already
 Traduced for levity; and 'tis said in Rome
 That Photinus an eunuch and your maids
 Manage this war.

CLEOPATRA                   Sink Rome, and their tongues rot
 That speak against us! A charge we bear i' the war,
 And, as the president of my kingdom, will
 Appear there for a man. Speak not against it:
 I will not stay behind.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS Nay, I have done.
 Here comes the emperor.

 [Enter MARK ANTONY and CANIDIUS]

MARK 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?

CLEOPATRA Celerity is never more admired
 Than by the negligent.

MARK ANTONY A good rebuke,
 Which might have well becomed the best of men,
 To taunt at slackness. Canidius, we
 Will fight with him by sea.

CLEOPATRA By sea! what else?

CANIDIUS Why will my lord do so?

MARK ANTONY For that he dares us to't.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS So hath my lord dared him to single fight.

CANIDIUS Ay, and to wage this battle at Pharsalia.
 Where Caesar fought with Pompey: but these offers,
 Which serve not for his vantage, be shakes off;
 And so should you.

DOMITIUS ENOBARBUS                   Your ships are not well mann'd;
 Your mariners are muleters, 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 prepared for land.

MARK ANTONY By sea, by sea.

DOMITIUS 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 forego
 The way which promises assurance; and
 Give up yourself merely to chance and hazard,
 From firm security.

MARK ANTONY I'll fight at sea.

CLEOPATRA I have sixty sails, Caesar none better.

MARK ANTONY Our overplus of shipping will we burn;
 And, with the rest full-mann'd, from the head of Actium
 Beat the approaching Caesar. But if we fail,
 We then can do't at land.

 [Enter a Messenger]

      Thy business?

Messenger The news is true, my lord; he is descried;
 Caesar has taken Toryne.

MARK ANTONY Can he be there in person? 'tis impossible;
 Strange that 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!

 [Enter a Soldier]

 How now, worthy soldier?

Soldier O noble emperor, do not fight by sea;
 Trust not to rotten planks: do you misdoubt
 This sword and these my wounds? Let the Egyptians
 And the Phoenicians go a-ducking; we
 Have used to conquer, standing on the earth,
 And fighting foot to foot.

MARK ANTONY Well, well: away!

 [Exeunt MARK ANTONY, QUEEN CLEOPATRA, and DOMITIUS
 ENOBARBUS]

Soldier By Hercules, I think I am i' the right.

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.

Soldier You keep by land
 The legions and the horse whole, do you not?

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.

Soldier While he was yet in Rome,
 His power went out in such distractions as
 Beguiled all spies.

CANIDIUS Who's his lieutenant, hear you?

Soldier They say, one Taurus.

CANIDIUS Well I know the man.

 [Enter a Messenger]

Messenger The emperor calls Canidius.

CANIDIUS With news the time's with labour, and throes forth,
 Each minute, some.

 [Exeunt]




 ANTONY AND CLEOPATRA


ACT III